Strange Sensations Tarot Night
Join us for the Strange Sensations Tarot Night, an evening of startling art, surreal music, witchery, divination, tarot readings and community. Experience the exhibition Strange Sensations: The Startling and Surreal in PAFA’s Permanent Collection through spotlight talks with curator Christiana Cruz-Council.
James Boyle, the creator of the famous Philly Tarot Deck, will be on hand to talk about his work and exhibit his limited edition Tarot illustrations. DJ Sara Sherr will curate a mystical, musical journey.
Strangely delicious cocktails and beverages provided by 12th Street Catering. Credit/debit cards only please. We cannot accept cash for admission, tarot readings, or the bar.
Six tarot readers will be taking appointments throughout the evening. Regretfully, the Tarot Readings have sold out.
Image: James Boyle, Tribute to Pamela Colman Smith, 2020, mixed media.
Featured Tarot Readers and Artists
James Boyle
James Boyle is a professional illustrator and creator of the Philly Tarot Deck.. His artwork has been featured in many publications both in print and online. James will showcase his tarot deck and illustrations, including his limited edition print, Tribute to Pamela Colman Smith.
Eboni La'Che
Reiki Master, Tarot Mystic, Birth Doula and Yoga Teacher (Training).
As an Intuitive Healer, Eboni's mission is to unify each individual with a deeper understanding of their self. Her work relies heavily on intuition, earth medicine, energetic manipulation and ritualistic practices. While her assignment as a healer was birthed with the intent of healing my ancestral lineage, Eboni is a vessel for the healing of all the collective consciousness and expansion. She is a fierce mama of four, loving wife and Philly native. Outside of her spiritual mission, she enjoys music, nature and anything vintage.
emma
emma is a white, queer, nonbinary, third-generation settler of ashkenazi, mixed european, and mediterranean lineages living in lenapehoking, west philadelphia, on turtle island. their practices are informed and rooted deeply with love & intention in jewishness, ancestor veneration, & existence in diaspora. they believe in tikkun olam- repairing and healing the world- through de-assimilating, decolonizing, & combatting the ever-present violences of white supremacy, antisemitism, global capitalism, gender violence, & imperialism. along with finding inspiration in Black & indigenous radical thought, land back, anti-zionism, & indigenous sovereignty movements, em finds deep joy and love cultivating community as an artist, spiritual astrologer, musician, poet, shapeshifter, heartfeeler, & seedling herbalist. em will be using the universal Pamela Smith // Rider // Waite deck, the Morgan Greer Deck, and the Herbcrafter's Tarot.
to em, tarot is a practice of being in community; of gently unfurling, weaving, & discovering the clarity, emotional wisdom, & truths that already exist within each of us. rooted deeply in intuition, my readings will dive into the universal decks and wade into the waters of plant & herbalism oracles. together we weave tapestries of reflection through ancient wisdoms of astrology, jewish spirituality, elementals, & storytelling.
Wesley Flash
Wesley Flash (he/him) is an artist and witch based in Philadelphia. His work centers trans and queer liberation, archival research, and spiritual practice. He also hosts the podcast, How's Your Gender?, teaches tarot workshops, and writes zines about magic. He believes tarot enables us to know and accept our selves, strengthen our intuition, and air creative problem solving.
Wesley uses the Collective Tarot deck. It is essential to his practice as a tool to guide, ground, and connect with magic and his communities. The symbolism illustrated in the cards is an unabashedly queer and politically radical reimagining of traditional Tarot imagery. He learned to read Tarot on this deck over a decade ago in shared spaces with other queers, feminists, activists, and witches.
Alexandra Marisia Kurowski
Alexandra Kurowski has over 20 years experience in divination and healing arts. In readings, she guides her clients towards personal growth and clarity with her compassion and honesty. Alexandra hosts regular tarot events with Tattooed Mom and has taken part in events all over the city.
Alexandra shares a birthday with Pamela Colman Smith and will be using the tried and true Rider Waite Smith deck in addition to her favorite deck, the Mary El Tarot, tarot of the abyss. The artist’s’ depiction of the esoteric journey is thoughtful and unique, yet deeply resonate with many.
Tatiana Perez
Tatiana Perez is PAFA's Collections Care Coordinator. When they are not rehousing PAFA's art acquisitions or doing gallery maintenance, Tatiana likes to read tarot for their family and friends. Their practice is rooted in their queer Latine identity and incorporates elements of ancestor veneration, brujeria, intersectionality, self-love and personal healing. Tatiana sees tarot as a way of exploring one's journey from a different perspective and as a helpful tool to guide healing. Tatiana will be using Santa Muerte tarot and Modern Witch tarot, both of which are based off of the Ryder/Waite/Smith archetypes and offer more diverse narratives and figures.
Dennis Robinson
Dennis Robinson is PAFA's Visitor Services Supervisor who in his spare time contemplates consciousness, culture and the human spirit. As a spiritual entity having a human experience, Dennis is one who meditates on perceptions and mind, as both tools for peace and of liberation. Dennis is a descendant of Lenni Lenape & Moorish ancestry, and uses occult, metaphysical and artistic resources to tap into the folds of one's spiritual path. A tarot reader for friends and light bearers alike, Dennis uses the Thoth tarot deck as a primary method of communication and supports it with other decks. Created by Lady Frieda Harris & Aleister Crowley, Thoth tarot is hailed by Crowley, as he proudly exalts women like Lady Harris for their work, unlike Arthur Waite, who was not interested in crediting divine feminine contributions, to his work. In that respect, Dennis incorporates an understanding and ethos of Divine Masculinity and Divine Femininity, as they manifest in our everyday experiences. Dennis is a lover of art and a bastion of spiritual revolution, which is reflected in his practices and readings.