Exclusive Excerpt: The Queen of Wands: The Story of Pamela Colman Smith
Tarot lovers, get ready to learn about the illustrator behind the iconic Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, Pamela Colman Smith!
A visionary artist who grew up in London, was educated in Brooklyn, and lived for some time on the island of Jamaica before moving back to London, Pamela’s credit for the deck that was first published in December 1909 is long overdue. Cue author and illustrator Cat Willett, who presents Pamela’s story in the graphic biography The Queen of Wands: The Story of Pamela Colman Smith, the Artist Behind the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. Plus, Cat has illustrated Pamela’s own words in beautiful two-page spreads and included a short history of tarot to put Pamela’s story in context.
We hope you enjoy this exclusive sneak peek of the early years of Pamela Coleman Smith’s life from 1878-1896! The Queen of Wands is on sale September 13th and available for pre-order now!
With rich imagery, stunning colors, and an iconic place in the realm of divination, the Rider-Waite Tarot is perhaps the best known deck in the world. Seasoned readers and fledgling diviners alike turn to these cards in search of inspiration, understanding, and even a hint at the future. But the story of their origin is less well known, with their brilliant creator’s name stripped away from them for decades. Now, for the first time, mystics, art-lovers, and fortune-tellers will uncover the magical story of Pamela Coleman Smith, rendered in full-color illustrations by artist Cat Willett, and inspired by the work of Pamela herself.
From a childhood spent between the United Kingdom and Jamaica, to early artistic success in New York, to involvement in the secret occult society Order of the Golden Dawn, Pamela — or Pixie, as she was known to many — had a life full of enchanted inspiration and profound hardship. Through it all, her art acted as a guiding force, culminating in her custom illustrations for the deck that would become the Rider-Waite Tarot. Though she received little money and almost no credit for her contributions to the magical realm in her lifetime, Pixie’s impact on tarot, divination, and the worlds of mysticism and the arts have reverberated for nearly 150 years, and her story serves as an enchanted spark. Depicted in whimsical, full-color detail, with interludes tying Pamela to the resurgence of modern magic and the world of tarot throughout, this singular work is a must-read for witches, creatives, and activists.
