Lunar Maria
The Lunar Maria (pl.) or Mare (sing.) are large dark basaltic plains on the Earth’s Moon formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. These plains Oceanus (Oceans), Mare (Seas), Lacus (Lakes), Palus (Marshes), and Sinus (Bays) were named by Giovanni Battista Riccioli in 1651 after states of mind and conditions of water.
I have editioned three decks of 44 oracle cards named after the Lunar Maria: one wool hand-embroidered original, twelve cotton digitally printed, finished w/ hand-stitching, and 100 paper digitally printed. All the decks include a letterpress printed, hand-bound booklet, and indigo dyed bag and cloth with machine stitched text.
The booklet describes how to use the cards and includes 44 poetic fragments that correspond to each basaltic plain and embroidered image. The booklet was designed, printed and bound by Daniela Del Mar.
This project was conceived in the midst of studying magical tools and practices with Colette Gardiner in her Blue Iris Mystery School in Portland, Oregon, working as an artist-in-residence at the Icelandic Textiles Center in Blönduós, Iceland and learning from Carmen Spagnola's Numinous School of Intuition Development. The combination of these experiences helped me further understand, connect and embed my ancestry, place and natural world within my art practice.
Thank you to the Regional Arts and Culture Council of Oregon, Caldera Artists Residency, Icelandic Textiles Center, my husband Mauricio Rioseco, Daniela Del Mar, Colette Gardiner, Melinda Kowalska, Bran Taylor, Rosey Covert, Page Hawley, JP Hawthorne, Courtney Frisse, Patrice Kelly, Lyla Rowen, Connor Gibson, Josh Berger, Topher Sinkinson, Hannah Mickunas, Cheri Hyde, Sara Kolp, Rhea Wolf, Carol Ferris, Carmen Spagnola, Cynthia Gladen, and everyone who helped shape this process.
Ten percent of all sales from this deck, and funds generated from any readings will be donated to The Chúush Fund: Water for Warm Springs which directly benefits the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon as they work to restore their access and infrastructure for clean water.
Ten percent of all sales from this deck, and funds generated from any readings will be donated to The Chúush Fund: Water for Warm Springs which directly benefits the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon as they work to restore their access and infrastructure for clean water.
Photography by Courtney Frisse
wool
The first edition is the wool originals that are hand and machine stitched and dyed in indigo, fustic and cochineal. This is a one-of-a-kind edition with a hand-made Port Orford Cedar ribbon box by Mauricio Rioseco Milano.
The organic cotton, indigo dyed cloths were made by myself, Lyla Rowen, Connor Gibson and Lucia Rioseco.
The organic cotton, indigo dyed cloths were made by myself, Lyla Rowen, Connor Gibson and Lucia Rioseco.
cotton
The deluxe edition, of which there are twelve unalike copies, is digitally reproduced and printed on organic cotton sateen fabric edged with a whipstitch of indigo dyed thread. Each deck was hand-stitched during the Covid-19 Pandemic in an online stitching group that met once per week and is still ongoing. Participants are: myself, Carol Ferris, Connor Gibson, Patrice Kelly, Nini Liedman, Lyla Rowen and Topher Sinkinson.
paper
The third edition is a paper trade edition of 100 that is printed on Titan glossy 130# cover with gloss aqueous coating. The booklet and card enclosure are made by Daniela del Mar and are hand-bound on Cannaletto Grana Grossa paper with indigo-dyed linen thread. The blind debossed title page is printed on a Canuck Proof Press with digitally printed interior. The card enclosure is letterpress printed on Cobalt Classic Crest. The hand-lettering and writing is mine.