When I first painted him I stood back and said, “Yes, I think I can make a whole tarot deck.” He gave me the initial confidence and push I needed to start this project that, unbeknownst to me at the time, would take over a huge part of my life for years to come. Since then I have used him as a standard for the style and quality I have hoped to achieve throughout the creation of this deck.

But he means more, too. Since the beginning I have felt the presence of the Emperor inspiring me, spurring me on, and providing a yang influence to my yin, hopefully with the end result being a very balanced tarot deck in its male and female energies. I consider him the Patron, Co-creator, and the “el” half of the Mary-el tarot.