We covered Samantha Perez‘s The Renowed Artists Tarot Kickstarter campaign in our previous post and I’m so excited to talk to her more about her project.
I really enjoyed how The Renowned Artists Tarot dares to do something different—it translates the symbolisms of tarot with the legacy of history’s greatest artists. Samantha Perez brings a deep love for both tarot and fine art to this project, crafting a deck that is as intellectually compelling as it is visually stunning.
For Perez, museums have always been spiritual spaces—places where time slows, emotions surface, and profound connections are made. That same sense of contemplation and resonance is what she finds in tarot. “Both art and tarot invite reflection, interpretation, and emotional depth,” she explains. “Merging the two felt natural, like blending two languages I already spoke fluently.”
The deck was years in the making. Alongside her best friend, Laura Reyes, who wrote the guidebook, Perez meticulously studied over 100 artists before carefully selecting which ones would embody each tarot card. Some pairings felt intuitive—Frida Kahlo as The Empress, embodying the power of creation through pain, or Salvador Dalí as The Magician, a master of illusion and transformation. Others required more reflection. The Devil card was particularly difficult. “We wanted to approach it with care and intention, ensuring the message was reflective rather than judgmental,” Perez shares.
One of the deck’s greatest challenges was weaving each artist’s distinct style into the structure of traditional tarot. “Each card had to harmonize three elements: the artist’s portrait, their artistic style, and the symbolic elements tied to the tarot,” Perez explains. “Finding that balance took time, but in the end, it made the deck richer and more meaningful.”
She recalls the card that surprised her the most: Pablo Picasso as The Fool. Initially, she hadn’t considered the connection, but the more she studied his life, the more it made sense. “At first glance, The Fool might seem naïve, but in tarot, it represents fearless creativity and stepping into the unknown. That’s Picasso. He constantly reinvented himself, broke boundaries, and never hesitated to start over. That revelation deepened my appreciation for both him and the card.”
The seeds for The Renowned Artists Tarot were planted during Perez’s final semester of college, where she created five tarot cards as part of a class project. After graduation, the idea lingered in her portfolio until 2020, when the world slowed down, giving her the space to bring it to life. “In total, it took about four years from concept to completion,” she says.
Among all the cards, The Devil was the most challenging to create. “Its message can feel dark or intimidating,” she admits, “but no tarot card is inherently ‘bad.’ Every card offers an opportunity for self-reflection and growth. That shift in perspective helped me approach The Devil with more compassion.”
Currently in the final legs of her Kickstarter campaign, Perez shared that this is an experience that has been both exciting and eye-opening. “Looking back, I wish I had spent more time building a strong community around the project before launching,” she reflects. “The campaign still has a week to go, so I’m holding onto hope and spreading the word every day. But this process has shown me how important it is to nurture an audience long before you press ‘launch.’”
Her advice to aspiring creators? Take your time to connect with people who genuinely care about your work. Be vulnerable, share your story, and don’t be afraid to ask for support. Passion and persistence go hand in hand.
As for what’s next, Perez has a dream collaboration in mind: Yayoi Kusama. “I’m mesmerized by her work,” she says. “Stepping into one of her light installations feels like being wrapped in infinity itself. Her ability to make the invisible visible would translate beautifully into a tarot project.”
For now, though, all eyes are on The Renowned Artists Tarot as it makes its way into the hands of backers and art lovers worldwide. If you want to support the deck and experience tarot through the eyes of history’s greatest artists, you can follow the campaign on Kickstarter or keep up with Perez’s latest updates on Instagram at @Samflowerxo and @RenownedArtistsTarot.
This isn’t just a tarot deck—it’s an art history lesson, a gallery, and a meditation tool all in one.
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