Want to get something no one else has now, and possibly never will have? How about a print, or the full set of prints, of a series of oil paintings I did as potential prototypes for the Aces of the Tabula Mundi deck?

Bring an Ace (Kether) into Malkuth (here, now)!

As a disclaimer I have to say that these may not end up being the exact Aces for the Tabula Mundi tarot deck when it finally manifests as a full 78 card deck. But they started as such. Originally, my intention was to do the minors as oil paintings. But I have decided that I want the deck to have a unified look. I might end up doing these Aces over completely, and having the oil paintings I did be in my next and third deck (gasp!) which will be in oils I think, or maybe I will do these over in the same media as the Majors and include them in Tabula Mundi, or maybe they will end up being the Aces for the deck as is, and the only cards of Tabula Mundi that are done as oil paintings. Or scrapped completely never to be seen again except as originals. Or burned, if I get much better at this, or have a bad day, haha.  All to be determined. Nevertheless they are very Ace-y and evocative of the elemental energies and would be a fine addition to your Tabula Mundi set. Winners will get the choice of getting them as card size prints with titles and attributions or as 8×5 signed prints.

These as collectibles will be super limited – as in, there will be only one of each Ace awarded separately, and one grand prize of all four Aces. I’ve kept them secret until now. These will not be a limited edition in the true sense though, as I reserve the right to make more at any time, but there are no plans to.

There are two ways to win:

To win an Ace, look at the card backs and answer the question “Where is Malkuth?” (Sort of like as esoteric “find Waldo”, haha). While I understand there can be many “correct” answers, the winners will be the ones who answer the question the way I decided when I designed the backs.

The Grand Prize will be awarded to the person who gives me whatever answer I think is the coolest, regardless of if it is “correct” in the former sense or not. Bonus points for sharing news about this deck on social media. Since I don’t have that or do that, someone needs to!

Here are the rules and how to enter:

Rules:

1. Contest is only open to purchasers of a Tabula Mundi deck or set of decks. Entry must be made using email you used to order. Enter as many times as you want.

2. Only one prize awarded per person. If a person wins the grand prize they are disqualified from one of the Aces alone as a prize.

3. Contest begins September 29th 2014 at 8:24 pm when the decks go on sale, and ends at Crowleymas (October 12th 2014) unless I decide to extend it. Winners notified by email. If not all prizes have been won, then contest will be extended until all five can be awarded.

4. Decisions are made by me, according to the order in which I receive correct entries in the case of the single Ace prizes, and according to my own arbitrary decision for the Grand Prize of all four.

5. By entering, you allow me to post any parts of your entry (anonymously, I will only use initials) on the web.

6. No prizes will be awarded until all can be awarded. In other words, if there are not enough winning entries to award all five prizes, then the contest will continue with no awards made until there are, or be discontinued.

7. Winners agree not to reproduce the work and to obtain permission before putting images online.

8. Rules subject to change if I forgot anything important. Can be discontinued at any time for any reason.

Prizes:

4 First Prizes, awarded in order:

Ace of Wands

Ace of Cups

Ace of Swords

Ace of Disks

First person to qualify gets Wands. Second, Cups. Third, Swords. Fourth, Disks. Winner has choice of getting them card size with titles or as approximately 8×5 signed prints. Printed with archival ink on matte photo paper.

1 Grand Prize, consisting of all four Aces. Winner has choice of getting them card size with titles or as approximately 8×5 signed prints. Printed with archival ink on matte photo paper.

How to enter:

To win a first prize, send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Kether is in Malkuth”. Tell me where Malkuth is. First correct entries in order win, by the date I receive them in my inbox. Watch your email and this site, as I may offer hints. But for now, I will say there is a hint on the trump for Malkuth.

To win the Grand Prize, send an email (it can be the same email as the one above) with the subject line “Kether is in Malkuth”.

Tell me about where you see Malkuth on the backs, or about anything cool you see in the card backs. Demonstrate where you have shared about Tabula Mundi on social media. Most creative, interesting, and prolifically shared entry wins, based solely on my decision. It is arbitrary, no question about that!

There is a distinct advantage to be had by having the cards in person, so to even the field a little, here is a preview where you can see the card back, in the card stand built into the deluxe box:

Stay tuned for future clues!

 Tabula Mundi is available now!

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