Sketchbook - Three of Coins

I have had cheese on the brain ever since I bought a hunk of 2-year aged gouda at Murray's this past weekend that made my salivary glands turn positively inside out with delight. It wasn't even that expensive, maybe $6.75 for a wedge that will last all week.

So it was only a matter of time before it showed up somewhere in one of these drawings, especially since I'm always trying to find objects to stand in for Coins that aren't actually currency. Wheels of cheese have an earthy gravitas that make them perfectly fitting for use in this suit.

As for this particular card, the Three is all about the marvels that can be accomplished with a little harmonious collaboration. Some of the most satisfying fruits of our labor are also the simplest, but we often take those for granted in pursuit of our far-flung ideals. Working with others is a tempering process, and it's the surest way to keep your ego and fantasies in check.

I wanted to draw something humble that tapped into the same artisanal spirit of Pamela Coleman-Smith's version. Cheese-making is still a craft that entire families and communities devote themselves to, and I suppose you could see it as a joint effort involving humans, animals, and microbes (though realistically I'm sure a goat cares little for what you do with her milk once you've taken it).

Previously On Arcanalogue: The Three Of Coins

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Three of Coins

1. Creative work
2. Building up, constructing, creating
3. A business or commercial transaction.

-- David Allen Hulse, The Western Mysteries

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"A Surplus of Attention and Energy to Pool With Others..."

Jill Sobule has enjoyed a steady fan following and released five wonderful albums since her 1995 "I Kissed A Girl" hit, but the record industry isn't what it used to be. Rather than continue to subject herself to the usual Mephistophelean deals and disappointing returns, the singer/songwriter decided last year that she would personally involve her fans in the funding and creation of her new albums. She launched the site Jill's Next Record, which asked for donations in exchange for prizes ranging from free copies of the album to private concerts. Within 59 days Sobule had made over $75,000, and this April she made good on her promises with the album California Years, which is now available on her site. Below is a video for the single "San Francisco", directed by Margaret Cho, which very much matches the vibe of Sobule's endeavor:

The Three of Coins is anchored by the concept of harmonious collaboration, of people working well together and producing a result that is greater than the sum of their parts. In any professional undertaking, creative or otherwise, it can be difficult to open oneself up to others and rely on their support, and it's also not easy to to extend a truly generous hand of your own. No matter how generous we may be, we all watch out for ourselves, and often our motivations in helping others are not as pure as we think they are. In the Two of Coins we see an individual skillfully navigating all sorts of topsy-turvy challenges; the sorts of harmonious support networks that the Three envisions occur when you become so damn good at what you're doing that you have a surplus of attention and energy to pool with others who are on similarly solid ground. Who knows what marvels may occur?

Truly productive and gratifying projects like this don't flourish all that often -- like the cactus bloom on the California Years album cover, these memorable moments can't be rushed, emerging only rarely. You have to be sensitive to their approach, and nourish them into existence. Consider this card an omen regarding a project you're considering or already at work on. If help is on the way, it may up to you to decide whether it's the right kind. Or perhaps there's an situation on the horizon in which your participation will provide an important missing puzzle-piece. Either way, don't allow this time to pass by idly -- there's important work to be done!

Previously On Arcanalogue: The Three of Coins

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Three of Coins

One funny thing about the Tarot: the wrong cards hog the attention. Sure, it's fun to get all trembly over the challenges presented by Death or the Ten of Swords, but at the end of the day, wouldn't you rather have the subtle reassurances of the Three of Cups, or perhaps the Two of Wands? The card above is one of these latter, and rarely shows up as more than a blip on the radar for readers and querents alike. Perhaps it needs a stylish image overhaul -- the Waite version is a total snooze, and even the bombastic Thoth deck version looks a little phoned in (sorry Lady Frieda, but I call 'em like I see 'em).

The Three of Coins represents the satisfaction of a job well done -- the sort of coordinated effort that feels worthwhile for its own sake, yet still produces stunning results. While this may not inspire the sort of orgiastic imagery that other cards do, I've been determined to find an example that encapsulated the nuance of craftsmanship and the vision of art; something simple, ambitious, and timeless.

It's unfortunate that I only learned of designer Lou Dorfsman's work on the CBS cafeteria wall thanks to news of his passing this week, but as soon as I saw the photos I knew I'd stumbled onto something singular. The entire wall is a joyous assemblage of typefaces describing various food items, each spelled out in a handcrafted wooden letters. Dorfsman commissioned the project based on his designs, and once the first panel was complete, he passed the torch to his friend and fellow designer Herb Lubalin, who oversaw the rest of them. The finished wall was 33 feet long and 8 feet high, and entertained the cafeteria's guests for 20 years; now, having fallen into disrepair in storage, a new gang of artisans are working to restore the wall in hopes that it will find its way back into public view.

Meditating on the hundreds of hours poured into this humble piece of art over the decades is bound to make you wonder which of your projects will stand the test of time, which ones are worth your while regardless, and which ones might benefit from a little outside input. The ability to get things done the way you've envisioned them is, ultimately, an art in itself. [Via]

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