Category: Bodies of Work

The King of Wands has made the thing. It’s the end of the project, and time to confidently share it around to his community. He […]

The Queen of Wands is full of joy. She’s in the throes of the scene, she’s feeling herself, she’s fully present in the thing she’s […]

The Knight of Wands is really *in* his prime. He feels very confident about his ability to generate something spectacular – honestly, he feels like […]

The Page of Wands is a messy messenger of a whole new idea or opportunity. They’re gonna make a mess. Things will get everywhere. The […]

When the 10 of Wands shows up, it’s time to give it a rest. The thing you’ve been making, the experience you pulled together, that […]

This is where the final edits on your work can go. The 9 of Wands wants to reflect on how everything has gone so far, […]

After passing the stress test presented by the seven, the 8 of Wands urges you on to forward motion. Flip your hair. Spin confidently, like […]

The 7 of Wands is a great indicator that you’re up for a challenge, or a foil to your plans. This is where shit gets […]

The 6 of Wands wants you to accept your flowers. Wear that laurel wreath. Enjoy the heat of the spotlight. You’re on display, and you […]

The 5 of Wands is willing to pick a fight in the interest of forward movement. This may be playful or bickering, and it doesn’t […]

The 4 of Wands celebrates a homecoming of our own making. We built this house, and now we can party in it. This is a […]

When the 3 of Wands shows up, it’s a siren call to the horizon. What’s ahead? What is even possible? Where could we imagine ourselves […]

The 2 of Wands is about opportunities. This is where an idea begins to form into a plan. When this card shows up, it’s often […]

The Ace of Wands is made of potential. This is the beginning. This is where the idea first feels exciting. Something, somewhere, is about to […]

The King of Swords is wisdom incarnate. He knows who he is. He knows what he knows. He’s confident in his “rightness,” and willing to […]

The Queen of Swords is right. She knows she’s right. She will school you on her rightness if you attempt to cross her without bringing […]

The Knight knows all the best words, all the best arguments, and has studied up on how to win the day. They stridently follow their […]

The Page of Swords is a messenger with a little argument inside her. She’s got attitude, and really, she’s spoiling for a conflict. It will […]

Dude, you’re cooked. It’s time to put the swords down and admit that you just don’t have the argument.  So what comes next? You may […]

Why are you your own worst enemy? This card is about self flagellation, shame, and self inflicted anger. Your own fingernails are your knives. The […]

The 8 of Swords has a blindfold of their own creation covering their eyes. This card comes to the same parties that self limiting beliefs […]

The 7 of Swords likes to keep its self to itself.  This is where lies of omission go. It’s a card that cautions us to […]

The 6 of Swords has considered all the angles, and has reached the conclusion that it is time to create distance. This is the logical, […]

Are you pleased with yourself? You won the battle. Do you think you won the war? And what about the casualties? This card is about […]

Burnout, thy name is the 4 of Swords. This card warns of a shutdown, the kind that *must* be rested through, rather than pushed through. […]

The 3 of Swords alerts us to betrayal. Swords are about conflict, intellectual rigor, argument, and scholarship. This card might show up when you are […]

The 2 of Swords offers a view of two different paths, both available to choose. They will lead in completely different places, or at minimum, […]

The Ace of Swords is a notice. A statement must be made. A stand must be taken. A deep dive must be followed.  As a […]

The King of Cups is the ultimate family man. He’s a leader, a lover, and someone who holds space for the people he loves. This […]

The Queen of Cups is a fountain of love, connection, and emotional warmth, inwardly. She may be a tad reserved toward the wider world, but […]

The Knight of Cups is a hopeless romantic. Their main motivation is connection – although, sometimes they are so serious and intense about their pursuit […]

The Page of Cups is a messenger offering a glass, here to tell you about a great love, friend, or even scene partner. She is […]

The 10 of Cups tells the story of a wild, passionately out of body kind of love. This is the apex state, where the angst […]

The 9 of Cups is sitting comfortably on a throne, nine glasses lined up behind her. This is the Wish card – she’s connected, confident, […]

The 8 of Cups is a hint that it’s time to walk away. Though everything is technically right, it’s not right on a soul level […]

The 7 of Cups joyfully considers all the possibilities in this connection. It can be whatever the involved parties want it to be. Play with […]

The 6 of Cups whispers quietly of nostalgia. It remembers the past through rose-colored glasses, painting history as “simpler times” and pulling focus away from […]

The 5 of Cups tells us about the futility of crying over spilled milk. There are things that are desperately broken here; that is for […]

The 4 of Cups is trying to decide if she really wants this connection, or if, perhaps, there is one that will fit better. She’s […]

The 3 of Cups shows us friendship. It’s old friends, sitting around a patio table, smoking cigars, sharing stories, and laughing together. This card celebrates […]

The 2 of Cups takes the first blush of relation with another, and takes that first step to genuinely connect with that special other. The […]

The Ace of Cups is a flirtatious little thing. She speaks to the beginning of a connection, the first sweet kiss, the butterflies at the […]

The King of Pentacles is self assured, confident in his competence, and ready to lead. After all, he has the skills and the backing to […]

The Queen of Pentacles is generous of spirit, generous of purse, and generous of her time. Though she wears a crown when she feels called […]

The Knight of Pentacles is an ardent caretaker of their collection. They’ve watched it grow, piece by piece, until it’s exactly how they want it. […]

The Page of Pentacles brings with her a message, perhaps a clumsy one. She wants you to think about the things you own, the objects […]

The 10 of Pentacles reveals itself when the deck wants to talk about legacy. This is the card that links ancestors with descendents in a […]

The 9 of Pentacles celebrates a field well-tended. We are absolutely encouraged and welcome to luxuriate in the abundance of our crops, the success of […]

The 8 of Pentacles is a reminder of hard work and the value of skill building. It’s difficult to fully play, without the skills to […]

The 7 of Pentacles has worked so hard on his home. He has hit a groove, busted ass, and is having some real success. Today […]

The 6 of Pentacles asks us to share our resources with each other. It celebrates giving and receiving care. This card reminds us to chip […]

The 5 of Pentacles is an acknowledgment of being shut out, a door slammed in a face. This card knows we need the resources, knows […]

The Four of Pentacles is about ownership, taking care of your possessions, and guarding them jealously. This card feels pretty confident that someone else is […]

The 3 of Pentacles loves the home they are building with their chosen family. This is where people come together in the interest of creating […]

The Two of Pentacles is about finding balance between different paths, between dark and light, and it often shows up when the deck wants to […]

The Ace of Pentacles suggests a new beginning in the realm of *things.* This is where we find out about the objects we own, and […]

The World is the culmination of everything you’ve experienced. It’s the end of the road. You can rest comfortably and joyfully in the world you […]

Judgment is just a mirror. When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Something you like, or something you’d like to change? Demands […]

The Sun wants us to enjoy all that we have now, brought by all we have experienced. This isn’t the Empress with her lush, verdant […]

The Moon reminds us of changeability, cycles, and things that maybe don’t look exactly as they are.  Demands The Moon demands that you look through […]

The Star reminds us that something good can come after the end of something. You’re still standing. Now what? Demands Decide if you’re going to […]

The Tower is destruction. It’s a building being imploded because of a fucked up foundation. This card is loud and final. Demands Accept that it’s […]

The Devil is the container of darker, more primal impulses. Fear, lust, anger, and self-interested motivations often drive the Devil.  Demands Examine what scares you, […]

Temperance is a way to a good life. Don’t get too intensely into one thing or another, or you will fall off balance. No one […]

Death is an ending, but also a beginning. It signifies a transition, where one iteration ends and the next begins. Demands Submit to the fact […]

The Suspended One, also the Hanged Man, reminds you that you’re kind of stuck right now. Maybe that’s okay. Stuck isn’t the worst thing in […]

Justice is about equilibrium and equity. When the justice card shows up, it can be a reminder that something doesn’t feel right, morally. It can […]

The Wheel of Fortune reminds you that you know nothing. You actually have no control over the ultimate outcome of your situation. This is a […]

The Hermit retreats to their own safe place to learn and meditate by themself, without the influence of other actors. Demands The Hermit wants to […]

Strength is about quiet, deeply internal fortitude. It’s not muscles and brawn, it’s taming the lion through gentle leadership. This is the card that *could* […]

The Chariot loves forward motion. This is the territory of an underdog on her way to accomplish amazing things. The Chariot is driven by someone […]

The Lovers love love. The Lovers love connection. This *often* shows up as romance, eroticism, and those types of connections, but they are often the […]

The Hierophant is the keeper of spiritual community knowledge. Like the bootblacks’ ethos, they aim to guide by service, care for their community, and do […]

The Emperor wants you to use your best sense of ethics to be a good custodian of your wider community. He’s the trusted dungeon monitor […]

The Empress’s favorite word is “lush.” She brings with her fertility and creative abundance. She is, after all, abundance itself. She’s often depicted on a […]

The High Priestess is the conduit between the world we can see and touch, and that which lives beneath. She’s the one who shows you […]

The Magician is a powerful creator, a maker of big things, ideas, and change. They conjure the things they want, from the resources they have.  Demands […]

The Fool is the most powerful card in the entire deck. They signify a new beginning, a clean slate, and a sense of freshness. They […]

“Echotherea Intimata” explores the intersection of ethereal and erotic through 24 pieces, each inspired by music. Themes of joy, shame, power, and sensuality unfold, with figures in shibari, embracing tension between freedom and restraint, self-discovery, and transformation.

The artwork shows a woman suspended in shibari rope from her hips, facing upward. Her feet and chest are tied together, and a potted Monstera deliciosa plant acts as a weight. The scene incorporates heavy plant motifs, with a color palette of gold, yellow, and green, symbolizing themes of growth and healing.

A person with brown hair is suspended in shibari rope from a tree, the forest surrounding them like a living embrace. The gold rope stands out against the earthy tones of brown, green, and copper, highlighting the interplay between strength and vulnerability as they become one with the forest.

The figure hugs their leg, bound in a futomomo tie, squeezing it tightly as if caught in a moment of deep contemplation. Beside them, a pair of rope shears lies on the ground, hinting at the possibility of severing ties—whether from a relationship, toxicity, or a source of inner turmoil.

this portrait features a figure in detailed pony gear. The eyes reveal the inner thoughts and emotions of the person behind the mask, while a pair of hands holds the reins, hinting at themes of control and power.

A female figure, head held high by hair shibari bondage, surrenders to the sensory delight of lilacs. The BDSM collar around her neck signifies a power dynamic that is gentle yet profound, revealing how kink can embody softness and warmth as much as intensity.

Inspired by Garbage’s Androgyny, this piece explores the fluidity of gender expression. The figure, adorned with shibari rope up their leg, poses against a pink and gold background. With a gesture that blurs traditional lines, they cradle something inside their underwear—whether it’s a penis, a packer, a vibrator, or something else entirely, remains ambiguous.

Upside down, her fingertips gently trace the surface of the water, creating a moment of serene connection. The hues of green, yellow, and blue evoke a sense of calm and expansiveness, capturing the desire to escape and find peace.

This surreal scene floats amidst a sky of blue, green, yellow, and silver, with the song’s words splashed across the background, amplifying the sense of freedom and escape.

Inspired by 311’s Amber, this piece intertwines warmth and mystery. A hand holds a cigar, with the smoke rising to reveal the ghostly image of a figure bound in shibari ropes.

Inspired by Slack Wax’s Sex Bomb, this piece exudes bold sensuality. It features a man in bikini underwear, his form confidently displayed with a leg wrapped in an intricate rope harness. The rope crisscrosses across his athletic thighs, highlighting the blend of strength and vulnerability.

At the center, a femme figure is bound in shibari, with the ropes transforming into the glowing filaments of the lights. It’s a playful and lighthearted take on the connection between energy and desire, radiating cheerfulness and a touch of the fantastical.

A figure is suspended in shibari ropes from a metal rig against a backdrop of blues, purples, and silvers. Lightning descends from the sky, grounding itself through the rig and dispersing around the model, visualizing the pull of unseen forces towards the earth.

Inspired by the evocative tones of Bell X1’s Flame, this piece captures a figure in a shibari partial suspension from a tree, set against an autumnal landscape. The warm colors of brown, pink, orange, red, and gold envelop the scene, while dandelions in the foreground hint at fragility and fleeting moments.

Inspired by Kongos’ Come With Me Now, this piece delves into the passage of time and the burden of overthinking. A pair of hands, bound in a shibari single column tie, cradle an analog clock, reflecting the tension between confinement and the relentless march of time.

This piece offers an intimate look at a basic double column tie, focusing on the intricate details of the knot itself. The absence of a figure draws attention to the rope, reflecting the artist’s own experience of exploring this art form with a mix of shyness and vulnerability.

Wearing tiny leather pants, he boldly presents himself with legs splayed apart, drawing attention to the boots and the rugged rubber sole of one prominently displayed. The grayscale palette of gray, silver, black, and white adds to the gritty, unapologetic tone.

A woman stands confidently in a purple latex catsuit, exuding an air of mischief. Her stance is bold, almost daring the viewer. At her spiked heel, a glass of spilled milk lies tipped over, echoing the puckish nature of a cat’s rude playfulness.

The figure grips their own torso with clawing hands, expressing a struggle that is both physical and emotional.

This piece depicts a Black woman engaged in pony play, exuding strength and grace. Seen from behind, she wears a pony mask and a high ponytail, accentuated by a sleek black pencil skirt.

The follower, in a flowing white dress, surrenders to the embrace, while the leader, dressed in a sharp white shirt and black pants, guides with strength and precision.

A nude man holds a Bible in one hand and a hank of shibari rope in the other, suggesting the complex dynamics between spiritual authority and the allure of dominance.

Facing forward with knees spread, she exudes a brazen audacity and comfort in her own skin. The use of pink, orange, red, and gold emphasizes the boldness of unapologetic self-expression.

“You’re Bright as the Morning, Soft as the Rain” (2024): Inspired by Hozier’s Too Sweet, this piece presents an evocative view of a woman’s torso, captured from just below the ribs to her mouth. Her long, dark hair cascades over bare skin, while she sensually licks her fingers.

“Meet Me in Outer Space” (2024): Inspired by Incubus’ Stellar, this piece features a nonbinary person with a beard and long, curly hair. They hold their hands in front of their face, with their arms bound together in shibari rope. The background is an ethereal blend of textures and glazes, with thick paint forming gel-printed circles in hues of blue, pink, gray, silver, black, and white. The abstract environment suggests a cosmic landscape, blending the personal with the otherworldly. By Nadia Vanilla, part of the Echotherea intimata series. © Nadia Vanilla 2024. All rights reserved.