Pamela Colman Smith, Tarot Artist: The Pious Pixie

by Dawn Robinson

Pamela Colman Smith is the mysterious artist behind the most renowned tarot deck in the world, for many years forgotten. In a revival of interest in esoteric artists and accessible tarot, curiosity about Pamela is now on the ascendant, but there are still many unanswered questions, especially concerning her later life. Born in London to American parents, Pamela was a prolific illustrator and artist who mixed with the great and good of art and theatre, among them W. B. Yeats and Bram Stoker. 'Adopted' by actress Ellen Terry, she spent some years with the Lyceum Theatre crowd, also working as an exotic storyteller, known as Gelukiezanger, in bohemian London. People have questioned her sexuality, her ethnic origins and alleged synaesthesia, assuming her to be biracial and lesbian. These are discussed but the biggest mystery of all is why she converted from mysticism to Catholicism in 1911, removing herself from vibrant London to the isolated Lizard in the west of Cornwall. There, living in relative obscurity, she evangelised Catholicism in a heavily non-conformist area, before moving to Bude in her sixties.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Biography, Tarot

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2020

Reviews

[David Burkam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 21rst century has seen a growing interest in Pamela Colman Smith's life and work, certainly spurred on by the 100th anniversary of the appearance of her famous Tarot deck. Robinson's book on PCS is a welcome addition to that growing scholarship despite its flaws.

Robinson freely admits her book grew out of personal and regional interests (especially in PCS's final years in the seaside town of Bude in north east Cornwall) rather than traditional scholarly intentions or interests in art or the history of Tarot and mystical societies.

The book's biggest flaw is organizational. The prose is highly redundant, repeating text and ideas almost verbatim in different chapters (and sometimes within a single chapter only pages apart). The organization is only loosely chronological, with major time shifts back and forth within most chapters (adding to and facilitating the overall redundancy of book as a whole).

If the book has an underlying structure, it is one of trying to address the major beliefs/myths of PCM's life: was she a woman of color, was she seeking a mother figure much of her life, was she an artist or a "mere illustrator" or a dabbler willing to do almost anything for money, was she a true synaesthesiac or was it an assumed technique to sell art, was she a lesbian, was she sincere about her conversion to Catholicism, did she die a pauper? All interesting questions!

Perhaps with a different publisher and more editorial guidance, Robinson's book would have become a stronger addition to the literature on PCS. Rating: *** 1/2

[Willa Guadalupe Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A book about PCS that addresses her conversation to Catholicism. So many books focus on her art & early years totally neglecting the major part of her life as a devout Catholic. This author is not Catholic and relied on a Novus Ordo Catholic friend to help, so still misses many things, but has done SO much better a job addressing PCS, her sexuality, her ethnicity, and most of all her life after the tarot than any other author I have read. I would dearly love to see a real Traditional Latin Mass Catholic with real catechesis, address some of the Catholic secrets hidden in Pamela's tarot cards. So many people are missing much of what she offered, there. They just don't have the background to know it.

[Sophie Harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides interesting insight into PCS as a person, particularly her conversion to Catholicism. Rather than sensationalised inferences of homosexuality and lifelong interest in the occult, it is based mostly on her letters and is therefore likely closer to the truth than a lot of published information about her.

I did find it a slow starter, but I believe this is mostly due to the formatting.

Echoing what others have said, the biggest downfall of the book is organisational; there are several typos in dates, and many of the chapters feel repetitive and poorly structured.

Overall, I feel this is a worthwhile read for those interested in tarot/ PCS.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is an interesting story hidden somewhere amid the repetition, speculation and long digressions. It was a disappointing read for me that left me with far more questions than answers.

[Emily Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does it need an organisational edit? Yes. But who cares?

The author is SO dedicated to their research, I loved it.

PCS 4eva<3

[Graisi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot in this book about people Patricia knew, rather than about her, and several parts of the book are repeated. Both of these things seem designed to pad the length of the book.

Aside from that, it was an interesting, good, though not great, book about the mother of tarot.

Many would find it surprising to learn that she seemed to have little passion for studies when in The Order of the Golden Dawn, yet when she later converted to Catholicism (which also seems surprising), she seemed quite devout.

Could it be that the 1909 tarot was just another job for her, and she had no particular care for it? We'll never know for sure, but that's what this book suggests.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some interesting insights and archival research, but is in desperate need of major organizational edits.