Mari's creations have been embraced by individuals, counseling professionals, and community centers in 58 countries and by retail partners in 14 countries, with over 26,000 Gentle Tarot decks and guidebooks having been sold worldwide. This colorful dream would not be what it is today without the incredible love and support of Patreon members as well as Kickstarter backers from around the world who raised over $390,532 over the course of four campaigns.
No AI is used in any of this work.
The Gentle Tarot is Mari's first large-scale project, a hand-drawn tarot deck inspired by decolonizing the practice of tarot, compassion for mental health, and connection to our natural environment as a source of support and meaningful relation. Mari's indigenous roots are Chichimeca and Wixárika from Zacatecas, Central México. She is an Anchorage Museum Residency Fellow and a Rasmuson Foundation grant recipient. Her art has been featured by the Alaska Humanities Forum. She is currently based in Homer, Alaska and México.
The art in the Gentle Tarot and My Friend Fire was created on and inspired by the lands of indigenous nations in three regions of Alaska: the lands of the Unangax̂ in Iluulux̂ (Unalaska) in the Aleutian Islands, the lands of the Sugpiaq on Kodiak Island; and the Dena’ina, and the Ninilchik Village Tribe between the Kenai peninsula and Anchorage. Mari had the intimate opportunity of becoming familiar with these remote regions of Alaska over the course of eight years, while working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Kodiak, Sand Point, and Dutch Harbor and the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska. She plans to eventually release a completely new Gentle Tarot inspired by México, her homeland.
All of Mari’s creations are independently published through her publishing house Mari in the Sky. She has turned down several offers from large publishing houses whose terms and conditions feel like an echo of colonization. Despite the challenges of running a small business, Mari is determined that the Gentle Tarot remain independent so that she can maintain control of her creations while also keeping her donation program running and paying her staff a living wage. Mari in the Sky has donated $24,423 to environmental advocacy and protection causes since 2020. Our retail partners are everything to us and what makes this small business thrive. If you’d like to join our growing international community, please use our contact form or sign up for our wholesale newsletter. The Gentle Tarot is a labor of love created through resilience and hope. Thank you for supporting independent, queer art and shopping small!
With help from purchases like yours, we have raised $24,423 in donations since we opened in 2020. 🌱 We have also donated over $2000 worth of product in support of community fundraisers.
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Articles
Deck Review: The Gentle Tarot, Tarot Cake
An homage to nōpalli, Oxford Public Philosophy
Sanando con el arte de la mano de ‘Mari in the Sky,’ Sol de Medianoche
"Mariza Ryce Aparicio-Tovar: Heal yourself, Heal the Earth," The Little Red Tarot
"On Art, Healing, and the Natural World," Anchorage Museum
"The Gentle Tarot: Unalaska Artist Creates Uniquely Alaskan Tarot Deck," Alaska Public Media, PBS, NPR, KUCB
"Behind The Deck: The Gentle Tarot," Mystic Rose
Interview - Incandescent Tarot
Interview - Asali Earthwork Tarot
YouTube Reviews
My Friend Fire Oracle - Wicked Moonlight
Unboxing My Friend Fire - Tarot Cósmico
The Gentle Tarot & My Friend Fire - Gissee Asmir (español)
My Friend Fire - Lisa Papez
The Gentle Tarot & Sneak Peak of My Friend - Wicked Moonlight
My Friend Fire: New Oracle Deck from Mari in the Sky - Garden Goddess Tarot
Companion Deck and Gift: My Friend Fire - The Fool's Apprentice
Os enseño The Gentle Tarot - Anna Camps Tarot (español)
My Friend Fire Sneak Peak! - Greeneyed Tarot
Unboxing Song of the Grandmother - Tarot Cósmico (español)
The Gentle Tarot: Linen Edition - Project Refined Life
Sneak peak at the Gentle Tarot Pocket Edition - Dawn Michelle Tarot
Gentle Tarot, Salon des Arcanes (français)
A month with the Gentle Tarot - Lisa Papez
The Gentle Tarot Walkthrough - Lisa Papez
Tarot in Practice with the Gentle Tarot - Katey Flowers Tarot
The Gentle Tarot, un tarot tout en douceur - Claire de La Lune (français)
The Gentle Tarot Walkthrough - Shuffle Tarot
First Impressions - Dawn Michelle Tarot
Unboxing en español - Tarot Cósmico (español)
The Gentle Tarot : un tarot doux chamanique - Arcana Éducation
YouTube Interviews
The Gentle Tarot walkthrough, White Feather Tarot
Launching a Tarot Deck on Kickstarter, Shauni Redfearn
Deck Creator Corner, Cosmic Wheel Mystic
Podcast Appearances
Kismet Berlin Conversations for the Mystically Curious
Kickstarter Campaigns
2021 - The Gentle Tarot Pocket Deck and Full-Size Guidebook - $111,589
2020 - First Edition of The Gentle Tarot - $74,708
I felt such immense emotion holding My Friend Fire for the first time. I consider the Gentle Tarot a dear, dear friend. Seeing, reading, and feeling the expansion and transformation you’ve experienced between the creation of these decks is incredible and such an honor. It helps me to see and appreciate the immense growth I’ve experienced in the same time. My Friend Fire is an instantly trusted guide and companion I keep near me all the time.
-Erin K
I genuinely feel lucky to have a copy of My Friend Fire. Every single part of it feels incredibly well thought out, special, profound. It immediately became my favorite deck. I love the artwork; it has made me laugh out loud, feel immense joy, has connect me immediately to memories and feelings, and has also made me cry (it was a great release!)
-Lydia Chandrasekaran