You’ll see that the handle of Justice’s sword has been wrapped in a twisted leather, binding it so that Justice can keep her grip on the sword she will need to bring truth as alchemical fire to the dilemmas she must resolve. She stands on the solid gold of the monad, while around her the ice of our culture is thick, but broken up, simultaneously implying strength and fragility.

I’m thinking through what actions remain to complete these two paintings. I’d like to see more work on the hands to soften the flesh and make them gentler, and I think it wouldn’t hurt to do some more work to the background of Temperance so that there is a night-time landscape behind her with stars in the sky. The full moon a few nights ago really shook me – it was so luminous, but appearing and hiding behind high clouds – I want to paint a night sky very much. Perfect for the eponymous Moon card, which is a tricky composition requiring crayfish, towers and wolves. I feel a trip to the zoo coming on!