I have heard a few self-appointed tarot critics say that collage decks are for people with no artistic talent. I can cite many names that serve to negate that statement. (Arnell Ando, Alexandra Genetti, Michele Jackson, Paula Gibby, etc.) Today I would like to add the name of another splendid tarot collagist to that group: Jean Hutter.

Ms. Hutter is both a fine artist and a graphic designer, as adept in computer aided design as she is in projects involving paper and pigments. The Odyssey Tarot deck is artistically rendered and is self-published in an elegant and very professional manner. Each deck is painstakingly made by hand and carefully laminated. Another nice feature of this deck is that the artist allows each one who purchases a deck to pick from one of several back designs and then she does not re-use that particular back. Each deck is therefore truly one of a kind and unique.

One of the things I like best about this deck is the artist’s ability to use multiple images in her collaged interpretations of many of the cards without having so many that one image overpowers the next or distracts the reader while reading. (See the Hermit, the 6 of Wands and the 6 of Cups.) Her multiple images support each other rather than crowding each other out or fighting discordantly for one’s attention. The result is a very blended and pleasing depiction of the meaning of each of these cards.

Other cards focus on one central image. One of my favorite cards of this type is the 4 of Cups. In this card a beautiful young woman has become literally lost to the world around her as she gazes raptly at her reflection in the mirror. Her narrow focus has trapped her into a one-dimensional universe wherein only she matters. Having nothing to react with or to, she is cut off from life and all that it has to offer. Not only is she unaware of the three cups at the bottom of the picture, she is even oblivious to the one being offered by the hand mere inches from her face.

Another interesting card is the 10 of Wands. This card shows a man weighed down by the weight of the world. And by weighed down, I mean that literally. Like Atlas before him, this man has the entire world on his shoulders and is struggling under his load.

Both of the cards mentioned above serve to illustrate the fact that though this deck is by no means a Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) clone, it can be read easily by anyone who has worked with the RWS deck frequently. Some may be glad of that, as there is (as yet) no booklet to accompany this deck. But I must mention that not having any documentation for the deck did not hinder my ability to read with it immediately and well. And “readability” is a huge issue for me when it comes to tarot decks. I have several decks that are “art decks” only, but much prefer attractive decks that function well in day to day reading experiences. This deck definitely falls in to the latter group.

Unless you are one of those people who cannot stand collage decks on principle, I recommend this deck highly. As with most hand-made decks, it is pricier than those produced by the mainstream tarot publishers, but I think the deck is well worth the expenditure and give it an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Images from the Odyssey Tarot, self-published by Jean Hutter. The deck is currently sold out, but if you'd like to be put on the waiting list visit http://www.jeanhutter.com/tarot.htm