THE LOWBROW TAROT PROJECT

3: The Empress

The Empress, seated on her throne surrounded by the bountiful earth that she is meant to represent, is a symbol of fertility, patience, sensuality, love, and creation. She is a life force, Mother Nature, and gives birth to all creation. She is the goddess of abundance and beautiful things. While she is pregnant with opportunity, ideas, love, and creativity, there is also a need for patience and nurturing that comes with allowing things to gestate and grow. The field of ripe wheat and flowers represents nourishment and nurturing, and the pomegranate suggests fertility, love, and feminine sexuality. The water is a symbol of emotion, tranquility, and expansive power, and with this force come the necessity to be mindful of the destructive nature it can hold. The heart is an emblem of love and the stars are representative of the twelve months or Zodiac. The Empress is the giver of life and abundance, but in anger, she can also withhold.

Cate Rangel was born in Washington D.C., and grew up in Southern California. Her interest in art developed at an early age, spending countless hours drawing and painting. Cate recalls dreaming of becoming an artist when she grew up, but did not pursue that dream until first exploring other career paths. In 1999, Cate obtained her Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Not finding a calling in that field, she eventually found her way back to art through the study of Art History. Cate's works are drawn from emotion, mood, and personal experience, with many being autobiographical in nature. They are not images of her physical self, but emotional and psychological mirrors. A self-taught artist, Cate was invited to display a piece in her first gallery show in 2008 and has been exhibiting ever since.