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July Project Update: Thank you so much for the continuous support for The Somnia Tarot! Here are some exciting updates: |
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Today marks the one year anniversary of Somnia's independent crowdfunding campaign! Since our day-one funded campaign launch, the deck has traveled to thousands of patrons all over the globe - which is something I never could have imagined. I am so thankful for your help in bringing my project to life.
To celebrate the one year launch date anniversary, I've brought some new and exciting treasures to The Somnia Tarot universe.
The revenue from these products will go directly towards raw materials for The Somnia Tarot: Expansion Series. I am currently drafting the sketches for around 30-40 new photographs. I am also experimenting with the idea of producing The Somnia Tarot: Illustrated Edition, which will portray the imagery of my series through full-color drawings.
The Somnia Tarot Spread Cloth - "The Sun" - 100% Cotton
- 100% Burgundy Cotton, 21.5 x 21.5 inches, Made in the USA
- Features a blazing sun design with metallic gold inks
- To be used in the bright of day to illuminate your next brilliant discovery
The Somnia Tarot Spread Cloth - "The Moon" - 100% Cotton
- 100% Grey Cotton, 21.5 x 21.5 inches, Made in the USA
- Features a celestial moon design with metallic silver inks
- To be used in the dark of night to explore the realm of dreams and nightmares
The Suit of Swords Letter Opener is a miniature replica of the swords used in The Somnia Tarot series.
- Features intricate brass details and a chrome plated safety blade for opening mail
- Includes an ornate scabbard wrapped in faux leather
- Wrapped in a gold-tinted drawstring gift bag
- Length 9.75 inches, Made in Spain
January Project Update: The Somnia Tarot The Somnia Tarot is now available for the United Kingdom on my Etsy store! |
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December Project Update: The Somnia Tarot The Somnia Tarot Companion Book is live! Check out the latest product launches: |
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October Shipping Update: The Somnia Tarot The Tarot decks are arriving all around the world! |
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September Project Update Part II : The Somnia Tarot The Tarot decks have finally arrived! |
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September Mini Project Update: The Somnia Tarot • While I am waiting for the delivery schedule, I am actively building shipping boxes so I can dispatch the orders as soon as I receive them. My sister and I will be packaging each order with care. Everything will be ready to go as soon as they arrive! You can reply directly to this message with your new address, or you can make an account on the website to change your address. Directly sending me the address is the easiest option. |
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Sleep paralysis happens on the edges of sleep — when a person is falling asleep or waking up. The person has some level of awareness, but finds they cannot move. The most straightforward form of sleep paralysis is simply that: a temporary feeling of paralysis, which can be disturbing enough. Mix in memories or remnants of dreams, and sleep paralysis becomes terrifying. Those who’ve experienced sleep paralysis often report they felt a presence immobilizing them, they may hear disturbing sounds and feel a weight on their chest. The sensations have been compared to various real-world experiences, none of them good: Suffocation, confinement, bondage, drowning. As with dreams or nightmares, sleep paralysis is tailored to the individual.
Read more on Heavy Metal Magazine
• The Somnia Tarot Hardcover Art Book is 90% complete! I am working on securing a special Foreword written by a guest author. Once that’s complete, I will put the books into production.
• I have also finished writing The Somnia Tarot Companion Book, which will feature my writings on all of the imagery within the series. Fans of Waite’s The Pictorial Key to Tarot will enjoy the composition of this upcoming book.
• The first coin design for “XVIII - The Moon” Chance Coin has been submitted to a coin press. The press will craft these 1.5 in diameter coins in Antiqued Copper. Each design is meticulously chiseled into dies and pressed into the coin blanks.
• The prototypes for The Somnia Tarot Pendulum and The Somnia Tarot Letter Opener have arrived in 3D printed steel, but they will ultimately be produced and cast in an energy conductive metal.
• Three graphic designs have been completed for the upcoming T-shirt launch! I am currently working out the logistics of having the shirts screen printed.
• Coming early July on Etsy: “XVIII - The Moon” Letterpress Tarot Cards. These limited edition cards are signed and numbered out of 100. Produced through the Letterpress process, these 3 x 5 cards are created with heavy cotton stock, black inked fronts, and a gold inked back design. These cards were created in collaboration with my good friends over at Hoban Press in Washington. The cards will be exclusively available on my new Etsy store early July, which will be the primary avenue for UK friends to obtain The Somnia Tarot Decks. https://www.etsy.com/shop/NicolasBruno
I will continue to send updates as I receive them from the press + updates on upcoming products that are entering The Somnia Tarot universe.
If you need me to change your address for your shipment, or add new items to an existing order, please feel free to contact me directly at info@somniatarot.com.
Being a one man team, I greatly appreciate your patience and support for my vision of creating The Somnia Tarot!
As always - if you have any product suggestions, feel free to email me or contact me on Instagram: @nicolasbruno
Have an amazing week!
- Nicolas
• The press has advised me of shipping delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and decreased staffing. While the decks are scheduled to be produced on time - the expected shipping arrival date has been pushed to: Late Summer 2021
• The Somnia Tarot Spread Cloths have arrived to my studio and have been approved for quality and functionality
• UK Patrons: An Etsy shop that accepts VAT will be opened once the deck shipment arrives to my studio. I will be sending out a code for the original presale price via email. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive it!
• New products are currently in their final stages of development, such as: The Somnia Tarot Artbook, The Somnia Tarot Pendulum, Character T-Shirts, 3D Sculpture Candles, and more!
Below are images of the physical pre-production deck sample:
"It was Nicolas’ haunting images and the diagnostic component of sleep paralysis that captivated us and made extending an invitation to be on the podcast inevitable. As we prepared to interview Nicolas, we discovered that his creative journey with The Somnia Tarot was not just a story of sleep paralysis, but also a display of resilience.
Once we started learning more about Nicolas, we became equally enthralled with his story and experience with sleep paralysis and how it lead to him becoming an accomplished artist. During our interview, Nicolas emphasizes that The Somnia Tarot, along with his other artwork documenting his experiences with sleep paralysis, were a personal way of turning something profoundly negative and terrifying into something positive and beautiful.
And this embodies our own work as therapists, and in this podcast. We seek to help people build something meaningful and beautiful, even out of life’s hardest moments. We have been deeply touched by Nicolas’ story, and his personal character. His story is one worth listening to- even for people who don’t care at all about Tarot. - Shannon & Luna"
Listen to the podcast interview here]]>This year, Nicolas Bruno continues the filament of the waking terror through his recent exhibit at Haven Gallery in New York titled The Somnia Tarot. In this anthology, he sheds light on the seventy-eight cards of the classic Rider-Waite deck used in tarot reading through his signature enigmatic style that manifests mysterious and enchanting photographs. In this exclusive interview with the artist, Nicolas Bruno recounts the project’s point of creation, the history that led him to oscillate to tarot cards, his experience with divination tools, the craftsmanship behind the interpretation of the cards, the designs and props hauled to portray the readings, and the nuances that depict the thread between him and tarot. - Matthew Burgos"
Read More
"I am big admirer of the hauntingly beautiful photographic works of Nicolas Bruno, so having him as a guest on the podcast was a delight! We dive into the nightmare of his struggles with sleep paralysis that he bravely faced head-on and turned into visions of art. We hear some behind-the-scenes stories, learn some of his secrets for creating The Somnia Tarot, dive into interpretations of the tarot and Nicolas learns what his "Spirit Card" is. I was blown away by everything he shared and I know you will be as well. - Devi Danyluck"
Listen to the podcast episode here
This past year, instead of sitting idly and waiting out lockdown restrictions and isolation, Nicolas developed a 78-image photo series that interprets the entirety of the classic Tarot through photography, costume design, and sculpture. Each image is influenced by his dream journal and sleep paralysis experiences.
I talk to Nicolas about his new series and upcoming exhibition, how the pandemic has impacted his work, what keeps him motivated, and the importance of community. - Jennifer Berube"
Bruno began his tarot card photography by referring to his portfolio of surreal imagery. His previous work dealt with his experience with sleep paralysis as well as dream journals that have ultimately cultivated a visual language detailing his complicated relationship with a good night's rest. This conceptual approach to his photographs allowed for an easy transition into recreating the classic Rider Waite tarot deck. “Because my Sleep Paralysis series and the classic tarot deal with the subconscious and conscious mind,” he tells My Modern Met, “creating fluid parallels between the two bodies of work was a seamless process.”
The Somnia Tarot is now on display at the Haven Gallery in Northport, New York, until March 21, 2021. In addition to the exhibition, Bruno has fashioned his photographs into his own deck of cards that will be available for pre-order.
We spoke more with Bruno about this series–including the logistics of creating it entirely during the coronavirus. Scroll down for our exclusive interview.
Read more]]>