gendron tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Nov 2001, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Logiatrix	01 Nov 2001
i've decided to start using this one...give it a whirl, anyway... any opinions, yay or nay?

faunabay	01 Nov 2001
I've heard alot of people say this and have found I agree with them. The majors are very cool and beautiful, but the minors are kind of weird. They don't seem to fit with the majors. IMO if they were made into 2 decks - one that went the way of the majors and a different one made like the minors - they both would be great. But mixed together the way they are is kind of confusing to me. I personally can't do readings with them but of course I won't part with my deck either so maybe they're not all bad. LOL

catlin	02 Nov 2001
Hi, I use this deck for readings related to karmic questions and get along pretty well with it.

Melvis	02 Nov 2001
While I like the look of this deck, I have a problem with the LWB (little white book)...surprise! ;) There's lots of symbolism in the cards, which I like, but the LWB only includes the symbolic associations for the Majors. That leaves 56 cards filled with symbols but no explanations! I've tried to figure them out using the Majors' descriptions, but it's too much work. Is there any other book for this deck that anyone knows about? Peace, Melvis

Kiama	02 Nov 2001
I only really use this deck for spiritual guidance, and I love the Majors cuz they're so beautiful, but I agree that most of the Minors don't fit. But don't kt this put you off the deck. I have found that it always speaks to me. Kiama

truthsayer	02 Nov 2001
i was really disappointed when i got my gendron deck. i thought the whole deck would be the wonderful art in the major arcana but it's not. i like for decks to have some continuity b/t majors and minors in art and symbol system. unfortunately, this is missing. if she had stuck to drawings i think the deck would have been okay. but she switches to part photographs and part drawing or whatever, i get lost. i also wish she had stayed culturally centered. her attempts to link other cultures is a noble idea but doesn't work. some decks can carry this trick off and some can't. i think the cultural diversity angle works better if you start it in the major arcana but this isn't done. imho, the gendron is like 2 different decks put together. i do love the art of the major arcana except for my fav card, the high priestess. i was hoping for some of the gorgeous art used on the other cards. oh well, you can't always get what you want...

cj	02 Nov 2001
Quote: metaz (02 Nov, 2001 11:26): i've decided to start using this one...give it a whirl, anyway... any opinions, yay or nay? I love my Gendron Deck. It's "MY" deck. But I have to agree that the little white book leaves me puzzled. I tried to get ahold of Melanie Gendron's previous book hoping to find a connection between her beliefs (symbolism on minors) and the deck, but didn't have much luck (out of print) The lack of consistancy between the majors and minors a doesn't bother me I just go with what I see. Good luck. Try to take a look at all the cards on line before buying and see if they all appeal to you. (learntarot.com) cj

Logiatrix	06 Nov 2001
well... we met, we played, we did lunch--but there was no chemistry between us! :( i'm not going to force it...we will just simply go our separate ways... thanx for all the feedback, BTW. i had long ago learned that the feedback here helps oodles when it comes to new decks, spreads, etc. now, if i would just heed cj's advice and check out the cards before buying! :P *ack* oh, well--someone is going to have a happy trade very soon!

truthsayer	11 Nov 2001
i took a class on creativity and personal growth yesterday. an important part of the class included an art technique i've never heard of or used. it involves taking enlarging a photograph of yourself or someone you know. first you meditate on what this photo symbolizes to you then you take acrylic paints, beads, glitter, shells, lace, or whatever allows you to design that picture into your inner image of what that photo means. that said, i think i finally understand what gendron was doing on those minor arcana cards that looked odd and didn't seem to fit. she was probably taking photos of ppl that in her mind represented certain cards. then she enlarged the photo, painted/decorated it to suit her inner image of that tarot card along w/ the person who personified the meaning of that card. when the picture reached what she wanted she did some kind of computer tecnique to shrink the picture down to a tarot card sized image. viola! now that i understand her art technique, her art doesn't seem so schizoid to me. i can see the method behind her madness so to speak. i plan to re-examine the deck and see if i can connect to it now. i'll let y'all know how it goes! :)

truthsayer	11 Nov 2001
just a thought but a few years back, i dressed up like the high priestess and made up a set that represented who she is to me. then a friend did a photo shoot of me in the dress and HP set. i really liked the results even tho i'm not certain where the pictures are now. the point: now that i know this art technique, i could take one of those pictures and paint out parts of the picture i don't want to see like my friend's kitchen in the background. then i could get the picture shrunk down to a tarot usable size for the deck collaboration. i don't have to do HP tho. i could use this on any card that solandia assigns me. now that i'm deciding on an art techiniue i'm getting more excited about getting started on my card! 8-) :) 8-) :) 8-) :) 8-) :)

faunabay	15 Nov 2001
Well, you guys got me to pull out my deck and try again. I'm really connecting with it alot more than before. Guess it took me awhile to work up to it :) BUT - it doesn't have the ace of pentacles! I bought it about 6 months ago on ebay (think it was even shrinkwrapped) and have no idea if it was there or not from the start. I just experimented with the deck a bit and then put it aside. I really don't know if I lost it (don't know how as I didn't use it much) or it wasn't there to begin with. I think I'm going to get in touch with US games and see what they say. I may be out of luck :( But it never hurts to try.

faunabay	15 Nov 2001
Has anyone noticed how weirdly the kids heads are shaped on the ace cards? That's what got me looking at the aces and noticed I was missing one :( They've got big heads and adult looking faces!!! The ace of wands pretty much creeps me out. He looks almost deformed.

glamourbug	17 Nov 2001
I should really stop reading this thread. The more you all talk about this deck the more i want it!!! Alas it is that time of year when i have to stop spending and get on with xmas shopping for other people. *pouts* and stomps feet. I've wanted this deck for so long - shame ol' father christmas doesnt really exist lol Lisa

faunabay	19 Nov 2001
us games is sending me the missing Ace of Pentacles!!!!! They didn't even ask any questions just said what's your address and we'll send it. wooohooo And this is so weird!! I'm loving this deck right now. All the sudden it's the right time I guess. It never clicked with me before but I also never wanted to give it up. Guess it was just waiting for me to be ready. For those of you who read my "modern deck" thread. I had the deck I needed on my book shelf all the time. LOL cj -- I finding that some of the cards have different meaning to me than the "normal" rider waite meanings. Do you find that as well?

lost01	19 Nov 2001
this was my first deck.. i really loved it at the time. i found it slightly difficult to read with. later i started using the Spiral tarot and found it far easier to read with. it is a beautiful deck though, i never tire of looking at it and admiring the artwork. -Mike-

truthsayer	19 Nov 2001
i've examined the deck closely (yet again) trying to decide what i think. so far the only thing i feel towards the deck is like an art critic. :D ppl who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones! :o understanding her art techniques better puts the deck in a more favorable light, however. she is a good artist. i can now see subtle similarities b/t the major and minor arcanas. so there are more consistancies than i thought originally. i still feel no intuitive connection. my best decks are the ones where i can "look inside" the cards. all i see right now in gendron is a flat piece of artwork. i'm not giving up on this deck tho b/c i am gaining insight by my art critique. :) i may eventually find the deck's charm growing on me.

faunabay	19 Nov 2001
truth, I have no idea what happened with me and my deck but it's now talking up a storm to me :) and I'd had it for over 3 months with nothing coming through except the thought that I had to keep it for some reason. Guess I've found my reason huh? LOL So if you still feel the need to keep your deck even though it's not saying anything other than pretty artwork to you -- I'd say keep it. Maybe it's just not time yet. (shrug) :)

raeanne	21 Nov 2001
Hi all, There are a few cards in the Gendron deck that look like the artist just stretched the picture to fit the card instead of resizing the picture. I don’t have the deck with me right now but I believe the Three of Cups is one of these. I like the deck but when one of these stretched pictures comes up, it hits me like the sound of fingernails on a blackboard. :P

jema	21 Nov 2001
i just wrote a review on the gendron for amazon. gave it 3 stars:-) i think my view here is a bit different then most. while it was the majors that first attracted me to the deck, i was later disappointed in almost all the majors and it was instead the minors esp the swords that got me to start using the deck. while the art is lovely, i and many others i heard of, find it to be a rather "cool" deck as in cold. not a deck that you immediatly connect to. it demans some work and a lot of patience to get to. the one thing that bothers me the most is the strange look at some images - as if they were streched to fit the space. esp the sun and the lovers. the hierophant is also one of the ugliest i ever seen. but look at the swords! grand:-) i feel as if i have a constant quarrel with this deck. it pulls me over and then i resist it. many times i wanted to sell it - yet i still got it!!

truthsayer	21 Nov 2001
good points, jema. i'll have to re-examine the hierphant and the swords cards. since re-assessing the gendron, i've been re-examing the sacred circle since it is another product of computer and art. i haven't had much luck with SC either but i feel closer to a connection to it than the gendron. the art seems consistant thru the deck and doesn't grate on my nerves like gendron does. i'm definitely going back to check what jema says about the gendron pictures looking stretched. SC doesn't and as far as i can tell the pictures seem to be the right scale. the photos and the art also seem better matched. i didn't realize that some of the art weren't photos until i examined the deck this time. i think i can at least give SC a second chance now.

The gendron tarot thread was originally posted on 01 Nov 2001 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.