We are living through a moment that feels, in many ways, designed to overwhelm us. Between the noise of the world and the weight of the systems we navigate, it’s so easy to feel adrift and to feel like our power is something that exists outside of ourselves.
As I sat down to begin Season 2 of Your Art Is A Spell, I kept coming back to one question: How do we pull our energy back?
This season is an invitation to reclaim our sovereignty. I wanted to start this journey by taking you somewhere where the veil feels thin and the history feels alive: Palm Springs.
I recently traveled to the Palm Springs Art Museum for an exhibition that felt less like a gallery show and more like a portal. Queer Arcana: Art, Magic, and Spirit spans over a century of queer engagement with the occult—from the tarot of our beloved ancestor Rachel Pollack to my own 2017 ritual project, Give Us Home Spider.
In this episode, I’m introducing a concept that I’ll be weaving throughout this entire season: Tactical Magic.
Magic isn't just a "quirky" interest or a form of escapism. For the marginalized, for the queer and trans community, and for artists at the edges, magic has always been a tool for survival. It is a technology of the spirit that allows us to build worlds when the dominant one refuses to hold us.
In this premiere episode, we’re diving into:
The profound history of queer artists using ritual and sigils as political resistance.
My personal experience seeing my work alongside legends like Genesis P-Orridge and Nao Bustamante.
How you can begin practicing "Tactical Magic" in your own everyday life to find clarity and connection.
Whether you are listening while you create or watching the visuals on YouTube to see the art I describe, I hope this episode reminds you that you are not powerless. Your creativity is a technology, your vision is necessary, and your art is a spell.
Listen & Watch Now:
Watch the Journey on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n587CbeIIzw
Listen on Spotify/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-art-is-a-spell/id1796481637
If this episode speaks to you, please share it with a fellow magic-maker. Let’s build these webs of connection together.