Another great art show is in the cards
You won’t see your future, but you just might get some warm and fuzzy feelings from your past at "Roadside Tarot," a new exhibition by fiber artist Linda Moore opening at the Lincoln City Cultural Center this Friday, Aug. 7.
Guests can meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments at an opening reception from 5 to 7 pm on Friday.
The exhibition features embroidered interpretations of the tarot's 22 Major Arcana cards, reimagined through the diners, roadside attractions and iconic landmarks that once defined family road trips across America.
Rather than depicting traditional tarot imagery, Moore stitches scenes inspired by the roadside culture she remembers from childhood journeys with her family. Giant statues, vintage café signs and other familiar landmarks become symbols of the lessons, challenges and milestones represented by the tarot's journey from The Fool to The Universe.
The project began with an image many Oregon Coast visitors will recognize: the beloved Pixie Kitchen Cafe. Moore saw the restaurant's iconic sea pixie balancing a fish while riding a unicycle as an unexpected embodiment of The Fool, the first card in the tarot deck and the beginning of life's journey. From there, the series expanded eastward across America, pairing roadside imagery with the symbolism found throughout the Major Arcana.
Moore has also incorporated meaning into the fabrics themselves. Each embroidered piece is presented as a café napkin, transforming the series into a collection of souvenirs from an imagined road trip. Fabric patterns and colors echo both the roadside settings and the symbolic themes of each card, adding another layer of interpretation.
Throughout the exhibition, familiar roadside attractions become reflections of American values and identity. Friendly café signs, overflowing coffee cups and steaming meals suggest hospitality and abundance, while oversized statues celebrate ideals of strength, loyalty and individuality. However whimsical they might appear, Moore sees these landmarks as meaningful symbols that have shaped generations of travelers.
Although individual works from "Roadside Tarot" have been exhibited previously, this marks the first time Moore has presented the complete series together. She considers the Lincoln City Cultural Center an especially fitting venue, noting that the project itself grew from the Oregon Coast's own roadside culture and the memories of countless family vacations.
“Roadside Tarot” will be on display through October 4 at the Fiber Arts Gallery, located inside the Lincoln City Cultural Center at 540 NE Hwy. 101, open from 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, go to lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or call 541-994-9994.