Pamela Colman Smith

Pamela Colman Smith
Smith in the October 1912 issue of The Craftsman magazine
Born(1878-02-16)16 February 1878
Pimlico, London, England
Died18 September 1951(1951-09-18) (aged 73)
Bude, Cornwall, England
NationalityBritish
Other namesPixie
EducationPratt Institute
Occupation(s)Artist, illustrator, and writer
Known forWaite–Smith tarot deck

Pamela Colman Smith (16 February 1878 – 18 September 1951), nicknamed "Pixie", was a British artist, illustrator, writer, publisher, and occultist. She is best-known for illustrating the Rider–Waite tarot deck (also called the Rider–Waite–Smith or Waite–Smith deck) for Arthur Edward Waite. This tarot deck became the standard among tarot card readers, and remains the most widely used today.[1][2][3] Smith also illustrated over 20 books, wrote two collections of Jamaican folklore, edited two magazines, and ran the Green Sheaf Press, a small press focused on women writers.[4]

  1. ^ Decker, Ronald; Dummett, Michael (2019). A History of the Occult Tarot. London: Duckworth. p. 291. ISBN 9780715645727.
  2. ^ Giles, Cynthia (1994). The Tarot: History, Mystery, and Lore. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 46. ISBN 0671891014.
  3. ^ Visions and Prophecies. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books. 1988. p. 142.
  4. ^ Kaplan 2018, p. 11