About

Jonathan Chaplin-Durrie

I am is an artist working primarily in oil paints. I’ve had my work shown in the 2024 Rainbow Palette Art Show and has been shown at the Stephen Baumbach Gallery in Palm Springs. My work is usually signed “J. Chaplin”, as I began painting before I married. An early love of comic books evolved into a fascination with mythology and fine art. My work includes non-representational art, Cubist pet portraits, desertscapes, and lots of nudes. I live in Palm Springs with a wonderful husband and a hyperactive cat.

Modern Apollo Tarot

A fascination with the Tarot began in my teens, when I was drawn in by the dense symbolism and the art of Pamela Colman Smith, artist of the seminal Rider-Waite Tarot deck. In 2011, I painted the Hermit on a 24” x 36” canvas, never realizing that I would eventually paint a whole deck (or else I would have chosen a size more in proportion with most decks). After the completion of the Major Arcana, I painted the Minors on 9” x 12” canvases. The models were chosen from among my friends and acquaintances, all of whom I personally find sexy. While a lot of artwork for gay men concentrate on one type of sexy, I wanted to showcase a variety of bodies. I also wanted them to be serious Tarot cards, and explored what symbols, both classic and contemporary, could clarify their meanings to a modern audience. I’m deeply grateful to all the Apollos that posed for me. I hope you enjoy the deck!