Major Arcana Textiles
Lesley Wheeler
About
Lesley Wheeler is a Los Angeles-based textile artist, poet, and teacher whose work explores the intersection of the esoteric and the tangible.
A graduate of both the Pratt Institute and the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop, Lesley specializes in quilted tarot cards. Wheeler's artwork connects traditional craft and mystical symbolism. Her intricate pieces blend vibrant textiles with the rich imagery of tarot, resulting in tactile representations of cards that invite viewers to engage with divination on a physical level. The tarot textiles are a mix of collage, raw-edge appliqué, and freehand machine quilting.
With a background in printmaking, Lesley brings a keen eye for composition and texture to her work. Her experience as a poet, culminating in her 2018 book Abandoners published by the Operating System, infuses her visual art with layers of meaning and narrative depth. Each quilted card tells a story, not just through its visual elements, but through the careful selection of fabrics and the meditative process of their assembly.
Based in the vibrant arts scene of Los Angeles, her distinctive pieces are cherished by private collectors around the world, who value their craft, symbolism, and poetic sensibility.