Amaru Spirit
The Art of Slocum
David Hewson, also known Slocum is a renowned contemporary painter, classically trained in the time-honored traditions of oil painting in Italy. With a deep reverence for the Old Masters, Slocum has built a distinctive body of work that merges classical technique with modern sensibility. His mastery of gold leaf application, both as a decorative and symbolic element, adds a luminous, transcendent quality to his paintings, evoking a timeless sense of sacred beauty.
Recognized globally, Slocum's work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe and the Americas. He is celebrated for his technical brilliance, emotional depth, and the spiritual resonance of his art.Rooted in tradition yet unmistakably his own, Slocum’s work continues to inspire, elevate and disrupt the contemporary fine art landscape.
In The Visionary Arcana, Slocum reimagines the tarot through the lens of ancient wisdom and sacred tradition, blending classical oil painting techniques with the rich visual languages of Shipibo and Quechuan cultures. Each card in the series is a masterwork of symbolism—interweaving Indigenous motifs, mythic archetypes, and native figures with radiant applications of gold leaf.
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In The Visionary Arcana, Slocum reimagines the tarot through the lens of ancient wisdom and sacred tradition, blending classical oil painting techniques with the rich visual languages of Shipibo and Quechuan cultures. Each card in the series is a masterwork of symbolism—interweaving Indigenous motifs, mythic archetypes, and native figures with radiant applications of gold leaf.
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The intricate geometric patterns of the Shipibo and the powerful cosmology of the Quechua are not merely decorative—they are portals into deeper understanding. Every image pulses with ancestral memory and spiritual resonance, bridging the mystical and the earthly, the esoteric and the embodied.
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Full of luminous detail and layered meaning, The Visionary Arcana is not only a tarot deck, but a painted cosmology—an homage to the sacred, the indigenous, and the eternal cycles of transformation. Through this series, Slocum invites the viewer to move beyond divination and into communion.
Slocum draws on his training in classical art as a way to express the depth, form, and identity of indigenous culture. His work reflects daily life in the jungle, capturing moments that are both personal and universal.
Many of his portraits depict women, men, and children from the surrounding community—individuals who inspire him through their presence and stories. By blending traditional European painting techniques with scenes from Amazonian life, he creates a timeless reflection on the subtle complexities of humanity and the beauty found in simple, everyday moments.
The artwork often reflects a quiet relationship between humanity and the natural world, where figures are set within rich Amazonian landscapes and surrounded by vibrant plant life. This connection between people and place is central to the imagery, offering a sense of belonging and interdependence rather than separation.
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In the background of many of the pieces, you may notice kené—the intricate geometric designs used by Quechua and other Indigenous communities. These patterns are sometimes rendered in gold leaf and are drawn from the same visual language found in icaros, the traditional healing songs.
Each kené design carries meaning, and within its cultural context, is understood to hold specific energetic and healing properties. Including them in the artwork serves not only as a gesture of respect, but also as a quiet acknowledgment of the unseen forces that shape both personal and collective healing.
Slocum’s work often explores myth and folklore from around the world, including the rich oral traditions and legends of the Amazon.
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Through layered imagery and subtle composition, the work touches on both the light and shadow of Amazonian experience. It reflects the wonder, beauty, and sometimes unsettling power of the jungle—conveying a sense of reverence for the unknown, and the transformative energies that dwell in the liminal spaces between myth and reality.
His paintings delve into the realms of the mysterious, where symbolic elements drawn from various cultures and inner landscapes come together. These symbols are not always meant to be deciphered, but rather felt—inviting the viewer into a visual dialogue with the subconscious.
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