Our Stance on Generative AI

In the very near future a majority of the art you’ll see on your phone, on products, websites, and everything in between, will be AI generated. The creativity and talent it once took to produce original and beautiful imagery will be distilled down to algorithms and key phrases.

That isn’t to say that we’re not bewildered by the age of technological advancement that’s upon us — generative AI is astonishing and an incredible breakthrough. One that we believe will absolutely be a net benefit to society when the physical and material sectors ultimately catch up to the undeniable progression of computer technology.

Artificial Intelligence has its place in the 21st century, no doubt about it; but being first-and-foremost an artist driven brand — aversion to generative AI will always be core to the PAXYZ ethos. Our unwavering dedication to keeping our designs in human hands will make sure that talented artists always have a platform to create authentically within the PAXYZ universe.

Our first collection is dedicated to the prolific 20th century artist Pamela-Coleman-Smith [PCS].

In 1909 she was commissioned by Arthur-Edward-Waite to recreate the 78-card Tarot deck to appeal to the world of art. The result was the unique Waite-Smith Tarot deck, published by the Rider company in London. To this day, the Rider-Waite-Smith [RWS] set remains as the most popular deck of Tarot cards of all time with more than 100 million copies sold.

Now, after 113 years of copyright protection the original illustrations of PCS officially entered the Public Domain in 2022 and PAXYZ has embraced the opportunity to shed light on and reintroduce her timeless designs in a new perspective.

8 local artists were tasked to carbon-copy the RWS illustrations under a new lens. One that would take the designs from a standard card, to an elongated Book marker.

After a 5 month process, we were blessed to find an artist incredibly well versed and knowledgeable regarding the Tarot and with an artistic style that’s indistinguishable from PCS. Her name is Anodyne Ocean. She was commissioned in the Summer of 2021 to recreate the RWS illustrations in the PAXYZ perspective.

Over the course of the next 18-months, PAXYZ will release this first collection as 5 separate Chapters. Chapter One which is already being sold in select retailers features the recreation of what is arguably the most powerful 22-piece motif in existence — the Major Arcana.

The next four Chapters are reserved for the four Minor Arcana suits; Swords, Wands, Pentacles, and Cups. Chapter Two will be available on April 22/2023.