Scorpio Artists May Be In for a Creative Reckoning This Season + More Insights

Scorpio season is officially in full swing! The eighth sign in the zodiac calendar, Scorpios are recognized for their passion, intensity, and perhaps most of all, their distinct air of mystery. Scorpio (October 23­–November 21) is a water sign that was originally said to be ruled by Mars, the planet of action, aggression, and war, but in modern astrology it is ruled by Pluto, the planet of the subconscious and renewal. Represented by a scorpion, an ancient symbol of death and rebirth, Scorpios can teach everyone a thing or two about our emotions and desires. This Scorpio season is a time to recharge, step into your power, and work with your intuition, not against it.

We spoke with astrologer Danny Larkin about what Scorpio artists—and everyone else—can expect this Scorpio season. Along with being an astrologer, Larkin is also an art critic and performance artist, as well as the author of Scorpio, a guide to the sign published by Sterling Ethos. For our readers, he is offering a special sale on all in-person and virtual readings when you schedule a reading and mention this article—and Scorpios get an extra 10 percent off.

Astrologer, art critic, and performance artist Danny Larkin.

Who do you consider the quintessential Scorpio artist? Why?

Johannes Vermeer might seem like a painfully old-school answer, but he fully developed many of the Scorpio gifts. Of course, his paintings can still mystify art historians, but that’s exactly what Scorpio artists excel at—leading viewers deep into a mystery. In Dresden, a recent cleaning uncovered a new detail in Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (1657–59). For some reason, the painting within the painting in the background of cupid stepping on a mask, allegorizing love overcoming deceptions, was later turned into a blank wall. Something about this cupid was “too much” for the owner at the time. But that’s exactly what makes Vermeer a great Scorpio: he challenged his audience to step outside their comfort zone and kept them guessing with his symbols.

What do you think are some of the innate qualities or strengths of the Scorpio artist?

Many Scorpio artists keenly understand how to make work with this uncanny sense of mystery. For example, every work by Scorpio Surrealist René Magritte is a visual riddle that viewers are invited to solve. Not all Scorpio artists are as cerebral as Magritte, but there is often a knack for dynamic symbolism with many layers to unpack.

Are there any difficulties or shortcomings that Scorpio artists might have?

Sometimes Scorpios take it too far and come off as inscrutable. For example, when Georgia O’Keeffe was once asked why she liked the desert, she demurred, saying to her interviewer, “I don’t want to tell you because you will get interested.” Like O’Keeffe, Scorpio artists can risk seeming inaccessible. It can get in the way of promoting their work and building an audience in a competitive marketplace. It’s a tricky balance, because art with a clear, obvious meaning will never feel genuine to Scorpio. But it certainly does well on Instagram. The key is to draw the viewer into an enticing enigma, instead of alienating…