Amy Zerner Discusses Her Garden of Delights, Enchanted World & More

This week’s Dan’s Papers cover artist Amy Zerner discusses her piece “Garden of Delights,” her unique tapestry collage process and the rich Enchanted World she’s created with her husband and partner Monte Farber, as well as some of their exciting new projects in the works.

A Conversation with Amy Zerner

Tell me about this piece? What does the iconography mean in it?

This piece, titled “Garden of Delights,” is a fabric collage tapestry capturing the wild, mystical heart of autumn’s transition. At its core is a majestic deer’s head emerging from a cascade of golden leaves and blooming flora, symbolizing the gentle stag as a guardian of the forest and a bridge between the earthly and ethereal realms. Surrounding it, butterflies in fiery oranges and blues represent transformation and the soul’s rebirth, while schools of shimmering fish weave through azure waves, evoking subconscious depths and flow.

Birds flutter as messengers from the divine, and a central mandala pulses with sacred geometry Zodiac whispers like “Leo” and “Persephone,” a nod to astrological cycles and mythic descent, with a cat prowling the edges as a symbol of feminine mystery and independence. Layered with embroidered towers and starry prisms, the iconography weaves a narrative of interconnectedness: nature’s creatures as archetypes of our inner worlds, inviting viewers to step into a grove where personal growth blooms amid the chaos of change.

Can you talk a bit about your fabric collage technique and how a piece like this comes together?

My artistic method is a ritual, channeling subconscious energies into “Magical Surrealism” — work that is meant to vibrate with spiritual intent, much like weaving a spell from the threads of the universe. It begins in my Springs studio, surrounded by bins and bolts of various fabrics, trimmings and reference imagery I’ve collected over decades. I never make a sketch first — I start by laying out a tapestry background, much like a canvas, but the real magic unfolds organically: I daydream over the materials, letting colors and patterns speak.

Piecing and patching and mixing and matching. Embellishments come next — beads for dewdrops, metallic threads for sunlight glints, and found objects like antique lace for ethereal veils. I paint directly on sections with acrylics or markers, then stitch everything together. The process can take weeks; it is nonlinear, with elements rearranged until the composition is just right.

You and your husband and partner, Monte Farber, do so much together with The Enchanted World. How does your art play into that?

Monte and I have co-created The Enchanted World for 50 years: evergreen books, oracles and spiritual tools that blend art, astrology and ancient wisdom. My collages are the visual heartbeat of it all — they’re not mere illustrations but the spark that ignites the meaning. I create the original pieces first, infusing them with archetypal symbols drawn from myths, esoterica and nature. Monte then weaves compelling narratives around them, turning my visions into accessible stories and enchantments for self-discovery. My fashion designs transform my collages into wearable couture, so collectors can embody the energy, whether it’s a jacket echoing the energy of a goddess or a scarf swirling with tarot motifs.

Together, Monte and I host online workshops and social media sessions where my pieces become focal points for contemplation. It’s a symbiotic dance: My art provides the portal, Monte’s words the map, creating a shared realm that empowers readers to navigate relationships, career and life’s challenges.

I know you have all sorts of exciting projects in the works and just coming out. Can you talk about them?

We have never self-published and we’ve been lucky to work with some of the biggest publishers in the world. This year we did The Vision Board Oracle and a 2025 Enchanted Worlds Wall Calendar, poster-sized, featuring 12 of my collages, each paired with Monte’s insights for monthly rituals. Hot on its heels is Monte’s magnum opus, Your Cosmic Blueprint, a comprehensive astrology guide he’s poured five years into — I complement it with 37 cosmic tapestries.

Fall 2026 brings the Karmic Balance Tarot, a book and card deck exploring divination and intentional living. I am also expanding my artwear with a one-of-a-kind artisan handbag collection featuring textured leathers embellished with crystals in a cool collaboration with Falchi & Company.

Tell me more about the documentary!

Our one-hour documentary, Amy & Monte: A Legacy of Love & Creativity, directed by Annmarie Sairrino of AMMO Entertainment, is a heartfelt mosaic of our 50-plus-year journey together — a love story wrapped in artistic rebellion and spiritual quest. Filmed in our Springs studio and East Hampton haven, it dives into how our chance meeting in 1974 sparked our creative empire: from my early couture days at Bergdorf Goodman to co-authoring global bestsellers.

It spotlights the legacy: over three million books sold, lives transformed through our oracles, and the deeper truth that art and partnership are acts of cosmic co-creation. We’ve screened it at festivals like The New Hope Film Festival in August 2025, where we won the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary.

Where can people see your work online or in-person?

Online, dive into amyzerner.net and enchantedworld.com for galleries of tapestries, fashion, jewelry, free oracle readings and our blog on astrology and creativity. Facebook (Amy Zerner) Instagram (@amyzerner) and TikTok (The Enchanted World) are daily portals: process reels, new creations, live demos and spiritual guidance. For in-person, I will have a variety of work showing soon at Keyes Art Gallery in Sag Harbor. My couture pieces can be seen in my Springs atelier and at Bergdorf Goodman by appointment.

What’s next?

In March we are excited that the 35th Anniversary Edition of The Enchanted Tarot (published by Insight Editions) will be released. It has been updated and expanded. Artwise, I am in an exciting exhibit this fall, The Art and History of Tarot, at the new Prototype Experimental Museum in Columbus, Ohio, showcasing four of the tapestries that I created in 1990 for our Enchanted Tarot.