Saturn Retrograde and Creative Expression

Saturn, the planetary father of contraction and constraint, went retrograde in the sign of Aquarius (the collective, community, friendship and humanitarian efforts). Which means…it’s time to renew those dedications to any change-making you’ve been paying less attention to over the past year. 

This period of retrograde will occur through October 10th, 2021 when Saturn stations direct in the same sign (Aquarius).

When Saturn stations retrograde, cosmic space has been opened to strengthen the foundations of those lessons and learnings from Saturn’s transit through your chart — including the foundations of your creative expression.

I believe, as artists and architects (how Saturnian!) of our lives, often with businesses intertwined, every Saturn transit affects our art/life-making from the subject matter that influences us to the work we engage in. 

Use the Saturn Rx period to get back on track with biz and creative goals and recommit to the bigger WHY’s behind them.

Reflect on what systems, commitments and responsibilities under these themes want to be revisited, reviewed, and renewed? How might style and creative expression be intertwined with these commitments and responsibilities? 

How Saturn influences Creative Work…

A while back, I decided to do some detective work on Scorpion Pablo Picasso and his Blue Period. Where was Saturn transiting in his chart at that time? Capricorn. (In the 6th House, home to Virgo). Both sobering signs.

When Saturn transited the sign of Capricorn (Dec 2017-December 2020), we saw quite a bit of blue in creative industries. Vibrant blue eyeshadows were hot on the fashion scene in 2019. Classic Blue dominated Balenciaga SS 2020 (and with the iconic blue stretch boot of 2018). And the PANTONE color of the year for 2020 was Classic Blue. And wasn’t 2020 rather blue?

This same primary BLUE colored Picasso's works during his Blue Period when Saturn transitioned through Capricorn in the early 1900’s. See: Pablo Picasso, Autoportrait (Self-portrait), 1901 "Picasso-Giacometti" at Musée Picasso Paris, Paris

Oh, and guess where Saturn was when artist Yves Klein patented the ultramarine color known as International Klein Blue or IKB in 1960?

Capricorn.

While I wouldn’t usually place a Primary Blue in the Capricorn palette (rather, navy…though Capricorn does prefer the classics), I will say the colors of our canvases —and lives— are more likely to be dark, earthy and stormy when experiencing a Saturn in Capricorn transit. Prepare for isolation (physically and creatively), walking your own path and exploring more serious subject matter.

Note:

Saturn also transited Capricorn from March 15, 1929 - May 4, 1929;

Retrograding back into Sagittarius from May 4, 1929 - November 29, 1929;

Returning to Capricorn from November 29, 1929 - February 23, 1932;

Moving forward through Aquarius from February 23, 1932 - August 13, 1932;

and completing its transit through the sign of the sea goat from August 13, 1932 - November 19, 1932

During this period the US saw the stock market crash and the Great Depression begin.