Welcome to Capricorn season! The tenth astrological sign in the 12 houses of the zodiac, Capricorn (December 21–January 20) is an earth sign represented by a celestial sea-goat. The zodiac’s most ambitious sign, Capricorns are ruled by Saturn (the so-called planetary “Daddy”).
Both incredibly hardworking and deeply self-critical, Capricorns are protective caretakers who try to create safe and encouraging environments for those around them. Capricorns have the ability to sense cultural shifts and are uniquely able to translate them into messages that resonate with a broad audience. Though they often think of others, Capricorns are deeply motivated by material and financial success—which can sometimes get them into trouble and lead to mental and emotional exhaustion.
Astrologist Lisa Stardust is a NYC-based astrologist who has written for Cosmopolitan, Oprah magazine, and Teen Vogue.
Contemplative by nature, Capricorn artists have a unique talent for incorporating historical references in new and avant-garde visual languages.
To find out what’s in store for Capricorn artists this zodiac season, we spoke with our friend Lisa Stardust, a New York City-based astrologist and the author of the best-selling book Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating This Cosmic Rite of Passage. Stardust, who just released a new astrology deck, gave us some insight into the Capricorn artists in our lives.
Who is the quintessential Capricorn artist and why?
Capricorns always take the weight of the world onto their shoulders. They are hard workers, but they want to be compensated for their time and energy. When we think of Capricorn artists, we think of Matisse, Cézanne, and Basquiat—artists who have redefined art for decades or even centuries.
What are Capricorns’ strongest qualities as artists?
What a lot of people don’t realize is that Capricorns are an earth sign—they embody the relationship between land and sea. The sea-goat is their symbol. Because of this combination, they are very sensitive, intuitive, and nostalgic, which is why we always say that they represent father time. Capricorns have an ability to translate shifts in culture into language that is understandable to a wider audience—both more conservative people and the young people of a generation. Capricorns also have a lot of talent with color, using vibrant color as a way to convey meaning and message.
What are Capricorns’ pitfalls as artists?
Their weakness is that they can tend to make art for money. When money becomes involved in their craft at the creative level, it can be very detrimental. Capricorns are authority figures who can be very demanding of themselves. If they put too much pressure on themselves, they can get burned out. In this regard, I think of Basquiat’s stardom and how the demands put on him affected him.
What type of medium is Capricorn be best suited to?
Capricorns are multitalented. They’re very reflective—the throwback sign is what I call them—and this quality makes them good painters. But as with all earth signs, they are very good with their hands, so they’d also be talented sculptors, too.
What is the best way for a Capricorn to get out of a creative rut or block?
Stop working! But in all likelihood, they won’t stop. It’s interesting because you wouldn’t think that Capricorns, Scorpios, and Geminis would get along, but they always seem to find each other and understand each other because they are such hardworking signs. They’re hustlers. But Capricorns can be really hard on themselves especially—sometimes they just need a little positive time, a moment to step away before going back to the project. For a Capricorn, the attitude is: the only way out is through. So for better or worse, they’ll work on something until it makes them crazy.
If an art career isn’t taking off right now, what would be the best day job for a Capricorn?
A stockbroker. Capricorns would be great anywhere they have a managerial role—they have great organizational skills are really good at making sure everyone gets paid and treated with respect. They’re natural CEOs and CFOs.
Romantic advice: if a Capricorn were going to date someone in the art world, who would they be compatible with?
A Capricorn can be with anyone with whom they have a connection, but they need someone who knows a lot about what they’re working on, someone very in touch with their practice. More than anything, they need someone they can trust to handle their money or even go into business with—in that case, a dealer they truly respect.
Capricorns are ruled by Saturn and Saturn is what we call the daddy of the Zodiac. Capricorns need to be one hundred percent on board in a relationship. You don’t get a second chance with them—very much once bitten, twice shy type of people. Scorpios, for instance, are usually able to forgive if they feel someone is growing and evolving from the lesson. Capricorns will forgive you on paper, but they’ll never go there again, so don’t break trust.
Also, the ideal partner has to know all the tea that’s going on in the realm of the Capricorn’s interests so they can talk it through together.
What kind of gift should I buy for the Capricorn in my life?
Capricorns can be very much a work hard, play hard group, burning the midnight oil. Self-care is important and something they are lacking. Anything that involves touch and makes them feel like they’re living inside their body would be good. Gift them an acupuncture treatment or a massage, even a yoga class or facial. Things that make them feel good about themselves.
What should Capricorn artists expect in this coming zodiac season?
It’s going to be a tough month and a half. Both Venus and Mercury will be retrograding in Capricorn. Venus will be in retrograde from December 19 to January 29. Mercury will begin retrograding from January 13 until February 3.
What does that mean? Venus is the planet of love, beauty, money, confidence, social graces, and friendship. This is going to be a time of reevaluating relationships. Communication is liable to get wonky. People will be taking things the wrong way. It is a good time for Capricorn to get back to basics and decide who and what is worth investing their time in and who we see ourselves growing with through years and decades. Capricorn artists might want to return to ideas that inspired them early on and see if they can tap into that in a new way.
What should everyone expect with Venus in retrograde?
We’ll all be dealing with this energy. I think a lot of people are realizing that they aren’t getting what they need. Society and its norms are changing. What we find beautiful is changing. We’re really going to feel that shift during Venus in retrograde. With Mercury in retrograde as well, it’s going to be a confusing time. It’s a good time to reflect.
Wondering which artists are Capricorns? Here are 10 of art history’s best.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: December 22, 1960
American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat circa 1985. Photograph courtesy of Rose Hartman/Getty Images.
Joseph Cornell: December 24, 1903
Yayoi Kusama with Joseph Cornell in New York (1970). Courtesy Yayoi Kusama Studio, Inc.
Louise Bourgeois: December 25, 1911
French-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois photographed in her studio in Chelsea, Manhattan, 1982. Photograph by Jack Mitchell/Getty Images.
Henri Matisse: December 31, 1869
Henri Matisse, Paris, May 13th, 1913
Clementine Hunter: late December 1886 or early January 1887
Clementine Hunter. Courtesy of the Schlesinger Library, RIAS, Harvard University.
Paolo Uccello: January 5, 1397
Detail from Florentine School, Portrait of Uccello. Collection of Musée du Louvre.
Paul Cézanne: January 9, 1839
Paul Cézanne, Self Portrait in a Bowler Hat (1885-86). Photo Ole Haupt, courtesy Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.
John Singer Sargent: January 12, 1856
John Singer Sargent, Self-Portrait (1906). Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Berthe Morisot: January 14, 1841
Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot with a Bouquet of Violets (1872). Collection of Musée d’Orsay.
Sophie Taeuber-Arp: January 19, 1889
Courtesy of Hauser & Wirth.