Welcome to Gemini season, a time for socializing, experimenting, and changing our minds! 

The third sign in the zodiac calendar is represented by celestial twins, and those born under the sign (May 21–June 21) are said to possess two unique sides to their personalities. 

Artist and astrologer Whitney Harris. Courtesy of the artist.

Geminis are upbeat, voraciously creative, and endlessly curious, but tend to float from passion to passion since their attention is as shifting as the breeze. In the art world, Geminis are in-the-know bons vivants, likely to be everywhere at once, and with more plates in the air than most can keep track of. 

So what’s in store for Gemini artists this summer? We spoke to New York-based artist and astrologer Whitney Harris, who, after years of study, recently brought her practice of this ancient Hellenistic tradition to the public. Harris believes in using astrology as a tool for self-development and cultivating meaning by way of storytelling. Using her keen intuition and visual and analytical abilities, Harris has helped numerous clients align with their sense of purpose and direction (she is currently available for readings—reach out for bookings). Along with her passion for astrology, she is a painter and sculptor based in Brooklyn, New York; this fall, she will have a solo exhibition of ceramic works at Artshack Brooklyn, in New York, and recently closed my first solo exhibition at Lauren Powell Projects in Los Angeles.

Read on to find out the ideal day job for Geminis and how they can jump-start the creative impulse.

There are many famous Gemini artists in history. If you had to choose one, who would you say is the quintessential Gemini artist, and why?

This isn’t a visual artist, but I’m going to say Prince, who is probably my most fave Gemini artist of all time. On top of playing all the instruments, he was a verbal genius who could do everything. He was great at playing basketball, while also being a Black Midwestern gender-queer male. He also took his power back from his record label by releasing his works under an unpronounceable pseudonym, which is essentially creating a new language for self-expression—a very Gemini act. 

What are Geminis’ strongest qualities as artists? What are their pitfalls? 

Geminis’ talents are also their weaknesses; astrology is very much “so as above as is below.” What you excel at, you can lean on too hard, and that can be to your detriment. With Gemini, it has to do with getting into the details—I wouldn’t say fixating, but getting a little microscopic. Simultaneously, there is a superficial aspect to this approach, of wanting all of the details of something without understanding on a deeper level. There’s a kind of skating on the surface. Geminis are often very talented with words, but that can range from being loud and expressive to being too much. This happens visually as well. Kanye West is a Gemini, and while he’s brilliant in some ways, well, he doesn’t have to tell us every thought that’s on his mind. 

What is the ideal environment for Geminis to work in? What should Geminis keep in their studios or homes to keep themselves inspired? 

Geminis can have very different relationships with themselves depending on the person—some are very sentimental, with everything filled with meaning, and others just want things to be pretty. Generally, I would say Geminis should have a variety of objects that stimulate their interests. They should keep all of their senses stimulated, so nice scents, candles, or perfume, but also visuals and music. Maybe if they want that fiery feeling in their hearts they should keep some pictures of their exes around, and feel free to fuck them up. Geminis are content creators. They’re constantly mining ideas and rarely dwell too much on one thing, so in their spaces, it’s important to have a number of ways to stimulate their minds. 

How should a Geminis artist start the day?
I’m not going to feed into Gemini lore and say they’re not able to meditate. Maybe Geminis should sit the fuck down and chill out before going nuts for the rest of the day! I’m a Gemini and I meditate in the mornings because I know my day is going to be chaos. It sets me up to be ready for the chaos and clear my head. Then Geminis can fill it up with a bunch of junk!

Do you think there is a medium that Geminis would be particularly suited to?
Geminis are all about engagement and communication. This could be a part of a performance, but I also think Geminis are naturally suited to podcasts. They love talking out ideas and getting ideas out of their heads and into the world. Even as visual artists or musicians, Geminis’ strengths tend to be in writing. I’d also say that Geminis bring a really nonjudgmental factor. They’re a mutable sign, so they’re not here to say “This is good and this is bad,” but they’re more like, “Oh, these are the possibilities!” Whatever avenue Geminis pursue, they really just want to move ideas along. They think: What do we do with this content? Geminis like to structure, edit it, cut it up, collage, and make the remix. Geminis bring content from one dimension into another. Aquarians love the medium, for instance, but Geminis don’t necessarily need a specific medium, they just need a vessel to get ideas out. People will rarely ever listen to a Gemini unless they use some sort of carrier to structure their message.

How do you love a Gemini well? And how do you give them feedback on their art in a way they will be receptive to? 

For Geminis to feel loved, they want to hear what you’re thinking. It’s not just about showing up at their show. That’s nice, but they want to know what you think. And not only what you think, but why? And then also, wait, tell me more, expand on that…it’s that dual aspect, of course; Geminis sometimes want opposite things. So give me your unfiltered opinion, but also maybe lie to me, and I’m not dying for compliments, but I’d like to hear some, please!

If a Gemini artist falls into a creative rut, what should they do to get back on track? 

Get off the internet! I know you love the internet, Gemini. I know that it’s got all the conversations with all the content and all the hot takes, and I’m not saying you can’t find anything good online. But Geminis, you need to live in the world, and you need to be among the people you need to cultivate real-life relationships! The parasocial relationships of the internet keep you on the surface. Geminis can fall into a creative rut because they’re not really probing deeper. So Geminis need to get outside, have some experiences, touch some grass, as the kids say, and have conversations out in the world. Have a good meal. Enjoy some nice weather.

If an art career isn’t taking off right now, what would be the best day job for a Gemini? 

Jobs…hmm. I’m trying to be realistic. See, the problem is that with Gemini, they need a kind of logical pragmatism. They can’t just have a job to pay the bills. There’s gotta be some sort of reasoning behind it, whether serving others, serving themselves, or serving some higher ideal. Geminis are great at communication and get a lot out of interacting with people. In some sense, Geminis are really suited to customer-service jobs. I know one Gemini who is a florist, and I think that is a perfect match for the sign: the sense of variety, the interactions with customers, the colors, and the stimulation of mixing and choosing flowers.

What should Geminis look out for in the coming weeks?
I think everyone needs to be aware of the dramatic shifts that are happening right now. The astrology behind that statement is that there’s a Saturn-Uranus square that’s been happening all year. It’s the dominant theme of the year. And this has to do with changing what’s stagnant and upsetting the status quo. It’s a time of radical innovation and new ideas. Geminis love the new. So Geminis need to listen and be attentive to the world around them, looking for the innovations and changes that are happening within their lives. Geminis, pay attention to what is grabbing you! It’s hard to, like, keep a Gemini’s attention—so if something has your attention, that’s worth noting.

Wondering which artists are Geminis? Here are some of art history’s best.

Albrecht Durer: May 21, 1471

Albrecht Dürer, Self-Portrait (Madrid) (1498).

Mary Cassatt: May 22, 1844 

Mary Cassatt, Self-Portrait (1878). Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Martin Puryear: May 23, 1941

Production still from the Art21 “Extended Play” film Martin Puryear: ‘Big Bling. © Art21, Inc. 2016. 

Ellsworth Kelly: May 31, 1923

Ellsworth Kelly, October 1967. Photo: Jack Mitchell/Getty Images.

Rachel Ruysch: June 3, 1665

Godfried Schalcken, Portrait of Rachel Ruysch (1706).

Diego Velázquez: June 6, 1599

Diego Velázquez, Self-Portrait (1640). Collection of the Museu de Belles Arts de València.

Gustave Courbet: June 10, 1819

Gustave Courbet, The Desperate Man (1843–45).

Egon Schiele: June 12, 1890

Egon Schiele, Self-Portrait with Bare Shoulder (1912). Courtesy of the Leopold Museum, Vienna.

Christo: June 13, 1935

Christo with his high installation on Serpentine Lake in London, 2018. Photo: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Serpentine Galleries.

Henry Ossawa Tanner: June 21, 1859

Henry Ossawa Tanner in 1907, by Frederick Gutekunst.