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“The politics of the world frustrate me. I control my frustration when I write, but it explodes when I perform.” A quote from a Benjamin Zephaniah documentary I caught not long ago on BBC iPlayer’s been resonating with me as of late. Granted, I tend to keep politics light here (if anything) but I stand by what I’ve just said regardless.

Pencil colored and gouache drawing

A glimpse of my garden in the south of France

A Brief Pause at the Edge of Becoming It seems I am always seeking a place to sit— not just to rest the body, but to settle the soul. Yet even in stillness, Gary Brecka’s words whisper: “The quickest way to old age is the aggressive pursuit of comfort.” So I do not stay long. I walked until I found a picnic table beneath a canopy of bare-limbed trees, branches like open hands waiting for green. The blue spruces nearby— stoic, unchanged, whispering that some things endure. I sketched. Not perfectly. Not for anyone’s praise. Just a mark to say: I was here. Alive in this in-between. Waiting. Listening. Not for leaves— but for something truer than comfort. Thank you for joining me in this small noticing. A moment borrowed from the rush. A table. A tree. A thought. A gift.

Being a woman itself is a superpower. Remember, you matter regardless of your age, appearance, color, gender, religion, sexuality. #BreakTheBias and make your dreams come true! Happy International Women's Day! #InternationalWomensDay #InternationalWomensDay2022 #IWD2022 #IWD

Experimenting with Gel sticks on black paper

A vibrant park view from a gazebo with a checkered floor and overhead canopy. Trees line the walkpaths, creating a lively and picturesque scene.

Kingart. Mixed media gel sticks

Cover for my fanfic i writing for "Batman: Zero Year" comic. After Zero: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63498001 "I bloom, a flower fair and bright, A needed thing, for two, a light. In hearts' soft garden, breezes play, I grow in strength with each new day." The Riddler nodded patiently, his eyes half-lidded in boredom. Amber devoted almost all her energy to keep reciting this stupid rhyme that she had composed and practiced until she turned pale from exhaustion. The remaining part of her energy was spent on NOT clutching her jacket. "But then, a worm, with wicked bite. Gnawed at my grain and dimmed my light. A spreading blight, a change so foul. Cursed my existence, took its toll. My two companions, caught in strife. Began to gnaw and hurt their life. Absorbing poison, bit by bit. They both grew sick, they couldn't quit." "…" “Who am I?" The Riddler lazily raised his eyes to the sky and just as slowly raised his hands. "Love!" His voice was full of theatrical reverence. He didn’t even pretended that the riddle made him ponder over it. "To be more precise — twisted love. Am I right?"

Bumblebee with a basket of flowers

Be Hold the Lamb of God Medium: Acrylic on canvas size:11”x12” Date 2019-2020 Artist: Stephen J. Vattimo This illustration is done for a mural portraying the earthly ministry of Jesus the Christ. This is number 8, out of 9 illustraitions. This illustration portrays Jesus after he dies on the cross. Biblical reference : Mark 15 : 33-39 33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b] 35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” 36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” In doing my research : I found out that the crown of thorns might have been a cap, than a wreath. I t is my opinion that Mel Gibson’s portrayal of the brutality the Roman soldier inflicted on the body of Jesus, through the beatings and the 39 lashes with the cat of nine tails. This event was never visually captured in arts, until he made his movie The Passion of the Christ. Many don’t know what a cat of nine tales is, Roman style. A cat of nine tails are nine leather strap that are woven together at the handle. Each strap is laced with bone and other sharp objects. With each lash, flesh would be ripped from the victim’s body. Most of the illustration I have seen of the crucifixion of Jesus where quite sterile. They fail to illustrate the brutality. Their image of Jesus looks more like an under wear modal doing a photo shoot fore GQ magazine, Then the savor having the wrath of God being pored on his body for the payment of our sins. In this painting, I am place my viewer in the soldiers shoes, who just witnessed Jesus committing His spirit into God’s hands. Just as the soldier pondered the event he participated in , and looking into the face of Jesus, he proclaims, this man was truly the Son of God. Written by Stephen J. Vattimo 7/20/2020

Peony flowers from my garden earlier this year. Bartzella Itoh peony. A bit heavy-handed in my opinion, but I still like the outcome.

First prompt of Inktober! Happy October 1st everyone!!!

A quick sketch on a rainy day.

Feel free to desert up any of your themes with these vibrant fun cacti!

I am amazed summer after summer seeing this tree and garden grow. I started this with a blue background and a black layer that I punched through, and from there, I painted layer by layer from the back to the front. I like the realism I got, but I kept to a painterly feel using oil brushes.

A quaint old building stands amidst lush greenery, with a cobblestone path leading to its entrance. Trees frame the scene under a partly cloudy sky.

Lindsey's prompt: Garden

The Flower Garden

Head #25 of my 100 Heads.

A study of a zen garden. :)

Lindsey's prompt: Gardening Gnome

Drawing of plants in a pots from the garden in colored pencils and acrylic paint

From a series on garden perennials

Taking some inspiration from some things me and my girlfriend talked about regarding old highs in one’s past and asking yourself if revisiting them later on in life is worth it… the usual stuff I guess.

It’s been a while since I did some Pokemon fan art, thankfully my girlfriend knows my tastes in plushies all too well!

Tuesday morning drawing. Fun fact, I listen to the Dead a lot while drawing and painting. It puts me in a good mindset. Just like listening to jazz, you get lost in the melodies and when you come out of it there is something there. Sometimes it garbage, but every once in a while you get something worth sharing.

Garage Steps