A simple ink sketch of a bird at rest. Sometimes the quiet moments—watching, pausing, waiting—are the deepest teachers. This drawing is part of my exploration of what I call the Quiet Practices—small ways of living from the inside out.
If you’d like to see more of my reflections, I share them here: https://forming20.com/
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.
It has been a delight to share with my students the incredible resource of people. Over the years, I’ve had the great privilege of connecting them with inspiring individuals such as Lois Ehlert, Dave Nice, Gregory Martens, Colette Odya Smith, and—as seen in this “Behind the Professor” sketch—Dr. Gaylund Stone. There’s something powerful about the presence of someone who lives their craft with humility and depth. In moments like these, my students are reminded that more is often caught than taught.
I had something bum me out a little bit today. Nobody’s fault but it is what it is. So I decided to draw this up. I’m ready for fall and fall beers! I love to sit out under the moon once the temperature drops a bit and have some marzen lagers and other fall drinks. I felt like this captured the moment perfectly. I am excited for music fest in @havertownlife havertown tomorrow. I heard @levantebrewing will be pouring at brick and brew so I’ll be there sucking back some suds. I’m glad I forced myself to learn #adobeillustrator I’ve come a long way. Since then I have been able to help other artists that don’t use Illustrator or vectors and I am pretty proud of that, because when I was in their place it always felt like a huge struggle.
This is the 5th piece that I painted during my train journey. I painted this scene after passing so many bridges, i was wondering how the people from below might see us when the train is crossing the bridge. A group of girls ( students ) got excited when I showed some of my paintings. So I gifted one of them this (●'◡'●)
this was a sweet gift I did for Christmas for my mom & dad - they love traveling and Telluride, CO, has become their second home! my mom loves Aspen trees and the mountains, found it only fitting they be included in this collaged painting I did for them. I used gouache paint for all landscape and watercolors for my parents. It was fun combining the two paint types and my first attempt using gouache paint - I loved it!
Dream of the Yellow Chrysanthemum from Dialogues in Paradise by Can Xue.
I was hiding behind the window aiming my air gun at a squirrel on a roof in the distance. I had been taking aim for two hours. But when I finally shot, full of confidence, the steel pellet zinged right into Old Jiang's arm. God knows why I lost my mind at the crucial moment, I was born with the impulsive personality. Immediately he jumped up and dashed into the room, shouting, "Murder! Murder!" I was totally embarrassed.
the black and yellow garden spider (also called the writing spider; Argiope aurantia) and the banded garden spider (A. trifasciata), which have vivid yellow and black markings on the abdomen, are commonly referred to as garden spiders.
https://www.britannica.com/animal/garden-spider
Although it is often refered to as a banana spider...which is were I am connecting the irony and source of my inspiration...from the piece #Comedian created by artist #Maurizio_Cattelan...known at the moment as the
Found this quote a few days back, and it really resonated with me. The message is clear that we really shouldn't wait for the "perfect moment" or spend too much time looking for the "easy way" as neither of these options truly exist, they are in effect excuses for not getting on and doing what needs to be done. in order to achieve our goals. If we are honest with ourselves "now" is always the best time, and doing rather than thinking about doing is the way forward. This is a mixed media artwork as the drawing of the girl has been reworked in Photoshop along with the wording and torn paper effect all being digital. Many thanks for looking !
One of the most difficult practices is being ready to accept anything and everything that comes, without judgement, staying in the moment with our experience. This is a powerful practice. I tried to express some essence or feeling of it.
My mind is on Puna so much lately. I love Hawaii...was born there and rediscovered it as an adult. I stay in Puna area when I go, in little houses I rent, or once, housesitting for a friend. This drawing was made one day when Mom and Dad and I went to Pohoiki to sketch. This little cottage and park is in the path of the flow and may already be gone. You can no longer drive there as the roads have been cut off by the lava flow. My heart goes out to all Hawaii residents dealing with this massive lava flow, and the VOG that goes with it.
There might be a few weird reflections in this as I had to take a pic of it on my screen to get a file large enough....I gave the original to a friend who lives near the park.
There's a moment in Black Panther where Michael B Jordan's character steals an African mask from a museum. When the other character with him asks why, he says "I'm just feelin' it." The mask he grabbed was VERY cool, and I kind of wanted one, too. But, short of stealing things out of museums, I guess I'll have to draw them. If you click on the image, you'll see a full spread of them.
I had this bizarre dream recently that I saw some
maniac driving in circles around my neighbourhood in what looked like a Reliant Robin, ready to crash into whatever they could at any given moment… yes, my mind (awake or asleep) works in weird ways but it gives me ideas so, hurray?
A quiet moment before escape.
Time is counted, tools are gathered, and the destination is already marked.
The treasure isn’t taken yet—not because it’s unknown, but because patience is part of the journey.
The Tool Bench marks my 50th canvas—completed exactly one year to the day after I finished my very first one. This piece is a tribute to work, memory, and the quiet corners where both creativity and responsibility live.
Drawn entirely freehand, it’s built like a snapshot of a lived-in workspace: mismatched tools, worn wood, scribbled reminders, and the little personal things that actually make a place yours. The clipboard holds a “Honey-Do” list that never seems to end. The Polaroid-style sketch of my wife sits taped to the wall like a reminder of why the work matters. The shadows on the back wall match the tools lying on the bench—suggesting a moment in progress, a task paused, life happening between motions.
This is the second painting of my dragon series, and it was actually the moment at which I decided to make it a series. It was at the beginning of this year when I was trying to decide on a topic for a series to exhibit. I had gone through quite a few subject matters and even started researching on one of them, when I got really mad at a relative's attitude and just felt the need to paint a dragon. And with a second finished dragon piece in hand, I said: "This is it. I'm gonna make a series on dragons."
"its okay", he said to his friend.
this is a drawing i started awhile ago. while working on it there where moments were i felt sad and it cheered me up.
The giant is inspired of the Forest Giant in the series "Hilda". After i watched the episode i really wanted to draw a giant. Now, some months later i finished the drawing and i had really fun. ☺️
thank you for reading, wish you a wonderful day!
I like imagining static objects having human feelings and expressions. This little plumb one is telling me its emotion of the moment, perhaps contemplative sadness? Waiting for its time to shine?
