presence

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.

. . . Whimsy and nostalgia all entwined in an inky world of discovery . . . This piece was the last piece of artwork my Grandmother got to see of mine before she passed into the Lord's presence this past summer

from Présence series

from the "Présence - Seeds" series.

I am an art teacher with a master’s degree—trained by brilliant professors who believed that art could do more than decorate walls. I offer safe spaces for teenagers to grow—nourishing soil where their imaginations can take root. And yet… I am assigned to hallway duty. This is compulsory education, after all. So I sit—posted like a sentinel—watching young lives stream past. “Get to class,” I say with a smile and a nudge. The system wants attendance; I’m hungry for presence. Armed not with a whistle or clipboard, but with a pen— my scribble’s soft insurgency. The hallway stretches out like a geometric hymn. Columns and corners chant structure. Teenagers swirl past—half-formed galaxies of limbs and laughter— their orbits chaotic, their gravity pulling time forward. I begin to draw. Not their tardiness, but their motion. A shoulder. A blur of sneakers. A tilted head chasing freedom. Feet flickering like seconds. Each mark a pulse. Each smudge a breath. My paper becomes a seismograph of seeing— trembling gently through the mundane. This isn’t about making art for a frame or a feed. It’s about refusing to leak away in the fluorescent hum of obligation. It’s a quiet mutiny against the clock. I do this on long car rides, too (passenger side, mind you). Letting the lines grow wild, jagged, and unapologetic. Not for polish— but for presence. This is how I remember I’m still alive. Still growing. Still watching. Still choosing to see. Because sometimes mental health looks like a piece of scrap paper, a moving pen, and the simple, sacred act of marking time with wonder.

Depression is a focus on the past. Anxiety is a focus on the future. Breathe in presence. Exhale stress. Focus on what you can do. Do.

"Lost little red." *He took a step closer as he towered her smaller form. He chuckled lowly as if her mere presence was a joke to him. He reached out, his long, sharp, black claws touched a strand of brown hair. "What a little snack you'll make."

from the "Présence - Seeds" series.

from the présence "Seeds" series.

I haven't done a still life since highschool! I was finally motivated to make one after finding this black conch shell on the beach of Rimini. In the past I found one but it was broken, i feel like i've been on a healing journey and was delighted to find a complete full shell. In a way I took it as a sign of the healing graces God is pouring out on me. I also found the coral thing floating on the waves of the shore. I felt the presence of the divine through His creation that day. I picked up the other scallop shells and the red rock there too. The big snail shell I found outside the monastery, there are some big snails here! So yeah, I wasn't trying to be too precise in this still life but I wanted to jot down the idea and my thoughts from that day. Peace be with you all

Two wicker chairs in the sun. One for the waiting, one for the hoped-for. The table between them holds its silence, its place set for bread or talk. I draw what is here— lines quick and unerasable— and what is not here, her presence, waits with me in the white of the page.

Imperfect Lines, Honest Presence This sketch is not perfect—and that’s exactly why it’s alive. The bold figure, the dissolving hat, the tilted chair: all of it feels unfinished, fleeting, caught in motion. It’s what the Japanese call wabi-sabi—finding beauty in the imperfect, the impermanent, the incomplete. But there’s something deeper here too. A quick sketch is not just what the eye records. It’s what the soul permits. To draw without fixing, without polishing, is to admit the world will not hold still for us. Life slips past. The lines break off. And yet, somehow, the essence remains. When you sketch this way, you are not the master of the moment—you are its guest. The pencil does not carve permanence; it pays attention. The act of drawing becomes an act of being present, of honoring what is already vanishing. So here’s a challenge: grab a pencil and sketch someone near you in sixty seconds. Do not erase. Do not perfect. Let the lines falter. When you finish, ask yourself: What truth did the imperfection reveal? Perhaps presence itself is the real art.

Orangutan sketch (Original Dimensions: 3000x3000px x 300DPI) to try out my new iPad Air M2 13 using both iArtbook Pro and Artstudio Pro artist apps. This iPad is awesome for power and quickness. Here are three main facts about adult male orangutans: 1. **Physical Characteristics**: Adult male orangutans are significantly larger than females, with an average height of about 1.2-1.5 meters (4-5 feet) and weighing around 50-100 kg (110-220 lbs). They develop distinctive physical features such as large cheek flanges (fleshy pads) and a throat pouch, which they use to produce long calls to communicate across the dense forests. 2. **Solitary Lifestyle**: Unlike many primates, male orangutans are solitary creatures. They spend most of their lives alone, except during brief periods of mating. This solitary behaviour reduces competition for food and other resources. The males will range widely and have large territories that often overlap with the ranges of several females. 3. **Long Call**: Adult male orangutans have a unique and powerful long call that can be heard over great distances. This call is used to establish territory and attract females. The call consists of a series of roars, grunts, and bellows, and it serves to warn other males of their presence, helping to maintain social hierarchy and reduce conflicts.

https://jufispaces.blogspot.com/

A solitary rowboat drifts across a muted, restless surface, unanchored and unattended. Rendered in charcoal, ink, and subtle white highlights, the vessel exists in a quiet state of motion—moving, yet going nowhere. The surrounding water is suggested through loose, rhythmic lines, emphasizing atmosphere and isolation over realism. The boat is sharply defined against the hazy background, its dark contours and interior shadows contrasting with the soft, unsettled environment. Oars rest unevenly, implying recent human presence while reinforcing absence. The name Perditas—Latin for “lost”—is affixed to the hull, anchoring the emotional weight of the piece without explanation. This work explores themes of solitude, uncertainty, and endurance. With no shoreline or destination in sight, Perditas becomes a reflection on drifting—physically, mentally, and emotionally—inviting the viewer to confront their own sense of direction within an undefined space.

A portrait of everyday power. This hammer isn’t just a tool—it’s a symbol of the work ethic that built me, the late nights, the factory shifts, and the determination behind every canvas. Graphite, grit, and precision shading bring out every dent and edge. Simple object, serious presence.

"Nowhere Fast" is a compelling still life that blends mundane domesticity with surreal, slightly ominous undertones. The scene is anchored by a wooden table where a spilled glass, a pack of matches, and an ashtray with a smoldering cigarette suggest a moment of interrupted pause or quiet, long-term stagnation. Dominating the foreground is an oversized, weathered cigarette carton boldly labeled "WARNING", its subtle but unsettling presence hinting at a consumption that leads nowhere. In the background, a vintage RCA television set displays a stylized amanita mushroom, a recurring symbolic motif that adds a layer of psychedelia and altered perception to the otherwise drab setting. The earthy, muted color palette and soft lighting create a feeling of weary introspection, capturing a sense of being perpetually stuck in a cycle. The piece masterfully uses everyday objects to explore themes of vice, time, and the quiet, slow march toward an uncertain destination.

Sometimes my dreams give me ideas. But when demons visit, you start to question yourself.

A fantastical bullwhale creature with a mix of whale and bull features glides through a vibrant, swirling, blue and orange hues body of water. The colors blend in a mosaic style, enhancing the creature's mythical presence with a composition that creates a sense of movement and depth, capturing an imaginative underwater scene.

I remember how I just started making this piece with no guidelines no measurements.. nothing. Just me looking at the reference and goin blind in the feelings. I wanted to make this piece as alive as i could..I wanted to feel his presence near me.

Home Installation - Part of "Presence" series.

from the "Présence - Seeds" series.

What inspired me with this piece was an enchanted forest. The purple trees and pinkish leaves plus the somewhat colorful grass (capturing it with my camera was a little tough but its a mix of forest and deep green with some blue) and the shrooms made me think of a kind of air of mysticism and fantasy. The Elk is one of my favorite animals and I feel has a regal presence almost in it. I thought about adding more vegetation but I was afraid of adding too much. What do you think? ^^

This is bear 148 - she lived in the bow valley and was relocated several times, but a hunter got the better of her (she still had her tracking collar on) - this is an homage to the animals that are lost to us.

Imagine trading your soft bed for a deflating mattress. Imagine food cooked under ash, a fire that smokes more than it warms. Imagine waking at dawn with stiff muscles, yet finding yourself strangely alive. This sketch is not just about tents, cars, and campfires. It is about the in-between—where inconvenience and beauty wrestle, and something deeper sneaks in. Camping reminds me: comfort is overrated, but presence is priceless.

The night has ended, but its presence still lingers.

A captivating original painting by Ty Patmore depicting a dandelion seed head bowing under its own weight. The Seed Crown uses powerful shadow work to give this common sight a monumental presence, reminding the viewer of the beauty found in nature's final, quiet moments.

from the "Présence - Seeds" series.

A 3 format We love when Puppet amused! We always learn from The Greatest! Warning! The following text is intended for fans of Puppet Zvonko! People with poor cognitive abilities may remain confused. We Puppetapostles, we keep track of what our Lord Puppet is doing, we study each of his movements, each his word is recorded and subjected to philosophical analysis. And always, again, over and over again, our conviction is strengthened every time: He is the God of eternal wisdom and the correct procedures! It is known that Puppet Zvonko - for their own entertainment - whips, branded and cuts people with a razor, often with mortal consequences. We gladly approve of it, it is reasonable to Overpower must feel comfortable and have fun, with us, miserable microbes. We are happy that we are honored with its perfect presence. For the last month, we noticed that his Torture Trinity (razor, whip, stamp) was exclusively used by one unbeliever, just a blow - two, and then Puppet goes away. Instead of showing happiness which the Puppet is experiencing him at all, touching his pagan body with sacred objects, the unbeliever tries to hide, of course, in vain. We Puppetapostles, we also know that most of the inhabitants of the Magic Valley, to say the least, does not approve Puppet Zvonko proceedings (here we mention that those miserable ones, blind with healthy eyes, The Puppet is called a monster, concentration of evil and other totally wrong names). The Puppetapostles remain in their firm claim: Puppet Zvonko sends his sacred, allegorical messages to the inhabitants of the Magic Valley by his actions - and other beings - who are sufficiently mature to accept the truth, final knowledge, the purpose of life. Now comes the time when we need to understand why Puppet bothering just one unbeliever for a month! Have we developed enough cognitive power or we are just miserable microbes - how does Puppet claim?

Sometimes wisdom comes in a joke, and sometimes laughter carries truth. Brian spoke like a sage, Mike answered like a friend, and together they held the room. We draw to remember. Not only the lines of faces, but the presence of goodness, the gift of voices that echo long after the chairs are empty.