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.
This is a pumpkin design I carved for the 2015 Chads Ford Pa. Historical Society's Great Pumpkin Carve.
This years design was a upright dove with out stretched wing, and it's bottom portion becomes an upside down bat with it's wing outstretched . I entitled it Peace And Terror. It represents the two realities most countries around the world are experiencing at this time.
This year I thank God for helping me discover the most effective tools and carving method that has finally made me a expert pumpkin carver competitor.
I have carved three pumpkin this year, and each one get better then the last.
I have been in the past used the hammer and chisel method with wood carving tools. My new tools are clay sculpting tools using the shaving method.
This design took me about 7 hour straight to complete . I did not get to chose or see the pumpkin I would be carving until the day of the competition. The carve is a live event,meaning you cannot bring a pre- marked or carved pumpkin to the event.
This year I believe there were about 75 pumpkin artist who participated in the event.
Written by Stephen J.Vattimo
Oct 29, 2015
If you can afford it and don’t want to scrub that toilet, mow that lawn, code that site, then you abso-friggin-lutely can hire someone! It’s not cheating or lazy. In fact, it’s supporting a small business!
A playful, hand-drawn illustration featuring a happy character wearing a gravity-defying top hat overflowing with a dense garden of flowers. This monochrome piece blends whimsical fantasy with a bold, indie-art aesthetic.
Underestimation of capabilities is familiar to everyone. In order to cope with this, try to stop comparing yourself with others, start to evaluate your success, and set new goals. You’re doing great, remember that!
Congrats to anyone else who took part in inktober this year! I focused on combining witches inspired by different types of teas and I had so much fun! I’m conquering my irrational fear of side profiles and I think it’s working, I’ve been really liking side profiles lately and finding them easier to do. I experimented on this piece with adding freckles (they’re a feature in all of my inktober sketches but I haven’t liked how freckles have looked when I’ve dotted them in with a pen or brush) and uh, I guess it was kind of a success? Next time I’ll use my lighter shading colour for them, as I used the ink I use for my lines and it turned out really dark and concentrated, but I think they’re cute! (and I have ink sprays everywhere)
"AN IDIOT! A FOOL!"
"No... You're perfect, and don't let anyone make you think otherwise."
Arkham Origins ends with angst for this pairing, which is not surprising.
Context: Edward finds out that his girlfriend seduced him to ruin his plans because she is an informant, and his plan to expose corruption in Gotham would mean devaluing all the secrets she collected. It's a long story and who hasn't been a young ambitious careerist?.. Uh, maybe Amber is a special case, but she regrets it!.. Falling in love with him was not part of her plan, but it is what it is and everyone is unhappy and heartbroken in the end.
I've been going through my sketches, both completed and incomplete, and found a drawing of a young Sumatran Tiger that I began working on around two years ago, but never completed. I'm actually relieved that I didn't draw it earlier, as it has allowed me to gain more experience in illustrating this stunning creature, which is unfortunately a species at risk of extinction.
A few facts about the Sumatran Tigers...
The Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae*, the smallest tiger subspecies, is critically endangered and stands as the final surviving species of island tigers. Poaching poses a significant danger to Sumatran tigers as hunters target them for their skin, bones, and canines. Additionally, habitat loss caused by oil palm, coffee, and acacia plantations, further endangers these big cats by reducing their prey availability and pushing them closer to human habitations.
It is estimated that there are fewer than 400 mature individual tigers in Sumatra in isolated pockets of protected land. Three of the protected areas are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites but all are in danger of losing this status due to threats from poaching, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and planned road building. It is for these reasons the Sumatran tiger is classified in the most severe IUCN status: Critically endangered.
Description: The Sumatran tiger is the smallest and darkest tiger subspecies and tends to be more bearded and maned than the other subspecies. Male tigers can expect to reach somewhere in the region of 120kg and 8ft from head to tail vs females who average 91kg and 7ft length.
Breeding: Female tigers are sexually mature at about 3 or 4 years of age, and males at about 4 to 5 years. Mating may occur any time during the year, but it most frequently takes place from November to April. The information was obtained from conservewildcats.org. Thank you.
#indonesia #criticallyendangered #sumatrantiger #amateurartist #tigerdrawing #tigersketch #tigercub #sketchadayapp #october2024