spirit

Graphite, Colored Pencil, Paper

This was something that was requested from my close friend. I've been meaning to post it but life has kept me busy.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me - Psalms 51:10 //There are 6 Sundays leading up to Good Friday. In observation of Lent, I will be posting 6 works inspired by the theme. This is for the 2nd Sunday of Lent.

Title: Heart and Soul Medium: illustration pens on sketch book paper Style: surreal Category: illustration Created: Dec-Jan 2024-2024 Artist: Stephen J. Vattimo Heart and Soul This is preliminary drawing for a painting I am about to begin. The concept for this illustration started as a design for a pumpkin carving contest. I feel the message of the design is so important for people to hear, I decided to make it into a painting. The original design, done in pen and ink. The design only shows the two doors of the entrance to a fortress. It was designed for a live pumpkin carving event in mind. At this type of event, the carver must create their piece of art live on site with spectators watching and asking questions, and there is a time limit. The evolution of the design? I added a wall on each side of the entrance, with matching pillars. Explaining the design of the pillars The triangle top: the triune God. Representing three persons of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The cross shape opening in the pillars: The cross is the only path to God, to have the debt of sin satisfied. To reconcile humankind back to himself. To be released from being a slave to the Devil. To be a new creation empowered by God Spirit. Explaining the design of the entrance way(gate) The top of the entrance is in the shape of a heart, represents the seat of human passion, ambition, and allegiance. The cultic three petal flower is used to represent God in three persons united. The symbol inside the flower: God’s ministry toward humankind. Crown: Highest authority Cross: God’s loving salvation and restoration plan. The dove: Spiritualty made alive, fellowship with God, empowerment to weather the storm of life, and equip for service to God. Change in the design of the door. In the original design, one door had roses carved on it. The pattern took up the whole door. The other door had a grape vine carved on it. The pattern took up the whole door. I modified the emblem on the doors by making them smaller and simplified, so I could place them inside heart shapes, so the new images would more clearly communicate what they are meant to represent. I also added color to the emblems(color pencil) to make them clear of what they are, because of their size and the ink medium ,they were hard to interpret. Understanding the symbol of the two doors. The door with the rose inside the heart emblem represents a heart whose passions, ambitiousness, allegiance are focused on the cares, worries, and abstaining riches of the world. Only giving God lip service. I chose the rose to represent the heart of spiritual allegiance to the world, because roses are pretty, but you can’t eat them to nourish your body. They also have thorns that can cause injury to the body. So, the parallel point is, just as flower fade and turn to dust, so will the person who chases the thing of the world and has no time for God. For life is very short, we know not which will be our last breath on this side of eternity. But if a person leaves this earth without excepting the gift God offered them which is salvation from penalty of sin and given enteral life through the work that was done on the cross by God’s son. Then that soul will appear before Jesus, and just as they did not know him in their life on earth, He will tell them he knows them not. Into the lake of fire, they will spend eternity. The door with the grape vine in the heart emblem represents a heart whose passions, ambitiousness, allegiance are for God. To know Him intimately, to obey His teachings, to serve his will. I chose the grapevine to represent the heart of spiritual allegiance to God, because grapes are nourishing to the body. Jesus also used a grape vine in one of his parables. He paralleled the spiritual relationship he had with his disciples and the grapevine. He told them just as branches of a vine must depend on the base of the vine to live and bare fruit, so they must abide him to have abundant life. Abiding in Christ is not a religious act. It is outside of religion. It is an intimate relationship. Example: you can belong to a fan club of Paul McCartney and know a lot of things you have heard about him, but he doesn’t even know you exist. Where, if Paul is your father, and you have a good parent to child relationship, then you know him intimately. So, abiding in God, we commune with him through read his word and living by its teachings. It is spending time in prayer. Sharing our hearts with God and spending time listing to him. Trusting in him as our provider and giving thanks for his provision. Living our lives, with the purpose of pleasing him with the work of our hand and loving our neighbors in the workplace as well as in the community. Just as a healthy grapevine continues to grow and produce much fruit. Having an imitate relationship with God should be more and more evident in the way we live our lives. So, when the angel of death pays you an unexpected visit, he escorts you to Jesus’s throne, you know for certain he going to welcome you with loving arms and said welcome home my faithful servant. Now to which door I chose for my life? It’s the one that is open. This bible verse one of a couple that inspired me to design this illustration. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 King James Version 12 Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. This verse is not referring to the rebellious people who have rejected God, this is referring to people who are children of God, who failed to serve God faithful. Written by Stephen J. Vattimo. 3 Jan 2024 .

Enjoy the beauty of the magnificent Kaaba painting on canvas. The painting shines with unique details of beautiful Arabic calligraphy, elegantly portraying the name of Allah and the painting showcases the exquisite details of the beautiful Arabic calligraphy, elegantly portraying the name 'Muhammad' (peace be upon him). It reflects the spiritual and historical significance of the sacred place in Islam. Let it add a wonderful artistic touch to any space it is displayed in.

This study is for an upcoming painting about the life of Christ. The drawing itself took about two weeks’ time of working on it off and on. The research stage took about two months. This study is attempting to capture the spirit of being out on the water, walking with Jesus during a storm on the sea of Galilee. I hope the viewer can feel Peter’s anxiety as he is sinking into the lake as a fierce storm drains Peter’s faith in his ability to walk on water through the ability the Lord gave him. I wanted to show how compassionate Jesus is to quickly crouch down to rescue Peter from drowning and get him back to the safety of the boat with the rest of the disciples, which is outside of the illustration. Some people feel that I should have Jesus’s feet visible above the water so people don’t get the notion that Jesus is sinking in the water too. But if I’d done that, it would have altered what it would really look like in the natural world, because even if Jesus’s feet were on top of the water, this might not be visible to the viewer because the waves in front of Jesus might block the view of his feet. This illustration makes me think about trying to accomplish a task that the Lord has called us to do by depending on our own strength instead of the strength of the Holy Spirit. Then we find ourselves sinking instead of making headway, and we must call on the Lord to rescue us and put us back on the right track. (September 22, 2015

Happy Holidays! Here's a holiday bird to lift your spirits!

Happy with life and grateful to be existing.

We take things in and digest them before regurgitating them or expelling them again through our being. This is true of many aspects of our reality, not just of caloric intake. We take things in through the senses, through the person. We digest with our intellect and with our perception. Then we are able to share that back out through the senses, through our behaviours, and through our being. Food builds our body even as our experiences build our character. The real mark of a mature human being is developing deeper levels of discretion and recognizing more intimate forms of subtlety. Not everyone likes grapes, but to condemn grapes as evil is not prosperous to our species. Some like cherries, but not all enjoy their flavour. Grapes and cherries are still nutritious even though some have allergies to them. And not all cherries and grapes are ripe and nutritious at all times in all places. We must carry this knowledge into the development of our judgement. If it is important and worth while to discuss food and material nutrition, then it is much more essential that we evolve a greater sense of discretion for experience and for the holistic palette of our physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual tongues. We do that through consumption and digestion. But be aware that a human being can not live on grapes and cherries alone. We should also do our best to not condemn the taste buds or stomachs of ourselves or others. Namaste.

Graphite, colored pencil, on paper. 2023

trying to get into the habit of drawing something at least once a day, here’s my creepy little piece

19 SEP 2023

This is a new character I have created, his name is Creep Face. Species: Spirit Personality: Prankster Home: Mausoleum Likes: Wanders Cemeteries, Pumpkin, Hot Chocolate and scaring Scribble Dislikes: The Sun (Its too optimistic & bright!)

Free spirit dancing communicated in pencil.

Graphite, colored pencil, on paper. 2023.

Embark on a journey through the mesmerizing world of our colorful rainbow artwork doodle drawing. This captivating creation is a vibrant symphony of hues that come together in harmonious chaos. Every stroke of the pen is a burst of energy, every line a dance of colors that evoke emotions and spark imagination. From the rich reds that symbolize passion to the serene blues that whisper tranquility, each shade tells a story. This artwork is a celebration of diversity, a reminder that beauty thrives in differences. It's a reminder of the positivity that radiates when we embrace the spectrum of life. The meticulous detailing and intricate patterns invite you to explore every nook and cranny, discovering hidden gems with each gaze. Hang this masterpiece in your space, infuse your surroundings with its dynamic spirit. Let the vivid colors breathe life into your world, a testament to the joyful, vibrant, and kaleidoscopic nature of existence.

Graphite, colored pencil, on paper. 2023 Continuous line drawings within the field. Hope you enjoy!

First artwork with colorpencils

Smell my sandwich! Adore "this song "My bear to cross" by Marvin Pontiac. It always lifts my spirits.

This pen-and-ink illustration was done for the cover of a church statement of faith. I named this illustration Foundation of America because I believe this country was founded by Christians who had strong faith in the God of the Bible, and through faith, prayer, and sacrifice, the patriots overcame the mighty British military. By the hand of God, a new nation was born: the United States of America. When the United States was filled with God-fearing people, God raised the country to be a super power, and the world envied the United States and flocked to her shores, the land of freedom and opportunity. Now this country has forgotten the God who gave birth to her and now is setting up new idols to worship: idols of wood, stone, metals that do not hear or see or care. Because the United States has forgotten God, it has been plagued with storms, tornadoes, floods, droughts and her enemies are waging war with her, waiting to celebrate her fall. It is my hope and prayer that people who love this country will return to honoring God and return to giving Him thanks for all the great works He has done for this nation and turn from our sins and follow God by obeying His Word: the Holy Bible. That God will remove His hand of judgment and His blessing may return to our country. This church was fist built in 1890 and is still being used as a church. It is in Norristown, Pennsylvania. This was the first Bible-believing church I attended when I became a Christian. (October 28, 2017)

Graphite, colored pencil, paper. 2023. 17" x 11 1/2"

DONE 2023 WITH LEAD PENCIL ON 11X17 STRATHMORE DRAWING PAPER. ORIGINAL FOR SALE $100+S/H. IF INTERESTED DM me or artgod1974@gmail.com i ALSO HAVE NEW COLOR ART BOOK OF MINE UP FOR SALE GO TO THE LINK TO PURCHASE https://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ArtID=115637&Tab=Books&CPID=1133 Dignity blooms on the branches of morality., ethnics, and respect for humanity. It is reflected in courtesy, good manners, and love for all regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion. Our public conduct should reflect our private selves, our manners should spring from our hearts. To be courteous costs us nothing, but buys us everything. Morality is based on ethics. We should not devalue and undermine others. It is important to preserve and honor each other's dignity if we are to promote a harmonious society. We all wish to have dignity and respect, but often we do so little to obtain it. We can be natural and truthful, real and genuine. We must treat others as we wish to be treated. If we approach someone else's anger with calmness and courtesy, we can often help diffuse that anger and foster cooperation. With sweet words we can lead an elephant by a hair. Dignity also requires that we be truthful, humble, gracious and temperate. Those who lie, cheat, steal, and abuse alcohol and drugs lose all dignity; those who are honest, work hard, and respect themselves and others gain it. Such person can walk with their heads held high. Losing one's wealth is nothing nothing compared with losing one's dignity. The whole measure of excellence is moderation. We can maintain strong morals, high standards, and a great respect and honesty. Truth cannot be buried; truth can set us free. Truth elevates our spirit, softens our souls. Truth is the mother of virtue. Our pride and our shame turn us into liars. We must resist and work hard to maintain our dignity, or regain it once it's been lost. We owe it to ourselves to have happy life, enriched with dignity, respect and peace of mind. We should remember that it means nothing to live without wealth; it means everything to live with dignity. Nobility shows from a distance. It is not offensive to deprive ourselves of wealth; it is offensive to lose our dignity.

08 MAY 2023

Graphite, colored pencil, paper. 2023. 28" x 17"

What happens to the animal kingdom once used and abused for human entertainment? This drawing represents the spirit of those creatures, once killed for sport, taking their rightful revenge on mankind. There's no room for bullfighting in modern society.

Graphite, colored pencil, paper. 2023

Graphite, colored pencil, paper.

In this drawing, I was striving to capture the spirit of contemplation and reflection, a sort of spiritual sojourn, an ancient practice of pilgrimage, focusing on subjects of transcendent nature, and exploring destinations of spiritual significance. (words taken from scholarlysojourns.com). It is a self-portrait (me as a 14-year-old boy). We had just moved from Mequon to Rhinelander. It was then that I began to romanticize the natural beauty of Mequon. But at the same time, I was falling in love with the beauty of Rhinelander. In this picture, I am walking through the countryside of Mequon. The stringed musical instruments symbolize my love for the progressive classical and folk-tinged acoustic and orchestral music that was coming out of England in the late 60s and early 70s, specifically the quieter pieces of music performed by the Moody Blues, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Yes, and Jethro Tull. A song called Reasons for Waiting by Jethro Tull is a good accompanying piece for this drawing.

Spiritually guided drawing. Graphite, colored pencil, paper. 2023