symbol

I'm working on finishing this with watercolor and pen. It symbolizes growing up and the important relationships between old and young. Critiques are appreciated.

A mixed media piece depicting everyday things and the unobserved mysteries underlying most everything.

DIY fan sold in Daiso for 100 yen. Koi and Momiji - Hiroshima symbols

A quick drawing to symbolize spring time that was drawn with pencil and edited digitally with color.I present to you....bird with cute hairdo.

Monthly theme was "GOLD", so I thought about gold as a hedonistic symbol and meaning. Almost religious. I imagined a society praising hedonism as their religion.

This is inspired from the the soundtrack to Gladator the film. Its about how most people will end up in some kind of Colosseum, metaphorically speaking. Life will throw at us many problems. A sketch for a body of work. The black cross is a sword buried in the ground. Maybe its a symbol of peace.

I did this in responce to reading a book called''Mans Search For Meaning''. The book is about living through world war 2. The main caracter is finding peace although their is war going on all around him. This is my interpretation of the character, although in the book their is no mention of whats happening above.The birds that are flying around are in his mind, thus symbolising that he is at peace with himself.

Took the opportunity to use the prompt to do an illustration for a personal project. A key describing the symbols would be super long here, but the curious can see them listed at https://inkpaperstring.com/lunar-houses/

Utilising oil paint. It covers the idea of not taking the opportunities when they are presented to you. The sunset and plane flying away symbolise the end of a chapter that would have been closed off.

The picture has a traditional south indian lamp with 'Rangolis' in the background. The lamp is lit for prayer, good health, hope and prosperity. The 'Rangolis' are beautiful patterns filled with colors which are drawn outside our homes. The pictures symbolizes hope, health and prosperity in our lives.

A pair of lungs being given in hands that represents my donors hands. The lungs are surrounded in flowers to symbolize the beautiful gift of organ donations. The lungs are also being represented with birds flying to symbolize life. This painting goes from dark at the bottom to lighter colors at the top to symbolize the darkness of someone’s death being transferred to saving of someone else’s life from their selfless act. I’m a lung recipient, and this is the story of my selfless donor!

And here it is! The Theophany (Manifestation of the Holy Trinity on earth for our Salvation), The 1st Luminious Mystery of Light: The Baptism of Jesus! Here's some of the symbolism explained: John the Baptist gestures up and down indicating the Divinity and Humanity of Christ. Christ blesses John. Christ identifies himself with our purification and with mankind. Voice of Father and Spirit reveal Trinity. Dove reminds us of Noah's flood, Christ Baptism frees us from the flood of sin. Angels are submissive and glorify God as we should. Ax cuts down the fruitless "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire" (Matthew 3:10). Christ blesses water to become water of renewal. Jordan river, the fleeing man in the water, turns back (Psalm 113), and the seas are represented by the drake. Hope ya'll enjoy! ^_^

And Finally it's Saint Matthew giving a high-five to his Symbolic Angel (Or "human with wings" technically)! I Made it more like a fairy or something, it's not like a mount like the other symbols of the evangelists. So Matthew looks a little more Fatherly because in the Gospel of Matthew the theme of God the Father is the strongest of the gospels (mentioned more times etc.), also it's the only account that gives the account of the Annunciation to St. Joseph and lots of details on St. Joseph, the virginal Father of Jesus on Earth. (I should probably redo St. John since I did the others with more detail, I actually I did that version of St. John a few years ago but I finally decided to color and outline it recently. All the others are new though.) Let me know if you want to see anything! I'll probably do the mysteries of the Rosary next. ^_^

I'm on a role so I might as well complete the Evangelists. :) This is St. Mark the gospel writer of yeah, you guessed it, Mark. He's on his symbolic Lion, besides the Regal symbolism I always thought the Lion was also because there are more exorcisms in Mark than any other Gospel (When ya think Lions ya think of battles and for him spiritual ones). But yeah, He's all about Christ the King n stuff, you know how they say that the Lion is the King of the Jungle, well Big J.C. is King of the Universe! :P

It's St. Luke the Evangelist on his symbolic Winged Ox! I actually visited his tomb in Padua before my first vows awhile back. And I saw his painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bologna. He is definately the Evangelist I am most devoted to because he is the patron of Artists! He is also a physician and because my religious name Raphael means "God Heals" and the Divine Physician there is also that connection. St. Luke Physician, Artist and Evangelist, pray for us! ^_^

St. John the Apostle riding on his symbolic eagle! XD

A long time ago In Egypt you would bury the person with some belongings you think they would benefit in their after life. A few interesting objects I chose were from a mobile, baked beans, kitkat, toothpaste, apples, gloves to a paintbrush and more. A fun artwork where egyptian hieroglyphic symbols were used.

I had to make good ol Saint Benedict! Complete with his symbols, the Rule, Pastoral Staff and Our Monastic Habit! :D This is a super monk-ey picture. :P St. Benedict, pray for us!

So if Animal Crossing had a Catholic Church, one of the windows might look like this, because in the museum there are several cathedral windows with an Owl on them (Blathers). It's interesting how this particular art form of the church has inspired cultures throughout the ages, even in our modern times in video games. An owl is a symbol of wisdom. So this is the Eucharist, fount of all wisdom or rather even Wisdom itself (as He is God). Heh, it's pretty fun finding all these lil Catholic things in games ^_^

Something with many meanings. Symbolizing, starting from the bottom, birth, trials and learning, dark times then to enlightenment which is when someone gets to the end of their lessons of their life.

Ink sketch of a teacup - symbol originally used in the first version of my Studioerin website in 2001.

This image illustrates a Chinese fairy-tale from the 6th Century. Girl Weaver neglects her heavenly duties to spend her life on earth with the Goat Herd, this invokes the wrath of her family who force them to live apart. They are brought together for one day a year when a flock of tender-hearted magpies form a bridge to reunite them. This legend is still celebrated in China on the 7th night of the 7th month with a summer festival full of symbolism for newly-wed couples.

World gone to hell Sons duaghters leaving their families homes, dying of a new and namles plague. Where are the gods? And what has become of my hero? I am king, but no more subjects are under my command. A kingdom falls. A new age dawns, the illest omens herald its bitter arrival . God preserve us. We have forasken god, they do not forasake us. This is why we must be stricken with sickness. . . .. … … Weep for me. Weep for all our brothers and sisters. And now every uncreative poet and halfwit bard seeks to make drama of our troubles. We are their muse, their grand epic to tell the children. Fear the virus, dont look away, disturb the dead, praise us for our lies to you. They lead the masses to slay each out of fear. Cry. Yes, cry Cry for your fallen. They will not be returning for you soon. But you are still alive, and for that you shall become stronger. Onward We cannot always bury the dead. Today , time is against us. We move foward, we carry the sorrow, but the ultimate goal is to defeat sorrow. Whatever form this darkess takes, we face it. Unafraid. And unrelenting. Forge on into the night. Not gently and quiet shall be our passing. For, if i am to end, and you likewise, we plant our flag atop the highest hill. We scream our battle cry and let none forget our actions . The very mountains will shake, and echo our last breath. This is my promise. If i shall die, i die as i am now A man. I have decided. So, i die ….. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKXBKF6a2BWVDy_SgMvk8GQ?view_as=subscriber

TheStephen Vattimo 7 mins The Three Witnesses Acrylic on Canvas Size :48"x68" Year finished: 2004-14 This painting illustrates three witnesses who are taking part in the salvation of a homeless person. the figure in the background is angled, this imposed by them being Positioned on second-floor balconies, symbolizing they are not humans, they are a higher class of beings. To the left side of the painting a demon and to the right side an angel of God . the kingdoms they serve are identified by the breastplate emblems of their armor. The demon has a dragon head overlaid on a pentagram. The angle of God has a lions head overlaid on a cross. The demon face is partly hidden by a hood which represents deception, where in contrast the angle of God is wearing nothing on his head that hiders the view of his face., representing honest. Angel is always involved in the affairs of the human race. The demon is warring against man to turn their heart against God, and lead them to destruction. God's angel is always warring lead mankind to salvation through Jesus the Christ, and lead him away from the path of destruction that comes from sinful living. The ally way is representing three kingdoms, to the left, the kingdom o Hell. The center road, the kingdom of mankind. To the right side, the kingdom of Heaven. The path of these kingdoms is represented by the direction of stairs. To go the way of Hell is to take the stairs down to the sub-level door. To the go, the way of heaven is to take the fire escape upward. The lighting and the condition of the structures of the walls also identify the nature of the kingdoms they represent. The kingdom of Hell is represented by the dark and crumbling wall. Man's kingdom is represented by a boarded up windowed wall that is a dead end. Symbolizing that mankind only has two roads to chose from, there is no such thing as a third reality. The left side of the paint is a cardboard box and a newspaper floor which serve as a makeshift shelter for the homeless man. The turned over bottle reveals which devise he had that lead him to a life of living in the street. The tipped over trash can which spills its trash onto the light source that is lighting the alleyway, which is in the shape of a cross, represents mankind's sin which Jesus The Christ paid in full the debt which God demand for the payment for sin which is death. So that The guiltless took the place of the guilty, that by faith in this truth all will escape Hell and enter the Kingdom of God as children and heirs of The Highest God. The Homeless man, who is dirty,ill-clothed, cold, tired, hungry, hopeless, symbolizes the condition of Mankind outside a flourishing relationship with God. The Christian witness is better dressed implying he is walking with God, and his life is blessed through God provision. The witness is showing compassion and the love of Christ to this homeless man by wrapping his arm around the shoulder of the dirty smelly homeless man. He points the homeless man in the direction of the path that leads to salvation through faith in the work of Jesus The Christ which is His work on the Cross, receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior. That through a relationship with the Christ, He can receive the guidance, the strength, the willpower to leave his old life of being a drunkard and living in the street. Because in Christ old thing pass away, and all thing are made new. The light that falls on the Christian witness and the homeless man and opens up in the shape of the cross in the alleyway, comes from a heavenly source outside the picture. Written by Stephen J.Vatttimo June 16, 2014

Created a few years ago, this little one has become my personal symbol. I often wear a button with this image on it without the background. Illustrated in pen and ink, colored in photoshop, and lettered and layed out in Illustrator.

Sower and the Seed This painting illustrates the parable “The Sower and the Seed,” a teaching of Jesus recorded in the book of Matthew chapter 13. The four hearts in the sky represent four different responses of those who hear the Gospel message. The heart on the lower left represents those who have heard the gospel but reject it. The devil then comes and takes it away from their hearts. This is illustrated by the crows flying away with the seed that fell on the road side. The second heart on the upper left side of the sky represents those who receive the gospel message with joy, but it doesn’t take root in their faith, and their faith is temporal, falling away when trials or affliction come their way because of the gospel. This is illustrated by a grape vine withering away in the heat of the day due to a lack of a deep root system. The heart in the upper right corner of the sky represents those who received the gospel and believe, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. This is illustrated by the grapevine being choked out by a purple, flower-bearing, climbing, strangling vine called, morning glory. These vines produce pretty flowers, but they are an organic farmer’s enemy because they will choke out his crops. I learned this firsthand in organic farming when I was a missionary for a couple of summers. The heart in the lower right corner of the sky represents those who hear, believe, and are committed to living for the gospel, so they produce much fruit. This is illustrated by a healthy, strong, fruit-bearing grapevine. The tilled field represents the world that God has prepared to receive the Gospel message. The sower represents all Christians that are commanded to go into the world and proclaim the gospel message. The seed being thrown by the sower represents the gospel message going out to the world. The seed bag has written on it, “The Word Seed Co.” (October 28, 2017)

This is a painting I made trying to capture the simple beauty of a bird on a frozen tree. On a deeper level, this can symbolize appreacting the small moments in life, like the beauty of a bird on a snowy branch.

Wanhoop (Eng: despair) is a work I made last August/September. It's clay which was baked and afterwards painted with acryl and coated with some transparant nailpolish. To me it symbolises the depth of my depression. Despair.

Victory Through Prayer Medium: Water Color Markers on Illustration Board Size 2' x 4' Year completed: 1991 This illustration is part of a collection of artwork I did while in the military entitled, "The Army Years", I served in the Army National Guard for 5 years, and the regular Army for 4 years. One of the main reasons I got out of the military is because I didn't have much time to do my artwork. While I was stationed in Germany I did a few posters, and banners for a German/ American Playhouse, and I was in a European art show. This illustration was done during The Desert Shield / Desert Storm, during this war, many soldiers were afraid that our military equipment would fail to function due to the desert sand. While I was stationed in Germany, I attended a Christian hospitality house, that ministered to military personnel, and their families. I knew and heard of soldiers who died or were wounded in the war, we prayed for God's protection for those we knew were in harm's way. I believe the reason the casualties were low for the collision force is that God gave them a swift victory on the battlefield. No one should think that it was just might, and smart bombs, Iraq had the 4th largest military in the world. The Bible teaches that God causes the rise and the fall of nations. Decoding the symbolism : The " v " with lightning bolt shooting out of it =God giving the collision forces victory over Iraq's military. The large bold eagle with the arrows in its right talon, and with it's left talon open to attack, = the U.S. attacking Iraq. The banner made up of the flag of the collision, tie to the eagle's open talon= The U.S. leading the collision nation in the war against Iraq. The necklace with the cross attached to it, around the eagle's neck = God protect around the U.S. forces, the result of intercessory prayer of Christians. The flag of Iraq illustrated in the shape of the geological area mass of country, being shattered by the lighting = God judging Iraq, by giving the collision power to conquer Iraq and occupy her land. The land mass colored red at the bottom corner of Iraq = the country Kuwait, that Iraq invaded, that was the cause of the war. Written by Stephen J. Vattimo October 12, 2008