Artbreak: View from Top of the World (before 9/11) by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: View from Top of the World (before 9/11) by pdw ( tAaOS )


View from Top of the World (before 9/11)
Opening scene of 'Fallen from Lofty Heights' video.

Artbreak: Humbleness by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Humbleness by pdw ( tAaOS )

Humbleness is rarely rewarded, and even scoffed-at disdainfully by the arrogant, but it's benefits are far reaching. It greatly contributes to the character and wisdom of it's practitioner; it makes them more spiritually aware; it's effects reach out to other folks and makes their life better; and is a chief trait and key to entering the kingdom of God.

Yes, it's quite hard to be authentically humble when living in a world which seldom rewards it, nonetheless it is an important trait to be sought-after at all costs! Be humble.

Artbreak: The River Flows by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: The River Flows by pdw ( tAaOS )


Beauty all Around,
The River Flows.
Here's one that has nothing to do with hands.

Artbreak: Sustained by the Hands of God by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Sustained by the Hands of God by pdw ( tAaOS )


Sustained by the Hands of God.
Several of the Fallen from Lofty Heights renderings deal with hands in action.

Artbreak: Enriched with Golden Sod by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Enriched with Golden Sod by pdw ( tAaOS )


Enriched with Golden Sod.
Several of the Fallen from Lofty Heights renderings deal with hands in action.

Artbreak: Fashioned from the Ground by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Fashioned from the Ground by pdw ( tAaOS )


Fashioned from the Ground.
Several of the Fallen from Lofty Heights renderings deal with hands in action.

Artbreak: Fallen from Lofty Heights (title card) by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Fallen from Lofty Heights (title card) by pdw ( tAaOS )

One week ago I started the art process for Fallen from Lofty Heights video. Today I finished the 16th rendering... perhaps a new record for me... an advantage to being unemployed.

Artbreak: Weak by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Weak by pdw ( tAaOS )

When I say one thing but do another,

I'm not always showing my hypocrisy.

I'm just showing my weakness.

Voices

Voices, a photo by pdw's atelier on Flickr.

With some people there's always the real authentic truth... and then there's their version of the story!
(Art from 'Fallen from Lofty Heights' music video)

Conclusions

Conclusions, a photo by pdw's atelier on Flickr.

Just because you have experienced something does not mean you have arrived at the correct conclusion.

Just because you have NOT experienced something does not mean you have arrived at the correct conclusion.
(Art from 'Fallen from Lofty Heights' music video)

Artbreak: Voices by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Voices by pdw ( tAaOS )

With some people there's always the real authentic truth... and then there's their version of the story!

(Art from 'Fallen from Lofty Heights' music video)

Artbreak: 'Believed the Serpent's Lies' by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: 'Believed the Serpent's Lies' by pdw ( tAaOS )

'Believed the Serpent's Lies' from the second verse of Fallen From Lofty Heights video.

Artbreak: Adam in the Garden by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Adam in the Garden by pdw ( tAaOS )

I woke up inspired to begin my next video, 'Fallen from Lofty Heights' and then completed the first rendering for it... 'Adam in the Garden'. The next several art pieces will take place in the garden and will be quite colorful.

No Worry Mate

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)

Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God's guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God. Don't let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.

Doomsday

For the second time in only a dozen years people are laughing at the doomsday which never arrived. It's okay to do a little scoffing and laughing... the events leading up to the date just didn't align or justify all the publicized hype. But that said, be sure you're never too cynical or short-sighted that when the events do point to that coming day, you're sitting back and not prepared for it. There's no excuse for being deceived, but there's also no excuse for not being ready (and no, I'm not talking about building a fall-out shelter).

Sincere Prayer

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on meaninglessly as people of false religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
(Matthew 6:5-8)

Repeating the same words over and over like a magic incantation is no way to ensure that God will hear your prayer. It's not wrong to come to God many times with the same requests- Jesus encourages persistent prayer. But he condemns the shallow repetition of words that are not offered with a sincere heart. We can never pray too much if our prayers are honest and sincere. Before you start to pray, make sure you mean what you say. (Life Application notes)

Artbreak: Guilt by pdw ( tAaOS )

Artbreak: Guilt by pdw ( tAaOS )

A well executed 'guilt statement' can take the wind out of anyone's sail and guaranteed to make them feel their worst. A fist to the face is touted as unaccepted abuse, but statements of guilt are practically never categorized as abusive... even though their effects can damage for a lifetime.

Christmas? What's That?

Christmas? What's That?, a photo by pdw's atelier on Flickr.

What Christmas is Actually About
One day in the synagogue in Nazareth, as was the custom, the time had come for Jesus to read. He walked to the front of the synagogue, opened up the scroll, and began to read from Isaiah: " 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord' " (Luke 4:18-19).

When He had finished, He sat down and said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (verse 21). In no uncertain terms He had declared Himself to be the Messiah! He alone would fulfill a prophesied mission which no other person could accomplish. He alone would provide a way out from our hopeless spiritual condition. His public ministry had begun!

Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking, a photo by pdw's atelier on Flickr.

Positive Thinking
When denial is mixed firmly-in with an attitude of positive thinking, the result is a philosophy which has very little credence or true meaning behind it. Positive thinking is a frame of mind which should only be loosely practiced; quickly shelved when compassion and empathy are needed; not used as a cover-up; and never practiced with blinded eyes.

You can have an attitude of positive thinking all you want, but don't flaunt it to someone who views very little positive in the world you inhabit.

My Art is Available at FineartAmerica

caricatures greeting cards

What's Wrong With an International Job Market

What's Wrong With an International Job Market

Since I've been using 'Freelance.com' to bid on graphics, art, and illustration jobs, a trend stands out as being quite noticeable. Here is an example of the types of international bids being returned for practically any type of freelance job:
$110... from Japan
$100... from USA
$90... from Europe
$85... from Australia
$80... from Canada
$10... from India
etc, etc, etc.

What!? $10 from India!!!
Yep, consistently unbeatably low.

So, I do some research and find out that an incredible 45% of all Freelance.com jobs are going to bids from India.

Becoming a Wal-Mart greeter sounds better all the time. I promise to smile, compliment, and not be too grumpy!

How Good are We?

When someone does something so positive and nice that it makes the national news, the standard response is “It makes you feel good about the world.” The down side to this statement is that most news items are so bad that an uplifting item is quite rare and stands out as unusual. The more you think about it, a good news item makes you feel even worse about the world, not good about it, since this is the way the world could be if we weren’t the way we normally are.