I’ve been trying to go back to the basics of just drawing & sketching. I’m doing this because one thing that I’ve noticed about myself is that I end up setting myself up for failure when I set unrealistic goals for myself; like do a big, fantastic, original painting or a really tight and detailed drawing that will blow people away! Uhh, not so much. What ends up happening in the process is a whole lot of thinking and surfing the web for inspiration with no actual results.
So that’s it. I’m going to draw. And I’m probably going to copy someone at some point, but that’s okay, it’s all been done before, right?
Aware of suffering created by attachment to views and wrong perceptions, I am determined to avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. I will learn and practise non-attachment from views in order to be open to others’ insights and experiences. I am aware that the knowledge I presently possess is not changeless, absolute truth. Truth is found in life and I will observe life within and around me in every moment, ready to learn throughout my life.
3. Freedom of Thought
Aware of the suffering brought about when I impose my views on others, I am committed not to force others, even my children, by any means whatsoever – such as authority, threat, money, propaganda or indoctrination – to adopt my views. I will respect the right of others to be different and to choose what to believe and how to decide. I will, however, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness through compassionate dialogue.
7. Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment
Aware that life is available only in the present moment and that it is possible to live happily in the here and now, I am committed to training myself to live deeply each moment of daily life. I will try not to lose myself in dispersion or be carried away by regrets about the past, worries about the future, or craving, anger or jealousy in the present. I will practise mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. I am determined to learn the art of mindful living by touching the wondrous, refreshing and healing elements that are inside and around me, and by nourishing seeds of joy, peace, love and understanding in myself, thus facilitating the work of transformation and healing in my consciousness.
so i’ve been trying to come up with something interesting to say on my blog but alas, i have nothing. i’ve been so good at not being sick in 2008 so far and then BOOM…i got sick over the weekend. perhaps it’s the universe telling me that i’m stressed out and overworked? check. sick and tired of being a wage slave? check. i keep telling myself that i should give freelancing a shot but all i ever do is just “think” about it; and i know what it is too, it’s the fear of not getting a regular bi-weekly paycheck to pay for everything…i need to be more action-oriented.
on the upside, i got to draw. that actually made me feel happy & magical on the inside because i’ve haven’t drawn in a while. i should draw more often!
also on some nerdy geek shit, i souped up my G5 - i added a 2nd internal hard drive (640GB) from Western Digital, i bought OSX Leopard and installed it (so far so good), and i now have a USB hub (thanks j) for all my electronic crap so i don’t have to keep unplugging shit. i’m still frustrated about all these wires though. and since i had to open up the machine i had to actually clean and wipe down all the dust too. pretty eventful weekend! i took a picture because i just LOVE my computer…
On a better note, I am pleased to share with you Axis’ revamped website: www.stylepig.com. The art and the design of the actual website itself - from the handwritten links to the web graphics - all fits with the style & persona of the artist.
I managed to scrounge up some dough to buy one of his paintings (not shown)…I guess that’s one of the perks of being a 9-5 slave - you actually get to afford your famous artist friends’ artwork!
I feel like taking my website down, or just not update it anymore and retreat into obscurity. Perhaps I will be more productive as a human being instead of trying to keep my online entity alive. I’ve been feeling this way for quite some time now…I put up the website in 2004; 4 years later it’s pretty much served its purpose. From that time I went from painting often to not painting as much; not only that but unforseen circumstances happened in my life that forced me to change. Suffice to say I’ve lost interest and am now looking for ways to improve my life & my skills beyond the scope of graffiti.
For some odd reason though, the laws of gravity (or should I say “graffiti”) say otherwise, and I am still bound to it. Especially now that I don’t care for it, opportunites are coming up; random interviews and invites to paint. So what am I getting at here? When you’re a scrub, no one cares about who you are or what you do…when you’ve done your time and put in the work that’s when everyone starts paying attention; of course by that time you’re probably tired, jaded and pretty much sick of everything.
Strange how it all works. You spend your life trying to be somebody and then once you’re actually there, it doesn’t matter.
