This illustration in on sale on ImageKind here.

7″ x 10″ watercolor on 100% cotton arch

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island in the midst of black seas of infinity and it was not meant that we should voyage far. Some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality that we shall either go mad from the relevation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age. Theosophists have guessed at the awesome grandeur of the cosmic cycle wherein our world and human race form transient incidents.” –H.P Lovecraft, “Call of Cthulhu”

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This piece is a present for Doug’s birthday, as well as Illustration Friday’s topic “wrinkles.” It is The Great Old One, based on H.P Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos .

You can read more about why he loves this genre here

It’s really a reminder that everyone gets old, even the Great Old One, and that eventually when he wakes, the world will end, everyone will go mad, so we may as well enjoy life before the night comes.

How existentialistic are we? heheh

I made this watercolor painting for a friend’s bday present. It is based on Joy Division’s (his favorite band ever!) single album cover “Love will tear us apart.”

I also started an oil painting of this too, but sorta hit a wall, so I changed course mid way and opted for watercolor. The medium brings out another quality that’s a bit different than the picture itself. . . a bit warmer. It is afterall, a BDAY present!

The umbrella theory turns out to be Mrs. Book’s big poofy skirt. On a windy day like today, she’d lift up her skirt and float in mid air while her story pages flying wildly in the wind. If you want to continue with the story, you’d HAVE to hang on!!

hey, in theory, anything is possible!!

pencil sketch:

Recently I’ve had this urge to cut my long long hair into a cute bob. Then I had a fever last night and my hair turned into a poof ball covering my feverish body like a warm blanket. I think I will miss it dearly if it were shorter. This piece illustrates the warmth and comfort my long hair gives in times of sickness.

Acrylic 5.5″ x 7.5″

Hai Ba Trung (39-43A.D.)

Two of the most popular Vietnamese legendary heroines are the Trung sisters who led the first national uprising against the Chinese government in the year 40 A.D. (they had been ruling VN since 111 B.C).

The legend goes that in the year 39 A.D. a Chinese governor assassinated the husband of Trung Trac. She was well educated, strong-minded and versed in the military arts. She called upon her sister, Trung Nhi, and together they organized an army with the help of the other lords around them to start the first major revolt.

This revolt led to the expulsion of the Chinese from Viet Nam. It secured the independence of Viet Nam for the first time in a century and a half. The Trung sisters were made Queens and established a new capital at Me-Linh in present day Vinh-Phu province.

However, this victory was only to be short lived and their troops were defeated in 43 A.D. Rather than accepting defeat, popular lore says that both Trung sisters chose the traditional Vietnamese way of maintaining honor - they committed suicide.

Throughout Vietnamese history, they became the source of inspiration to revolutionaries against foreign rule, as well as a source of pride for women who lived more restricted lives.

Today, there are statues and temples and shrines honoring them in Vinh-Phu province near the Red River.

In continuing to celebrate my bday, we’re going to see the Kirov Ballet tonight performing La Bayadere at the Kennedy Center.

I’ve had the urge to paint a banana all week, so figures why not?

Serene and calming. . . especially from the inside looking out. I love this aspect of winter.

I did this illo a while ago as a winter greeting card to help raise money for Rugmark Foundation.