Walking On Water And Walking On Clouds Art

olive-skinned dark-haired Jesus, heaven, dove, river
Jesus heaven dove river
Jesus heaven dove river
Jesus heaven dove river
Thou I walk through the valley shadow of death I shall fear no evil
The monster (Mt. San Gorgonio) rises in the North, all hoary-frost above behemoth shoulders. Snake-like clouds adorning her, I crane my neck, Gaze fixed past the big white house toward uplifted boulders. And at the South, like his namesake martyr, Hyacinth (Mt. San Jacinto) has lost his head in cloud. Burned bones against a blue backdrop he wears that legacy proud. Between the two, another sunrise gleams and beams of brilliant, white-hot day flash forth: Accentuate Sonora’s west extremes, and last night’s moon forgot to go away.
A koi pond seen from above, orange and white koi fish swimming among lily pads, clear water with subtle ripples, fallen cherry blossom petals floating on the surface, dappled sunlight
Mountain lake at sunset
serene landscape with mountains and water
serene landscape with mountains and water
A koi pond seen from above, orange and white koi fish swimming among lily pads, clear water with subtle ripples, fallen cherry blossom petals floating on the surface, dappled sunlight
A koi pond seen from above, orange and white koi fish swimming among lily pads, clear water with subtle ripples, fallen cherry blossom petals floating on the surface, dappled sunlight
Southeast Asia. Modern day. This morning the sound of traffic in the street, scooters and tuk-tuks, taxis and trucks, was so loud I couldn’t hear my dream. So I turned it off and went dowstairs. Taking in diesel fumes ‘til it hurt to breathe, I found a hawker-stall and ate. It’s 100 degrees already; soon the rain will come.
Southeast Asia. Modern day. Back out on the open plain, our bus hurtles toward the city. Smokestacks and temples rise up from the earth; two visions competing for the sky. The woman on my right holds a chicken in her lap; rural wealth for a city friend? On my left a Buddhist priest sits in quiet repose and presides over the world.
Southeast Asia. Modern day. Afternoon rain forces us into the coolness of the little house, surrounded by rice paddies, where Grandmother assembles strings of Christmas lights; bound for somewhere. Young mother watches three children grow, and wonders: What will their lives be? Can’t dream of what she’s never seen; can’t see what she can’t dream.
Giant chasm
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking down through impossibly clear ocean water at a royal hunting party of Narnian Merpeople riding through ancient, seaweed-covered ruins on the seabed. The Crucial Riding Posture: The Merpeople are riding large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Crucially, the merfolk are perched securely in a distinct side-saddle position on the backs of their mounts. Their powerful, scaled fish tails are coiled elegantly around the side flank of the hippocampus for stability, rather than straddling them like a human. The Seahorse Anatomy: The hippocamps themselves have massive, armored tails that curl tightly forward beneath their own bodies, pushing them through the water. Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and fierce eyes, sits side-saddle, holding a gold-tipped spear. His deep amethyst tail is visible coiled against the mount’s scales. A Mer-Queen rides beside him. Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the water, illuminating the specific details of their riding posture and glittering scales.
A koi pond seen from above, orange and white koi fish swimming among lily pads, clear water with subtle ripples, fallen cherry blossom petals floating on the surface, dappled sunlight
A koi pond seen from above, orange and white koi fish swimming among lily pads, clear water with subtle ripples, fallen cherry blossom petals floating on the surface, dappled sunlight
Life is all around for us to hold. Spring will come again when we forget the winter cold. Soon will be the summer, when the evenings linger long with jokes and quips and camping trips, a kindred summer song. The time won’t last forever, we can see; still, we should learn the lesson of the tree. In winter snow or summer’s long good-bye, trees keep reaching upward to the sky.
I lift up my eyes toward the sky; know my heart and home are there, where the ones before me lie. One day, I’ll be gathered up and carried to that place where I shall know as I am known, and see my Maker’s face. It’s appointed unto us just once to be: We linger here, but soon we’ll be set free. No more reaching upward ‘til we die, Our roots stay here. We stretch beyond the sky.
Butterflies migrating across a field of fall flowers in the Rocky Mountains
Butterflies migrating across a field of fall flowers in the Rocky Mountains
Mountain lake with perfect reflections
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking down through impossibly clear ocean water at a royal hunting party of Narnian Merpeople riding through ancient, seaweed-covered ruins on the seabed. The Crucial Riding Posture: The Merpeople are riding large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Crucially, the merfolk are perched securely in a distinct side-saddle position on the backs of their mounts. Their powerful, scaled fish tails are coiled elegantly around the side flank of the hippocampus for stability, rather than straddling them like a human. The Seahorse Anatomy: The hippocamps themselves have massive, armored tails that curl tightly forward beneath their own bodies, pushing them through the water. Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and fierce eyes, sits side-saddle, holding a gold-tipped spear. His deep amethyst tail is visible coiled against the mount’s scales. A Mer-Queen rides beside him wearing a shimmering gown. Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the water, illuminating the specific details of their riding posture and glittering scales.
I sat, long ago, on an Asian hill with a Shakya Mundi friend, and watched the autumn leaves fall down from high above, giants in the forest casting off their wakefulness, falling progressively into winter’s long, white sleep. “The important thing to know about trees” he said, “is that they are most beautiful in autumn; just before the winter snow. They live and grow through the entire year just for these brief moments of stunning beauty. We are like that.” He said, “but we have only one autumn, and a very long winter.”
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking straight down through impossibly clear, glassy ocean water, as if peering over the edge of a ship. Below, on the white sand seabed, are the seaweed-covered ruins of a sunken, ancient civilization. The Merpeople: A royal hunting party of Narnian Merpeople is riding through the submerged streets. They are not gentle, fairy-tale creatures, but possess a wild, fierce majesty. They ride large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and a stern expression, wears armor crafted from iridescent pearl and abalone shells, brandishing a long spear tipped with gold. His powerful tail is deep amethyst. A fierce Mer-Queen rides beside him, her colors shimmering emerald and gold. Smaller merfolk follow, shaking spears. Lighting & Atmosphere: Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the deep water, illuminating the underwater dust motes and making the scales of the merfolk and their mounts sparkle intensely. The mood is silent, ancient, and awe-inspiring.
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking straight down through impossibly clear, glassy ocean water, as if peering over the edge of a ship. Below, on the white sand seabed, are the seaweed-covered ruins of a sunken, ancient civilization. The Merpeople: A royal hunting party of Narnian Merpeople is riding on seas horses through the submerged streets. They are not gentle, fairy-tale creatures, but possess a wild, fierce majesty. They ride large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and a stern expression, wears armor crafted from iridescent pearl and abalone shells, brandishing a long spear tipped with gold. His powerful tail is deep amethyst. A fierce Mer-Queen rides beside him, her colors shimmering emerald and gold. Smaller merfolk follow, shaking spears. Lighting & Atmosphere: Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the deep water, illuminating the underwater dust motes and making the scales of the merfolk and their mounts sparkle intensely. The mood is silent, ancient, and awe-inspiring.
A powerful, wise orangutan, with an intense and determined expression, meticulously disables a complex metal trap in a lush, dense rainforest. It moves with the swift, focused precision of an arrow released from a warrior's bow, its escape swift and deliberate. Emphasize its intelligence and the moment of triumphant liberation, with dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking down through impossibly clear ocean water at a royal hunting party of Narnian Merpeople riding through ancient, seaweed-covered ruins on the seabed. The Crucial Riding Posture: The Merpeople are riding large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Crucially, the merfolk are perched securely in a distinct side-saddle position on the backs of their mounts. Their powerful, scaled fish tails are coiled elegantly around the side flank of the hippocampus for stability, rather than straddling them like a human. The Seahorse Anatomy: The hippocamps themselves have massive, armored tails that curl tightly forward beneath their own bodies, pushing them through the water. Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and fierce eyes, sits side-saddle, holding a gold-tipped spear. His deep amethyst tail is visible coiled against the mount’s scales. A Mer-Queen rides beside him wearing a shimmering gown. Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the water, illuminating the specific details of their riding posture and glittering scales.
This day, though, I hiked another autumn wood. Eastern Europe ancient; overgrown. So thick the view was dark at just a few feet off the path. All red and yellow; orange and brown, a million trees, each one in blazing preparation for long, frozen winter. I cannot but recall my friend’s words, lasting long, though he did not, and the instant truth that follows. Looking upward at the fiery canopy, matched against the bright cerulean sky beyond, I embrace autumn! Winter surely comes one day, but spring beyond. I have a winter to prepare for, but it is not yet.
Cowgirls riding horses.
Morning fog lifting from river
Lighthouse with flowing ocean waves
Galloping horses
Southeast Asia. Modern day. The damaged and the broken ones; all rooted in the past, live life the way it always was, from their first day to their last. Motes of dust in beams of light, in the darkness of this day, we tip the hat and give a nod, for the truth we can’t convey. Everything is real, but nothing matters, anyway. Where life is only what must be, from the cradle to the grave. Everyone does what they can: Nothing less, but sure no more. Tip the hat and give a nod to the ones who’ve gone before. We tip our hats and give the nod to the world we’ve all ignored
An Asian Slice At the dark end of an alley on a moonless night, A youth squats low to the ground, turned toward the wall with his face in his lap. Someone might think he’s sleeping. He’s smoking heroin. Soon he’ll fall over and soil himself, and stay right there until dawn. Back at the neon-lit mouth of this dark alley, hookers walk back and forth, hurrying to get past the alley, either for fear or because is smells so bad. Eyelids, all painted golden, Asian whores always look like they’re made of candy. Candy it is; but a snarling cat awaits its prey.
Southeast Asia. Modern day. Nearer to the city now, the bus thumps and bumps to a slower pace. Grinding gears mark spaces between dirty children, playing obliviously in the road. Neither village nor metropolis, outskirts have no identity: Just a blurry line of encroachment; a temporary half-life on the way to something more. Dust springs up from the tires of trucks headed both ways on the road. A little girl stands crying in a mud puddle; her brothers laughing from the sides. She has to learn rejection to participate in this brutal, belonging dance. A little life, and a little death for a product truly worthy of its name: a good woman is hard to find.
serene landscape with mountains and water
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking straight down through impossibly clear, glassy ocean water, as if peering over the edge of a ship. Below, on the white sand seabed, are the seaweed-covered ruins of a sunken, ancient civilization. The Merpeople: A royal hunting party of Narnian Mermen and Mermaids are riding through the submerged streets on the backs of sea horses with their own tails astride the seahorse sitting side saddle. They are not gentle, fairy-tale creatures, but possess a wild, fierce majesty. They ride large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and a stern expression, wears armor crafted from iridescent pearl and abalone shells, brandishing a long spear tipped with gold. His powerful tail is deep amethyst. A fierce Mer-Queen rides beside him, her colors shimmering emerald and gold. Smaller merfolk follow, shaking spears. Lighting & Atmosphere: Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the deep water, illuminating the underwater dust motes and making the scales of the merfolk and their mounts sparkle intensely. The mood is silent, ancient, and awe-inspiring.
Golden Age Fantasy Illustration Style, Painterly Realism, Crystalline Underwater Photography Aesthetic. A stunning view looking straight down through impossibly clear, glassy ocean water, as if peering over the edge of a ship. Below, on the white sand seabed, are the seaweed-covered ruins of a sunken, ancient civilization. The Merpeople: A royal hunting party of Narnian Merpeople is riding on seas horses through the submerged streets. They are not gentle, fairy-tale creatures, but possess a wild, fierce majesty. They ride large, powerful, scaled hippocamps (mythical sea-horses). Key Figures & Details: The Mer-King, with flowing white hair and a stern expression, wears armor crafted from iridescent pearl and abalone shells, brandishing a long spear tipped with gold. The merpeople sit side saddle with their tails on one side of their sea horse. His powerful tail is deep amethyst. A fierce Mer-Queen rides beside him, her colors shimmering emerald and gold. Smaller merfolk follow, shaking spears. Lighting & Atmosphere: Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the deep water, illuminating the underwater dust motes and making the scales of the merfolk and their mounts sparkle intensely. The mood is silent, ancient, and awe-inspiring.
serene landscape with mountains and water