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High Tea at The Oyster Box, Umhlanga

2012-01-25T15:56:00.001+02:00

In celebrating our seven-year wedding anniversary, Jess and I treated ourselves to the high tea at the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga this last weekend. For only R155/person, you get to sample some incredible sweet and savoury goodies - far too many to mention and some I didn't even know what they were although there was the most incredible crème brûlée I've ever had in my whole life. If I wasn't so full from trying to get a little bit of everything on my plate I would have gone back for another one - but I just couldn't... Sitting in the quiet opulence of the hotel, patrons are given from 2:30pm - 5pm to enjoy all that the tea has to offer. And if you're feeling the need to walk off your meal afterwards you can even go for a stroll along the Umhlanga beachfront as we did. Just don't drop your phone in the ocean as I nearly did. (Some pics from our walk follow.)

If you ever feel like spoiling someone, this is a real treat and worth every cent.

Fotoshop : by Jesse Rosten

2012-01-19T17:19:00.000+02:00

As anyone in the photography and design industry knows, Adobe's Photoshop is a tool that can and has fooled many an individual. Heck, the entire beauty industry is fooling hundreds of millions of gullible men and women (mostly women since the industry is more focused on them) all the time with their retouched and manipulated images of what "real beauty" is supposed to look like.

There have been numerous attempts to educate the general public on this "hidden secret" over the last few years; Dove with their "Real Beauty" campaigns, and more recently the Advertising Standard Authorities of several countries finally flexing their weight and making advertising agencies reconsider the amount of retouching shown in the brands they're punting.

And now, there's Jesse Rosten's "Fotoshop" spoof that "pokes fun at both the beauty industry and media, bringing together the ironies and home truths of image retouching in a light-hearted way." If you know about the practices and techniques behind glossy magazine spreads and fashion shoots, then you'll laugh at this great video. Be sure to also check out an interview by ComputerArts with Jesse here, or visit his website, here.

Plus: For a look at what happens when Photoshop retouching practices go wrong, be sure to head over to Photoshop Disasters. Always good for a laugh!

Ingrid Siliakus

2012-01-19T16:51:00.000+02:00

Ingrid Siliakus: Paper architect/artist and all-round "How the stuff does she do that?!?!" type of girl from Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

I'm astounded by the amount of effort and time that must be invested into every one of Ingrid's pieces. I don't have that kind of patience, so here's some info on Ingrid's process - cut and pasted from her site:

"Paper Architecture is the art of creating an object out of a single piece of paper. Before the final design is finished, something like 20 to 30 (sometimes even more) prototypes are made by Ingrid. Drawing paper architecture designs to Ingrid is as building: first one layer, with a single shape, will be drawn and than layer after layer are added. This process continues till she is satisfied with the result. All separate prototypes are cut and folded, to be examined by her. To design a pattern from scratch, the artist needs the skills of an architect to create a two-dimensional design, which, with the patience and precision of a surgeon, becomes an ingenious three-dimensional wonder of paper. After the design stage, creating a paper architecture art work is done by a combination of detailed cutting and folding. The paperweight Ingrid uses for her creations varies from 160 to 300 gram."

Mind boggling...

One Week in Japan : by Mike Matas

2012-01-19T08:30:00.001+02:00

Mike Matas is a user interface designer and co-founder of Push Pop Press, a digital publishing company that worked with Al Gore to create the first full-length interactive book "Our Choice." Push Pop Press has since been acquired by Facebook, where Mike now works. His skills have given him an impressive resumé even prior to this, where he used to work at Apple designing user interfaces and artwork for the iPhone, the iPad, and Mac OS X. (Based on some of his past work, I've got a feeling Facebook might start looking very, very nice...)

Inbetween working hard, Mike and his girlfriend find the time to travel to such destinations as Morocco, Spain and India; where afterwards he edits together the several thousand photos that he took on his travels and makes a video from them. His most recent one of over 4000 pics being, "One Week in Japan."

I've always wanted to travel to Japan - maybe spend a few days in Tokyo - and Mike's video is an incredible, eye-watering snippet of what that might be like for someone like me who has yet to get there.

Teahupoo throws down...

2012-01-16T17:43:00.000+02:00

I first saw pictures of guys surfing Teahupoo (pronounced: "Cho-pooh) in Tahiti a few years ago. Watching it break is something else entirely; it's as if the entire ocean suddenly rises up 7 storeys in a matter of seconds before smashing onto the shallow reef beneath. Known throughout the world of surfing as having the most powerful break on the planet, though there are certainly larger waves found in other places around the world, none can compare to the impact and ferocity of Teahupoo when it fires. And this footage is the most mind-numbing I've ever seen of Teahupoo...

Be afraid. Be very afraid...

GoPro

2012-01-16T17:29:00.000+02:00

Action sport footage will never be the same again...
If you're the type of person who enjoys getting out there into the world and partaking in some adrenalin inducing action sport/hobbies, and possibly filming it at the same time - then the GoPro HD Hero2 is the camera for you. Shooting at a full 1080p with an 11MB camera, GoPro has taken sports footage into a whole new realm, fueled by none other than the people enjoying the activities in the first place... you.

Be sure to check out their website for a full breakdown of all the mounting accessories available (including prepackaged outdoor, motorsports and surf kits) or for no other reason than to watch the incredible montage on their splash page. I can't wait to see what incredible images are yet to come from the people using this product.

Trevor Noah : Live on the Jay Leno Show

2012-01-11T17:32:00.000+02:00

Big props must go out to local boy, Trevor Noah, who appeared on the Jay Leno Show this last Friday gone. I haven't really caught any of his DVD's or anything like that; I've only ever really heard snippets played over the radio and the like... but his set here was really good and I think he represented SA (despite our turbulent past) fairly well. (Hey - if you can't laugh at your mistakes...)

Well done, Daywalker. Let's see where you go from here.

Arcade Fire "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

2012-01-04T12:25:00.000+02:00

I know this is a bit late to put up, but I only saw this video just before I went on leave. I'm no music guru so it's difficult to describe both the song (beautiful and melancholic, yet upbeat) and the video for it (Friday Night Lights vs zombie apocalyptic suburbs = epileptic fit inducing dance editing)... but I love this band and the kooky video; so it's a hit for me.

There also appears to be an interactive version of the video where you are called to dance along in front of a webcam - your movements being detected and corresponded with movement by the dancers on screen. Don't worry, if you don't feel like dancing in front of your computer (and being recorded doing it, even though they "promise" that you won't be) you can just use your mouse instead.

Apparently,

"The idea is to affect the pacing of the film with your movements. You are invited to dance in front of your webcam. There is no specific rules, no complicated “minority report” tricks. Just an invitation to move your arms or your butt on the music. The quicker you move, the faster the frames play. You slow down, the caracters in the video slow down. You freeze and the video starts to loop on the beat, creating a new choreography in the choreography. It is also possible to interact with your mouse, in case you don’t have a camera or you want to switch from dancing to clicking."

The video is directed by Vincent Morisset with choreography for the delightful dancing sequences by Dana Gingras.

Have fun, crazy people!

New Year's Resolution Schtick!

2012-01-01T09:09:00.001+02:00

So, first off, "Happy New Year" everybody! Congratulations, you made it: 2011 is now behind us and 2012 beckons ahead, with its looming "Mayan Apocalypse of Doom" in December.

But maybe before then you're looking to turn over a new leaf. Perhaps you've made a few "New Year's resolutions?" Let me ask the question though: How many times before have you made a resolution at New Year's? And how many of those of have actually stuck?

Chances are they haven't. New Year's resolutions are a waste of time. They don't work. This is because when you make one, you're relying on yourself, and your own willpower, to make the change within yourself. That's a little like asking a windmill to turn itself by blowing really hard. Real change can only come from an external - not internal - source. (Like the windmill needs the wind.)

And that's where Christ comes into the picture.

The Bible tells us that, "If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

This is the only way to truly become something newer and better than what we were (why else would we want to change in the first place?) It is also the power of God that is great enough to work on our own fragile failings. What we cannot accomplish for ourselves, Christ gives us the ability to do.

That's pretty much the same message of the Gospel; that just as we cannot earn or provide for our our righteousness before God, so He made a way possible, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

So if you truly want to be made over, and if you truly want it to be permanent... don't rely on yourself, or silly resolutions. Trust in the redeeming and forgiving grace of God and ask Him to make you anew. That's a resolution that will not fail. Just ask me.

(These are messages/wishes for 2012 that were written onto confetti that was dropped onto the crowds at the celebrations in New York (I think). Have a careful look to see the message that I would have as well.)

Photo credits: Dan Kiltwood - Getty Images & Mary Altaffer - AP

[edit: Apologies. For some bizarre reason this post has been sitting in my Draft folder for 4 days, so it's now a little outdated. Not a good start to the year Blogger...]

Jonathan Ball

2011-12-20T12:20:00.000+02:00

I love love love the style of Jonathan Ball. All I can think of when I look at some of his work is Raving Rabbids. His characters and situations are all so cute and trippy... His style is popular enough that he's done work for a serious ledger of primo clients, including: MTV, BBC sports, FHM magazine, Sony Playstation, Britvic, BBC Bitesize, astral media VRAK TV, computer arts magazine, popular mechanic magazine, Sony PSP3000, Creativity magazine, Trend Micro, Auto trader magazine, the National Library of Wales, Digit magazine, Jay is games, Argos, Channel4, AVG, Britvic, 02 mobile, STUFF magazine, E4. [Gasp!] That's some list...!

If you feel like escaping down the rabbit-hole that is Jonathan's talent; then check out his portfolio.

Mike Maihack

2011-12-13T08:26:00.000+02:00

There is just so much I want to write about Mike Maihack, but if I don't put something up soon, I may never! In a nutshell, this prolific illustrator, cartoonist and artist is incredible with an awesome style that has progressively grown to become better and better. I love it when he posts a new cache of talent every now and then on his Google+ account. Plus, he has TONS of comics and anthologies that he's been a part of. And (I think I'm gushing...) he is also one of the founders of Parable, the Christian Comic Anthology.

Basically, I think Mike is pretty much an all-round great guy. You go check out his work now.

2011-12-06T20:45:00.001+02:00

A friend of mine recently bought himself an iPad2, and yes, it's pretty sweet. But, whilst messing around and seeing what it can do, there was one program, or app, that amazed me the most, and it is called "Glo."

Glo is an interactive Bible that brings the text of the Scripture to life through HD video, high-res images, zoomable maps, 360-degree virtual tours, customizable Bible reading plans, and a natural user interface for fast, easy, visual navigation on Mac, PC, iPad, and iPhone. It's truly amazing, and if you can afford it, a worthy addition to help the Christian in their daily walk and understanding of the history of God's Word.

The full premium package currently comes loaded with some bonus content, and can be yours for only $49.99. However, if you'd like to "test drive" the program, there is now "Glo Lite" which you can download for free for whichever gadget you want it on. (Although there is no support for any Android devices that I could see.) It's a pretty lean sampling of what the full package can do... so I still say that if you know of someone who has the full version - do yourself a favour and check it out.

I, for one, know that as soon as I get a device that can handle this app, I'm going to be saving up to purchase the full version. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Tran Nguyen

2011-11-29T08:34:00.001+02:00

Incredible - and what can only be impressively time-consuming - art from Tran Nguyen. Her level of detail that she achieves is just rediculous, and her technique! Wow.

Says her agent, Richard Solomon Artists Representative, on their website:
"Tran Nguyen is a Georgia-based artist. Born in Vietnam and raised in the States, she received a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2009. She is fascinated with creating visuals that can be used as a psycho-therapeutic support vehicle, treading the mind’s surreal dreamscape. Her paintings are created with a delicate quality using color pencil and thin glazes of acrylic on paper."

I just like what I see. Really, really like.

Desktopography 2011

2011-11-29T08:15:00.001+02:00

Desktopography, the premier showcase for desktop designs amongst designers, is now out with its 2011 series. Be sure to download something pretty to look at from the 44 designers who submitted pieces. (Unless you're one of those people who sits in front of a computer screen with the same Windows® green field on your screen with a bazillion icons all over the place. If that's you, an intervention is needed... and you of all people HAVE to download one of these to break the cycle of blandness.)

Fisher

2011-11-25T18:14:00.001+02:00

When I first saw this title I just had to watch it since the surname I've had up until I got married was "Fisher" (Jess and I combined to make the "Fisher-Moore" one we both have now) so I felt a certain affiliation with the character. (Also, my family has been living up to our namesake for years...!)

The short film, directed and animated by Yoram Benz of One Eyed Robot, tells the tale of Fisher, a lonely being who one day is forced out of his humdrum existence and comes to realize who he really is. For such a short film, it really tugged at my heart-strings several times. You really feel for the little guy, he's so cute! Enjoy!

Fisher from One Eyed Robot on Vimeo.

Hiroshi Yoshii

2011-11-16T10:57:00.001+02:00

Was just reading an article on ComputerArts.co.uk about the proliferation of Japan's "Culture of Cute" that's invading the West, when I came across one of the illustrators they mention - Hiroshi Yoshii.

Yoshii is one of Japan's most prolific creative character talents with a whole stable of imaginative 3D characters that fall into what the Japanese call the 'kimi-kawaii' - cute but scary - look.

Having started out as an illustrator for magazines and books, he has now moved on to character design and animation, and is even selling small quantities of 'art toys' as a fine artist. He is also in big demand for client work varying from 2D covers for Amazon to work for Docomo, Japan's biggest mobile operator, for whom he has created a mascot character that's a cross between a butler and a ram.

Apparently, Yoshii is a workaholic, creating at least one character each day. Since 1999 he has now created over 2 000 characters! You can catch a few hundred of them on Yoshii's Behance portfolio.

Rosie Hardy

2011-11-08T16:23:00.000+02:00

I think I've spoken before about how every now and then I have to check and double-check to see if I haven't already promoted an artist, as it seems impossible to have not yet done so! Rosie Hardy is one such individual. The Manchester-based photographer is a rising star in commercial photography; her most noticeable work to date being the cover shot for Maroon5's album, "Hands All Over." In between working for Penguin Books and Samsung, she also somehow finds the time to do wedding, engagement and kids' shoots - as well as doing small workshops with up to five other budding photographers who want to learn from her. There are lots of quality images to view on her main site, as well as some hidden gems at her main commercial website here and on her blog.

Jesus the Atheist

2011-11-08T14:58:00.001+02:00

Just had to share this latest post from a blog I follow called, "The Failed Atheist."

Karmin : Crash Your Party

2011-11-08T14:37:00.000+02:00

A while back I posted about the amazing musical duo, "Karmin." I just noticed today that they've launched their first single off their new EP and it's available for you to download off of iTunes. I know I'm definitely going to look into getting the full length album once it drops.

Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?

2011-10-25T23:28:00.000+02:00

I've come across a few people lately who perceive the God of the Old Testament to be a bloodthirsty, monster; favoured of genocide, the murder of children and other heinous acts. Of notable mention, this happens to be the stance that Richard Dawkins has taken in his explanation for his refusal to debate William Lane Craig on the Reasonable Faith Tour currently on in London.

Lacking the words myself to explain this topic, I've linked CARM.org's rebuttal to this concept of God here and would encourage all who feel this way to read it and then re-examine their perception on God's nature.

An excerpt reads:
"After carefully examining the chief Old Testament examples that atheists use to label God as unjust, it has been demonstrated that their criticisms and characterizations are unfounded, and their understanding of the various situations flawed. Further, rather than living up to Dawkin’s caricature of being a vindictive, impatient, quick-tempered, and bloodthirsty deity, the image of God that instead emerges from the Old Testament after a thorough study has been made is just the opposite; God is portrayed as forgiving, patient, and slow to bring forth judgment. However, He is also revealed to be a holy, just, and righteous God who will bring justice about in His time. In short, the God of the Old Testament matches the God of the New Testament to a tee."

Image Credit: Cole Thomas, "The Course of Empire Destruction" - 1836

Designers Against Child Slavery (DACS)

2011-10-24T11:56:00.000+02:00

Designers Against Child Slavery (DACS) is a Design Collective that enables creatives from all over the world to rise up against the sex trade. The idea is to see how effective artists can be when they start breaking the boundaries of culture, race, religion, and backgrounds to unite for a just cause, and to use their unique styles and talents to give a voice to those who have none. To this end they leverage their unique gifts and styles to produce artwork, to raise awareness of the injustice of sex trafficking and inspiring others to use their talents to impact the world around us.

This passion of DACS in making a difference in our world has led them to publish their second exhibition, entitled "Episodes". Over the last 12 months, artists from around the world were challenged to create pieces of art based on the journey of a sex trafficking victim. DACS categorized this journey into three episodes: Coercion, Enslavement, and Restoration, for which each artist was asked to illustrate one of the three episodes.

On October 1st, 2011, DACS, in partnership with The Blind Project, put on a live gallery exhibition to showcase the work of all their DACS artists. More than 250 people showed up on the night and over $15,000 was raised through a silent auction!

Make sure you check out the site with all the other artists, as well as see how you can contribute to this extremely worthy cause.

Clover : Way Better

2011-10-17T08:44:00.003+02:00

I caught Clover's new advert on TV the other day. Harkening back to the famous "Happiness Factory" adverts for Coca-Cola, I see that Clover has now jumped on the bandwagon with their own over-the-top animation telling the tale of where milk comes from. Credit for the advert goes to "Joe Public", the advertising agency responsible for the conception and creation of the "Way Better" TV ad.

What do you think? Is this emulation of Coke's campaign the sincerest form of flattery? Or have Clover spearheaded a new direction all for themselves?

Jessica Hische

2011-10-15T08:34:00.001+02:00

I love the typographic designs that letterer, illustrator and designer Jessica Hische puts together. Best known for her personal projects Daily Drop Cap and the Should I Work for Free flowchart, she currently serves on the TDC board of Directors and is one of the more accomplished young "designistrators" working today - this after just five years out of college. Jessica's work has been featured in many publications, and she has traveled the world speaking about lettering and illustration. For a real visual experience, check out her portfolio. (And if you're feeling especially brave and aren't susceptible to flashing lights, why not try doing it in "Teen Girl Mode.")

The Mighty Macs

2011-10-15T00:47:00.002+02:00

Opening somewhat under the radar this October 21st is the - much belated - release of "The Mighty Macs." The movie is inspired by the incredible true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College team that started in obscurity but became the original Cinderella story in women's basketball. This team of pioneers from the tiny all-women's Catholic college in Philadelphia went from barely making that inaugural tournament to the first dynasty in their game; thanks in no small part to their new head coach, Cathy Rush (played by Carla Gugino, Faster, Sucker Punch)

A pioneer in women's sports, Cathy Rush was the basketball coach at Immaculata College for seven years, winning the first three Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) championships from 1972-74. At a time when women's basketball used archaic rules, Cathy taught her teams more aggressive tactics, similar to those used by men's teams, leading to excellent results.
Her overall accomplishments, including a record of 149-15 (a .909 winning percentage!), earned her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. She was also a 2000 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

All fine and well, but why should you watch it? Because real-life, inspirational tales of faith, perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity are few and far between. Also, as one critic penned in his glowing review, "There are few solid films to inspire and motivate young female athletes, and 'The Mighty Macs' is unquestionably among the upper echelon of the films that do exist," with "pleasing and winning performances from the entire cast of this family-oriented, feel good film."

In my opinion, it is movies like this that should be highlighting release dates; and not such ilk as that of "Paranormal Activity 3."

PLUS: Soulonphire has an exclusive Mighty Macs movie poster signed by the starring cast members to give away to the first person to email their name and contact details to murrayfm@gmail.com before 21 October 2011.

THE MIGHTY MACS stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush; David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush; Marley Shelton as Sister Sunday; and Academy Award and Tony Award winner Ellen Burstyn as Mother St. John. The film was written, directed, and produced by Tim Chambers. The film's executive producers are Pat Croce, the former president of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and Vince Curran, a successful businessman and former basketball star at Penn.

Avengers : First Teaser Trailer

2011-10-12T15:56:00.000+02:00

Fanboys, assemble! The first theatrical trailer for "The Avengers" is finally online.

The upcoming American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, based upon the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, is marked for a May 2012 release. The film is written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast, which includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson. In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America to save the world from destruction.

It is possibly quite true to say that this is the most anticipated movie of 2012. So - enjoy the trailer!

The Reasonable Faith 2011 Tour

2011-10-10T21:45:00.000+02:00

William Lane Craig is Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot Theological College, California. He is a renowned Christian Philosopher and apologist who had debated many of the world's best known atheists. He now returns to the UK for the "Reasonable Faith Tour" starting 17 October 2011 where he will present lectures on the rational grounds for the truth of Christianity and to debate the existence of God with leading atheists.

The one scheduled debate which has garnered the most interest over the last few months is to be with renowned atheist author and biologist, Richard Dawkins. Unfortunately, the reason for this interest is that, up until now, Dawkins has been resolute in his refusal to debate William Craig (even to the point where his own followers and supporters have proclaimed him a coward, unwilling to defend his own convictions).

As per the Tour schedule, the event to take place on 25 October, has been billed as,'"Is God a Delusion?" A Critique of Dawkin's The God Delusion'. Should Dawkins turn up to address Craig's refutations, a debate can ensue. Whether that will indeed be the case or not, undoubtedly there will be a wealth of knowledge shared and discussed during this Tour, and I would encourage all those who can make a lectue/debate or two, to try do so.

Steve Jobs : Co-Founder of Apple

2011-10-06T12:46:00.000+02:00

Seems only fitting to mention the passing of the man who founded the tools I work on for a living; and for having done it in such a way that I've forever become a fan of all things "Mac."

180: The Best Pro-Life Question Ever

2011-10-04T23:56:00.001+02:00

Ray Comfort's half-hour long documentary/movie challenges the view of abortion by approaching it from a slightly different angle. I'm not going to give too much away except to warn that, as dealing with the Holocaust is central to his argument, this video does depict some rather graphic scenes from that gruesome time in human history. Be warned. And be challenged in maybe your own views.

[Note: What I do find scary is the lack of general knowledge that a lot of the interviewees depict. Is this an American thing? I wonder what the youth of today in my own country know about such things...? How scary if the world we live in today should grow up ignorant of the facts of recent history.]

Ash Thorp

2011-10-03T17:44:00.001+02:00

The portfolio of designer/illustrator Ash Thorp has blown me away. Such inspiring work. Detailed. Intensive. Time-consuming. I don't know how he does it. But then, I wonder if he even does after crunching out a year at esteemed motion graphics agency, Prologue. You can check out a recent interview done by Motionographer with Ash here where you can read up on some of his comments that, incidentally, have stirred up a few murmurs of dissent amongst those in the graphics business, as to how designers in that field tend to be treated.

Politics aside though, make sure you go through his site and appreciate every panel that you see by this amazingly talented individual... I know I did.

SWITCHFOOT

2011-10-02T08:08:00.000+02:00

I've been exposed to the Grammy-award winning band, "Switchfoot" rather late in my life; I don't know why, because soon as I heard them they became an instant solid favourite of mine. I've absolutely loved their last two albums, "Oh, Gravity!" and "Hello Hurricane," and have been itching to get their newest release, "Vice Verses" (their eighth studio album) which came out last week. I only finished listening to it all late last Friday evening, and upon hearing the final track on the album, "Where I Belong" made me realise that this is the song I want played at my funeral. A morbid thought for some I'm sure, but as a Christian, this song says everything about how I want my life - and death - to be remembered.

Best lyric line?
"But I'm not sentimental, This skin and bones in a rental, And no one makes it out alive."

Have a listen yourself; clean version here,

and live version here.

Lead singer, Jon Foreman, on being labeled as a "Christian rock band" :
"For us, it's a faith, not a genre. We've always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us 'Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them, and that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind—and that's what we want. As a Christian, I have a lot to say within the walls of the church. But also, as a Christian, I've got a lot to say just about life in general..."

Photo Credit: Jeremy Cowart. One of my favourite photographers - whom I've mentioned here on SoulonPhire before back in 2007.

Marta Nael

2011-09-27T08:18:00.000+02:00

This 23-year-old Fine Art graduate living in Barcelona, Spain, has a wonderful digital illustrative style, that harkens back to the traditional times of painting before Photoshop - which is maybe why I enjoy her work so much. A delightful fusion of old and new. (Though she still knows how to handle a true paintbrush - which you'll see on her actual website along with some great pencil drawings.) Be sure to check out her DeviantArt site for an insight into her painting process.

Rob Shields

2011-09-20T23:48:00.000+02:00

Yet another self-taught artist, Rob Shields has been freelancing since 2006, and has built up an impressive body of work since then. Drawing on his degrees in both Psychology and Philosophy, Rob has managed to create a unique style of digital art that has secured him work on both sides of the Atlantic! It's easy to see why.

Menachem Krinsky

2011-09-20T23:32:00.000+02:00

Menchem Krinsky is a self-taught, multidisciplinary art director and digital artist currently working in Los Angeles. Along with doing work for various non-profit organizations, Menachem has also worked for paying clients such as Samsung and Sony Music, as well as contributing towards the leading design publications of Advanced Photoshop and Computer Arts UK.

5IVE - An iPhone5 Exclusive

2011-09-13T08:06:00.000+02:00

In anticipation of the imminent release of the Apple iPhone5, I've designed two exclusive cases/skins and made them available over at Society6. I'm quite chuffed with them, and I reckon as soon as I get my own iPhone in January next year (phone upgrade time for me) I'm going to get one of my own skins for it. Hope you all like them!

[I've also decided to start making more of my art available on the same site, so stay tuned for some more uploads soon...]

Maciej Kuciara

2011-09-09T15:50:00.000+02:00

I once posted a small sampling of Maciej Kuciara's work under one of my "Inspiration" headings. Having recently stumbled across his actual website with some updated work, it's about time he got his own individual post. (Such an honour, I know...)

What you should know about this talented artist/illustrator:
Maciej Kuciara is concept designer working for Entertainment Industry since 2004. Born in Poland, he now lives in Santa Monica, California. He has contributed to the development of critically acclaimed PC, XBOX and PS3 projecets including Painkiller:BoH, Crysis and Crysis 2. Maciej's expertise also includes concept artwork and matte paintings done for film, commercials and publishing.

Word on the Net is that Maciej is currently working for award-winning studio Naughty Dog Inc. on an upcoming PS3 exclusive title. (Unchartered 3: Drake's Deception?)
PS: I also enjoy his homage to Akira in pic 2. Those in the know will know what I mean by that. If you don't get the reference, it's not worth explaining...

Rugby World Cup 2011 [GO BOKKE!]

2011-09-09T15:31:00.000+02:00

So the RWC2011 has officially started this morning (SA time). Be sure to catch up on all the information you could possibly need here at the official website. I'm super-excited to see how the tournament plays out this year, as there are so many possible contenders for the crown of World Champions. But I'm enough of a patriot to hope that our boys can emulate the achievement they managed four years ago and be the first team to ever successfully defend the title. Go Bokke!

Philip Brunner

2011-09-09T09:42:00.000+02:00

Some great art and technique on show courtesy of New Yorker, Philip Brunner. Have a look at his Behance page for more samples of his work that aren't up on his website. He's also part of a new art collective called "Heartsurge." A challenger to Depthcore? Quite possibly. Enjoy the works.

Lou Mora

2011-09-02T15:08:00.006+02:00

Los Angeles native, Lou Mora, is one of my new fave photographers. I love the feeling he manages to capture in all his pics. There's something about them - I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly - but if I could achieve the same effect in my own photos... I'd be more than super-chuffed! A great portfolio too. Be sure to check out his blog for newer pics and projects. I'm so following this guy.

ShotoPop

2011-09-02T14:34:00.003+02:00

Describing themselves as "unconventional, unique, versatile and daring" - the work of this multi-disciplined British agency attests to the fact that they might not be far off the mark. I especially love the amount of effort and detail they put into their tactile illustrations.

Jericho's Prophecy

2011-08-30T07:46:00.005+02:00

I recently read something in the Book of Joshua, from the Old Testament, that gave me pause and want to investigate and see if it really happened as written. Essentially, after the destruction of Jericho by the Israelites, Joshua proclaimed a prophetic curse concerning the city that God had just handed over to them. It went like this:

“Cursed before the LORD is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations;  at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”
- Joshua 6:26 (NIV)

So I found myself wondering: Did this come to pass? I knew that Jericho as a modern city still stands today; and so it was obviously rebuilt at some time in the past. But, did the prophecy come true? Was it fulfilled?

Enter the modern man’s answer machine, Google, and what I discovered: Yes, it was. But - there’s not a lot of information to be found about the topic at all; in terms of extra-Biblical accounts and sources. (I did find one reference in a modern extra-Biblical document about El Amarna's Mesopotamians written by a Damien Mackey who seems adequately qualified* to discuss the matter at length.)

Yes, the Bible is an historical document – a reliable one at that, as the Word of God would be – and so its accounts cannot be discarded, and in fact, I am happy to accept the answers it provides as truthful and accurate… but I was also hoping for some other historic sources as well that would give the details and background to this prophecy either being fulfilled or not. (Just as we can look to the writings of the Jewish scholar, Josephus, for extra-Biblical evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ.)

The Bible tells us the followup to this curse happened in the Book of 1 Kings 16: 34 which states that:
“In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken by Joshua son of Nun.”

So the prophecy was fulfilled.

Now skeptics could argue, “But the Bible claimed a prophecy and the self-same Bible says it was fulfilled. That’s rigged!” However, I’d like to point out that up until the 1960’s, people didn’t believe that Pontius Pilate ever existed; a fact that Bible had claimed, accurately so, for millennia. Furthermore, the Bible has proven its historic accuracy and record far many times than most are comfortable with; and so I’m happy to accept – as a Christian and as a history buff – that this is the answer I was looking for.

Which just goes to show yet again, how the Bible is unique amongst all other books the world has, in its examples of fulfilled prophecy. The testimony of these prophecies coming to pass, let's us know that God exists and that He has a plan for this world. By the foretelling of persons, places, and events hundreds of years before their occurrence, the Bible demonstrates a knowledge of the future that is too specific to be labeled a good guess. By giving examples of fulfilled prophecy, the Scriptures give a strong testimony to their own inspiration.

The Bible itself gives the purpose of prophecy:
“Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done… ” (Isaiah 46:9, 10, NASB).

Something to consider when next wondering if there's something to the Bible after all. Oh, and the image at the top is of the excavations of the old city of Jericho, amongst the new city that is modern-day Jericho.

[*Damien Mackey has a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in ancient history and Latin) from the University of Tasmania and a diploma in librarianship from Hobart Tech. He then left librarianship to do missionary work in Canada, USA and Britain. Afterwards, parish work in Sydney included 15 years as a public school Scripture teacher. He subsequently received a cum laude degree in philosophy and return to librarianship at Premier’s Department of Hieroglyphs at Macquarie University which lead to his MA (‘Sothic Star Theory …’) at the University of Sydney. He continues to work as a librarian (UTS, TAFE, Canterbury City Council) and for the government in the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Damien received the Bernard and Lotka Ferster prize in Hebrew as a prelude to a current doctoral thesis based on the era of King Hezekiah.]

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant

2011-08-26T07:56:00.007+02:00

"In 19th-century Turkey, an officer in the Janissary army must struggle to repay a brash adventuress for saving his life, even though she was the one who endangered it in the first place."

Such is the premise for Tony Cliff's, "Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant" which I've just discovered for myself and am already an instant fan.

Living in Vancouver, British Columbia right now, Tony has spent a decade or so in the local animation industry; been an occasional contributor to the Flight anthology; and has also had his work nominated for two Will Eisner awards.
His beautifully drawn webcomic unfolds with four or six new pages each Saturday. The number of pages varies each week in service to the story, usually determined by which page would make a more cruel, heart-wrenching cliffhanger.

Check it out where you can read the first 50 pages! I know what I'm doing this weekend.

Adrian Valencia

2011-08-26T07:30:00.004+02:00

Self taught illustrator Adrian Valencia has a style that editorial magazines and book publishers must absolutely love! (I know for a fact that if my wife sees a book with an illustration similar to that of Adrian's style on the cover - it's a no brainer - she has to read it!) Utilizing a simple and clean vector approach to his drawing style, Adrian's illustrations are also intricately detailed, and I love that about his technique. (Be sure to check out his blog for a behind the scenes look at his illustrative process.)

Born in Argentina where he graduated as a graphic designer, Adrian moved to London in 2000, and has since enjoyed working for a range of clients across America and Europe, including American Express, British Airways and Montblanc, among others.

Sam Spratt

2011-08-23T21:18:00.003+02:00

What do Lady Gaga and Moses have in common? Well - pretty much nothing... other than the fact they've both been painted by rising star illustrator, Sam Spratt. Described as a "creative monster, who we'll be seeing on every magazine cover, on billboards and in ads for four decades to come" by Greg T Spielberg of Harvard University's Nieman Journalism Lab, Sam's speed and skills have seen him notch up a pretty impressive client list, (the likes of MSNBC and Gizmodo) despite only having finished his Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Illustration just last year.
Whilst his site is pretty full of anything and everything that captures his imagination, I find Sam's celebrity portraits to really showcase his skill as an illustrator.

Consequences of Sin

2011-08-15T19:37:00.004+02:00

Having just read chapter 7 of Joshua, entitled “Achan’s sin”, I’m reminded of what Andy Stanley said in a video of his I once watched; that sin destroys our faith, our families and our future. All of this happened to Achan, and we would do well to learn from his mistakes.

When the Lord God gave the city of Jericho over to the Israeleites, He instructed them that they were to destroy the entire city. Every man, woman and child, (except for Rahab and her family, but that’s a story for another day) as well as every cattle, sheep and donkey was killed, and the rest of the city destroyed; only the items of gold and silver, bronze and iron were to be spared and to go into the Lord’s treasury. And that is what happened.

But Achan, we are told, took some of the items that were to be devoted to the Lord. [The Hebrew word used here for “devoted” refers to the “irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by destroying them.”] During the plunder of the city, he coveted and took a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. (For those unfamiliar with “ye olde worlde” weights and measures of the Old Testament, that’s the equivalent of around 5 pounds of silver and 1 and ¼ pounds of gold.)

As always, sin has consequences and, more often than not, they are far reaching and affect not only us but those around us.

FAITH
Achan's sin affected his faith because he did not follow through with the commands of the Lord. Disobedience, ie: sin, is a result of a lack of faith and obedience. Achan had seen mighty miracles done by the Lord before his very eyes, yet still allowed his own greed to get the better of him. His faith was weakened when it should have been strong, seeing as the Lord had just delivered the city of Jericho over to the Israelites in the most unlikeliest siege ever undertaken in history!
Furthermore, Achan’s sin affected the faith of the Israelites as a nation! Since he had disobeyed God, Israel was seen to have violated the Lord’s commands; as a direct result they were defeated in their next battle against the men of Ai, and 36 Israelites were killed.

FUTURE
Achan’s personal future was affected by his sin because he was found out. God knows when we sin and He will hold us accountable to it, along with whatever consequences they bring. For Achan, it was quite severe; he was stoned to death. We forget that God is Holy, and are complacent when we imagine His dealings with ourselves. Woe to any that think otherwise…

FAMILY
Achan’s sin affected his family too; as all his sons and daughters were stoned to death along with the man himself. Thereafter, their remains and everything Achan owned, (his tents, cattle and other animals, as well as the items he had coveted!) was burned to ash and covered by rocks.
How often does our sin have an immediate effect on those around us and cost us our possessions? Enough that I would think we should all realize it by now. Sadly, some of us still don’t.

Sin is disobedience to God. The master of revolt against God is the devil. And all he wants is to destroy us all.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”* But God has made a way for us to be master over our sin, so that it will not rule us, and the only for that to happen is through His Son, Jesus Christ, who came “that they may have life, and have it to the full.”**

So the next time you think of doing something that you know you shouldn’t… take a second and remember that your sin will not just have dire consequences for yourself, but also for those around you. For it will affect your Faith, your Future and your Family.

* & ** verse is from John 10:10 (NIV)
[Note: We only have to look at the history of the world and its current state to see how the sins of a few powerful people and nations has brought about nothing but pain and destruction for the majority of us living on this blue orb. So the consequences of sin does not only work on an immediate personal level, but can also have far reaching consequences on a global scale.]

Emeric Trahand a.k.a Takeshi

2011-08-03T16:38:00.003+02:00

How on earth has it taken me this long to post about Emeric? There must be something wrong with me...

Emeric Trahand (also known as Takeshi) is a New York based art director and artist from Saint Etienne, France. His illustrative work is renowned for its surreal feel, the quality of its photomontages as well as the light treatments and colourful compositions. This has lead to him being a regular contributor to the international digital illustration magazines Computer Arts and Advanced Photoshop, as well as being featured in numerous publications; such as Taschen: Illustration Now, Computer Arts: Book of Inspiration, Design & Design.com's: Book of the Year, and Fashionize 2: Illustration Will Rule The World.

Despite his "short" career - he only began to freelance in 2006 - Emeric has already been commissioned by a diverse array of major international clients, such as: Ubi Soft, Emi Music, TBWA Helsinki, Adidas, Cacharel, Grimbergen, Toyota, Swatch, Chase Bank, Bank of America, ASICS, Subway, Aquafresh, Lays, Radio Shack, Spike TV, VH1, Asher Roth, the Cool Kids, Cuervo, GrandPrix de Montreal, English National Opera, Société Générale, Maaf Insurance, Groupama Insurance, Ventury Paris, Cacharel, and Sony BMG.

Amanda Marsalis

2011-08-03T10:06:00.004+02:00

Faultless, beautiful, crisp and inspiring are just some of the ords I would use to describe the work of photographer, Amanda Marsalis.

I love the emotion and feeling she manages to capture and convey in her photos.
She definitely makes my list of top photographers to want to emulate.

Can We Be Good Without God?

2011-08-02T14:55:00.004+02:00

Great article by Craig J. Hazen over at Biola University's online publication. Craig is the director of Biola’s M.A. in Christian Apologetics and M.A. in Science and Religion programs. He also holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Follow the link for a worthy read, and not a lengthy one either.

Basically it asks the question:
If "objective morality" is possible in a worldview that doesn't need God... where did this objective morality originate, what is its source?

What are your thoughts?

Gianmarco Magnani

2011-07-29T16:56:00.004+02:00

With a fascination for detailed vector drawings of futuristic cars and motorcycles along with girl rockers and their guitars, Gianmarco Magnani, has a super-stylish portfolio well worth perusing. His blog also has some behind-the-scenes photos of the high quality framing all his prints get sold in. [I'm sorely tempted to try and get one or two myself]

Rachel Caldwell

2011-07-29T16:47:00.003+02:00

Great work by Philadelphian-based artist and illustrator Rachel Caldwell, known otherwise as "Thirsty Fly." Her pen-and-ink drawings and surrealist paintings have been used by some impressive clients, including Smirnoff, and she has several of her artworks available in various formats to purchase over at Society6.

Borja Bonaque

2011-07-27T16:37:00.004+02:00

Fantastic illustrative style from Borja Bonaque, who is inspired by pure lines and geometric shapes.

There's just so many good things one could say about Borja - but if you head on over to his portfolio site, you'll be able see for yourself. Definitely a new favourite of mine.

Paul McCartney & Jack McCoy

2011-07-25T17:02:00.014+02:00

Jack McCoy (award winning film-maker of surf documentaries such as "The Green Iguanu" and "Blue Horizon") has produced a music video for a previously unreleased Paul McCartney (yes, that Paul McCartney, of "The Beatles" fame) song, originally written 20 years ago and featured on his latest album, "McCartney II."

McCoy spent six weeks creating the music video - while also working full days on his latest surf film, "A Deeper Shade of Blue" - compiling and editing footage filmed off Tahiti's Teahupoo reef to create what would became the “Blue Sway” video.

Says Sir Paul: “When I saw Jack McCoy’s underwater surfing footage put to the soundtrack of “Blue Sway” I was blown away."

Judge for yourself. I know I was.

Diver & Aguilar

2011-07-20T13:32:00.005+02:00

These incredible images for Magnum Icecream - titled "Expialidocious" - are photographs by the amazingly talented studio, Diver & Aguilar. When I first saw them, I thought they had to be computer generated; however it is rather D&A's skill and precision at high-speed photography that enabled them to capture these mindboggling shots. Originally stumbling across them on Behance, these shots aren't on there anymore... no doubt they'll soon be uploaded onto their personal website, along with the rest of the incredible shots that make up their portfolio. Be sure to check them out.

Araminta de Clermont

2011-07-15T08:14:00.002+02:00

The popular expression goes, "A picture paints a thousand words." That being said, what about a prison ink tattoo? Or these portraits of former prison members from Cape Town's infamous Pollsmoor prison by photographer Araminta de Clermont

I would be very interested to hear the stories of all these individuals; the photo itself isn't enough for me. No doubt they have had some very hard journeys in life; victims trapped in the chains of past crimes and circumstance. I feel sad for them and wonder if any of them have heard of the freedom and forgiveness of the Gospel yet. As Jesus Christ himself said, in Luke 4: 18 & 19

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Tintin : The Secret of the Unicorn

2011-07-13T16:33:00.005+02:00

I loved the "Tintin" books growing up, I must have read all of them; and I still browse through them to this day, when I have some time to kill in an Exclusive Books store (while Jess is off shopping with her sister).

You can imagine then that I was ecstatic to see the trailer for the Tintin movie that was released a month or so back. And with this full length trailer only just out... the movie is looking even more incredible! I literally cannot wait to see this movie... it's definitely going to make my Blu-Ray wish-list!

Thank you Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg.

[edit: I see the first video was removed for some reason, so here's another... pardon the French subtitles]

Forest Lodge : Phinda Nature Reserve

2011-07-11T16:46:00.004+02:00

I've been meaning to mention this for a while now but just haven't found the time - so...

For Jess and her twin sister's birthday, we recently went and spent two nights at Forest Lodge, one of Phinda Nature Reserve's six lodges. Having picked Jess up from the airport at 3:30pm and driven straight through, it was a very long and scary four hour drive (I found dodging oncoming trucks who are overtaking slower traffic in your own lane along pitch black freeways to be quite nervewracking to say the least). But in the end, it was all worth it.

I can quite easily count our short stay there as among the greatest safari adventure I've ever had - second only to my time holidaying in Tanzania and Uganda with my folks. The apartments are luxurious and comfortable; the food scrumptious; the staff are incredibly friendly and eager to please; the game drives are amazing... all in all, if I had the money to go and spend another few nights there, I would.

Highlights of the trip would have to be: seeing cheetah and lion from only a few metres away, following a leopard (the first I've ever seen in the wild and not behind bars of some kind) at night, seeing the starry canopy of the Milky Way in the darkness of the African bush (a humbling moment that puts into perspective the grandeur of God's Creation, and His Majestic, awe-inspiring size), and sipping champagne at sunset in the middle of the bush as we toasted the twin's birthdays (complete with card and birthday cake - told you the staff there were incredible).

Scariest moments would be: the first time we came really close to the male lion and the two females of his pride (especially since the one was gnawing on a zebra skull and spine like it hadn't had a meal in a week), and standing outside the - relative - safety of the open-back Landrover in the middle of the night while our guides changed a flat tyre (this just after we were told that there was fresh leopard spoor on the ground and we should keep our backs to the vehicle and our eyes on the bush!)

A memorable weekend away, made all the more so by a resort and staff that could not have exceeded themselves more in any form or fashion for the duration of our stay. I thoroughly recommend Forest Lodge to anyone who is looking to get away to the wild for a time to remember.

Alexandre Deschaumes

2011-07-11T13:27:00.003+02:00

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse - Romans 1:20

If ever there were a photographer who could capture the essence of the above verse, then Alexander Deschaumes must surely be one of them. His landscape images are simply breathtaking. And his portrait photography is not bad either... but I think his website shows where his first love must be - in the incredible scenes of God's creation he's captured.

Diamond on a Landmine

2011-07-08T07:42:00.005+02:00

A personal piece I finally finished - well, it slumbered for a while when things got a bit hectic at work for a bit, and then I didn't feel like working on it anymore; onward to the next one!
I got the inspiration from the title of a song by "Billy Talent" called, "Diamond on a Landmine." It's a song about a woman who is equally attractive and destructive at the same time. I combined this with a verse from Proverbs 5:1-4 which I applied as a tattoo to the central character's left arm.

You can read the verse and see some close-ups of the piece at my Behance site. Enjoy!

I can't stop listening to...

2011-06-29T22:31:00.005+02:00

EMERY
"WE DO WHAT WE WANT" (2011)
I've been a fan of "Emery" since I first heard their songs, "Ponytail Parade", "Walls" and "Studying Politics" several years ago. Pretty soon they featured solidly in my top three bands ever; those being - in no particular order - "Muse", "Emery" and "Underøath". With Aaron Gillespie leaving Underøath to further pursue his own musical tastes, the third spot is possibly now open for someone else... but the two top places are super solid and aren't moving any time soon.

All the more so with "Emery's" fifth studio album, their first under new label, Solid State Records.

I C A N ' T S T O P P L A Y I N G T H I S A L B U M...

It's everything I love about the band... screamo, punk, rock, and ballad all in one, rollercoaster ride that questions Life, Faith and Relationships. Any band that can sing a song like "Scissors" and still have unapologetically Christian lyrics like below in "Fix Me" is one I can't get enough of.

"Screaming at the top of my lungs.
Doesn't make me understand what you've done.
How could I ever question you?
How could I ever doubt what you do?
Maybe this will tear me apart.
But maybe I'll go back to the start.
And honestly I can't believe
that this is really happening.

Fix me. Jesus, fix me.
I've been waiting so long to feel this heartbeat.
Will we ever really believe?
We're just caught in the thought that we deserve to be free.
Fix me. Father, fix me.
I've been waiting so long to feel this heartbeat.
Will we ever really believe?
We're just caught in the thought that we deserve to be free."

Haven't heard them yet? Get educated.

Gray318 a.k.a Jonathan Gray

2011-06-27T17:30:00.005+02:00

I love being surrounded by books. I can quite happily kill a few hours sitting in a book store, drinking good coffee and looking around at all the wonderful covers. Sometimes I feel that the artists and designers who put all these wondrous images together get hardly any notice or recognition... although that's hardly the case of Jonathan Gray (or Gray318 as he's been known for the last 12 years).
Jonathan has designed book jackets for all the major publishers in the world and regularly undertakes editorial projects in the UK and US. Just recently his work has been recognised by the AIGA (NY) and D&AD (UK) and he has featured in exhibitions in Porto, Paris and New York. His impressive list of clients include; Penguin (worldwide) and Random House (worldwide).

So the next time you're in a book store, see if you can spot his work in amongst all the covers looking back at you.

Food for Thought

2011-06-20T21:33:00.005+02:00

"How great is God—beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out.
He draws up the drops of water,
which distill as rain to the streams;
the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers fall on mankind.
Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders from his pavilion?
See how he scatters his lightning about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.
This is the way he governs the nations
and provides food in abundance.
He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.
His thunder announces the coming storm;
even the cattle make known its approach."
- Job 36: 26-33

There have been some interesting natural events of late that have given me pause to consider again just how very small we human beings are, and how great and powerful is God. The volcanic eruption of Mt Puyehue in the Andes mountains of Chile is one of them. (By the time of this post, the ash from its eruption has already circled the globe; even affecting air travel in my own country of South Africa!)

The imagery captured in these amazing photographs help to re-evaluate a person's perception of how one fits into the universe and the "Grand Scheme" of things. Which - if you didn't know it just yet - is all about God and His Glory, and nothing to do with you or I.

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together"
- Colossians 1:15-17

Top photo by Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images

Photo by Carlos Gutierrez/Reuters

Photo by Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images

Photo by Ivan Alvarado/Reuters

Photo by Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images

Christian Fletcher

2011-06-13T07:18:00.010+02:00

When my in-laws recently returned from a holiday to Australia, they told me about a photographer whose work they had seen whilst touring through some of the art galleries and shows in one of the cities they visited. Needless to say I promptly forgot the name - my brain being the sieve it is!

In trying my best - and with the help of Google - to recollect the name I stumbled across the excellent work of photographer, Christian Fletcher, one of Australia's premiere landscape photographers. Whilst he may, or may not, be the person my in-laws were talking about, Christian's excellence shows in his many wondrous portfolio sections (not just of Australia but of many other incredible places across the globe) and in the fact that he recently won 4 awards at the 2010 Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA) including Two Silver with Distinction and Two Silver.

Pietari Posti

2011-06-10T07:12:00.004+02:00

I've been looking for some poster art to put up in my study, and, so far I haven't a clue as to what to put up - but I do have a half-thought as to what sort of illustrative style I would like... and Pietari Posti's is it! I especially enjoy the Finnish-born illustrator's "Giants!" series. Wonder how much he charges for prints...?

(edit: Oh... 40 Euroes. Bit steep for my wallet - but I do so love them. Guess it's time to start saving...)

Edward Kinsella

2011-06-09T21:32:00.005+02:00

I love Edward Kinsella's portfolio site. I only have one regret : it's too short! Thank goodness he has a few sketchbooks to flick through - although, again - it's disappointing to not have one for 2010 up yet. Looking forward to more from this talented illustrator. His client list being what it is, I'm sure we'll come across some more examples sooner than expected...

A Criminal Mind in Us All

2011-05-23T20:41:00.009+02:00

I watch what could be termed “a lot of TV.” I’m a sucker for a good series – and one that the wife and I have watched a fair amount of over the years, is “Criminal Minds”, the show built around the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU).

In my honest opinion – I don’t really like it. But I watch it anyways. As much as I’m constantly baffled that there can be those out there in the world who can actually murder other people… I’m at least placated in the knowledge that there are dedicated servicemen and women who spend - and sometimes give up – their lives in catching these lawbreakers.
And every now and then, whilst watching an episode and relaxing on the couch, I’ll get a “thought.”

In the season five finale of “Criminal Minds” we, the viewers, are introduced to a most evil and heinous individual, Billy Flynn, portrayed immaculately by Tim Curry. Nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness”, Flynn has terrorized American homesteads across the breadth of that country for the last 25 years; leaving in his wake a swath of death and destruction; both emotional and physical. A more evil character on the show I have not yet encountered.

With the credits rolling on the cliffhanger that was the last show of season five, when I realized that we had the first episode of season six – as much as I don’t really like the show – I had to watch it and see how Billy Flynn’s story played out. Surprise, surprise! He get’s caught in the end. Well, shot dead really… but it’s the moments that take place before this that got my brain turning.

Corralled and surrounded by police in a suburban house, Flynn has a brief heart-to-heart with a lone member of the BAU, Derek Morgan (played by Shemar Moore). In what seems to be an honest moment of clarity, Flynn – somewhat – acknowledges and renounces his crimes, and asks Morgan if he would ever see Heaven when he dies. The answer is not forthcoming and Flynn subsequently dies when he draws his weapon on Morgan, who responds by drawing first and shooting him dead.

Now, most of us – when confronted with the awful reality of an individual such as Flynn – would cheer and say “Good riddance!” - a fitting end to a truly horrible and monstrous beast. And yet, in those final few moments, all Flynn is looking for is forgiveness, and the chance to go to a better place, where the pain that he has suffered in his life – and caused to countless others – doesn’t exist. And here’s the kicker…

God would forgive him, and welcome him home.

The human condition cannot fathom the true Grace and Forgiveness of God. How could a murderous villain such as Flynn ever be forgiven his crimes? The answer, again, is something that the average human being battles to grasp: his crimes are no worse in the eyes of God than that of telling a lie or being angry at someone.

To God, all sin is equal. Jesus Christ himself said that anger amounts to the same as murder, and the Bible tells us further that even liars deserve to be thrown into Hell. Two crimes - in God’s eyes - that every person on earth has committed; and so all deserve the same fate... but for the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers us, based on the sacrifice He has already paid for us on the Cross of Calvary.

I can’t help but wonder, what could have happened had Derek Morgan shared the Gospel of Grace with Billy Flynn before he gunned him down. Had he then died he would have lived for all of eternity in Heaven with a loving God; instead of dying in his sins and being judged as unfit to enter the presence of a Holy, sinless God. Which in essence, is exactly where we all stand; guilty because of the equally criminal mind inside us all.

We don’t have to have physically committed the atrocities against humanity that Billy Flynn did, in order to be doomed and destined for Hell. We just have to stay exactly as we already are – unless we bring Jesus Christ into our own tragic lives, and rely on Him to pronounce us innocent of all wrongdoing.

Karmin

2011-05-14T09:22:00.005+02:00

I don't watch Ellen. But my sister-in-law does. This past Monday night we were over at their place for supper, and I caught a few seconds of Ellen as the TV was playing. On it, Ellen was showing a YouTube video of a lady rapping - uber fast! She then sent out a plea to the creators/singers of the vid asking them to contact her as she'd love to have them on her show.

That glimpse of the song was enough for my curiosity to be effectively kidnapped... so I (what else?) Googled a few key words and found the band in question. And am I blown away!

The super-talented duo are called "Karmin" and the girl/boy duo have done a bunch of covers of other songs on the net, as well as a few original tracks of their own. I've already downloaded a bunch of their songs, as have nearly some 13 million viewers on their "Look at me cover" alone.

Their YouTube channel info describes them as follows:
"Hello, we are Karmin! The little band with a big sound. A girl with a guitar and a guy with a box. Amy and Nick from Boston."

Watch these guys in the future. And enjoy the video!

The Death of Osama Bin Laden : A Biblical Perspective

2011-05-09T11:11:00.005+02:00

Please take a moment to read this interesting, and I believe appropriate, article over at Relevant Magazine - "Should Christians Celebrate the Death of Osama bin Laden?"
Might be hard to swallow, but that's only human. Writer Jonathan Merritt has hit the proverbial nail on the head. Think I might start following more about what he writes...

Linda Rosewall

2011-05-04T07:13:00.005+02:00

For every brand out there that needs a Photoshop evangelist to do all sorts of "effects" to their advertising campaigns, there is an even greater need for someone to be able to shoot a product in the most plain and functional, yet creative; crisp and highly retouched manner possible. One such individual is Linda Rosewall.

And it shows in her client list: Maybelline, Christian Dior, Canon, Nokia, Olay, Elle Bache, Nike, Speedo, the list goes on. And all for such high-end glossy publications as: Vogue, GQ, Marie Claire, Bazaar, Women and Men's Health magazines, Cleo and InStyle. Without which a photographer like Linda, they would surely suffer.

David Hooke a.k.a "Meggs"

2011-05-02T12:43:00.004+02:00

Meggs is a well recognised and respected member of Australia's street art culture. This aerosol and design wizard has taken his background of graffiti and developed it into a mixture of painting skills that have seen him spread his street art and gallery work across the globe, to London, New York, Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Paris and even Tokyo.

It is noted that his art, whist using playful characters and references to 80's pop culture, still has an undertone of "menace" as he explores and "questions the notions of morals, rights and actions of the individual and society at large."

Well, I don't know if I get all that out of it - but I know it looks "hawt!"

Surely...

2011-04-22T07:44:00.003+02:00

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
(Mark 15:37-39)

Christ on the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens, 1627

What is Truth?

2011-04-21T07:26:00.004+02:00

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate.
(John 18:33-38)

In the famous passages of the Bible where Pilate questions and "washes his hands" of Jesus, there is this one above where he not so much asks as retorts angrily, "What is truth?"
He is not alone. A lot of people ask the same thing all the time. What is the truth? About the Bible, about Jesus, about God? Are they knowable?

Until 1961, some people had even dismissed Pilate's existence as nothing more than a fable. Then archaeologists discovered a plaque fragment at Caesarea Maritima, an ancient Roman city along the Mediterranean coast of Israel. The plaque was written in Latin and imbedded in a section of steps leading to Caesarea’s Amphitheatre. The inscription includes the following:

“Pontius Pilatus, Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius.”

Emperor Tiberius reigned from 14 to 37 AD. This matches the biblical timeline that records Pontius Pilate ruling as governor of Judea from 26 to 36 AD.

Cornelius Tacitus, a well-known first century Roman historian, also mentioned Pontius Pilate in one if his well-known texts:
“Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus…” (Annales, Historiae, Chapter 15, paragraphs 54 and 55)

Not only does Tacitus mention Pontius Pilate outside the biblical record, but he mentions him in the historical context of Christ (Christus).

Ergo; people now finally had hard, physical proof that the Bible had been right all along. Just as when it talks about Pilate's encounter with Jesus. Will you also dismiss him as existing? As being the Christ, the Redeemer of the World? As living and dying and being resurrected to save you from God's wrath? Because all the evidence points to exactly that.

What is truth?

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Alexander Semenov

2011-04-20T13:37:00.004+02:00

Playing off of the last post I put up, Alexander Semenov has an interview over at WonderHowTo that's a must read if you would like to find out more about how this marine biologist, and his team working at the White Sea Biological Station in Russia, came to take such phenomenal photographs of the underwater life that they study.
Short of that, just go to his website and be thrust into a world that looks more like outer space rather than the depths of our own oceans on Earth. Again - God's imagination is breath-taking...!

Did You Know?

2011-04-20T07:32:00.006+02:00

I was doing some research for a Sunday School talk for last weekend when I came across some knowledge that I previously was not aware of; that being: There is a place on Earth that fewer people have been to, than have been to the moon!

Since the start of the USA's Apollo programs, there have been 12 men who have walked on the face of the moon (unless you're a conspiracy theorist, in which case that number drops to zero). However, there have only ever been two people who have ever made it to - what is considered as being - the deepest part of the ocean floor, the Mariana Trench.

Jacques Piccard, the famous Swiss explorer and engineer, along with Lt. Don Walsh, reached the deepest point on the earth's surface, the Challenger Deep, in the Mariana Trench, on January 23, 1960. They are the only two men to have done so since.

How crazy is that!?!

And what's even more fantastic are the fact that there are sea creatures that survive down there. Have a look at the following incredible and fantastic creatures that live in the deeps. How awesome is the imagination of our God!

Paul Cayrol a.k.a Cuban Haze

2011-04-19T16:38:00.003+02:00

Paul Cayrol used to be a freelance designer/ director for several years being being hired as an art director at the acclaimed agency, Psyop. Having a look through his well-rounded and impressive portfolio of work - it's very easy to see why.

Artwork Proposal

2011-04-11T12:10:00.005+02:00

A local surf magazine that I subscribe to is having a competition for its latest cover; send in your surf-related artwork and it could grace the next edition's cover. This is my proposed entry.

There's still a few things I'd have liked to finish on it - but otherwise I'm fairly happy.
Here's hoping it gets some recognition...!

[edit: As per the requirements from the image stock gallery that I used to create this piece, the stock image I used of the man in the middle is from Katanaz Stock Photography on DeviantArt. Should this "concept" work of mine be chosen for the cover, I will replace the image of the man in the middle with another photograph, as you may not use their work for commercial or profitable uses. I used this shot simply because it was more convenient then going to all the trouble of doing it myself and wasting time when it might not necessarily get anywhere with the publishers of the magazine in question.]

Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Nominees

2011-04-04T21:43:00.000+02:00

On the subject of surfing, enjoy the absolutely mind-blowing nominations for the XXL Big Wave Awards 2011 courtesy of Billabong. I'm flabbergasted that these gents have actually managed to ride these giants... and the paddle in at Jaws is phenomenal! Enjoy!

Sarah Lee

2011-04-04T08:07:00.006+02:00

Life must be good in Hawaii... at least, that's if the photos of Sarah Lee are anything to go by. Whilst her work covers a broad range of topics, I feel she shines best in her underwater and surf photography... making me long for the days when I too used to be up first thing in the morning for a quick surf.

Originally from Kona on the Big Island, but now studying at Chapman University in Orange County, this aspiring "visual-ist" is currently majoring in Film Production and Advertising. If her early works are anything to go by - and the awards she's garnered along the way - Sarah is definitely someone to watch for the future.

Make sure you visit both her Flickr page and her main website, "Vivant Vie", as there is plenty to go through, and you won't regret taking the time to see how Sarah sees the world around her through her lens. [You can tell I had fun going through it since I loaded up a what feels like a billion pics from her sites]

Happy Birthday to me

2011-04-04T08:01:00.003+02:00

Sunday was my 33rd birthday!

Just a little thank you to everyone who made not just that day, but the whole weekend, a wonderful time. I truly was spoiled, and it was fantastic to be able to see all those that are nearest and dearest to me. A big thank you to the best family in the world, Dad, Mom and Brent; to my wonderful wife, Jess, who is the epitome of what a Godly wife should be, a cherished treasure and an amazing friend and partner; and most importantly, to Jesus Christ, for blessing me with this incredible life and for filling it with all these wonderful people.

Thank you, Lord, for securing me an eternal life with You in Heaven, and for the memories of this present, perishable one.

Mário Júnior

2011-03-31T12:38:00.004+02:00

I don't know much about Mario, (I don't even know how to put the little things on top of the letters in his name!!!), but I do know a super-talented illustrator when I see one - and that's exactly what Mario is. Some lovely work here straight outta Brazil.

21 May 2011 is Judgement Day - or is it?

2011-03-31T11:40:00.004+02:00

So the other day I’m in the Woolworth’s next door to my office buying some lunch, when I notice a group of three people all wearing the same t-shirts, emblazoned with the message, “May 21, 2011 – Judgement Day.” There was a radio station logo on the tees as well, so at first I thought maybe it was just some promotional stunt to advertise some event they might be holding on that day. Then I realized how stupid that idea was, and that they must really mean Judgement Day, as in “The End of the World” (as we know it… thanks REM fans).

So I said “hello” to the one chap and we started chatting. I asked him, “How did you come up with May 21, 2011? That specific date?” He replied that the Bible has a calendar that gives us clues as to how things are all going to end; an exact time and date that we can get from looking at certain passages of Scripture. He then offered me some literature explaining everything about how this date of 21 May came about, which I gladly took. So, that’s how I came to be sitting in the shade, eating my samoosas, and reading about the end of the world that supposed to happen in the next 51 days or so. Here’s what I found…

According to these guys, just before God sent the Flood (that is, exercised His judgement on all the people on the earth), Noah went and told everyone he could to repent and jump into the Ark and be saved with him and his family. This is supposed to have happened over the course of seven days. They then use the verse of Scripture found in 2 Peter 3:8 that says, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day”, to explain how those seven days mean that 7000 years from the date that God finally closed up the Ark, will be when Judgement Day takes place… and that date is May 21 of this year. (They also have a whole lot of other numbers and breakdowns and theories and things that they go into but I don’t have the time or the inclination to go into everything right now).

Now for my thoughts on this.

Do we know when certain things happened in the Bible, down to the very day and month and year? Yes. So can we say with certainty when the Flood actually happened? Sure. But here’s my problem with this theory: If a day is as a thousand years; does that mean that God created the world and everything in it in 7000 years, or in seven literal days as Genesis says? If we’re going to apply the “1 day/1000 year” principle to Noah, why not to everything else in the Bible? Did it rain for forty thousand years, or forty literal days and nights? Why start here specifically?

I also have the problem that “Man” (as in Mankind) is giving a date to God’s schedule. Will God one day judge the whole world in the Second Coming of Christ? Yes, the Bible teaches it and I believe it to be true. Will all the prophecies and predictions of Revelations come to pass? You bet’cha. But, I don’t think it’s for Man to predict exactly when this will be. And in fact, I almost think that exactly because a date HAS been given, God will choose to “miss” it completely. It is His timetable, not ours.

Building on that, here’s another thing… this Noah prediction of 7000 years uses Old Testament Scripture in its theory. If this were indeed true, why then did Jesus not say something about it back then when He was asked the very question: “When will the world end?” Since every Jew back then pretty much knew the Scriptures off by heart; Jesus could clearly have pointed to this theory. Instead He chose not to, and instead, answered,
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:36-39)

So in a nutshell; do I think that the world will end on 21 May 2011? No.
Would I be upset if proved wrong and this entire post/prediction blows up in my face? Not really, since then I’d be with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven for eternity, so, chances are I won’t even be thinking about this blog.
The problem though, is that, what happens to the testimony of this radio station and its Christian believers, if this date should be missed? There’s a reason that the prophets of old were stoned if their predictions did not happen truthfully. It pretty much made sure that people didn’t just go crazy telling stories that were never going to happen!

In fact, from the same passage mentioned above, Jesus also says: “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matthew 24:23-25)

So; is what these people doing a good thing? In a sense, yes. I believe that people need to know that one day they will be judged by God; whether because they die, today or tomorrow or in 50 years time; or whether because of Judgement Day, being on 21 May or any other day that God decides to use (it could even be tomorrow!). The bottom line is that, a Holy God WILL ONE DAY judge every human being, and deciding on the outcome of that “trial” will be our – yours and my – eternal destinies. I know I am safe and secure in my case, as I have Jesus Christ as my defence. But what about everyone else who doesn’t? What happens when their case is called before God, when their Judgement Day comes?

And for that reason; whether 21 May 2011 is Judgement Day or not - I say anything that gets people talking and thinking about their day of reckoning before God… can’t be too bad after all. Consider it; if God judged you today, where would you stand? Are you sure you would be spared? Why wait to find out, take the Test by clicking on the link above and see for yourselves.

[edit: in looking for an image to put up for this post, I found out that this May 21 thing is a lot bigger than I thought. Do it yourself and Google “Judgement Day” and see what comes up.]

Kris Lewis

2011-03-24T11:35:00.003+02:00

"Artwork is love made visible"

So says the talented painter, Kris Lewis. He also says: "As I begin a painting the subject physically, emotionally and spiritually reveals itself to me. Each brushstroke speaks to the subsequent stroke, carrying out a dialogue, linking my subject and me as if we were meeting for the first time. I find this uncertainty exciting and embrace the indecisive nature of my work."

Well, I don't know about all that... but I know his paintings rock!

David Mascha

2011-03-22T07:56:00.005+02:00

Some great work by artist/illustrator David Mascha. I love his detailed shape + object designs... I wonder how many cups of coffee he has to go through to get them all done? I wonder if I'd have the same amount of patience...

Q: "Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis?"

2011-03-14T13:08:00.004+02:00

In the light of the recent tsunami in Japan, I thought it fitting to share the content of this emailer that I received from GotQuestions.org

Answer: Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters? Tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 2008 cyclone in Myanmar, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and the 2011 earthquake/tsunami near Japan cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.

The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Numbers 16:30-34 shows us that God sometimes causes natural disasters as a judgment against sin. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.

In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit. Everything in creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.

We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people? For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant. What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).

St. Anthony’s Monastery : the 1,700-year-old Christian monastery in Egypt's Eastern desert

2011-03-14T07:44:00.002+02:00

I happened across an article on CNN.com a while ago about this incredible place in Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of St. Anthony. (The article is available to be read on the official media network site of the Orthodox Church.

I enjoyed the artricle for two reasons; firstly, the art shown is incredible. Said to have been built between 361 - 363 AD, the monastery's incredible frescoes show an artistic palette that is some 17 centuries old! I would love to be able to visit these one day, so that I too could take the interesting photos shown above.

Lastly (or if you're counting, secondly) I liked the fact that supposedly, "The disciples followed a way of life that consisted of prayer, reflection, and fasting — all elements of an ascetic way of life, but not in total isolation.
They lived and practiced their ideals close to their communities and families, and in the next century these ideas spread throughout Egypt."

This makes me happy because I don't believe in the strict idea of being a hermit, of shutting oneself away from the world in order to be close to God. God sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to be with humanity... not to get away from it all. And so I'm glad that these monks practised their faith in Christ close to their communities, because that's what true Christianity is supposed to be all about. It's probably an ideal that we could all do with being a little more like.

Leave of Absence : Excuse #2

2011-03-07T06:57:00.007+02:00

Three words : Mass Effect 2
I picked up IGN's Overall Game of the Year for 2010 for half-price at a game shop a couple weeks back and haven't stopped playing it since. You can read up on the reviews if you'd like a more detailed reason as to why its so good, rather than my lame attempt... suffice to say that it's just that good.

A space opera on a grand scale with incredible graphics (especially on the PS3; HD never looked so good), brilliant voice acting, and a deep involving storyline - I'm having immense fun playing it. Too much fun. Which is why I've been a bit quiet on this side of things. I hope to change that soon enough... once I've saved humanity from alien destruction!

[note] In playing the game, there's been something about the one character, Miranda, that has kept nagging me... I felt like she was an actress I'd seen and heard before somewhere - only I couldn't place her. Then, in researching some pics to put up on this post, I stumbled across the answer: It's "Sarah" from the TV series "Chuck", played by Yvonne Strahovski.

Leave of Absence : Excuse #1

2011-03-06T22:05:00.003+02:00

It's been a while - but I have my reasons! With no internet at home, I've been a bit in the dark when it comes to matters of updating with new and exciting artists and posts of interest.

For the last two years I've been on a Neotel contract, complete with large, clunky, chunky telephone modem and wires galore (one for the USB port connection, one to charge, and a replacement charger that took nearly a month to get to me, in which I was left with no internet the whole time!!!). Finally, my contract expired (I tell you, those two years couldn't have gone fast enough for me) and then it was off shopping for a new internet provider.

Now I'm the type who likes to do a little research before spending any significant amount of money or committing to any new contracts, so I knew what I wanted straight off the bat - it just took a while before I could actually get it, thanks in no small part to that curse of modern consumerism... the "Sorry, our system is offline" excuse. Eventually, just yesterday, I finally managed to successfully take out a new contract, this time with CellC and their "Whooosh" datastick. (Is that enough "o's" in there? I don't know, Ha!)

I now have the 5GB/month option datastick, and I must say, so far it has been an absolute pleasure, with just a few minor hiccups. No more wires, no more telephone handset modem that needs recharging on frayed cables... just plug in the datastick into my laptop's USB slot and - hey Presto! - internet access. I love it!
OK, so I haven't hit anywhere near CellC's advertised speed of 21.6MB/s yet - or even over 1MB/s for that matter - but I'll keep an eye out and let you know how it goes. So long as I care, it's about 5 x faster than what I had before, and that's a good enough place for me to start off with. (Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to hit some super-fast download speeds, and if it don't happen soon...)

So with that little promo in mind, I present to you - as an act of my, so far, contentment and satisfaction - CellC's datastick promotion of the two deals they have on at the moment, both of which I feel offer the SA consumer a lot more than any other transportable internet solution presently available in terms of price, data and speed.

Be assured I will soon be back to posting regularly with some great content. Unless my next excuse comes more into play...

Sunday “Schooled!”

2011-02-22T07:08:00.005+02:00

Just this last Sunday I was reminded about how sharp some kids can be, and that if you’re not paying attention, they can show you up in no time at all. In our Sunday School lesson, Jess and I were teaching the kids about the 5th Commandment, which is: “Honour your father and mother.” I had just asked of all the kids who were in the room right now to put up their hands if they’d ever disobeyed their parents before. Of course, everyone’s did; but then a little girl caught me out. Our exchange went a little like this:

Girl: I know someone who has never disobeyed his parents – Jesus.
Me: Yes, that’s right, Jesus did always obey his parents. But I only asked everyone in this room right now that hadn’t listened to their parents before to put up their hands.
Girl: Jesus is in this room right now. He’s the only one who’s hands aren’t up in the air…

Ouch… schooled by a 9-year old! I had to laugh and explain to all the kids there, who maybe didn’t quite follow exactly how I had been caught me out, just how correct she actually was.
The Bible tells us (in Matthew 18:20) that Jesus himself said, “Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Jesus also encouraged Peter and the rest of the disciples (in Matthew 28:18-20) after commanding to go throughout the world upon the Great Commission – that is, spreading the Gospel to everyone in the world – that, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

How awesome it is to know that we have a Saviour who is always there with us; that we never have to lean upon our own strength in dark times; but that He is always there to carry us through all our troubles, for His “yoke is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). His love for us is as a light to our feet, not just to be able to get through this life, but into the next one as well. And anyone can be used to bring that point home, even a child! As Jesus himself once said of children: “The kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).

Linn Olofsdotter

2011-02-11T08:07:00.003+02:00

Linn Olofsdotter must be very happy. Although already an established illustrator, it seems to me as though every design and illustration portal on the net is blowing up with her name all over it! And when you look at some of her work - it's easy to see why.

Originally from Sweden, Linn started out using her skills to help brand TV networks such as Fine Living, MTV and the Anime Network amongst others. She now works independently creating artwork for a number of clients in the Fashion, Advertising and Editorial fields such as Oilily, La Perla and Bon Magazine.

Sarkis Sarkissian

2011-02-03T08:13:00.003+02:00

Working in graphite pencil, Sarkis Sarkissian's highly detailed and time-consuming talent, is very much apparent in the works he's done so far. I cannot imagine how long each piece must take from start to completion, in order to get each one looking as immaculate as he manages to (such as the Angelina Jolie piece above). Be sure to check out his WIP (works in progress) to get some insight into his process.

< I N S P I R A T I O N >

2011-02-03T07:30:00.004+02:00

Some visual goodness to make your day. Here are some images that I've come across that I just had to bookmark. From top to bottom: Lisa Hasselgren, Nelleke Pieters, Valerei, Fabio Selvatici, and Bubbegun_oo. Be sure to check out the links for lots more inspiring visuals.

Alifann

2011-01-26T14:04:00.003+02:00

There's not much I can say about Ivan - not only because I think the talent of this aspiring artist speaks for itself - but also because I really couldn't find out much about him other than what is on his DeviantArt profile under the pseudonym "Alifann". What I do know is that he currently resides in Canada and counts "The Fifth Element" as one of his favourite movies. At the moment Ivan confesses that he paints from reference which mostly isn't his... whatever his method of finding source material may be, I can't wait to more of his works.

NB: Still trying to track down the photographer whose photo was the reference for the first pic here, I absolutely love it!

The Solid Rock

2011-01-21T13:28:00.003+02:00

Finished! My latest personal art piece. Very chuffed with it. You can get some extra close-ups and a write up explaining it here on my Behance project page.

6 Year Anniversary

2011-01-21T10:16:00.001+02:00

Wow! Today is Jess and my 6 Year wedding anniversary...! Praise Jesus Christ for the wonderful blessing that the last six years have been with the most amazing partner. Thank you Lord for everything that you have blessed us with - especially each other.

Image Credit: Reine Lindqvist

Carson Magazine

2011-01-20T10:16:00.001+02:00

David Carson, the “Art Director of the Era” (as tagged by Creative Review London), is launching a magazine. 'Nuff said.

But if you really needed a little more info before you signup to receive updates, or maybe actually subscribed - fine, here goes:

"C A R S O N is published six times per year and is dedicated to quality in design, fine art, illustration, photography and writing."

What are you waiting for already?

(Just a pity that for those living outside of the USA - like me, *cry* - it costs over $100 for a one-year, six issue subscription.)

Chicken vs Egg

2011-01-19T14:07:00.006+02:00

A DJ on a radio station that I was recently listening to (the one that has the number "5" in it) told his listeners that he finally had the answer to the age old question, “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” As this particular radio station is a secular one, no prizes for guessing that he gave the answer as being, “the egg”, because apparently birds evolved from reptiles and reptiles lay eggs, so there’s the answer. (I’m paraphrasing a lot here; he did throw in some “science-words…”).

Now, as a Christian, and accepting the Bible as the infallible Word of God*, and in accordance with my stance that God did indeed create the world and everything in it**, the Bible clearly states in Genesis 1:20-22, that, ‘God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”’

Based on the above verses of Scripture, it’s very easy to see then that as a Christian, the correct answer to the grand question at hand is - of course - the chicken. (Who then multiplied, ie: laid eggs).

Naturally though, those who disbelieve in the existence of any supernatural being, and who instead hold to the view of evolution, won’t/don’t accept this. However, their own answer is not so cut and dry as they’d like to think either. Sexual reproduction in evolution is an extremely murky matter (much like the rest of evolutionary theory), and there are apparently several competing theories to try and explain it. None of which can sufficiently explain its origin. That’s a “deal-breaker” to me.

The way I understand it; how could anything generate or evolve to a point where it could effectively replicate/reproduce itself, without a prior knowledge or design, built into its very DNA/genetic structure to do so? And you can use the simplest of organisms here for this argument, because there are no “simple” creatures on earth. (Even the “simplest” of organisms has a complex genome that is encyclopedias long). All of which in my mind already excludes the idea that evolution could ever be a viable explanation for the origin of life as we know it. I really don’t ascribe to the theory that if you put a 100 (a 1000, a million even!) monkeys each with their own typewriter in a room, that in a million years or so you would have the completed works of Shakespeare. That’s just absurd. And complex DNA structures in apparently “simple” organisms are exactly the same sort of odds.)

Any creature or organism attempting to procreate through evolving the necessary parts to do so, would take a large number of tries to happen (over supposed billions of years), effectively ruining any chance at replicating itself - as the original version would die out without any offspring, and the species would end. Jump forward in my argument to: why are there so many species at all when there should be nothing if evolution were true?

In his 2001 book, The Cooperative Gene, evolutionist Mark Ridley wrote (under the chapter title of “The Ultimate Existential Absurdity”):
‘Evolutionary biologists are much teased for their obsession with why sex exists. People like to ask, in an amused way, “isn’t it obvious?” Joking apart, it is far from obvious.... Sex is a puzzle that has not yet been solved; no one knows why it exists.’

As in all things controversial, I continually hold up the verse found in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, being: “Test everything. Hold to that which is good.” Just because a DJ on the radio voiced his opinion – don’t take it as fact. Just because “scientists” tell you evolution is true – well then - what about those scientists who tell you it isn’t? Search for answers. Look for wisdom and truth. Don’t be afraid to follow the evidence down the rabbit hole, and be honest and open to following it wherever it may lead… because ultimately, it leads to a Creator who loves you and sacrificed Himself for you; a Creator who wants you to be able to live in Paradise forever with Him. A Creator who made the chicken first.

For more reading on the matter, here are some links to a few interesting articles:
- Evolutionary Theories On Gender and Sexual Reproduction
- On the Origins of Life (Note: whilst this article is from an institute that does not directly promote belief in the God of the Bible, its commentary remains valid if for no other reason than that the facts presented debunk evolution.)

* Based on all the numerous evidences for this. Feel free to ask me how I know this and maybe I'll write a blog about it answering your questions.
** Ditto.

Armand Serrano

2011-01-12T07:38:00.003+02:00

So here's the "official" background to Armand Serrano : He is a feature animation visual development artist and layout journeyman, having been in the animation industry for 18 years and is currently an art director for Sony Pictures Animation in Culver City, CA. The list of movies he's been involved with in some form or another since 1998 include: Open Season 2, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Surf's Up (one of my all-time favourites), Brother Bear, Lilo & Stitch, Tarzan and Mulan.

Now here's what I love most about Armand: not only is he a completely awesome illustrator, who takes "detailed" concept drawings to a whole new level (and with completely wicked skills when it comes to sketching on his iPhone; is there anything he can't do?), but he's is also a Christian! And not one that you wouldn't know it either... he has a bold and brave voice when it comes to his salvation in Jesus Christ; and I love that he uses his talents to promote the Gospel through some of his artworks (especially his Christmas illustrations; you may have noticed I used one of his just the other day).

I can't wait to see more of Armand Serrano's work in the future!

Alexey Kurbatov

2011-01-10T07:41:00.003+02:00

I just love the unique illustrative technique by Alexey Kurbatov. It seems as though he's combined ink and photographs into a wonderful new medium. And his inework is brilliant as well. Make sure you head over to his website where he also has a ton of sketches and paintings. (Beware: it's not in English so... it's a bit of pot luck with what you press. Good thing that if you do head over there it'll be for visual reasons.)

Aaron Horkey

2011-01-10T07:18:00.005+02:00

Windom, Minnesota-born artist Aaron Horkey is an ink and letterpress genius. Specializing in illustration and graphic design, Horkey is primarily known for his work with bands, designing their concert posters and album artwork. (Not one to stand still, his work is also much sought after on skateboard decks, and whenever he manages to put a show together.)
Link here for a rare interview with Aaron by Hi-Fructose.

Yet another Christmas past...

2010-12-29T08:38:00.004+02:00

So Christmas 2010 is truly over and done with.

By now, most of the tinsel and decorative baubles have been placed back into boxes and cupboards, ready to gather dust for another year until they’re needed again. For a lot of people, the build-up to Christmas is more exciting than the day itself; which also invariably somehow turns out to be not as grand as imagined.
There’s all this talk of the “Christmas Spirit”, and “Holiday Cheer” whilst going about being festive and buying presents. Then of course – for those fortunate enough to still have family members, and one’s they get along with at that – there’s the Christmas Day breakfasts and lunches and suppers and get-togethers… all after the much awaited opening of gifts of course!

But then it’s all gone. Over.
In the space of 24 hours, Christmas as an event is finished.

And for a lot of people, there’s a questioning as to why it was so short, why the big fuss anyways, and why does it all somehow feel a bit empty and hollow as a tradition?

Maybe because pretty lights and presents, baubles and bells, sleigh-rides and Santa… do not a Christmas make. Thankfully so, for the real reason to celebrate Christmas can be – and should be! – celebrated all year round!

Most people are aware that Christmas is a Christian tradition, one that commemorates – on a chosen day, almost like a birthday of sorts – the birth of Jesus Christ. Now, in order to add further understanding of relevance to this event, let’s look at who and what “Christ” means, as a surname it is not! Christ is the English term for the Greek Χριστός (Khristós) meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ), usually transliterated into English as Messiah.

Fine and well – but what does this mean for me, what is this “Messiah” supposed to do? As CARM.org puts it:

“The term Christ is a title… It is applied to Jesus as the anointed one who delivers the elect from their sin. Jesus alone is the Christ. As the Christ He has three offices: Prophet, Priest, and King. As Prophet He is the mouthpiece of God (Matt. 5:27-28) and represents God to man. As Priest He represents man to God and restores fellowship between them by offering Himself as the sacrifice that removed the sin of those saved. As King He rules over His kingdom. By virtue of Christ creating all things (John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17), He has the right to rule. Christ has come to do the will of the Father (John 6:38), to save sinners (Luke 19:10), to fulfill the Old Testament (Matt. 5:17), to destroy the works of Satan (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8), and to give life (John 10:10,28). Christ is holy (Luke 1:35), righteous (Isaiah 53:11), sinless (2 Cor. 5:21), humble (Phil. 2:5-8), and forgiving (Luke 5:20; 7:48; 23:34).”

This then, is the true celebration behind Christmas; that moment in time when God sent His – and our – Messiah into the world that He created. It doesn't matter that Christ wan't born on exactly the 25th of December... what matters most is that it happened at all! The reason being that, one cannot look at the cradle in the manger where Jesus was born – and not look at the cross on Calvary where He died. He was born, so that He could die. Without being born, there would have been no perfect and pure sacrifice with which to take away the sins of the world; and we would all still be condemned in God’s eyes… worthy of death everlasting.

Since though, Christ was born, we have a reason to celebrate - and truly celebrate - Christmas. Yes, it can be singled out as one day of the year where we perhaps make a bit more of a fuss on the birth of God in human form, but why stop there? The extent of God’s love and grace to His sinful creation, providing a way out of damnation and instead into everlasting life with Him in Heaven, is something that we can celebrate every single day that we are alive. (It is a pretty big deal, let's be honest... not something that should be classed in the same company as "April Fool's Day".)

And in light of all this, Christmas should no longer have that hollow ring to it after all the decorations and mince pies are put away, as the real meaning behind Christmas - being an event so grand, so majestic, so awesome in its comprehension - is something that should not only be thought of once a year; but instead for the whole year should we be grateful to God for what He has done. Not for the presents that we get under the tree once a year… but for God’s presence here on earth in the form of Jesus Christ.

Image credit : Armand Serrano