A Test Of Endurance
Endurance. A lesson I feel like life teaches a lot of people. When added with the phrase “Life is a marathon not a sprint” it makes all the more sense.
I sketched this piece over the course of a few months back in 2024, I was inspired by a statue I used to pass by all the time back in my home town. At the top of a building in the heart of downtown lay a golden statue atop a building where it stood for many years. A golden statue holding up a wired globe, a top of this building through out all the seasons this statue would stand never moving from its spot, constantly upholding its burden. I would pass by this statue often looking at it from the back seat of my parent’s car as a kid as we drove by. I had idea of who this character was and the story behind it. The character on top of the building was named “Atlas”. A statue based off of the Greek mythological character.
In a nutshell Atlas was the son of a titan who fought alongside them and waged war with the gods. In the end the titans lost the war and Atlas was punished by Zeus to hold up the sky.
In many different interpretations Atlas is pictured as literally holding up the world (earth). There are many interpretations to this story but a common theme amongst them all is essentially how heavy of a burden the world can be, how heavy a burden of life and your choices and the decisions of others can be on to you. Many walk around with so many burdens on them from past failures, present actions and future mistakes. It can all feel like a burden at times and at times can feel too much to bear for one.
In this interpretation of mine I wanted the body representing Atlas to feel a little more strained and to really emote a sense of pressure with having to show anything within a face. I felt as though this kept it more anonymous for others to insert themselves.
As for the burden, I felt it should be something more simple, nothing but blackness behind. Even though it’s a plain background that to me represents not nothingness but the multitude of everything. Anything from everything about anything. The various problems and chains and burdens that people hold on themselves mentally, spiritually and physically . One man’s burden is another man’s pleasure, where as another man’s pleasure is another man’s burden.
With everything demanding for our attention in life it can be weary. But in those times it’s important to remember, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint”. In those times endurance is key for survival. Persistence is your closest friend.
Haikus II
“Waiting”
waiting for something
but for what who even knows
may it come swiftly
“Doubt”
it comes and it goes
pivot towards new direction
or keeping me here
“Laziness”
a little bit here
a little bit more work there
leads to little things
“Persistence”
Persistence is key
fine line to ride in between
sane and the insane
“Falling Apart”
the crate shifts slightly
slowly falling like us all
down and down it goes
“Seasons”
seasons come and change
a dependable worker
always right on time
“Perspective”
A new way of thought
light illuminating paths
once before unseen
“Early Bird Early Word”
sitting quietly
hearing early bird chatter
new gossip each day
“Flow State”
pencil hits paper
like smooth sailings off the coast
the air here is crisp
“Forgiveness”
forgetting is hard
forgiving is much harder
not impossible
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Katsushika Hokusai
Hokusai was a Japanese artist (painter, print maker) born October 31, 1760 in Edo, Japan under the name Kawamuro Tokitaro. Having the tendency to change his name many times *more than 30* over the years of his career he's better known as Katsushika Hokusai or just Hokusai. Even if you don't know the name you've surely seen his work at least once.
His most notable work being "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" or "The Great Wave" (1831). This piece has been recreated time and time again throughout the years. It comes from a set of woodblock paintings created by Hokusai in his 60s over the course of two years known as "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji". Mt Fuji being only a mountain to us was seen as something more special and spiritual to the inhabitants in the surrounding area of it then and even to this day.
With many different meanings of it, the series more or less depicts daily life or landscapes around Edo or in Japan in general with Mt Fuji included in each 36 pieces being the small or big detail binding the series together.
Hokusai was obsessed with constantly bettering his work and skills. He had high visions of only getting better with each year that passed in his life and in a way saw no end to it as long as he had the passion to keep going. Often considering a lot of his past pieces not anything of note unless it was something of recent, a classic hardened critique of his own work like so many others like him. Facing more than a rough patch in his life during the creation of the series well into his sixties, Hokusai was able to push through and create work that breathes his life well past his own time and into the future for all generations that come to see and rightfully enjoy. He passed away May 10 1849 in Tokyo, Japan
Living in Washington State surrounded by so much nature, having a giant mountain in view constantly and as well as seattle being a sister city of Kobe Japan 1 find a lot of relations to the art. The series really resonates with me as really giving an appreciation to the world around you and how small we are in it. Growing up in Alaska as well as here, preservation of the outdoors is a bigger priority forthe states and its people. It's easy to get caught up in the world and it's problems as well as your own. But if you get so consumed with your tunnel vision in life you could completely miss out on your surroundings and the real beauty of it all.
Below I'll put some links in order for you to learn a little more about Hokusai as well as view his work.
“Always” Tony Guaraldi-Brown
Since I was young I’ve always had an affinity with art books. To see all the works of one of your favorite artist from behind the scenes sketches, notes, and final pieces all in your hands.
Stopping by my local book shop I happened to end up there on a sale day and had a chance to pickup a few art books along the way.
One of those art books was a book called “Always” by artist Tony Guaraldi-Brown. Tony graduated from Sonoma State with a Bachelors in Fine Arts.
His works travel across many short stories and web comics as well as comic work published by Action Lab Comics and Broken Icon Comics. As well as much more beyond the typical art sphere.
Tony’s work is what some people would call “dark” or “heavy”. The works of this book consist of a lot of blacks and thick lines with not much color. It can feel very chaotic and weighty at times with pieces thrown in that feel like a breath of fresh air or the sun breaking through gray clouds.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and its various pieces. Below I’ll share some of my favorites from the book as well as a link to Tonys website as well as where you can purchase the book.
Tony Guaraldi-Brown Website : https://tgbart.com/
“Always” The art of Tony Guaraldi-Brown: https://stuartngbooks.com/products/always-the-art-of-tony-guaraldi-brown-signed
teach me (a short excerpt)
Teach me patience.
Teach me kindness.
Teach me resilience.
Teach me equality.
Teach me in which the distress of the world can be made into gold.
Teach me my time is short.
Teach me to be hopeful.
Teach me to walk.
Teach me to run.
Teach me in which my pain can be made for good.
Teach me perspective
Teach me to stand firm.
Teach me to be lost and found.
Teach me all things in which would lead to my peace.
Teach me horror.
Teach me misery, but also teach me happiness and fondness.
Teach me to love and to be loved
Teach me to teach
But most importantly, teach me to learn.
“PRODUCTIVITY AND WAYS I’VE IMPROVED MY OWN”
Time management. Something I’d only ever had a slight grasp on. As I get older though I realize how much of my time is spent for others and their agendas and how little I really focus on my own. I think it tends to be a normalcy in society to have life be work and home, with a dash of self joy or fulfillment on the side. I think its important to take time out for yourself in your busy schedule and knock off a couple things on your long overdue bucket list. Maybe finally meet up with that friend, see that show, take that class, travel to that place, make that thing, I think you get the point. Whatever that “thing” is, it should be a ritual in your life rather than a occasional celebration. “But with my life so busy how can even find time to even do two of those things”? Easy…but not easy. First off a majority of people are never that busy. Bill Gates, busy. Oprah Winfrey, busy. You’re 40-50 hour work is busy but it’s manageable. Even with 60 hours your pushing it but its possible. Obviously there’s variables, families, relationships, children, etc. With 24 hours in a day, you sleep, and then work, thats 16 hours a day minus all the little things like hygiene and eating and commuting. I find that you can always find at least a couple hours if not, half hours here and there to serve yourself thats not just plopped down staring at a tv screen or even worse, the cosmic cellular death scroll.
With that being said here is a list of tips I feel can probably help others out with those finding it a struggle to manage their time
Avoid any multi tasking (it’d be in your best interest to solely focus on one thing especially if you have limited time throughout the day)
Have a plan ( know exactly what it is your going to be doing and for how long, plan before hand rather than in the moment)
Focus (once you know what the plan is spend that time focusing on that only for the limited time you’ve allocated)
Say No, or Yes( you don’t have to cancel your own plans, no matter how small the thing is you wanna do, stick to it. It’s your time so you should use it how you want)
Take Breaks (as hectic as life can be trying to do a hundred things at once, remember to take breaks. Refuel yourself so that you’ve got the right amount of gas for the destination)
Routine (try being consistent rather than sporadic, it’ll make continuing the next time easier)
Alarms (alarms are your friends, if anything it’ll keep your task in mind)
Sacrifice (its ok to lose a little sleep or socialization for your list, don’t make it a habit and be sure to remember those breaks)
DON’T…PROCRASTINATE ( The type of P you don’t wanna be pushing. Whatever you do, for the love of god, don’t procrastinate. I repeat, DON’T. PROCRASTINATE.Whoop your own ass if needed, just don’t procrastinate)
Divide and Conquer (not everything has to be done all at once, naw at your task bit by bit and watch it come together)
Don’t fear inconsistency ( you won’t be consistent all the time, no matter how hard you try, so relax)
Do what works (theres no one best way to do things, take all the knowledge you have and make it work for you)
Enjoy the experience (no matter what it is your doing enjoy it and have fun. Find passion in it and you’ll never get tired of it)
TIME and MONEY (a short excerpt)
There are two very important things in life. Time, and money.
Unfortunately in the set up we have now money "makes the world go round". Time is of value but for the wrong reasons. It's looked at as a tool to make more money. But every moment in time is unique, no matter how small and insignificant the day was. You'll never have a day, or minute, or second that is exactly the same.
The clouds have shifted, the sun has risen or descended inch by inch. The ant has moved locations and the bird is closer to done building it's nest. Even you have gotten a little older by the end of this reading in the grand scheme.
Time is always moving forward.
It's very unique and everlasting.
A dangerous combo. Money is not unique but be careful not to devalue the help it can bring to those around you and yourself if owned in abundance. But anyone has the opportunity to make make money. A poor man can magically turn into a rich man but if only given the time. But who with money can buy the man no time left more time?