Typographic Bird is a shirt design based on typographic explorations of serif letters. The swoosh and wingding elements created an interesting graphic form. This is also available at Zazzle, where the shirt colors could be customized.
As a side hobby, I’ve been tinkering with jewelry design. This collage was created from old beads, chain, pearls, wires, and pliers. The large pendent was taken from an multi-layered earring piece.
I created 5 jewelry pieces that same day, but my arm paid the price. My carpal tunnel started acting up and I was unable to function properly for the next few days. Needless to say, I won’t be doing too many jewelry projects for a while. . . but I’m happy how the pieces came out.
Blind Nation is a great project for Child Abuse awareness. Its cover is designed by Flickr member and designer Elli Mayhem. She incorporated one of my photo textures for the cover of the industrial music CD by several artists who have suffered. I’m very excited and pleased to be part of this campaign.
Joyfully Jobless is a fascinating blogsite by Barbara Winters which focuses on entrepreneurship and staying mentally and emotionally happy while at it.
In this photo, my grandfather was burning the spirit papers during Chinese New Year as a form of Taoist ancestor worship. The gold printing indicates wealth. Burning the papers allows the items to be transfered to the deceased, where they would be able to use the items in the spirit realm.
Chinese New Year is a time of celebration and rememberence — memories, relationships, and the deceased. I was lucky enough to celebrate Chinese New Year with my grandparents. They are practicing Buddhists, but also incorporate Taoist traditions.
After bowing three times to honor the ancestors, joss or spirit papers were burned as an offering to the ancestors–so they would have “money” and other items to use in the afterlife. After the items were placed in the flames, a “protection spell” was chanted. During this, my grandfather poured wine while walking in a circle. In many old religions and mysticism, a circle is a commonly used symbol–protecting everything within a circle and preventing negative energies from corrupting the elements.
According to tradition, the chicken is part of an offering to the ancestors, facing upwards and left intact.
Wine, tea, and rice bowls were among the many foods offered to the ancestors in the Buddhist tradition.
Created this with a brush pen. This was later added into the “Chinese Lion Dance” piece.
Flames is part of the free photo textures/patterns set from my Flickr account. Visit the various sets here.
Also, check out Lost and Taken, a website devoted to free textures.