On January 19, my good friend Joan passed away. She had terminal cancer and chose a medically assisted death. She had done a lot of hospice volunteer work, so she was well-prepared. On that day, I started a new daily drawing practice partly inspired by John F. Simon Jr.’s Drawing Meditation practice, and partly byContinue reading “Daily Drawings & Buson 100”
Author Archives: JV
From Tony Robles: “A Monk’s Invisible Footprints”
I’ve been keeping track of the Theravada #Buddhist monks’ “Peace Walk,” their journey by foot from Texas, through the Bible Belt, to DC. It has been a hard slog (and some of the monks are barefoot), but as they walk, the crowds that welcome them are getting larger and larger. Filipino American author Tony RoblesContinue reading “From Tony Robles: “A Monk’s Invisible Footprints””
Blogging Over Mass Social Media
I’ve been blogging regularly every since I created my first blog on Geocities around 2001. Later I switched to WordPress. Blogging brought me to a community of writers and artists, some of whom I have met in person, collaborated with on books, and remain friends with to this day. I’ve also been on social mediaContinue reading “Blogging Over Mass Social Media”
Drawing Bee
Last night I attended the online social “Drawing Bee” on Zoom sponsored by artist John F. Simon, Jr., author of Drawing Your Own Path: 33 Practices at the Crossroads of Art and Meditation. I had purchased the book recently because I was interested in drawing meditation practices, and I intend to develop a a moreContinue reading “Drawing Bee”
My Third Lung
Check out my latest post “My Third Lung” in my newsletter. Also: Mom’s Letter/Zuihitsu; Eric & Martin Demaine, Joan Takayama-Ogawa, Henry Eiland, Persistent Bloom, & Ralph Pugay; Constantinople ensemble, & Reyben Kim plays nose flute. #art #writing #1950s #music #culture
“Drawing Your Own Path”: Art & Meditation
A few years back (before the Covid-19 pandemic began) I subscribed to receive daily drawings from John F. Simon, Jr. This was back when I was still feeling connected with the old days of blogging (more on that later). This was also before I knew that he had a book on drawing as meditation, calledContinue reading ““Drawing Your Own Path”: Art & Meditation”
Changes
Here we are at Winter Solstice, and the season seems to be urging me to make some changes. Some of those changes will be happening her on this website. I’ll be going back to selling my art again (I took two years off) on this site. I will also be changing the pages setup, categorizingContinue reading “Changes”
Behind the Scenes
I’ve got a new post on Substack: Behind the scenes, there is research, organizing, scanning, and filing. Also: Catalina Africa, Steve Silver, Kathryn Vercillo, Kirk Gordon; Open Reel Ensemble, and Shimon Hoshino.
Filipino Labor
Check out my article “Under Pressure” on Eulipion Outpost. Dad writes a May Day letter revealing his “disgust” at labor conditions on an MSTS ship in 1959. Also, Filipino labor strikes, history, art, and music. Links: Joe Livernois, Anthropic Settlement, Kazu Haga, Lynda Barry, Sam Wallman, Queen w/David Bowie, & Steffi Barthel. Eulipion Outpost focusesContinue reading “Filipino Labor”
Small acrylic painting on wood
“Sploosh 2025.” I haven’t painted in acrylics for several years now. But I saw an old painting I had started long ago on a recycled panel I found at Good Will. I felt the previous version was “timid,” and decided to paint over it–just had fun with it.
Jean Vengua 