A Quiet Moment Amongst Friends

Jesus Died at Thirty-Three

I just turned thirty-three, the age when Jesus died. These lists compare my accomplishments with his.

Who do you think had/is-having the more interesting life? You wouldn't expect it, but maybe it's me?

Things Jesus did by age 33:

• Worked as a carpenter
• Slept in a manger
• Wore sandals
• Walked around
• Performed miracles
• Was tortured
• Rode a donkey

Things I did by age 33:

• Went to prom
• Graduated from college
• Ate pizza
• Ate ice cream 
• Started a blog
• Went to Mexico
• Rode a bike
• Had sex
• Watched DVDs
• Shot a gun
• Owned an iPhone
• Went surfing
• Took drugs
• Sat in a hot tub
• Got married/divorced
• Went snorkeling
• Watched sports on TV
• Flew on a plane

Osama Bin Laden's Corpse

On Monday, my friend Seth L and I made these two exquisite corpse drawings while we watched the news coverage of Osama Bin Laden's death. 

United States Senators: They're Just Like Us!

Doodles, ink on paper, 8 1/2 x 11, 2010

I was recently trolling around the internet and stumbled upon a collection of caricatures of US Senators created by Bay Area artist and graphic designer Stephen G. Earlier this year, Stephen challenged himself to draw each of the current 100 senators and he's about halfway through the project. 

He masterfully captures the essence of the lumpy old rich dudes who run the show in America. Here are some of my favorites:

 You should view all of them at: http://theunitedstatessenate.tumblr.com/

FUN FACT: I spent the summer of 2006 putting together opposition research books for Democratic congressional candidates. One of my jobs was researching the entire background of Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) to identify scandals or bad votes that might come up in his reelection campaign. I've read every newspaper article about this guy going back to the mid-seventies. A lot of people don't know much about Daniel Akaka. If you have any questions, drop me a line.

 

Dog Sport Champion 2010

Drawing, pencil on paper, 7 x 10 inches, 2010

 

You might have missed it with all of the Olympics commotion, but last week in New York, the finest dogs in the world gathered at Madison Square Garden for the 134th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This year's winner was a super cool, down-to-earth Scottish Terrier named Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot ("Sadie" for short). I made this drawing to honor Sadie's incredible accomplishment. 

I covered this event extensively last year, but was only able to catch bits and pieces of it this year. It's a shame, because I love this contest. It's a great way for dogs to compete without biting each other. Instead of the brutality and filth of cage fighting, dogs are awarded points for manners and hygiene. A 100% improvement!

Once again, my friend Jessie P covered the event for Metromix New York. She and photographer Ryan Muir put together a thoroughly entertaining series of photos and interviews from the event.

Thank you, show dogs, for inspiring us all!

World's Smallest Horses Captivate NASCAR Fans

Press release and doodle, pencil on paper, 11 x 8 1/2, 2009

My friend Seth L works for the media and receives a steady stream of press releases. Most of them are boring, but last week he got the following one about a special event in Texas where Nascar fans can interact with miniature horses:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Worlds Smallest Horses captivate Nascar fans.

“Look at those little horses go…this is far out! These minis are too cool.” 
Clifford Ray said while at the World Championship Show Fort Worth Tx 

While attending the Nascar Race the weekend of November 7^th, make a pit stop in Whitesboro, TX to be introduced to the wonderful world of Miniature Horses

American Miniature Horses and their owners are offering a great day of fun and education to everyone at no charge

10801 E. Highway 82,  Whitesboro, Texas - No admission charged

Public Invited from 8AM to Late Afternoon Saturday November 7, 2009 

Whitesboro, TX- American Miniature Horse enthusiasts are inviting everyone to come meet and learn about the fun and exciting world of miniature horses.   What a great family outing! Kids will have hands on experiences with the miniature horses so bring your cameras.  Free seminars will cover all aspects of horse ownership, training, care, and investing wisely in the miniature horses industry.  Live demonstrations will include  halter, obedience, and driving.  Yes, minis can do it all!   Top breeders from around the USA will have horses consigned to an auction for the buying public.  The Sale starts at 12:30pm being broadcast all across the world via the internet.  Phone bidders from multiple countries have already signed up to bid on these outstanding horses. 

A True Adventure Indeed. The story of the American Miniature Horse, nearly 400 years in the making, is steeped in adventure and the love of little horses.  The American Miniature Horse is the "Horse for Everyone" and everyone will get the chance to meet one at this special event.  This is a chance to hug, pet and even kiss a mini. This is a close up and personal invitation to all of those who have ever wanted or dreamed of owning a horse.

World's Finest & Smallest . (34 inches & under) The American Miniature Horse Association has approximately 165,000 horses and 12,000 members in 32 countries and provinces. Miniature Horses registered with AMHA must meet the Association standards of perfection and cannot exceed 34 inches in height. AMHA promotes the breeding, use and perpetuation of a standard of equine excellence in Miniature.  Registry information  www.amha.com.

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Seth's press release inspired me to sketch a stock car surrounded by little horses. 

 UPDATE: If anyone is interested, I am selling this drawing for $1,000. 

Celebration: A Quiet Moment Amongst Friends Turns One Year Old

Drawing, pen on paper, digital coloring, 500 x 500 pixels, 2009

 

It's hard to believe that a year has passed since the internet gave birth to this site. In honor of the special occasion, I've created a new celebratory header and tidied up the images on the side bars. 

I'm so proud of my little one-year-old that I bought an iPhone as a birthday present! Now I'll be able to make mobile updates from anywhere. Work, home, on the bus, it doesn't matter. I'll be snapping pictures, podcasting, cutting deals. This is like getting called up to the big leagues. VERY EXCITING!

It's sure been a wild year. Here are ten notable posts from the last twelve months:

1. Vladimir Putin's shirtless camping trip became a Fantasy Art epic.
2. Kelsee and Brittny discussed boy problems in a real life comic.
3. The patented "Tips for Thriving in a Recession" helped turn the economy around.
4. Population growth in California was explored with flash animation and doodles. 
5. One Hundred Ronald McDonalds delivered a week's worth of nightmares.
6. Falcor the Luck Dragon went berserk in a trashy web video. 
7. Eight great-great-great grandfathers battled for the title of Greatest Beard (start from the bottom and work up).
8. Taft High School in the Bronx got an inspiring new mascot.
9. Three weird looking dogs battled for the crown at the Westminster Dog Show.
10. The Joy of Christmas Re-Mix became an instant holiday classic.

If you are new to the site, you should also check out the collaborative pieces in The Buddy System series. Because this is a community blog, anyone can send their art projects to aquietmoment@gmail.com. You don't have to worry about making bad art because I don't publish anyone's last name. Future employers won't be able to find your sketches of penises and devils.

The Best 2009 Burning Man Art Installations: Rough Sketches

I'm not at Burning Man this year, and I've never been to one, but I went ahead and quickly sketched the best art installations from this year's event based solely on my imagination. 

Here are the top five... 

Three abandoned cars in the shape of a teepee:

 

Somebody shooting an old computer with a hunting rifle: 

A backhoe converted into a dragon: 

 

Professional bodybuilders with over-sized animal masks:

And a port-o-let that somebody accidently set on fire:

 

This may or may not be how the Burning Man artwork shakes out in 2009. I honestly have no idea. 

Vladimir Putin Fantasy Art and Fan Fiction

On August 5th, the Times of London published a story and series of photos of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on holiday in the wilds of Siberia. In case you missed it, the photos featured a muscle-bound, shirtless Putin riding a horse, feeding a horse, and swimming in a lake. Putin's former-KGB persona and dictator tendencies fit nicely with these shots of him looking like the Beastmaster. 

These images inspired my friend Seth H to create his own work of fantasy art. In his drawing, Vladimir Putin tames a fire-breathing horse while the United States is depicted as a skinny cat scurrying around at his feet. I'm guessing the flower represents democracy and the thunderstorm represents totalitarianism. 

Seth's drawing inspired the creation of my own Vladimir Putin fan fiction, presented here in three acts with original illustrations.

VLADIMIR PUTIN IN THE LAND OF DRAGONS

ACT I

The tale begins with the castle under siege by a ferocious winged dragon. Vladimir Putin is the king of all the land, but he is also the only warrior mighty enough to defeat the airborne menace. 

In this picture, Putin is preparing to head into battle with a long sword made of the finest Spanish steel, a clever elf, and a trusty steed. He has just traded 30 bits of gold for a bag of Magic Horse Feed that will give his stallion ten times more endurance and five times more courage than a regular horse.

After making preparations, Putin rides into battle and slays the dragon by jumping his horse off a cliff, landing on the dragon's back in mid-air, and chopping the dragon's wings off. As the dragon plummets to its death, Putin and the horse use the dragon's detached wings to safely hang-glide back to the ground.  

ACT II

Three months later and the castle is again under siege, but this time the threat comes from the water rather than the air. A family of vicious sea serpents have taken up residence in the castle's moat and they have been eating the local peasants who kneel by the water to wash their filthy rags. After witnessing enough carnage, Putin decides to take matters into his own hands. In the darkest hour of the night he creeps out of the castle, strips naked, and crawls into the reeds at the edge of the moat to wait... and watch...  

In this picture, as daylight breaks, an enraged Putin shoots out of the water, taking the largest serpent by surprise with a fatal Judo chop to the neck. After killing the monster snake, Putin dives down to the bottom of the moat and chops up the smaller serpents with his sword! 

ACT III

One week later, a messenger elf brings word to the castle that another winged dragon has been spotted across the Golden Fields, near the Forest Cliffs. Putin is so mad at the news that he crushes a goblet in his bare hands. Wasting little time, he jumps upon his majestic steed and rides for two days straight until he finds the dragon's lair.  

In this picture, the dragon wakes to the rumbling of the galloping horse. The evil lizard-beast charges at the brave, muscled warrior, but Putin is unfazed. He pulls his horse back to safety and plays a tune on a magical flute that summons a falcon to swoop down and gouge at the dragon's eyes. While the falcon is attacking the dragon, Putin plays another tune that causes lightning bolts to shoot out of the sky right at the dragon's head. The repetition of lightning strikes cause the dragon to catch fire and then explode!

 

After ridding the land of dragons, King Putin rides on wings of glory back to his people. The winds of peace sweep across the land! 

UPDATE: If you would like to add to this epic story or contribute your own Vladimir Putin fantasy art, please send it to aquietmoment@gmail.com 

UPDATE II: Giovanni GF created an additional illustration for Act III. After the lightning strikes caused the dragon to explode, the resulting fire set the entire forest ablaze. A triumphant Putin walked away from the carnage unscathed:

An Evening of Fun and Friends at WE Artspace

On Sunday night, a group of friends attended the closing of the "Paint By Numbers" show at WE Artspace in Oakland. Six of the pieces from the Reimagining Sasquatch post were selected for the show. 

Jake C (creator of the Squatchia Transit Map) admired the display. 

The show featured an interactive paint-by-numbers project and works from twenty-one artists based on the theme. Here are a few examples. (I forgot to write down the name and corresponding artist for each artwork. I think the piece in the upper right was called "Wack Jackals".) 

 

The evening featured a jam session by the band CLIPD BEAKS.

 

And an electronic jam by the band Ned.

The gallery dogs had to stay outside.

Local art fans, Eric, Emina, and Kevin, gave the show a big "thumbs up"!

Thanks, WE Artspace, for including the Sasquatch faces and for putting together a cool show. 

UPDATE: If you're in the Bay Area, you should check out their upcoming opening, "How Do I Look?", on August 9th (5-8pm). 

Sotomayor Fever is Sweeping the Nation

Photograph, color film, 2009

Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor, March 19, 2009

Carl W, a regular contributor to this site, took the above photograph at a conference for lawyers at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. The conference was held a full TWO MONTHS before Obama appointed the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor to be a Supreme Court Justice. No one had a clue. Carl thought he was taking a ubiquitous snapshot of his pal, a young bankruptcy lawyer, when really he was capturing a piece of American history!

I spent the entire day listening to the judicial confirmation hearings on NPR and now my head hurts a little bit. Sotomayor was very impressive. She is an incredibly effective debater and public speaker, always calm and to the point. It's somewhat unfortunate that she is going to be confirmed easily and then sent into the musty Supreme Court Cave to spend the rest of her life in seclusion. 

You can see many more of Carl's photographs on his Flickr homepage.

UPDATE: If major news outlets are interested in purchasing this image, they should talk to Carl.