El Amor Duerme en el Pecho del Poeta

Posted on July 12, 2018 by

El Amor Duerme en el Pecho del Poeta

In 1984, ABC brought to light the love sonnets of Federico García Lorca, making quite a stir. The sonnet The Beloved Sleeps on the Poet’s Breast, the next to the last in the series Sonnets of Dark Love, is the first in which he speaks of a male lover. In November, 1983, a clandestine edition of the sonnets came out. In March of the following year, ABC officially published his 11 sonnets, for the first time together and in their original order.

Translation:

You will never understand how much I love you.
Because you sleep in me and are asleep.
I hide you, crying, pursued by a voice of penetrating steel.

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Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, LGBT Poets, Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

De Rerum Natura

Posted on June 17, 2018 by


Citation by Lucretius from De Rerum Natura

In his only surviving work De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things), the philosopher and poet Lucretius expounds on his theory that all matter is composed of tiny particles, making him the world’s second atomic physicist (Democritus, in fact, was the first.) My piece is on display as part of Kalligraphia XV at the San Francisco Public Library through 27 August 2018.

Translation by Dean Robino:

Thus the first things – atoms – are solid in simple singleness,
cohered from very small parts that were skillfully crowded together.
Not out of the union of their coming together
but their greater power in eternal singleness,
with things finally neither being torn away or made smaller
nature now gives way, reserving the seeds of matter.

 

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jean-Théophane Venard’s Last Letter to his Father

Posted on March 5, 2018 by

Jean-Théophane Venard's Last Letter to his Father

A missionary working for the French Foreign Missions in West Tonkin (northern Vietnam) Jean-Théophane Vénard was arrested and executed in 1861 for proselytism. During his captivity, he wrote inspiring letters to his family and superiors, demonstrating his outstanding faith. He was canonized in 1988. I was commissioned to do this piece. #jeanthéophanevénard #catholicmissionaries #christianmartyrs #calligraphy #calligraphybyraoul #calligraphie #copperplatecalligraphy #calligraphieanglaise #pointedpencalligraphy #winsorandnewtongouache #archestextwove

Posted in Calligraphy, Pointed Pen | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Call of the Wild

Posted on January 3, 2018 by

Call of the Wild Quote

This quote from Jack London’s Call of the Wild always gives me goosebumps.

My calligraphy is on exhibit at the Saratoga Library through January 31st. I will be giving a calligraphy demo there, with other Pacific Scribes calligraphers, on January 20th, John Hancock Day. Please come to say hello and check out the artwork.

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Speculating on the Nature of Transformation …

Posted on October 26, 2017 by

Collaborative piece for Delaney and Chin

This is a collaborative piece that I did with Delaney and Chin. A tree branch, a trowel and a toy truck carrying logs to the lumber mill are reminders of the gardening and landscaping projects that D&C do.

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate, Pointed Pen | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Calligraphy on Prayer Wheels

Posted on September 7, 2017 by

Doing gilded copperplate on steel prayer wheels for Delaney and Chin. This is the first time I have had to wear knee pads while doing calligraphy.

" the mantra om Mani Padme hum invokes the spiritual power and blessing of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion." Dharma / Haven.org St Francis' prayer invokes balance and compassion in our daily lives. The action of turning the cylinder / prayer wheel upon which these prayers are written evokes blessings and healing 4 the person who is physically spinning the wheel of Dharma. This act is said to also benefit the community the person who is spinning the prayer wheel. Has anyone recognized what these metal cylinders are? @raoulpat #tibetanprayerwheel #outdoorart #spiritualart #artinthegarden #artinmotion #goldleafcalligraphy #goldleaf #copperplatecalligraphy #delaneyandchin #topherdelaney #calvinchin #recycledart #transformation #buddhism #prayer #powdercoating

A post shared by Delaney + Chin (@delaneyandchin) on

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Homage to Liu Xiaobo

Posted on July 16, 2017 by

Liu Xiaobo Citation

In memory of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, who died in prison on 13 July 2017. This citation is from the Charter 8 manifesto, which he and other Chinese intellectuals and human rights activists authored in 2008.

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I’m With You

Posted on June 19, 2017 by

I'm With You

Alan Ginsberg dedicated the third section of Howl to Carl Solomon, whom he met at a psychiatric hospital in 1949. Ginsberg sympathized with Solomon, who, like Ginsberg’s mother, struggled with mental illness and received shock treatment. He describes the events that occurred in Solomon’s life, including the horrors he endured in the psychiatric institution (Rockland.)

Copyright © 1956, 2006 by the Allen Ginsberg Trust, used by permission of The Wylie Agency LLC

This piece was accepted into the Painted Words exhibit at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. It will be there through July 23rd.

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We Stand Together

Posted on May 28, 2017 by

In remembrance of the victims of the bombings at Manchester Arena on May 22nd, 2017, and in support of their families and friends.

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O Sleep

Posted on May 16, 2017 by

O Sleep

I have always sympathized with King Henry IV who desperately laments his inability to go to sleep.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments