Thomas L. Fluharty Amazed by Grace!

Oh Hillary! You make drawing fun!

2012-01-17T10:00:00.003-06:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOD!

Hope all is well.
Quick post on the many faces of my favorite person to draw. These drawings span the last 15 years of caricature for me.

These were drawn for The Village Voice and the Weekly Standard.

Could there be a wider chasm in world view? Either way, both have been fun to work for.
Gotta run. Stunned there is no more chasm between He and I.
~T

This Poor man cried out.. The LORD heard me and saved me from all my troubles!

2012-01-03T17:07:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, HAPPPPPY NEW YEAR. HOpe all is well in your life. God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. So grateful to know He rules this crazy place and gives peace in shakey times.

Today I'm posting a painting I did for the New York Times. Thank you Mihn Uong for working with me at the Village Voice and now dancing with me at the TIMES. YOu Rock!!!!!!!!!
This job was really cool. Mihn the art director always has really cool ideas. I painted the Mafioso dude cutting thru a bus on a plate of spaghetti a few years back for the Village voice.The idea was classic Minh.
The baby painting is in Oils and some digital like the papers and the type 2012 and the falling confetti.

Gotta run, HOpe the Mayans were wrong about this being the final year but I am looking forward to seeing HIm face to face and enjoying Him forever.
Stunned He's there to know and enjoy~T

Will draw Newt for food!

2011-12-28T09:15:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!! He has shown up in this tiny speck we know as earth for the sake of binging sinners to Himself and show them who He is and who we are and whats to come. Praise Him thru His SON Jesus!
Today a quick post from last week's The Weekly Standard. I only really had a day to do this plus being sick is never cool. All that said I enjoyed it and sometimes wish I had more time but more time does not mean better.

I'm enclosing the Art directors sketch so you can see how I begin the idea.
I'm also enclosing the image I used to draw Newt. Remember you don't have to push too far to get a caricature. Figure out what you want to say with each face you do.

Gotta run, A special shout out to my favorite young artist David Blank. Keep drawing my friend. You are already drawing for the King.

Stunned that baby in the manger is the LORD of the universe!.~T

Float like a butterfly Sting like a bee!

2011-12-12T09:49:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Incredible love to save sinners and show them something way more satisfying than a bottle or a drug or success (nothing wrong with success tho). ONLY Jesus satisfies.

Today I"m posting a job from prolly 12-15 years ago. I did this image for Sports Illustrated for Kids. I love Mohammad Ali and jumped at the chance to draw HIm. This image is in acrylics on strathmore 5oo series paper.

I used to do alot of exaggeration and still love it. Some magazines want lots of exaggeration and some have pulled me back and want a little more representation and not so big head.

My advice to young caricaturists is to put away your caricature books of your heros and find yourself. Study them as long as you have too then shut the books. Show the world who YOU ARE and not a rehashed version of your heros. Its worth repeating amatuers imitate but professionals steal. Steal like crazy the things you love about your heros and then work to make them blend into who you are. One more thing, Stop imitating Sebastian Kruger, he's the best in the world and he owns that title. Be yourself.
Gotta run.

Stunned that I'm not laying on the floor anymore. ~T

Subway sketches-NYC in a day!

2011-11-18T09:27:00.003-06:00

Greetings Earthlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!! Hope all is well in your universe.
LONG TIME NO POST. Very busy on lots of different things. Sometimes as an artist I look forward to quiet times, times to slow down and pursue things I really want to do. Never use your slow times/in between jobs time to worry. Rather use it to position yourself for what you really want to do.
Today I'm posting some sketches from my various travels. I was just in NYC and sketch'd on the plane and the subway. Way too much fun!
Gotta run. Thankful my life is held in the will of HIm who works ALL Things according to the counsel of His will.
Stunned I want his will and no longer mine.~T

COME FORTH and LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-10-18T17:05:00.004-05:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! HOpe all is well in your universe.
GOd is good and compassionate towards the unbeliever. To believe and see HIm and LOve HIm is a GRACE so SPectacular that the sinner becomes amazed by Grace and comes to love HIm who was once a joke and a curse word.
GOd is good to prove to the sinner who HE IS, AND DO SOMETHING SO MAGNIFICENT IN his Heart that he KNOWS, THAT he KNOWS, THAT he KNOWS.... THANK you LORD!

Today, I thought I'd post something I get to do regularly, Storyboards. If you want to see more of my work GO to PitchHouse.net and see my studio with 4 of my buddies.

These frames were for a Gillette commercial and just might be on TV soon.
Its all digital and total frame count for the job was 14 frames all done in a day. CRAZY drawing and pressure for sure!

GOtta Run..... Jesus lives and my life is all because He lived, died, and rose again.
Stunned He lives and prays for me!~T

That's MONEY!!

2011-09-28T14:29:00.008-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!

HOpe all is well in your universe.

Crazy busy these past few weeks thankfully.

Quick post from last weeks Weekly Standard cover. Way too much fun. Last minute cover approval caused alot of stress. Spent 5 too many hours on a face I never used for Obaba. Finally once it was rejected I drew another one. I was frustrated because I had to drqw another face. Most times faces can take some time for the magic to happen. So I pray'd and in about 20 minutes this face of Obama's popped out. It also helps to not try so hard sometimes.

Enclosed are various stages of sketches and stuff.

Gotta run.

Thankful He said "That whoever calls on Him through HIs Son he will help and befriend.
Stunned I'm befriended~T

Hallowed be YOUR name!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-09-20T16:34:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!
Whew..... Long time no post.
Its good to be back.
My studio was flooded two months ago and I had to dis- assemble everything. BUT, I made new everything that was ruined new and blew new life into what was once a shell of a studio......Hmmmmm I think I feel a sermon coming on. I also threw out a bunch of stuff including my old 30 year old reference file. I will post pictures of the new studio soon.

I want to give a special shout-out to an amazing young artist David Blank, HEY BROOOOOOOOOO You ROCK, thanks for showing me your sketches. Thanks for checking in on the blog as well!

God is good and continues to stir my soul in the whole creating/painting realm. I love being an artist for the Glory of God.
Today I'm posting a few images from the upcoming childrens book for the great R.C. Sproul titled, The Barber who wanted to pray. The book is due out in October. I painted everything in Oils so enjoy.

Gotta run... Glad I'm washed in the water and the blood!
He is worthy of praise. ~T

No water damage can separate me from HIS love!

2011-07-18T08:53:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOd!!!!!! Amazing promise of God through His Only son Jesus.
I WILL bless you and keep you in PERFECT peace whose mind is stayed on Jesus.(Isaiah 26:3) INCREDIBLE. NO matter what, God Keeps his people in peace as they seek Him. Struggles yes, Frustrations yes, BUt He keeps those in perfect peace who trust in HIm.
Stange and BIZARRE for sure.

Real quick post on last weeks cover for The Weekly Standard. It's the famous Poker Dog poster with Obama, Biden, McConnell and Boehner. Very tough image to pull off. HOw far do yo go without losing the likeness? Important thing is to get the likeness and then walk up to the dog line. Funny thing is.. they already look like dogs. Great call Weekly Standard.

Enclosed is a bunch of sketches and digital underpaintings. Been admiring a good friend of mine, Jason Seiler's digital work Thanks Jason for the inspiration! I'm still tryin to figure it out. YOu've got it bro!!!!

Gotta run. Gotta studio to take apart because of water damage. NOw wheres that peace I was talking about? He is PEACE.

Seek HIm He is knowable! ~T

DARKNESS STILL SUCKS BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-07T08:50:00.000-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAN, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD and today is proof of that!!!!!!!!

27 years ago I was drunk and high for the last time!!!!!!!!!! Think of that, In Christianese, thats FREAKIN AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happened? Why would I want to stop? Well if you follow my blog you know what I'm about to say. Get ready, it's coming and its not an it, or a religion, or rules or regulations. What happened is the KING of the universe showed up in my life, rather He shined GLORY into a darkened heart and I saw LIGHT and GLOOOOOOOOOOOORY, MAN I SAW GLORY with new eyes.

I had been seeing glory when I looked up into the night sky and all around me. We all see that glory but this was the first time I saw glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Up to that time He was a joke and a religious figure, but on July 7th, 1984, He became GLORIOUS, real and intimate. Chains fell off, My heart was free, I arose and followed Him.

To read the full story read on or click on the link to hear the testimony at my dear friend Tony Reinke's great site spurgeon.wordpress.com Look to the right of his blog and click on interview w/ Thomas Fluharty. Or here richardsibbes.com/TSS.PODCAST The podcast tracks how I became an artist and believer all into one.

Gotta run we all must stand before the Throne one day and give account. You Ready? It's not a fairy tale boys. I pray He shines glory into your heart. What a GRACIOUS Savior He is.

Clothed and in my right mind, sitting at the feet of JESUS~T

I did not grow up in a christian home, I actually made fun of christians. I remember asking my mother, "Mom what are we"? she'd say, "we are methodists". It really meant nothing, it had no effect on my life or hers, its like saying, I wear red conver hi-tops, big deal. So around the 8th grade I started using drugs. by the time I was 16 my life had become incredibly dark. I had a "bad trip" on the hallucinogenic known as acid and basically lost myself for a year until I was 17 and was accepted into a vocational art school for the 11th and 12th grade. Drugs became less in my life but drinking was a steady habit. Upon graduation I got accepted into the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Art school was cool and I partied pretty regularly, but it seemed to be under control. I focused every job assignment toward illustration and graduated and moved to New York for a job offer to draw comps and storyboards with a major studio. After moving to NYC my life became very dark. I gave myself to the party scene and struggled greatly with lust and pornography. GOD was nowhere in my thinking and I thought Christians were weird, enter Barb Howard (not weird, well sorta, HA!). She was a friend I knew from growing up in Ohio. She and her husband and I were best friends and would party together and play racquetball. One Christmas we got together in Ohio to party but something was different about her this time, she started telling about how Jesus had changed her life. I said, " yeah I believe in Jesus, but I am really into being cool right now, I just moved to NY and am really into fashion." Being a Christian really was strange idea to me because coming from Ohio my idea of a Christian was an amish dude with a beard and straw hat wearing a leisure suit. So thats the last thing I wanted to do. Shortly after that upon my return to NY I started getting heavier into drugs. I started using cocaine and getting high and drinking alot and became completely enslaved to pornography. So as depression started to enclose my life I started reading the Bible asking God to show me if what Barb was saying was true. Are you really there God? So after a time of reading and seeking honestly if God was real I started asking JESUS to be born again. He said we must be born again if we are to know God. We must be born of God.(HIS words. John3:3) It happened one night, I was drunk and high in Washington Square Park, in New York City. I was miserable and hopeless and went to get another beer. As I approached the street corner someone from Jews for Jesus, were handing out tracts.( little booklets about Jesus) She happened to be talking to another believer about this Jesus. I stopped, folded my arms and proceeded to ask a ton of questions. I really wanted to know this Jesus, not religion. If Jesus was real I wanted to know Him. So after my questions were answered the guy asked me if I wanted to pray and ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins and I said yes. He said "raise your hands and I'll pray for you." I thought, "What are all these people walking by going to think?"( it was 11:30 at night, middle of the summer, the streets of Greenwhich Village are packed with people) I said, " I don't care LORD, if you are really there change my life, DONT MAKE ME RELIGIOUS! After praying I opend my eyes and there were about 7 christians standing around me. One guy gave me his bible and said He was born again 3 months ago and his friends all think hes crazy. I asked them what I should read, they said the book of Matthew. I went home, interesting thing is that I never went to get that beer. I NEVER WENT TO GET THAT BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never went back to the park that night. I went home and went to bed. When I awoke something was different. I had this incredible peace I had NEVER had before, I was at rest. I was incredibly happy, the Bible started making incredible sense to me. It was the only book that was explaining to me what had just happened. It was speaking to me in incredible ways, heres an amazing verse, it says - If anyone is in Christ he will become a new creation, the old has passed away and behold all things become new. (2 Corinthians5:21). This was bizarre to me, the things I sought for peace and joy and pleasure in were now becoming lame and a great sense of conviction started overcoming me when I would indulge in lust specifically. Drugs dropped out of my life all my desires were changing and I was becoming incredibly free. My thoughts were becoming unbelievably pure. Where darkness and polluted thoughts reigned, light and purity were happening inspite of myself. At this point something else really amazing happened. I was delivered from cursing. Before I was a believer I had the filthiest mouth of any one I knew. Here's how I was delivered from cursing. My girlfriend at the time said something to me that really angered me. I was so mad I raised my middle finger and out of my mouth started to proceed the "F" word. So here I am face to face with her, my finger is raised and the F word is on my tongue. Something amazing happens at this precise moment, the word does not come out, my mouth is stopped and peace floods my body. I'm like woah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe what was happening. I was delivered from cursing in the middle of cursing. AAAMMMMMMMmazing. GOD was overcoming all my ugliness and granting me a friendship with HIMSELF thru HIS Son JESUS. Very soon I started attending Neighborhood Church in Greenwich Village, pastored by my great friend Pastor Kirk Vanderswaagh. 5 years later I met the love of my life Kristi, and we now have 5 beautiful daughters. So thats why July 7th is the greatest day of my life. My desire in sharing my testimony is not to encourage you to " join Christianity" or "join a church" so that you would have a great life free from cursing or dominating sins, but rather to come to the only GOD who has paid for all your sins and rebellion by punishing HIS Son in the place of us all. We all will stand before HIM absolutely, only in Christ can we stand forgiven. Today the picture posted is a picture of the very street corner where I was made alive, 8th st and 5th ave NYC. The picture was taken in 2004 on my 20th anniversary. GOD is good and very real. HE is infinite reality. Seek HIM while he may be found.
Have a great day!!!!!!!! Fully alive~T

Crucifixion?? What a strange remedy. Not if you are Holy!

2011-07-06T10:06:00.005-05:00

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!

Incredible that the King of the universe exists and rewards those whom He awakens out of rebellion to see HIS infinite worth.

Jesus and freak are two words that make total sense. To Freak out over Him who dies for sinners and then bring them to HImself to enjoy forever is sensible.

( A question arises...I dont ask this this self righteously) The question is, what are you a freak for? What do you love the most?

Tomorrow is 27 years of rising from the dead, more on that tomorrow.

Today a quick post on a book idea a dear friend of mine and I are going to propose.
What do you get when you throw a former drug dealer and a lost bound up drunkenstoner together? This book is going to answer the only feasible answer to that question.

Here are some sketches. The book will deal with close ups of the King of GLory's final hours.

Gotta run, Also, as much as I love Coldplay I must disagree with one line in one of their songs. Chris Martin sings, "No one is free...."
Sorry Chris, Jesus says, "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!" JOhn 8:36.

Stunned that freedom is a reality.~T

The ear is no accident.. He who made it hears as well!

2011-06-20T09:19:00.003-05:00

Greetings Earthlings GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
Hope all is well in your universe.

Havent posted in a while. Just finished up a very busy time with the book for Sproul and a few other busy things.

Today I'm posting an underpainting of my good buddy Micah Bloom who posed for this scene around the table praying with his family. Thanks Micah, you are the MAN!

Gotta run.... Stunned that the LORD who blew galaxies into existance by His word actually answers prayers that are honest for help in time of need. Have you cried out lately?

Stunned that I cried out and He heard me and saved me out of all my troubles!~T

He calms the Storm!

2011-05-23T18:09:00.002-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stunned that the God of Glory brings sinners to himself and stops their world of collapse of sin and self.

Amazed at a testimony I heard the other day of a young girl who couldn't stop using. She had used since the age of Twelve.
She's early 20's now. She told of Jesus setting her free after struggling so many years. She cried out and cried out for sometime for deliverance and finally on one night, HE heard her cries and saved her out of all her troubles. Jesus the person not religion. INCREDIBLE.

Quick post of an image that made me laugh. This was the cover of the Weekly Standard a few years back when I still painted in acrylics. I actually still like it which is rare.

Gotta run, He is good to sinners to blow them away with Himself and to rescue them from stupid, non satisfying sin. Stunned that I feel for Him.~T

This poor man PRAYED out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles! Psalm 34:6

2011-05-16T09:27:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Incredible is the Grace of GOD to take foul sinners who loved sin and blow them away with something so great, namely a revelation of HImself in the person of Jesus Christ. Sin becomes lame-O and He becomes beautiful. AMAZING!!!!!!

Quick post of an underpainting of the last spread for the RC Sproul book, The Barber who wanted to Pray (true story).

Enclosed are a few sketches and color rough. I sketch things out quickly with a pastel then drag them to Photoshop to compose. Where was I without Photoshop???? An incredible tool.

Gotta run, Grateful I love Him who I once blew off. Truly~T

Cuteness is no accident!!!!!!!!

2011-05-10T08:15:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!
Amazing Grace HOw Sweet the sound that Rocked my world and Saved a wretch like me, rescuing me out of the kingdom of self and blowing me away with the KINGDOM of Him who rules over all.

Long time no post. Sorry. Under tight deadlines for the RC Sproul book thats due by Memorial day. Been painting everyday, what a joy.

Quickly, I just wanted to post one little image from the book. I decided to put some kitties into the story so that the little ones would have some feline fun as Mom and pop read to them. I like... not love cats, BUT... Kitties?..... thats a whole nother story. So what I'm posting today is one little kitty that is listening to Martin Luther talk to his barber Master Peter.

Gotta run,

Stunned that there's a whole nother kingdom!~T

The things are NOT seen are Eternal.The things seen are temporary.

2011-04-11T13:27:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

HOpe all is well in your universe!!!!!!

Amazing verse I've been thinking about lately. I once was blind but now I see. When God blows away the sinner He shines light into a once darkened heart and causes them to see reality..... namely GLORY..... Glory in the face of his Son. The once blind sinner now sees the greatest treasure of the universe, Jesus Himself. But not just sees but loves and delights in Him who once was a joke. Strange for sure but O what a grace of God to see him who is unseen but clearly seen.

Today a quick post from last weeks Weekly Standard.
An incredibly tough cover with 5 dictators all dancing in a chorus line. It took me about 6 hours just to compose the thing.
You have the Masthead, heading, subhead and mailing label all to contend with leaving you very little room to tell your story.
I'm also including a quick snap of what the cover looks like once I draw the heads and drag them onto the cover to compose in CS3(photoshop).

Gotta run.... thankfully very busy.

Stunned that I see the greatest treasure in the universe. No-thing can satisfy.~T

Something MASSIVE this way comes!!!!!!!

2011-03-31T07:42:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Incredible that the KING of the universe calls sinners to HIMSELF. And not just calls them but dies for them then rises again showing to all you are not worm food. SHowing to All that the grave is not so grave after all.
BUt He also does something really nuts to YOU. He fills you with HIMSELF by the HOLY SPIRIT and bears witness with you that you are not just making this up. You don't make up freedom!
INCREDIBLE..... NUTTY and seemingly SILLY and foolish for sure but nonetheless real and stunning for those to whom He has befriended. WHEW!!!!!!!

Today just a quick hint of what's to come for a future post.
Doing a bunch of dictators and just wanted to show an unphotoshopped sketch. What you see is what you get. I DO take things to photoshop and move things like eyeballs around and chins up and faces wider, but its got to look pretty close to the person before I take it there. HOpefully if it turns out I'll post the rest later.

Gotta run.

Stunned that the tomb is empty! Something BIG is coming. I hope you are ready!!!!~T

Beauty is a reflection of HIM!

2011-03-28T09:22:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!

MAN, WHERE WOULD I BE without the Savior of the world?

I'm stunned that because of a prayer asking for forgiveness, the Savior of the world came in to my life and blew me away.

Whats weird is everytime I hear peoples conversion stories they are always the same. Broken lives transformed by a broken prayer. Overwhelming burdens are taken off of their shoulders and PEACE floods their soul and very life. JOy becomes present inspite of circumstances and rest at the Saviors feet grows. They become alive to Jesus. Incredible!

Quick post..... The call came in to do Gaddafi..... MAN I'M IN! He has a great face. He actually tattoos his eyebrows, weird huh?

It was originally a portrait but was changed to show a bunch of skulls around him.
I'm enclosing the swipe I used of some great master I found online. Keep greatness around you when ever you do anything. Greatness is absorbed as we behold greatness. I feel a sermon coming on.

Gotta run.

Stunned that I become what I behold! ~T

On the 8th day God created Kenny Bald!

2011-03-23T17:53:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEETINGS Earthlings GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Hope all is well in your world.

Today I have the privilege of honoring one of the greatest draftsman who ever lived. Ken Bald is an amazing artist and person.
I like to call him Kenny because he's been my friend for the last 28 years.

He came to mind just the other day when I was thinking about the honor of sitting under someones talent and gleaning off of them. It's an incredible privilege. Proof that God has been good to me.

I first Met Kenny when I got my start in the NYC comp and storyboard house Gem studios. Ken was "THE GUY" in the universe to go to and have him do a board or comp for you. He was THE reason Gem studios became the sensation it became.

I went into his office almost everyday to show him my drawings. He always, graciously showed me how to be a sensitive artist and how to tell a better story. One time I drew a guy who had a cigar sticking out of his mouth and Kenny showed me how the cigar was getting lost by the placement of the cigar. One quick adjustment and it read instantaneously. NO ONE has had a greater impact on my drawing than him. I also must say NO ONE drew women more beautiful than Ken.

Ken's career started with Marvel and his best friend is the famous Stan Lee.
Ken later drew the comic strip Dr Kildare. He also drew Dark Shadows but because of contractual obligations drew under the shadow name of K Bruce.

Eventually comics could not compete with the offer to draw comps and storyboards and the sweet package deal he would be compensated for from Joe Blangiardo owner of Gem studio. Joe also graciously gave me my first break to work along side Ken. Thank You Joe!

Some of the images I'm posting are the actual Dr Kildare strip Ken so graciously gave to me and a few other sketches that I kept from our friendship.
One day while struggling for hours on an expression of a guy getting hit on the head by a wine bottle, I walked over to Kens table and asked him what would the expression would look like. Effortlessly he sketched out the little sketch I'm posting in about one minute. Pure genius.

Also posted is a storyboard frame of a guy with a stupid expression on his face. I still refer to this drawing to this day. Ken is a master at expression.

In closing I just want to say to Ken, you are the greatest gift God gave to me as an artist. I love you Kenny! ~T

Stunned that I was befriended by such a modern day master and honorable, humble man.~T

He who made the ear HEARS!

2011-03-19T13:41:00.005-05:00

Greeeeeeeeeeeeetings Earthlings God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Quick Saturday post.

Working on a children's book of my heros R.C. Sproul. The book is about the late great Martin Luther whom God used to transform the church.

True story.... One day Martin Luther goes for a haircut and shave to master Peters barber shop. Master Peter inquires of Luther how he can pray better. So Luther goes back to his study and pens the short little book, A simple way to Pray, for his friend Master Peter. Luther says that by memorizing the 10 commandments, The Lords prayer and the Apostles creed that this is a great way to inform our prayer life. VERY COOL!

So the image is of MP and Luther interacting. I've also thrown a bunch of cats and kitties into the story to give the little ones something to look for and hold onto. I love drawing cats. Enclosed is the initial rough sketch after reading the story. Then I shoot the snaps for swipe w/my models then do tighter sketches then get those approved then paint.

The book will be out in September from Crossway. Crossway rocks! They give you the job and then get out of the way so that the artist can think and do what they do best. Most times when there is very little editorial constaints an artist flourishes.

Gotta run.

LIFE has me on my knees ALOT right now. Oh Hallowed be your name LORD.~T

His is a KINGDOM that cannot be Shaken!

2011-03-15T10:20:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOD. HOpe all is well in your universe.

Incredible times we live in. Been praying for the People of Japan.

A mighty Fortress is our GOD, a bulwark never failing. Our helper He admid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. (Martin Luther)

Strange is the Sovereignty of God but OH what a restful doctrine. (Thank you Rick Gamache for preaching it!)

Today, just a quick post on a job last week for the Weekly Standard. I only had two days to do this job and it changed somewhat throughout. Such is the nature of editorial.

The story is about a prof at Northwestern University in Chicago who had a sex act performed for a class. Attendance was optional. So the idea was to focus on the students.
I'm posting the actual cover and the quick ink sketch as well, along w/ some progress snaps. Interesting how right after I read the story I sketched real quick ideas of possible expressions. Its cool how most of them made it onto the cover.

A BIG shout out to Madeline and Lily and Lindsey for posing for the various expressions needed.

Starting to do digital w/ a Dutch flemish approach.. interesting look, Translucency has been appearing in the work.

Gotta Run.

He is the only Solid Rock to stand on when all is shaking.~T

Things require a Thingmaker!

2011-03-10T11:21:00.002-06:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD is GOOOOOOOOOOD, Two post in one week. HUH??????

Real quick post of a job I'm doing under a very tight deadline.

A REAAALLLLY fun image. Hopefully I'll be able to post it next week.

Listening to RC SPROUL's book the HOLINESS of God. Amazing book! Chapter one reminds us that out of nothing comes nothing all the time. If nothing once existed then nothing will continue to exist. Who in their right mind would say "Something just immediatley pops out of nothing." For something to exist it requires preexistance. To quote Colossians 1:17 He is before all things. AMAZING!

Gotta run.

Stunned that HE exists and is a rewarder of those who seek HIM. ~T

If any man is in Christ..... a miracle has happened!!!!!

2011-03-08T12:05:00.005-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!
Hope all is well in your galaxy.

Amazing how God puts the sinner at rest once He whips him silly with HIS kindness. I who was once an idiot and a mocker have been befriended and overcome by so great a love. I once was blind but now I see wrote the former slave-trader/rapist murderer, JOhn Newton. ONLY the kindness of God can change a man like that and make him a new man. Wow.... Amazing GRACE how SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET the sound that saved a wretch like me.

Well, today I posting a job I did last week for the Weekly Standard. The story was about Obama's healthcare plan one year later after the clock strikes midnight we are back to reality. Cinderella was the theme. I loved the idea ,thanks guys at the Standard.

Enclosed is an underpainting and then the final. I also am posting a snap of me posing w/the skirt on. Lily ,my precious daughter told me to post it. So any strange letters should be sent to her. Gotta run.

Stunned that a creature can be transformed into something it was not!!!!!!!!. Any butterflies out there?~T

Its a "Mad" "Mad" world!

2011-03-01T12:50:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!

Don't know what I'd do if it wasnt for the LOVE of God to save a wretch Like me.
Where would I be? What would my blog look like and sound like?
I'm afraid to think of what I would have become if God had left me in my course, unacted upon by an outside force. Oh well.

Today I have the privilege of introducing my daughter Madeline to you. I have been watching Madeline grow as an artist.
From a very young age she has always created these little figurines out of sculpty. They were always remarkable with such fine attention to detail.
So I commissioned her to do a sculpt of something out of Ratatoullie.
She found an image of one of rats and found other enlightening shots of the same image and sculpted the image I'm posting today.
I'm pretty amazed that she is only 16 and has this wonderful ability.
So... Thanks Maddy for accepting the commission. I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.
Love, Poppy

How do you spell LOVE? TIME

2011-02-14T08:42:00.005-06:00

GREEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!

I love how the ETERNAL God who is outside of time chooses to intervene into history with a calendar of times and seasons and days and years and steps into time to become a man on a certain day, then die on a certain day, and then RISE AGAIN on the third day.
Then He also chooses a day known only to Him when He will judge every man and reveal every thought and intention of your heart. WOW!!!!!! I'm glad He's GRACIOUS but the biggest problem is that He IS HOLY. NO one can stand before him in their own goodness. Who in their right mind would plead their case? You need a Savior! GOT ONE?

Thank GOD that He's also merciful to those who call on HIS SAVIOR JESUS to give them what they need at death, RIGHT standing with HIM. A righteousness not their own. WOW WHAT A GOSPEL!!!!!!

Today I'm posting some underpaintings of the book I'm working on for one of my favorite theologians. I LOVE THIS GUY.
The beauty of underpaintings is translucency and opacity all wrapped up into one.

Gotta run. Time is short.

Stunned that I'm having the time of my life In HIM! ~T

We are HIS rough SKETCh created in CHRIST JESUS!

2011-02-07T15:02:00.004-06:00

Greeeeeeeetings Earthlings GOD is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Quick post today.

Currently I'm working on a large painting of Jesus teaching the people for a childrens book. The sketches are a bunch of different sorts listening to him teach.(sometimes its cool just to see studies)
I've been enjoying just creating them one after another. Some I correct in photoshop, like move an eye over etc.
They are just studies.
I then place them in the painting and move them around and compose the image.

Gotta run.

Glad I'm alive in HIM.~T

Nation will rise against Nation!~Jesus

2011-02-03T11:35:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
Hope all is well in your universe.
Quick excerpt from my favorite preacher Rick Gamache. It's from C.S. Lewis. "Everything sad will come untrue."
or... The sadness thats true now will be done with.
Heres a verse that I rehearse daily... For I am persuaded that the sufferings of this present time will not compare to the GLORY that is to be revealed! Romans8.

Something huge is coming! I pray you are in HIM.

Quick post on a few sketches. These are one-take studies. I really enjoy quick studies. The best things happen when there is no pressure to perform.
They are for a project I'm working on.
Never painted the LORD of Glory yet ,doing a 30 by 40 painting, ordered the canvas yesterday. Big risk If the painting sucks it will be a 30 by 40 reminder of my lameness. Help me JESUS.

Gotta Run.
GLORY is coming for those who are HIS.
Anybody see that "UFO thingy" shoot down and rest upon the dome of the rock in Jerusalem then take off? Interesting times indeed.
Stunned that He loves me!~T

"Santa is an Idol" (Lily Fluharty age 5, responding to a relative when asked if santa is coming.)

2011-01-18T06:07:00.005-06:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!
Hope all is well in your universe.
The King of the UNiverse is mind-boggling.

Sinners loving Sin and ignoring infinite worth are befriended and shown infinite reality and are made alive to Him who they once were dead to.
All because He sent His Son to die for sinners and rise again. I know.... Thats Crazy..... is this all this guy thinks about?
Well No, but I can't shake it, I keep coming back to it all the time. He's real and has shown up. Get ready to meet HIm. We all have to do With HIM.

Today a quick post on an image I did a while ago of my precious friend Steve Bice. It was for a book cover about a Santa who hated responding to all the little brats who would write to him.

Gotta run. Thankfully lots going on.

Stunned that the KING communicates himself deeply to the sinner through a Spirit that's so HOLY!~T

Who is like Thee O LORD!

2011-01-10T15:49:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
Man, I shudder to think where I would be had He not stepped into my life. Allow me a few thoughts.... Prison or dead or all alone with my art... how sad. WOW, there is no other explanation for the last 26 years!!!!!

Today, a quick post of a simple Oil underpainting.
Prolly the coolest thing I get to do (artistically) is paint in Oils. No other medium compares. And I cant think of anything artistically speaking that is cooler.
As I look at people Im always talking to them and thinking about their face and the way to paint it and the BEAUTY of Oils to make them luminous. (Sometimes I pay attenton to what they are saying.) The face is a beautiful array of hues both warms and cools all into one.
NO other medium can compare with Oils... Reminds me of of something else that nothing else can compare to. I FEEL a sermon coming on.

Gotta run, Stunned that HE is like no other!~T

JOY to the World....To LOVE HIM is to SEE HIM!

2010-12-22T13:43:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS! GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's some strange Christmas reality.

•God creates a universe out of nothing!

•Steps into time on planet earth to be born as Jesus Christ. (Christmas)

•Born to die for sinners and rise again (Easter)

• Causes them to see him and Love Him and transform them from enemies and into Lovers of his Son ( JULY 7th 1984).

•To give them a future and hope. (the last 26 years).

†-Face to Face, Joy unspeakable (to Come)

JOy my world the LORD has come!!!!!!!!!

Today just a quick underpainting/quick study of the KING.

I hope your Christmas is beautiful. He can be known.

Stunned the baby is GOD!
~T

Fire to the left of me, ice cubes to the right, Here I am stuck in the middle with You!

2010-12-08T08:48:00.008-06:00

GREEETINGS EARTHLINGS,GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!

Hope all is well in your world and universe. Speaking of the universe I find it interesting that, "planetarily speaking," to the left of us is fire (towards the Sun) and to the right of us is ice. We just so happen to be the only planet in the orbit around the sun to be "just habitable" for life. Wow what a "co-inkydink"

And... it seems that this planet just so happens to have everything we need for living. Everything just so happens to be included in the meal plan.... People(not that we are eating peeps), Food, Water and petroleum to name a few.

I'd also like to throw in a conscience that reminds me of wrong when I wrong others. I wonder when the conscience developed in the midst of evolutionary survival of the fittest mentality.

Oh well just been thinking.

Today I'd thought I'd post the Wikileak cover I did last week for The Weekly Standard since it seems to be heavy in the news.
I'm posting a few sketch possibilities to finally settle on the correct Hillary pose.
I think Gesture is often ignored but prolly one of the most important parts of an image.

Gotta run. Thankful that an object will remain in its course until acted upon by an outside force.
The force actually has a name-Jesus!

Stunned that my life is not spinning out of control anymore~T

A mighty Fortress is our GOD!

2010-11-18T09:54:00.005-06:00

GREEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

WOW Salvation is huge. So huge in fact God doesnt leave it up to our minds alone.
He DEFINITELY puts our minds at rest in HIS INFINiTE wisdom so clearly displayed. But He knows that we need DEEP inside witness. HENCE the HOLY SPIRIT who makes it all make sense and makes me feel my need of the HOLY KING. WOW.
I could keep going but I really have alot of drawing to do today Thankfully.

These drawings are working thru Character design of an upcoming childrens book. COOL!
These are quick sketches on tracing paper w/a pastel no erasing just charting the face and designing as I go. A little big here and a little smaller there. A tuck and a pull and WHAMMOOOO.... out it comes.
I feel HIS good pleasure as I draw.

The model is a great racquetball player, friend of mine named PETE. Thanks PETE, you are awesome!

Gotta run... feeling joy deep within. All is well in the storms of life. The brain is engaged but OH the HEART FEELS HIm who is FEELABLE.

Stunned that I now feel!~T

What wondrous LOVE is this?

2010-11-08T08:26:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS..... GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
HOpe all is well in your universe.
Just read an article in the paper last week that scientists have concluded that in the milkyway galaxy alone there are tens of billions of earth-sized galaxies floating around above our heads,TENS OF BILLIONS, tens of BILLIONS!!!!!! INCREDIBLE.

How did they get there? Two options and only two... CHANCE or Intelligent designer. AMAZING!!!!!!

Quick Post of the cover from the Weekly Standard from last week.
Its all digital and I discovered a new brush. I've enclosed the b/w sketch from the A.D. and my sketch as well. The head of Obama I posted on the last post.

Gotta run.
My life for the past 26 years ONLY makes sense in the light of the GREATEST intelligent design of history... The CROSS of Jesus. Where a Holy God brings sinners to Himself and remains HOLY!

Stunned at His Intelligence.................... and GRACE!~T

I NEVER DID GO GET THAT BEER!

2010-10-28T08:14:00.005-05:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!!!!!!!!! MAN GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!

INCREDIBLE relationship the Savior of the world gives. One minute I'm stoned and on my way to get a beer and scrounge for joy and the next minute I'm praying a prayer of forgiveness for ignoring the KING of the UNIVERSE in my life and counting him as nothing.
I had no clue what would happen next. 26 years have gone by and He's getting more intense and REAL! MORE INTENSE??? ... I'm intense to begin with. YOU DONT MAKE UP JOY. He is it!

Today a quick post of something I'm working on. I think we all know who it is (hopefully). Show more later.

LEELAND is kicking my butt with his musical ability. He sees Him who is unseen but CLEARLY SEEN!

Gotta run, lots to do thankfully.

Stunned in the king of INFINITE REALITY.
~T

THINGS THINGS THINGS just appeared?

2010-10-13T11:12:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Hope all is well in your world. AMAZING universe we live in. Scientists and Astronomers have job security because of the things floating around all above our heads.
There ARE THINGS out there. Huge things, HOT things, round things. Things so large we have to use light years to measure them things. Spinning things. Invisible things. Bright things. THINGS THINGS THINGS. Its crazy. The Bible says ALL things were made by HIm (Jesus) and without Him was nothing made that was made. Also it says that because of the THINGS made everyone is without excuse. (MAN those stupid things are getting me in trouble.)

Enter the Cross, a bloody thing where the greatest act of mercy was done to bring deniers of His reality to Himself.
He crushed his Son for you and will blow you away if you quit believing monkey tales.

He changes your heart, your head cannot contain it. He goes into your heart and blows you away.When this happens it makes incredible sense.

Oh well, gotta try and keep this brief.

I'm posting some sketches I get to do for the Weekly Standard website of some of their writers. These sketches take about 45 minutes or so. They are fun and I start with the left eye and pretty much draw blind contour. I look at the image and as I move my eye I move my pencil. I look and reposition and keep on blind contouring.

Gotta Run! Got some THINGS to draw thankfully.
Thankful He is not a thing but a reality.

~T

What a strange long trip its been, enter July 7th 1984

2010-10-04T10:19:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back on the air after a long break from blogging.
Hope all is well in your world. Been busy with lots of sorts but finally have something to post from last weeks Weekly Standard.

The cover story is about the legalization of Marijuana. It was crazy fun to do a bunch of stoners, (of which I was, but for the past 26 years have found a greater HIGH that just wont leave me alone.) NOthing compares to the KING's friendship. Why settle for lesser joys?

Enclosed are sketches done real fast and then scanned into PS and then rendered. also a few close ups. Time line? Very tight deadline, a few days.

Gotta run.

Stunned that I'm no longer stoned~T

" ....I said, DART GUN"

2010-08-20T22:16:00.004-05:00

GREEEEETINGS EARFLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. Incredible reality in the God of the universe who displays himself graciously on a Cross. What He has done to bring sinners to Himself is mind-boggling.

Just got back from Despicable Me... One word.... BRILLIANT. Love'd it. Those Minions need their own movie. Man, I love this movie. great story too. This movie makes me want to do something great. VERY INSPIRATIONAL.

Real quick post. The image I'm posting is a painting in acrylics I did about 10 years ago to get some advertising type of work. It didnt work. Oh well it was a very fun piece. Gotta run.
Josh Garrels has been blowing me away musically as of late. He seems to be captured by infinite reality.

Stunned~T

In Him we live and move and breathe.

2010-08-02T11:07:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!

Hope all is well in your galaxy which happens to be the Milky way for all of us living and breathing by an involuntary muscle.

Today just a quick post of a story which runs in the Weekly Standard this week about some "closet" Lyndon B Johnson worshipers.
I had to project fear of being caught holding devotions to his ideology. Hence the image.

I've enclosed the quick color rough for A.D. approval and a screen grab to show my inspirations and snaps I needed to complete the job. The job was done in a day. I used a complete underpainting to establish everything, which I carried over from my Oil painting mentality. Interesting note is there is not a value in the entire image darker than an 8 on a value scale of 1 to 10.
I Then threw a quick splash of yellow and other various colors over the whole thing. In the thinking of my favorite painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau "color is secondary"

Gotta run, Glad I'm now living and breathing his supremacy voluntarily! ~T

Saints....we're not in Kansas anymore! We've been transfered!

2010-07-28T08:28:00.004-05:00

GREEEETIINGS EARTHLINGS God is Gooooooooooood!

Just a quick post today. Some more storyboard work.
This job was done for Fallon and actually played a part in winning the account for them.

Dean Hanson is the A.D. a brilliant art director with really cool ideas. These spots are rare in the industry... you know, a witch w/ a dramatic kansas sky and munchkins. SUPER COOL!

Gotta run.
Grateful the wicked witch of the west has been truly slain. Seeing Him who is unseen but clearly seen.
~T

Jesus offers a holiday by the sea!

2010-07-21T09:10:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, MAAN GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!! MY FONT WONT GO BIGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joy and peace are strange components in this friendship w/a HOLY GOD who gives his SOn to bring Sinners to himself to enjoy him forever. And in the process rendering everything not of Him as LAMe to satisfy.

Today I'm posting a quick few frames of what I do day in day out for the last 26 years... STORYBOARDS.

This spot is for a major agency whom I can't mention right now. Its all digital. Each frame is about one hours worth of work.

This A.D. and agency win alot of awards for their brilliance.

Gotta run, Stunned that I find myself where I am from where I was July 6th 1984.

GRABBED and kept~T

DARKNESS SUCKS BIG TIME STILLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-07-07T08:47:00.003-05:00

Professionals steal and amateurs imitate... Only God is original!

2010-06-28T08:05:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARFLINGS. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

I'm back,
My precious daughter Lily and I were in Ecuador where we visited the poor. She sponsors a little boy through a ministry called Compassion international. They reach out to kids and families in third world countries living in poverty and for as little as 39 dollars a month you can feed and support the child up until they are like 18 or so. It was an amazing time.

Before I left the country I painted the cover for the Weekly Standard of Glenn Beck and Rick Santelli. I drew Rick from a cheap screen grab, it's the weakest of the two, detail wise.

As I caricature I refer in my mind to some major inspirations. Monster caricaturists from the past and a political cartoonist from the present whose name is Michael Ramirez(LOVE THE WAY HE DRAWS). After I draw the head, the phrase that comes to me is "wwmd" What would Michael do.... Seriously. Also Bruce Stark is someone I steal from in my mind and refer back to. if you notice when I draw legs they are hugely inspired by him.
Also please note the palette I used which I stole from my good friend and inspiring artist Jason Seiler. Thanks Jason.
Gotta run.
Seeing Him who is unseen but CLEARLY seen!~T

You don't know JACK~T

2010-06-14T15:57:00.004-05:00

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOD!

Just wanted to post a pastel style I did on black board in1993. I love this style! I might do something with it again soon.
The idea was about Jack and the beanstalk meets up with a crazy fat lady who answers the door.

Gotta Run,

There is no giant in the air but a HOLY GOD who has come down to be one of us to die and bring those who would believe to Himself.
..... No cleverly devised tales here boys~T

Chester and Snowy!!!!!

2010-06-11T12:21:00.004-05:00

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!

HOpe everyone is well.

From deep within my files I found an old image I did of an old dog we used to have Named Chester bester.
The Cat on the cover is also a cat we had named Snowy Whiskers. Why am I speaking in past tense about these furry loved ones? Well we had to get rid of them. Chester, because he bit people all the time, his delicacy it seemed was little kids hands.
And Snowy Whiskers, was placed in a home or farm somewhere where he and all of his Persian "pee-happy" friends can pee to their hearts content.

The painting is in oils. One of my first before I really got the dutch flemish approach.
Make sure and check out my Schoolism class, painting in Oils the Dutch-Flemish approach. The next class starts July 29th spaces are limited. dutchflemish.blogspot.com

Gotta run! I'm stunned that God says that He will never turn away those who turn to Him.

Held~T

His ear is open to our cries!

2010-06-02T09:39:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Hope all is well in your universe. Very tired after a few hours sleep. Tight deadline.

Just wanted to post an underpainting and some quick color snaps of the painting for the Fragile show at the Society of Illustrators this month. Every image is hard to create "it seems" any more. I seem to be struggling with how to make an image. It seems that some ideas rock from the get-go and some seem great and then poof out in lameness. Its rare that I still like an image once I'm done with it. It does happen tho. So hang in there keep getting inspired and keep creating.

Gotta run, There is coming a day when every tear will be wiped away for those who love Him. I pray you would come to him and let him wipe your tears.

Seeing Him who holds my tears in his bottle!~T

I'm a whiner!!!!!!!!

2010-05-21T23:25:00.005-05:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Quick post before I retire for the evening.

Quick digital sketch of an image I'm doing for the FRAGILE show at the Society of Illustrators in NYC.
My take on this piece was to highlight the fantastic passage from Romans 8 which talks about the Glory God will reveal to us when He wraps up History. Its a reminder that creation groans and not only creation is groaning for Him to wrap it up but those whom He has filled with His Spirit are groaning inside for his awesomeness to be revealed.
Even so Come quickly.
Originally this idea had one of the most beautiful little girls in the painting but because of time constraints I had to make it a smaller version and decided to make her an african american little girl. I have'nt forgotten about you Mo.

Gotta run..... man I'm groaning large as of late.
Amazed I groan.~T

The Emperor's new clothes.

2010-05-11T09:47:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOD!

Quick post today from my sketchbook from FLORIDAAAAAAAAH!

I love looking at peoples sketches. Sketches really display the Central nervous system of the artist. What do you know? What don't you know. Are you bold? Timid? You are naked and laid bare for all to see, BUCK NEGGID if you will.
Reminds me of a passage from the good book. Our every move and thoughts are all on display before HIM with whom we all have to do. Oh, come to Him and be found in Him having a righteousness not of your own.

No longer buck neggid, but clothed in the righteousness of CHRIST!~T

Can anything good come out of Nazareth, Hair of the dog?

2010-05-04T01:18:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!

Working late tonight, getting ready to retire.
Usually I get to bed early and rise up early. Love the morning, nice and fresh. There's a beauty about the morning, maybe that's why the Lord met with His Father early in the am.
Tonight just a quick study of something thats been on Kristi's and my plate for the past few years going nowhere.
Gotta run.
He wonderfully saves!~T

Face to Face everyone, Somehow I get to hang forever!

2010-04-22T22:03:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Quick Post no time to talk.

I just found these in my files and thought they are interesting.

On the Weekly Standards website you'll see these little Icons I get to do. Here they are up close.
Gotta run..still hard to believe the Gospel is better than I can comprehend!

Stunned~T

He is above all earthly POWERS! reagan included.

2010-04-20T07:48:00.007-05:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS God is GOOOOOOOOOOD!

Quick post of what I'm working on. I started this sketch last night and it's a really rough take on Reagan for a sculptor friend of mine. I just wanted to show you that sometimes things come out quick with no adjustments or corrections or cutting and moving things.
The likeness is close enough for government work (Pun intended). I just think its cool to see that sometimes in our sketches a freshness can happen and just let it be.

Gotta run... doing the first week of Schoolism. WOW my students are rockin with talent. Schoolism.com is the place.

Amazing Grace has opened my eyes!!!!!!
STUNNED that it's real~T

A-MAZE-ing Grace how SWEET the sound!

2010-04-14T14:28:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, God is GOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Quick post.
Last week was the toughest cover for the Weekly Standard I've ever done. I'm not sure why but it was tough. I struggled all day w/ the drawing and then finally it clicked.
So for all those out there who think drawing is tough... it is. Somedays it flows and somedays not.

I'm enclosing the Art Directors sketch and then my color rough for approval.
Gotta run,

Doing a painting for a show. It's 4 by 6 feet... very large Marge. "Tell'em Large Marge sent you"...Any body know what movie that line is from? Its one of my favorites.
Gotta run.
Don't know where I'd be if He had not stopped me.
Stunned~T

He won't leave me alone!

2010-04-08T21:08:00.006-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD!

Great verse that comes into my mind each morning from the psalms.... "When I awake YOU are still with me!"
I know Crazy, bizarre, but freedom and joy are no manufactured thing. Wonder what they would sell for on the NYSE?

Gotta run under a CRAAAAAAZY deadline due tomorrow EOD.
I struggled today with drawing like I never have.... and I thought I was a professional.... well at least I get paid for it. Just a cool reminder that I'm needy of Grace from on HIGH.

Stunned~T...

here's a quick Obama I did a while back

More sketches from the GOOD BOOK!

2010-04-05T12:30:00.003-05:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS God is GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Great day yesterday in the HOUSE of all HOUSES!!!! Because He lives I live in FREEEEDOM!

Today I just wanted to continue with some sketches from my Sketchbook. Remember draw, draw, draw!

Gotta Run....Believe and you will see!

Seeing and treasuring~T

NAKED DYING MAN saves Thomas Fluharty!

2010-04-02T10:39:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOD!

Today is Good Friday and Sunday is Resurrection day.

This is a sentence that could keep me writing for hours but let me try and be brief.

The following stuns me about these two days!

I'm stunned that I'm a believer.

I'm stunned that I understand what good Friday means.

I'm stunned that I KNOW that He lives!

I'm stunned that I am no longer a slave to ME!

I'm stunned that I LOVE him whom I once mocked.

I'm stunned that from a simple, contrite prayer one night, I would come alive to Jesus Christ.

I'm stunned that what awaits me is unfathomable yet real.

I'm stunned that TRUE and LASTING joy is found in Him and in nothing else I could seek.

The list could go on and on.

Good Friday and Resurrection day exists because He exists.
He is real.

If you believe there is NO GOD, ask yourself one question.

What kind of world needs to exist before you would acknowledge that there must be a God.
Or... what's missing from this universe to convince you?
What more needs to be seen?

Gotta run, Oh the power of a "foolish" Cross!

STUNNED~T

Workout your Sketches with fear and trembling!

2010-03-17T10:54:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS,

HOpe all is well in your life. Just wanted to post a few sketches I saw in my sketch book this weekend.
If you want to get good draw, draw, draw. Its mental note taking. These sketches are blind contours. Meaning I look at the subject and have my pen on paper I then move my eye and simultaneously move my pen. I look to where I am and then move my eye and pen again until the drawing is done. Look at the subject MORE than your paper.

I also am being interviewed by Bobby Chiu Friday night on Sketchoholic.com We'll be talking about my new Schoolism class Dutch flemish Oil Painting. Gotta run.

Stunned That I've been given my life back 26 Years ago. Sitting at the feet of JESUS, clothed and in my RIGHT mind. O the PEACE~T

HIStory ROCKS!

2010-03-09T10:39:00.004-06:00

GREEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Quick post as I work and think.

I'm reading an amazing book called STORY, by Robert Mckee, who is a script doctor for Hollywood.
This is the ultimate book on how to write and tell a story. He breaks the whole story process down and helps you to see what makes up a GREAT Story. I strongly recommend it!
Interesting note, he says, "People go to movies not just to be entertained but to find life. They are looking for LIFE not just to forget about Life but to find Life in Story. I feel an analogy coming on, Oh well gotta run.

Stunned at the Greatest Story ever revealed and shined into darkened hearts!~T

HE'LL be BAAACK-Jesus

2010-03-08T07:05:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOD!

Hope all is well on this Monday.

Just a quick post from a job I found in my files. The job was for Tennis magazine. I forget about what, all I knew was Barbara and AHHHHHnold in the same image and I'm in. The painting is acrylics. It's before I made the jump to Oil's so the job is about 10 years old.Cameron Diaz shows up too.

Gotta run,
I'm stunned at what my life has become after a drunken prayer on dark night in 1984. All I can say is I'm not who I was!

Enjoying Him who is unseen but clearly seen.~T

Accidental Wonders?

2010-03-02T11:50:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
Today I wanted to show some REALLY FWEAKY CRWEATURES.

There is such a beauty involved in each creature, BIZARRE if you will.
What do you see?
I know we are all amazed that's for sure!

ACCIDENT or DESIGN? Both stories are crazy.

One story has a God who speaks things into existance and gives proof of his reality by the things made and then shows up to die for sinners on a Cross and then RISE from the dead and transform drunks on a street corner into LOVERS of God in 1984.

Or.... out of NOTHING SOMETHING comes. Nothing exists and then BAMM something appears out of nothing. This story is not without insanity. This story comes with a REALLY, really big bang and then monkeys turn into humans.

What I see is Him who is unseen but cleary seen.

No longer acting like a monkey by Grace!~T

Come to me all you who thirst!-Jesus

2010-02-09T16:42:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. God is GOOOOOD!

Just a quick post today from the cover of the Weekly Standard.

This is a rare cover that really came together right from the start. Not all jobs are this much fun or work as a whole.
The gist of the cover was to capture the looseness and tackyness of a pickup bar. Unfortunately this mentality exists in some "twenty something" crowds, and I know in every age crowd. ( Please note... I grew up in bars as a kid and as an adult. I know not all bars are like this!)

I'm enclosing a first intitial quick sketch of the gesture for approval for Philip the A.D.. Once Approved I drew the head I wanted and enlarged it onto the body for comical relief. The cover was done in about 2 days.

All I can say is I'm grateful I'm no longer drinking from things that can never truly satisfy.
How does one leave darkness? Its truly a mystery to free indeed. Come to him and find life!

Drinking from the fountain of LIFE~T

"Let Us make man in our Image"- God to Jesus

2010-02-02T20:08:00.003-06:00

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS God is GOOOOOOOOD. Incomprehensible yet knowable only through his Son Jesus. Jesus said God was knowable but only through him. Jesus said dat not me. You got beef with dat then your beef is with Jesus.

No time to post, Crazy busy just wanted to post a cover I did a few weeks back on Obama worship ala Avatar style.

Avatar was strikingly beautiful yet disappointing story-wise. I turned to my wife near the end of the movie and whispered into her ear....."I HATE HUMANS" James really had me hating humans before the end of the movie. I really I dont hate people the movie just made me want to hate them. I think what James Cameron did well was dream of another place of Glory and wonder. It's coming, and Jesus said it's in Him. He is going to blow the mind of those who trust Him.

Gotta run.

Only one worthy of bowing down to. In fact we ALL will one day and we're gonna confess JESUS is LORD.
Saying it now but longing to say it then!~T

Big Al, God's Grace is Bigger!

2010-01-21T10:11:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!! GOD IS GOOOOOOOOD. All I can say is I'm GRATEFUL that these blinded eyes now SEE and it's a miracle I LOVE Him whom I once despised.

One other thing I MUST say is I'm bummed Al Sharpton lost weight, cuz he's not as fun to draw. Oh well, Good for you big Al.

Oh and if you are interested, I'm going to be starting a new blog titled something like "Thomas Fluharty's Schoolism Oil painting blog, or sumptin like dat. I will keep you posted. This blog will still be up and praising the King. The Painting blog will be devoted exclusively to the class and Oils.

I also will be having iphone apps of my paintings available anyday now at iTunes. Did I say Bobby Chiu who runs Schoolism is brilliant.

Gotta run.

The Universe is endless so is HIS GRACE.~T

"Come to me all you who are struggling and I will give you REST"!-Jesus

2010-01-14T14:49:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Just a quick post of some oil paintings I found in my old archives. Sort of a mixture of underpainting w direct painting on top.

Busy getting my Schoolism class finished up this week. Lots to do

Gotta Run.
HUMBLED~T

Pressure makes diamonds. Lead on O KING ETERNAL!!!!!!!

2010-01-09T13:43:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS and HAPPPPPPPPY NEW YEAR. Hope all is well in your life. God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Sorry for the lack of posts these past few weeks. Life has been CRAAAAAAZY busy. Last week was very intense on a cover for a magazine of which I can't post because it hasn't run yet. Needless to say it was a crazy deadline in this business of making images. They oughta do a reality show titled, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PAINT? It's really nuts trying to create an Image for a group of creatives and whoo them over w/ very little sleep. Not to mention the countless problems to solve while you are making an image. NUTS I tell you, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Under these pressures I find great joy in knowing that my days are all sovereignly directed by a God who speaks innumerable galaxies into an endless universe. He controls and upholds not only the universe but my very life. Did I ever say, He also comes to die on a cross to saves sinners and transform into LOVERS of His reality. No longer living for themselves but for Him who died and Rose again. AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING.

I'm posting an underpainting study ( Plus a few others) of my daughter Madeline as I try and finish my Schoolism class in OILS. It will be done this next week and the trailer will be up soon. click on Schoolism to the right under links
Gotta run. Paintings to do and life to be lived out.

~Sovereignly Held~T

For God so loved the pale blue dot He gave His Son!

2009-12-15T16:41:00.003-06:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD is GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been enjoying some famous Christmas songs as we prepare for the incarnation. God becoming man.

Here's a few amazing lines from some christmas songs.

He comes to make HIS blessings flow.

To save us all from satans power.......a more amazing verse should read, He saves me from the wrath of God

JOy to the world the Lord is come.

O come O come Emmanuel...God with us! Amazing!

Crazy busy thankfully, tight am deadline.

Here's the cover from the Weekly Standard from last week. I love Harry Reid. The figures in the bgk are really done quick with a pressure sensitive brush #19 to be exact, just pushing where I want it to register. Sometime the best things in art are when you are not trying. Try it sometime. try not trying!

Christmas on the pale blue dot means God and sinners reconciled!
Seeing Glory and delighting in it/HIM~T

He Is JEALOUS for me!

2009-12-08T12:36:00.003-06:00

GREEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS INCREDIBLY GOOD.

Here's a great song in my life this week from John Mark McMillan, it goes like this,

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
when all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed Glory, and I realize just how beautiful you are and how great your affections are for me...... and Oh, HOw He loves Us, Oh.... how He loves us OH!

Real quick post on what I'm working on, can't talk about though but will post it later.
LOVED~T

The Yeller's

2009-11-30T12:11:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOD! Crazy busy day right now and NO time to post but I wanted to put something up.

Currently putting together my Schoolism, dutch/flemish Oil painting class. The trailer is almost done.

This is the cover I did for the Weekly Standard's cover this week. Real quick turn around, like a day, all digital and a cool gig. Great family time during thanksgiving with the fam.
Gotta Run, I'm glad I'm held by Grace!
~T

The LAW of the spirit of LIFE, has SET YOU FREE from the Law of sin and death!!!!!!

2009-11-12T14:31:00.004-06:00

GREEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!! Not to get all scientific on you but, "An object will remain in it's own course until acted upon by an outside force!" I'm no EINSTEIN but man dat dude was smart!!!!!!!!.
Had God not acted upon me I would have continued in my mockery and rebellion and wind sucking. GRACE is AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

Today just a quick post of something I found in my studio in the midst of clean up. I'm getting ready to start filming my Schoolism class about Oil painting a portrait using the Dutch Flemish approach. The sketch is Teddy, my favorite democrat and Mike whom I will be painting in the class. The class will be ready in a couple months so check in at schoolism.

Gotta run, JESUS or the monkey, your call.

Kept by something greater than gravity~T

YO GOTTI....IT'S AN INSIDE JOB!!!!!! the NEW COVENANT

2009-11-06T08:37:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEEETING EARTHLINGS need I say God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD?........... but He is!!!!!!!!!!!!!. He keeps showing up and making it real. What He does to the sinner is mindblowing. Imagine not being sure He exists and sucking dry the bottle for the very last drop to satisfy. I pray a broken sinners prayer saying DONT MAKE me religious, I'm sorry for exchanging you for other things and BAMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!! HE SHOWS UP and ROCKS MY world!!!!!!!!!!!!! He becomes real and does stuff to me, WHICH IS what HE promises to do. To Change you and to Shape you into a lover of God and a true lover of others! It aint just faith(belief) BOY's. He promises to overwhelm you with HIS reality.... and DAILY I might add. It's CRAZY I know and I'm considered a nut but where can I go? He has the words of eternal LIFE, HE IS LIFE. how do I transition? oh well.
Real quick, last week Kristi and I spoke at Story about His- Story, it was awesome, Great time! Thanks Ben Arment, YOU GOT SIGHT!

Today I'm posting the cover of the Weekly Standard from last week. It was difficult compositionally. An elephant, Three peeps, the mailing label, the Logo and the type. CRAAZY stuff for an illustrator, All due within a matter of hours.

Gotta run, I pray You come to him for rest but not just for "rest only" but because He is the greatest treasure in the universe. He's what your soul is thirsty for.
Apprehended~T

MY-STORY is a MYSTERY no more! HIS-TORY REIGNS

2009-10-22T12:48:00.008-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS UNBELIEVABLY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's one thing that won't go away since He overshadowed me with HIS GRACE, ready?..... Tell you in a minute(to borrow a technique from Michael Hyatt whom I admire.)

I'm posting a sketch of someone I'm doing for a weekly magazine that causes lefties to hate more.

Also, I'm speaking next week at Story in Chicago. Kristi and I have been invited to speak, what a privilege!!!!!! It's a conference about communicating the greatest story ever told and no its not, Cloudy with a chance of meatballs, which I LOVE btw. Check out StoryChicago.com storychicago.com

Gotta Run. Heres what won't leave me alone, GOODNESS and Mercy follow me everyday, I CAN"T SHAKE THIS PEACE, not that I would want to. Come to Him and find PEACE, you know you want it....(JESUS). Resting and amazed~T

By His word He creates out of nothing, Rembrandt needed a brush!

2009-10-13T12:16:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGSSSSSSSSSSS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOD! Hope all is well in your universe. The last I checked the universe still has spheres spinning and hanging in mid air. Amazing to say the least. To the athiest, amazing yet accidental. To the Theist, intentional and intelligent design or wisdom if you will. The universe just works, gravity does it's job!!!!!!! Theres only two options God or Monkey.... your choice. You can know, that you know, that you know, that He exists and is a rewarder of those who come to him through His Son Jesus. Come to him and find REST. It's strange and amazing and true!

Today real quick I'm posting the cover I did last week for the Standard. Obama putting his hand on a bust of Jimmy Carter ala Rembrandt. In terms of painters the ceiling has been found in Rembrandt and a few others, everyone else lets gather in the basement for lemonade and tuna noodle casserole. Now that I've offended everyone gotta run.~T

Awake from your SLEEP and LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-05T09:19:00.006-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD and Thats a MASSIVE understatement. I live Because He lives.
No time to post today So I'll get right to the point. Last week I did the cover for the Weekly Standard. The Idea was a government worker asleep on the job. I did the job basically on thurs and friday. I've included a few things in the post like the swipe I used of the guys face but had to change it to match the character they requested. I also threw in on the desk top our book Fool moon Rising, which is out now. I'm also including the Art Directors sketch in ink and then my first rough sketch kinda cartoony for approval. Then there is my tighter sketch, and then Philip, the A.D. made some changes for the type. Which actually better'd the image. A word of note to up and coming illustrators, Serve the Art Directors, they usually know what works best for their needs. If you fight them it will come back to haunt you in your career. Gotta run God is Good.~T

Madeline, my SWEETIE!

2009-09-14T11:54:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD IS AMAZING! The way He brings sinners to Himself is MIND BOGGLING and unfathomable. The Cross is both strange and beautiful. The cross of Jesus makes believers look foolish and stupid in the worlds eyes and yet all who come to him thru his sacrifice find life and joy and FREEDOM. He has come into this world to save sinners, "WHICH AM US" (in the words of the muppets)!!!!!!!!. He laid down his life and rose again. I know..... nutty FOR SURE but nevertheless strangely TRUE. You will meet him and confess his name. You will bow too! Not threats, just stating the facts. Come to him and find HIM real and GOOD!
Today just a quick post of my daughter Madeline Lively. She's a beautiful girl!!!!!! I will be doing an underpainting of this when I get a free moment. I sketched it in pencils first and then added digital stuff. Gotta Run~ He lives. Kept~T

RECONCILED, oh the JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-09-07T10:51:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD! Its amazing to love Him who I once hated. Here's a quick verse that's been blowing mind as of late from Colossians 1:21-22. It says of me, I was alienated from God, HOSTILE in my mind and engaged in evil deeds. But now He has reconciled me in his body of flesh by his death in order to present me HOLY and Blameless and ABOVE reproach before Him.
AMAZING! Incredible reality. He Gave his Son, Jesus at the Cross, so that all who come to Him might be forgiven and find life now and when you die. Jesus is alive, you will stand before him! He will either be judge or Savior. I pray Savior.

Today just a quick post. This cover was way too much fun. It's a "take off" of the famous Rockwell painting which I spoofed. The main dude in the painting is my great friend and artist GARY LOCKE. The gnarly others are no-ones in particular ( I did make them extra gnarly tho). I've included a screen grab of how I created the the female character. I don't go out and shoot models, I find a face that works (the guys face) and then make it the gender I need. I only do this on quick turn-arounds. This job came in on thurs 11am and I finished by Friday 3:30 pm.

Gotta run, God is gracious to all who call upon Him for His forgiveness. He wants to give you not just forgiveness but HIMSELF.

Stunned that I love him~T

GRACE is GREATER THAN sin and WAY MORE AWESOMER!!!!

2009-08-27T10:17:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD, (Thats not just a catch phrase Its true. Fellowship with God thru His Son Jesus is mindboggling. INCREDIBLE PEACE!!!!!!! A few miles stones to note. Yesterday was my wife and I's 20th year anniversary, THATS AMAZING if you knew me before I was a believer, Lets just say that I would not be writing those words as an unsaved person. So I take a deep DRINK in the place I find myself and say, GOD IS GOOD!!!!!!!!! Also, today my oldest daughter leaves for college.... Wow unbelievable!!!!!!!! Hug your little ones today because tomorrow will come real fast. I want to post a few images I found in my files of some caricatures. Gotta run, things are really crazy right now. The Book is out today or tomorrow and I'm convinced that I act like the moon on a my best day, oh to be humble. Resting ~T

EVEN THE WINDS AND THE WAVES OBEY JESUS!!!!

2009-08-24T08:07:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! Hope everyone is well. Crazy busy weeks right now. The Book launches this week, FOOL MOON RISING. And My daughter is going off to College, plus thankfully work is happening. I must be brief today. The job I'm positng is the cover I did last week for the Standard. The idea is the sinking ship of Obama care. WAY TOO MUCH FUN, I love drawing Pelosi!!!!!!!!!!! I've enclosed the Art directors sketch which is done in black ink and my rough and the the final. Gotta run. Held by GRACE! God bless you~T

May the Farce be with HUE!

2009-08-10T15:04:00.003-05:00

GREEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, This is rare for me, two posts in one day. I just found this and wanted to post it. Its an underpainting of Lucas I did a couple years ago. I still like it and just wanted to show the simplicity of the under-painting (although my underpaintings now are a lot more interesting... more paint is thrown). Also just a reminder that I am going to be teaching online Dutch flemish oils painting dealing with the portrait. The class should be ready in the next few months. Schoolism is the place, click on the link to the right. I am hoping to break down the process and demystify it. My favorite part of the whole painting process is the underpainting, it's where you live or die. Gotta run. Truly~T

Because of what is made He is SEEN and UNDERSTOOD! Romans 1:18-20

2009-08-10T10:11:00.015-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you are well and that life isn't kickin your butt. Life is intense and fears can shake our souls. I'm grateful I'm not alone. Jesus calmed the storms and calms the storms of life now. Today I'm posting something very foreign to me, LANDSCAPES. They are really fun to learn and "learn" is where I am in the landscape thingy. I don't have alot of time but when I get away on vacation I get up early while my little ones are sleeping and enjoy the fresh morning glory and paint and trace the AWESOMENESS of God with my paint brush. Gotta run have a great day. I pray GOD would trace your life with the GLORY of HIS SON JESUS. Seeing HIm who is unseen but CLEARLY seen. ~T

DIE TO SELF AND LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!.....huh????? MORON!

2009-08-04T08:57:00.003-05:00

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. Hope all is well in your universe. I continue to be amazed that once I was blind but I have been seeing for 25 years, and not only seeing but enjoying HIM who is unseen but clearly seen.... ( I know, OXYMORON. believe me the scriptures are filled with them, God is Bizarre!!!!!) AMAZING. Things are beginning to happen in the book world, Things I can't share yet but God is doing things bigger than I could ask or think. It AWESOME to be cared for by this GRACIOUS and MERCIFUL GOD. Today just a quick post from a job I did last week for the Weekly Standard. Each time I do Obama I try something different. The idea was a "take off" of the rembrandt homer bust, (NOt Homer Simpson). Its roughly a days job and not alot of time to noodle. I look at the work I do in digital as developing. It's kinda cool to keep developing even after 26 years professionally. YOU NEVER ARRIVE. COOL. Gotta run! Cared for~T

You can KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW!

2009-07-27T06:57:00.003-05:00

Greetings Earthlings. God is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!! What a Savior!!!!!
Great day in the house of all houses yesterday. To Know Him is to love him, actually to be "known by him" is to love him.
Come to Him and be known like you have never been known, you will find rest in the storm.

Today just a quick post. I'm getting ready to spend a few days off with the family, can't wait. The job is from The Weekly Standard from last week about Uncle Sam offering cash but brass knuckles with it. Enclosed is a really rough sketch, a color alternate of the face and the final. Gotta run, Have a great day. Known~T

Moon Book lands on the WEB

2009-07-20T08:37:00.009-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD and He made a moon. Sorry Mr. Evolutionist, the moon is not an accident, it's needed and INTENTIONAL... shall we say DESIGNED? Here's man's hypothesis (aka, educated GUESS). That's right, it's a GUESS. Let's say it again, a GUESS!

Here's what National Geographic said in 2004...

National Geographic News
July 16, 2004
How did the moon form?
• How did the moon form? According to the "giant impact" theory, the young Earth had no moon. At some point in Earth's early history, a rogue planet, larger than Mars, struck the Earth in a great, glancing blow. Instantly, most of the rogue body and a sizable chunk of Earth were vaporized. The cloud rose to above 13,700 miles (22,000 kilometers) altitude, where it condensed into innumerable solid particles that orbited the Earth as they aggregated into ever larger moonlets, which eventually combined to form the moon.

Back to me...

YEP, that's the ticket. You need faith to believe that. How bout, God made the moon. It's either design or accident.

Today I'm pleased to announce the FOOL MOON RISING web site is finally up. Here's the link:

foolmoonrising.com

Fool Moon Rising is our first children's book from Crossway. Today also happens to be the 40th aniversary of the landing on the moon, very cool. Gotta run, the moon is not made of cheese and it's not a 'rogue' planet, a thing that behaves in an upredictable way. The moon exists to display the glory of God, and you exist to display His glory, too. Come to Him through the Cross. Have a great day.

Marveling at the moon ~ T

The whole package deal-Jesus

2009-07-16T11:19:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!! Man, God is good to do inside things to His people. God promises to do SOMETHING to you, a deep down inside your heart thing to you. Like come inside and live in your heart through His Spirit kind of thing. To Empower you, and give you peace and joy and hope and proof that whats going on is more than belief its a LIFE, a living. We're talking relationship. Amazing!!!!!!! I didn't know that peace was a part of the package when I prayed that night. Or that FREEEEEEEEDom was a part of the package too. Or that JOy or Peace or Hope came with the prayer. Or that I could be found in him as RIGHTEOUS in his sight, Holy and blameless. BIZARRE!!!!!!!!!!! Come to him and have Life eternal and heaven when you die. LIVE my friends now, and when you die. HE is GOOOOOOOD, He crushed his Son to prove it at the Cross!! THESE are not the words of a crazy man. I know, call me what you will, but man I've been on the other side, I know what lostness is and for 25 years I've known what being found is all about. Be found! Today I'm posting a sketch I just found of George Lucas. I've posted it already a few years ago but those new to the blog can see it without scrolling thru my messed up archives. Gotta Run. He is Real maybe thats why He's called the God of IS-REAL sorry ISRAEL~ INDWELT~T

Darkness SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-07T07:38:00.007-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAN, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD and today is proof of that!!!!!!!! 25 years ago I was drunk and high for the last time!!!!!!!!!! Think of that, In Christianese, thats FREAKIN AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What happened? Why would I want to stop? Well if you follow my blog you know what I'm about to say. Get ready, it's coming and its not an it, or a religion, or rules or regulations. What happened is the KING of the universe showed up in my life, rather He shined GLORY into a darkened heart and I saw LIGHT and GLOOOOOOOOOOOORY, MAN I SAW GLORY with new eyes. I had been seeing glory when I looked up into the night sky and all around me. We all see that glory, but this was the first time I saw glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Up to that time He was a joke and a religious figure, but on July 7th, 1984, He became GLORIOUS, real and intimate. Chains fell off, My heart was free, I arose and followed Him. To read the full story read on or click on the link to hear the testimony at my dear friend Tony Reinke's great site spurgeon.wordpress.com Look to the right of his blog and click on interview w/ Thomas Fluharty. Or here richardsibbes.com/TSS.PODCAST The podcast tracks how I became an artist and believer all into one. Gotta run we all must stand before the Throne one day and give account. You Ready? It's not a fairy tale boys. I pray He shines glory into your heart. What a GRACIOUS Savior He is. Clothed and in my right mind, sitting at the feet of JESUS~T
I did not grow up in a christian home, I actually made fun of christians. I remember asking my mother, "Mom what are we"? she'd say, "we are methodists". It really meant nothing, it had no effect on my life or hers, its like saying, I wear red conver hi-tops, big deal. So around the 8th grade I started using drugs. by the time I was 16 my life had become incredibly dark. I had a "bad trip" on the hallucinogenic known as acid and basically lost myself for a year until I was 17 and was accepted into a vocational art school for the 11th and 12th grade. Drugs became less in my life but drinking was a steady habit. Upon graduation I got accepted into the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Art school was cool and I partied pretty regularly, but it seemed to be under control. I focused every job assignment toward illustration and graduated and moved to New York for a job offer to draw comps and storyboards with a major studio. After moving to NYC my life became very dark. I gave myself to the party scene and struggled greatly with lust and pornography. GOD was nowhere in my thinking and I thought Christians were weird, enter Barb Howard (not weird, well sorta, HA!). She was a friend I knew from growing up in Ohio. She and her husband and I were best friends and would party together and play racquetball. One Christmas we got together in Ohio to party but something was different about her this time, she started telling about how Jesus had changed her life. I said, " yeah I believe in Jesus, but I am really into being cool right now, I just moved to NY and am really into fashion." Being a Christian really was strange idea to me because coming from Ohio my idea of a Christian was an amish dude with a beard and straw hat wearing a leisure suit. So thats the last thing I wanted to do. Shortly after that upon my return to NY I started getting heavier into drugs. I started using cocaine and getting high and drinking alot and became completely enslaved to pornography. So as depression started to enclose my life I started reading the Bible asking God to show me if what Barb was saying was true. Are you really there God? So after a time of reading and seeking honestly if God was real I started asking JESUS to be born again. He said we must be born again if we are to know God. We must be born of God.(HIS words. John3:3) It happened one night, I was drunk and high in Washington Square Park, in New York City. I was miserable and hopeless and went to get another beer. As I approached the street corner someone from Jews for Jesus, were handing out tracts.( little booklets about Jesus) She happened to be talking to another believer about this Jesus. I stopped, folded my arms and proceeded to ask a ton of questions. I really wanted to know this Jesus, not religion. If Jesus was real I wanted to know Him. So after my questions were answered the guy asked me if I wanted to pray and ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins and I said yes. He said "raise your hands and I'll pray for you." I thought, "What are all these people walking by going to think?"( it was 11:30 at night, middle of the summer, the streets of Greenwhich Village are packed with people) I said, " I don't care LORD, if you are really there change my life, DONT MAKE ME RELIGIOUS! After praying I opend my eyes and there were about 7 christians standing around me. One guy gave me his bible and said He was born again 3 months ago and his friends all think hes crazy. I asked them what I should read, they said the book of Matthew. I went home, interesting thing is that I never went to get that beer. I NEVER WENT TO GET THAT BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never went back to the park that night. I went home and went to bed. When I awoke something was different. I had this incredible peace I had NEVER had before, I was at rest. I was incredibly happy, the Bible started making incredible sense to me. It was the only book that was explaining to me what had just happened. It was speaking to me in incredible ways, heres an amazing verse, it says - If anyone is in Christ he will become a new creation, the old has passed away and behold all things become new. (2 Corinthians5:21). This was bizarre to me, the things I sought for peace and joy and pleasure in were now becoming lame and a great sense of conviction started overcoming me when I would indulge in lust specifically. Drugs dropped out of my life all my desires were changing and I was becoming incredibly free. My thoughts were becoming unbelievably pure. Where darkness and polluted thoughts reigned, light and purity were happening inspite of myself. At this point something else really amazing happened. I was delivered from cursing. Before I was a believer I had the filthiest mouth of any one I knew. Here's how I was delivered from cursing. My girlfriend at the time said something to me that really angered me. I was so mad I raised my middle finger and out of my mouth started to proceed the "F" word. So here I am face to face with her, my finger is raised and the F word is on my tongue. Something amazing happens at this precise moment, the word does not come out, my mouth is stopped and peace floods my body. I'm like woah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe what was happening. I was delivered from cursing in the middle of cursing. AAAMMMMMMMmazing. GOD was overcoming all my ugliness and granting me a friendship with HIMSELF thru HIS Son JESUS. Very soon I started attending Neighborhood Church in Greenwich Village, pastored by my great friend Pastor Kirk Vanderswaagh. 5 years later I met the love of my life Kristi, and we now have 5 beautiful daughters. So thats why July 7th is the greatest day of my life. My desire in sharing my testimony is not to encourage you to " join Christianity" or "join a church" so that you would have a great life free from cursing or dominating sins, but rather to come to the only GOD who has paid for all your sins and rebellion by punishing HIS Son in the place of us all. We all will stand before HIM absolutely, only in Christ can we stand forgiven. Today the picture posted is a picture of the very street corner where I was made alive, 8th st and 5th ave NYC. The picture was taken in 2004 on my 20th anniversary. GOD is good and very real. HE is infinite reality. Seek HIM while he may be found. Have a great day!!!!!!!! Fully alive~T

What are you beholding?

2009-06-30T08:01:00.008-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. To know Him is to love Him. To see Him, is to see yourself accurately. To see HIm Is to see Reality. He is seen all the time and we are all eyewitnesses of His majesty. He has made Himself known. We see that God exist's and is good in creation and thats He's creative and awesome and powerful. Those things however cannot reveal His Great Mercy and Grace and LOVE, no we must look elsewhere. THE CROSS is where God reveals He's JUST and Righteous and cannot look upon sin. Also we see He's merciful towards sinners and that He will bring sinners to Himself so that He can be enjoyed for who He is. Come to Him today and taste and see that HE IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!! Today I'm posting the Dutch/Flemish approach that I will be teaching online at Schoolism.com. My good friend Jason Seiler teaches caricature there along with a few other extremely talented artists. If you are interested go to the site and watch for my class, it should be starting sometime soon. I will be walking you through the painting techniques of the Dutch and Flemish approachin oils. We will specialize on the portrait and not caricature. ( I just thought the Gingrich images show the stages really well.) Gotta run, our book FOOL MOON RISING is out in August and the website will be up by July 14th or so. God BLess you. AMAZED I SEE and am Treasuring HIM!!!!!!!~T

Refuge in the storm!

2009-06-15T08:24:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOD. Hope all is well with you as you navigate through life. I don't know where I'd be if he had not revealed Himself to me, SUCH GRACE, SUCH GRACE!!!!!!!!!. Just a quick post today. I'm posting the cover I did last week for the Weekly Standard, Obama as the Pied Piper. This was crazy fun but crazy time involved. I wish I had a little more time to problem solve. This was no 9 hour job lots to pay attention to. An interesting thing that I've learned thru the years is to take your time on the face. I'm including a first sketch that was actually half baked,in other words it sucked! I almost went with it and then got a Hi rez of the face so that I could see more detail. Enclosed is the A.D.s sketch Gotta run God is good and knowable thru His Son Jesus. Kept in Him ~T

In Him was LIFE! And the LIFE was the LIGHT of men! (John1:4)

2009-06-02T10:35:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you are well. Just a quick post today, things are a bit hectic thankfully. What I'm posting today is creatively disgusting but artsy nonetheless. I'm sitting in church last week and notice a whitehead on my leg. I think for a moment about what it could be visually and Whamo, Rudolph comes into my mind. I draw it and proceed to show my wife who bursts out in laughter. Mind you I dont always drift in church, It was a moment. I'm also posting a painting I did of JOhn Bolton from about a year ago for the Weekly Standard in Oils. He actually bought the painting. There is a touch of Photoshop in the burst of light. I don't like it when I can see photoshop so clearly, Oh well, gotta run." I want to be a dentist!" truly~T

SAVED?..... HOW? READ On

2009-05-26T11:14:00.006-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS! Hope all is well. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. His reality and friendship is amazing. YOu can know, that you know, that you know. He has revealed Himself thru His Son Jesus, He is knowable. I love how Jesus comes to the broken hearted and troubled and the morally bankrupt i.e. those who stop trusting in themselves. At this weak moment, a cry is uttered... "SAVE ME JESUS..... if you are real COME INTO my life. I have sinned against You. You have not been treasure to me, I have treasured EVERYTHING but You. I have run away from you all my life and lived for me. I have not honored you and I have not been thankful to your obvious reality as I ought. Forgive me, save me from your just judgement and Change me. Transform my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and EMPOWER ME to LIVE FOR YOUR GLORY. Bear witness to me that you are there and that I am your child, be my Savior!" This is an amazing moment for a dead in sin sinner, WOW. At this point the prostitute is set free. The drug dealer is FREE. The drunk is now straight and LOVING IT! The HATER of GOD is now a lover of God. The troubled in mind is now at peace, sitting at the feet of Jesus and in his right mind. The list goes on and on. Power has come, Peace begins to reign and JOY overwhelms the sinner as he drinks from the fountain of life. That which he once sought to make him happy is LAME and APALLING. The Cross of Jesus which was STUPID is now Amazing and full of POWER, sad and yet full of AWE. How could the Holy one come to die for a wretch like me? How can this be? religion? NOOOOOO! JESUS. Transformation has come. Jesus has come. REALITY has come setting the sinner free. TRUE worship begins and will continue forever. Such is the new birth. Come to Him today ,Heaven or hell awaits. Whew ( this guy is intense). On a lighter note the job I'm posting today is for the Weekly Standard. They wanted me to Do Katie Couric and be mean. Because I dont have a mean bone in my body (ad nausea) I decided to just be honest. The call came in thurs night and I started it very early fri morn. I did a loose pencil sketch of her face and then everything else is digital. I started painting at 9 am and was done by 4 pm. Digital is very fast. Gotta run. Alive in the KING~T

TEACHER, REBUKE YOUR DISCIPLES!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-12T08:21:00.004-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS, GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Not alot of time to post today, my daughter is graduating on Saturday and things are crazy busy getting the house ready with my AWESOME wife Kristi and 5 daughters. To be in this family is a PURE GIFT from GOD. What He began nearly 20 years ago by giving me Kristi is beyond all I could ask or think.
If you are new to the site, the way to navigate thru the archives is to not click on the months but the titles to the right. Put your cursor on them and you will get the glove. Today what I'm posting is the cover I did last week for the Weekly Standard. What a blast to paint radical lefty professor types. I'm enclosing a few sketches of the heads that I did and then scanned them in. This is a new approach for me to go back to the traditional sketch and then scan in and then paint digitally over. This cover took about four hours to construct and about 10 to paint. Gotta run this day is GIFT. AMAZED~T

Life is a Vapor, what is your LIFE? ( James 4:14-Bible)

2009-05-05T09:44:00.005-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS Earthlings. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD. HOpe all is well. LIFE is intense but God is near. Just a quick post today. My daughter is graduating in a few days and things are hectic crazy. Where does time go? I have a question, what would you like to see me post more of? Today I'm posting a few sketches from my sketch book. I've been sketching as of late with a brown pastel and erase out for the highlights. What I like about this tonal look is life is really more about tone and not line. LINE is COOL but very difficult because it exposes your lack of ability. But tone allows more of a fine art feel, more representational, more sensitivity. BOTTOM line, sketch with what you love, pen, pastel, whatever. Gotta run, God is Good and in control~T

IT PLEASED the LORD to CRUSH HIM-ISAIAH 53

2009-04-10T07:53:00.004-05:00

Greetings Earthlings. God is GOOOOOOOOOOD and today is proof of that. Today is Good Friday. How do I wrap my formerly drug-numbed mind around a dying Savior who is the God-man, leaving the Throne of Glory in heaven, to die for a former rebellious, God belittling, Jesus mocker like me? Answer????.... I can't! I'll never wrap my mind around it. I'm not supposed to. It's not of this world. I can't fully understand the Cross of Jesus. Something needs to happen to me. God must do something TO me!!!!!!!!!! He must do something deep within, REALLY deep within, like INTO my heart kinda stuff. Fact believing is fine and necessary, but God promises a deep inside work will begin as we call on His Son. Here's what he says He will do. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness will shine in my darkened heart. The Bible says He will shine GLORY into my heart, and I will see who He is in the face of His son Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:6). And when that moment happens, I will know that He is real, and that I'm a huge sinner, and that He's an AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING SAVIOR! And that Good Friday is both awful and good at the same time. Jesus really did die for us and rose again and is alive forevermore. Death is beaten. There is a Resurrection for all, and with it judgment for all. Serious stuff for sure, but hope for those who come to Him for forgiveness. Today I'm posting some images from the greatest painter of the Lord Jesus that ever lived, Carl Bloch. This dude could paint and draw. Gotta run. It's a good day but Sunday's coming!!!!! I'll never be the same again. He LIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES!!!!!!~T

PEACE IS A PERSON, HIS NAME IS JESUS!!!!!!!!

2009-03-27T08:05:00.008-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. PRAISE GOD FOR WHO HE IS!!!!!!!!!!!! God is good and heres an amazing fact for those who walk with Jesus. YOU WILL HAVE PEACE. Peace inside, deep like a river and ASSURANCE of WHO HE is. It's not just believing facts or "hope so" bible clutching, but a DEEP, INSIDE, "GOD bearing witness with you" PEACE in this life. AMAZING, weird and true for sure!!!!!!!! HE lives, I ain't makin' this up or imagining this peace. YOu don't IMAGINE PEACE!!!!!!!!! I've NEVER been the same since the night almost 25 years ago. Jesus IS real and He died for your sins come to Him today and meet the RISEN Lord and know him as Savior and PRINCE of PEACE. You will not be disappointed. You know you want peace, well He's it. Today I'm finally allowed to post the cover of the book for Crossway thats coming out August 27th 2009. COOOOOOL!!!!!!!!! The book's called FOOL MOON RISING. It's a childrens book about the moon to teach humility to children.The moon plays the fool when boasting about his "super powers" that really turn out to be the Suns ( He has nothing he hasn't received from the Sun. likewise you and I have received everything we have from God, Why do we boast?) God have mercy on our souls. The book is painted traditionally in oils and every image is a double page spread inside. We will have a website devoted to the book. You can pre-order it now on Amazon or bookstores in August. Gotta run I'll talk more about it later. Because He lives I LOVE HIM~T

Come LET US REASON TOGETHER, tho your sins are red they shall be as white as snow!!!!!!!!!!! Isaiah 1:18

2009-03-24T09:54:00.006-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS!!!!!!! Hope all is well. God is GOOOOOOOOOD and continues to speak into my life. AUDIBLY?????? Nope, I'm not hearing voices (YET) and I'm not CRAAAAAAAAZY( never). Just clothed in the Righteousness of Christ and in my right mind sitting at the Feet of INFINITE reality , namely JESUS. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's how you can hear God everyday, read His word the Bible, ever done it? Try it. A good place to start is the book of John in the New Testament. John is a book that talks about Who jesus is and who you are, and your destiny. Heres what Jesus said and I say this to warn you. You either have Him as your Savior or the wrath of a HOLY God awaits you. SERIOUS stuff I know, but you do need to know this reality. Come to Him today and find Him gracious and GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. YOu need not stand before Him condemned, He died to bring sinners to HIMSELF.NUFF SAID!
Today I'm posting an image I did for the Weekly Standard from last week and the A.D.'s sketch. The image is about Obama's pastor trying to negotiate with the Taliban, In a word taken from Wesley in the Princess Bride when he was trying to be tricked by Vizziny "It wont work" you cannot negotiate with terrorists.
Things are busy thankfully and I'm almost done with the book for Crossway. the release date is august 27th 2009. I can't post anything yet but its really looking COOOOOOOL. Gotta run, HE LIVES THEREFORE I LIVES~T

HADDON

2009-03-13T09:18:00.007-05:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD. Hope you are well. Just a quick post today. Today I'm posting a quick sketch I did of my pastors son Haddon. What a great little guy Haddon is. He's named after the great preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, from the late 1800's. My deepest apologies to to Rick and Delaine and especially Haddon because this sketch looks NOTHING like him. I was just captured by the power of his face. I love the structure of his face in this picture, the roundness, The expression, and the eyes and that pout. The sketch is actually just a study in under 20 minutes. My main motive for the sketch was not an exact likeness, but rather to capture what I saw in the photo. Sometimes when we don't really try to capture a likeness but go for power we loosen up and a certain beauty happens. Try it sometime. Gotta run. HE'S ALIVE.~T

SINNER WHEREFORE ART THOU?

2009-03-10T10:34:00.003-05:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats a massive understatement!!!!! How does a sinner come to love God? To care about him? To think about Him non-stop, let alone to have overwhelming joy in who He is and not in circumstances???????????? AMAZING reality that a meth addict can go free and the drunk never drink and the hopeless find hope. How does this happen? GRACE, thats how , Gods kindness to undeserving sinners. Gods is so kind to reveal Himself to helpless sinners who cry out for forgiveness. Jesus died to bring us to God, He is the only way to God. We all will stand before Him and confess His name, are you ready? Come to Him today! INCREDIBLE. Things are busy right now finishing up the book which I can't post. Today I'm posting the Weekly Standard I did two weeks ago of Obama as a proud Hamlet.It was supposed to be a cover, it ran as an inside page. Gotta run. Have a great day, HE LIVES therefore I LIVE!!!!!~T

FLU'S Studio (continued)

2009-02-17T12:20:00.002-06:00

Greeting earthlings Heres a few more close ups of the studio. God bless you ~T

FLU's Studio~WELCOME

2009-02-17T11:44:00.004-06:00

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD and His reality blows me away. He is real and knowable only in HIs Son JESUS. Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been working on the book that will publish in the fall of this year and can't post anything, BUT .....I did want to invite you into the studio. So have a look around. I love looking at other artists studios so enjoy. a few things to highlight. Above my copy machine is a painting by my good buddy Roberto Parada of Ellen Degeneres. Up above that painting is my Great buddy Gary Locke and HIs masterfully silly spoofy "Stupid Cupid". Please note the original KGB hat I picked up in RUSSIA when my lovely wife and I were in Russia to adopt our daughter. Also above my desk is a print by the great artist Paul Detlefsen. And I need to make a disclaimer, All the work you see thats mine and framed is not because I love my work so much that I had to frame it but rather its only framed because it made it into a show. God Bless you. In Him because of HIS DOING~T

BEFORE I FORMED YOU IN THE WOMB I KNEW YOU!!!!! (Jeremiah 1:5)

2009-01-22T11:14:00.006-06:00

Greetings earthlings. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOD and His Glory and reality are clearly seen and understood by all, so that we are ALL without excuse. AMAZING. I just wanted to post some quick snaps of GLORY from my neighborhood. Probably by far one of the most beautiful mornings I can remember. Frost has blanketed everything and in the process screams, "HE IS AWESOME, and HE is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!" Beauty exists and these snaps are reflected beauty, just a shadow of just how beautiful JESUS is. Today is also National Right to LIFE day. January 22, 1973, was the day Abortion laws were struck down, no longer protecting the child inside the womb. Precious little babies are killed in the womb everyday by abortion as we humans face very complicated situations in crisis pregnancies. I DON'T cast condemnation on anyone who has chosen abortion to solve their crisis situation. Come to God and find rest and forgiveness. He is the only answer to who we are. Gotta run. Under the CROSS of Christ~T

And I WILL GIVE YOU A "NEW HEART"( Ezekiel 36:26)

2009-01-12T11:24:00.006-06:00

GREEEEEEEEETINGS EARTHLINGS. I hope all is well. God is good. Following Jesus is really an amazing thing. Once He opens your eyes, you follow after HIM. And by His grace abandon everything that once defined you. I am considered a fool to some for declaring HIs reality. I am looked upon as strange or religious or a nutcase because He consumes my being. Im ok with that. I was thinking last week, Why would anyone claim to know him personally? Or why would someone dare to say I love HIm?
Crazy yes. Actually before I was saved I looked at those people as glazed over and outta their minds. Scary if you will. I understand the other side. I've been lost prior to being found and I know how dark darkness is. So to answer my question as to why would anyone in their "right mind" be a JESUS lover ? Heres why. Simply because He IS. He really is ALIVE. And He really is God. And He really did die for me and rise again. But its more than an acknowledgement of the facts, He has done something TO me and Hes doing "inside things" to those who would have Him. He doesnt just leave you to believing facts, He fills you with His presence by the HOLY SPIRIT and overwhelms you with who HE is. Everyone I know who has met the living Christ in this way all say the same exact thing... JESUS is LORD!!!!! amazing. Love for God then flows and relationship and transformation and lasting PEACE and HOPE begin as the Bible comes alive. Come to HIm and fall at his feet. He is real. Today Im posting this weeks cover of the WEEKLY Standard. This cover was a blast but very complicated. To design the cover you have to make room for the type, the mailing label, etc so its sorta like an upside down L shape. Oh and make it a circus with Obama and Hillary and two others. such is the cover, let the problem solving begin. The cover is all digital and I sketched it wed night, revised it Thursday, painted 5 hours thurs night and 8 hours on fri. Im actually shocked how fast digital painting is. This cover would have taken me 50 hours to paint in oils which would be my preference. I'm also including a few snaps I took and the a.d.'s sketch and a previous first sketch. God bless you. JESUS LIVES~T

Jesus is the ONLY HOPE!!!!!!!!

2009-01-07T11:56:00.003-06:00

Greetings Earthlings!!!!!!!! GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD and very real. Hope you are well, HAPPY NEW YEAR. Hope your holidays were good. Sorry for the lack of posts, too many things happening. Thanks for the encouragement to show more paintings. I totally agree that paintings are "the cool thing" on the blog.( one of my favorite images to post are underpaintings). A friend of mine just said He misses my paintbrush. I agree. I am painting daily right now because the Childrens book is due April 5th for Crossway. It's a book my wife Kristi and I wrote about the MOON. I will eventually show those paintings once the book comes out in the fall, LORD willing. There will be a website so that you can purchase the book and find out alittle bit about the book and us. After April I am planning some paintings that I hope to post. Im showing a few sketches I did during the holidays.Have a great day. Jesus lives~T

Come to me all you who are POOR!...JESUS

2008-11-24T12:04:00.004-06:00

GREEETINGS EARTHLINGS. GOD IS GOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not alot of time to post but I wanted to put up last weeks job from The Weekly Standard. The Image was about JOurnalist's and Pchalk (the A.D) wanted a depression-era looking journalist. the turn around time any more on editorial work is crazy so Oil paintings have to be reserved for specific work. Sorry all you painters. I'm posting Pchalks sketch and my sketch and final, plus a snap of me doing the pose for folds. Gotta run. Life is about HIm who came and lived and died and ROSE again. Death is not the end only the beginning. JESUS ROSE from the dead and because of HIM there is no sin or struggle too great for HIm to overcome. Come to this AMAZING SAVIOR today and taste hope. There is hope in none other. have a great day~T

When you WIPEOUT "I WILL BE WITH YOU"~JESUS

2008-11-10T09:04:00.006-06:00

Greetings Earthlings. GOD IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! HOpe all is well. Life is intense and full of unsurety 'cept for one thing, Jesus is real!!!!!!! Rest is deep within my soul in spite of circumstances and the economy. MAN O MAN WHAT WOULD I DO IF HE HAD NOT PUT HIS LIFE WITHIN ME? He can be known, HE has made himself known at the Cross. Come to him today and He will give you rest Namely HIMSELF. Read His word the Bible,ever done that? Read the book of JOHN, See who He is in his word. you will find Him.
Today, I'm posting a cover for the Weekly Standard I did last week. Its pretty self explanatory. What a blast, its all digital and the more I do digitally the faster I work. A style is starting to emerge. You cant "make-up" a style its a series of moves that reoccur as you do something repetitively. I'm actually marveling at how little time is necessary to create a piece as compared to OILS. This piece took me about 6 hours to render. It would have taken me close to thirty with oils. Amazing. Gotta run Im including a few sketches I scribbled in ink and then scanned in. I dragged the ink sketch in and started painting right on top of it, letting some sketch lines show underneath.Im also enclosing the wave snap that inspired me with the Image. Have a great day ! God is there and is NOT on VACATION. He is intimately acquainted with all our ways the Bible says. SEEK HIM thru HIS SON JESUS~ rescued~T