On ward and outward

So I took myself and all six personalities on my first solo venture out from the resort. Found myself past Paia and hitting Baldwin and "Baby Beach". Both technically the same area but baby beach is like a natural made swimming pool from a natural wall of rock that blocks the waves from breaking the shore.

Warmed up in the kiddie area and then dove out into the open ocean. I've had my first sip of sea water since I was a little kid, and there is nothing to compare to! I don't to be so far away from this again honestly. There wasn't to much even as far out as I was. I of course followed the first rule of open ocean swimming sorta, since I was solo I stuck near some surfers and would body surf back in to shore to rest. 

The fish! THE FISH! THE FISH! The patterns and colors I assume were just a sample of what i will see when I get out onto an actual snorkel expedition. But it was so cool! The sand is white and soft until you get to the dry upper parts of the beach where the wind picks it up and shoots what feels like little bullets along any open skin >.

I picked up some select shells, alot just broken dead muscle shells since it carries that mother of pearl look on the interior. The danger of well, everything is how sharp. Coming in from one of the final outings from see I swam inbetween some big old rocks and placed my hand down to propel forward. While doing so I ran the side of my thumb along a razor sharp edge and like when you're shaving in the shower it cut through like I was butter. Gross! It also stung like no other. Lesson learned I guess.

I got a good dose of sun, maybe a little more then preferred. I can feel a ticklish tingle along my shoulders and back. So the later afternoon was spent refuging in my room watching Farscape season 4 on the comp. 

Tomorrow might be more beach time but I do need to make a trip into town for more food and to shop around and see what else Paia holds before I go anywhere else.  More to come!

What is hiding over our heads.

So yesterday was nice and lazy as well as today. Tanned, swam, went to town for some groceries. Though I should get a list made since its one of those co-op-ish off brand to expensive to justify ANYTHING kinda place and I dont really know I can make of the stuff they have. So its been some fruit and chips lately. I want to fix that abit. 

Though money is saved by eating off the trees! Which is what I do in the morning and sometimes lunch if I can find something. 

I guess the exciting thing of the day didn't really happen until 2 in the morning this morning. I had another giant delicious piece of steak and some fresh spinach. Passed out around 7 and woke around 2 to a half full moon and stars bursting out between the low hanging clouds. I thought the ocean would make me feel small but the sky, it seems bigger at night somehow. I'm told I should wait 15 days or so to witness a better view since the moon dampens the view. EXCITEMENT! 

Its 7:30 am currrently and the sun wont be potent for another few hours. Most like time to do some art and watch/listen to some morning cartoons. This is something I wish my camera could take but I had to pull it from online. This is a picture from the Hawaiian Observatory from the bigger island.

My first day.

Part of me being here is that I assist around the resort. Which is perfectly fine. I mentioned my energy can best be used around the gardens. If you didn't see the video is proof that everything on the west side of Maui is a luscious tropical paradise and truly no plant dies here. Just keeps growing and growing. 

I learned what trimming the hedges means. Cut everything but 1 branch off. I removed 2 Hibiscus trees, yes trees, because they get that huge here and two other tea trees. Mowed the front and back lawn, a true hindrance of such healthy thick grass is every 15 - 20 ft you have to stop because the blades get clogged. The sun works its craft of frying the yard once the grass was chopped, it was all brown and I was worried that I had overdone it and killed the yard! No, no no no. Here? It just rains and the next day (today) I'll notice how in vain my actions all were. 

Base tan is coming along. Yard work helped with that.

Dinner was made with parts of the garden. Fresh asparagus, spinach, corn and some amazing steak to make a simple but perfect dinner after working all day. 

Oh while mowing I stumbled upon a passion fruit that had fallen and was ready to eat. Never had one before, just had the flavor in the drinks. There is no comparison to such healthy fresh fruit though. Surprised? No. 

Not sure what plans are for today, might just get that tan going a bit further and continue drawing stuff.  Did find some new MUSIC though.

If you favor Royksopp  you might favor Miike Snow. I found I like their "Song for No One". Check them out!

Morning video

So since i arrived right around sunset and things go dark quick out here there wasn't much to record. When I awoke though I got to enjoy a slow and steady sun rise and decided to do my first little video! Enjoy the view!

On the other side of the planet!

It is true that for the time being, until Aug 20th I shall be in Haiku, Maui. 

I arrived around 6 last night (11 or so central) to sweet, thick, humid air. My gelled hair had no chance. I glanced at my reflection and it looked as if my hair was longer from the fro. 

A wavy drive along the coastline has brought me to Cliff's Edge bed and breakfast where I will stay and help out where I can while enjoying the facilities. 

Its amazing! The view from my porch is of the pacific and I can hear the waves while I go to bed. I have a nice private bathroom and large desk where I've spread out my inking supplies and have finally cracked open this hand made leather journal my friend Emily made me for my birthday a year or so back. 

Pictures are a must of course while I stay. I've taken pictures of plants and rock textures hoping to utilize them anyway possible as I make digital and hand made illustrations in the evenings. Sun goes down around 7 and its completely dark out!

A little hic-up in my travels came from the my connection flight from Mpls. to Seattle. We had around 5-10 min to get off one plane and onto the only one going out to Maui. I got on but my 1 checked bag had not. Somewhere between the pacific lays half a planes passengers bags. My toiletries and some of my chargers+ card reader (hence no photos) are still MIA. I've made pleasant due though with the pair of shorts and t-shirt I have while turning my awesome boxer briefs into my make-shift swimwear. 

I took a late night dip in the salt water pool and couldn't believe the difference! For one thing I can open my eyes underwater sorta and my skin has softened since my first swim. It was surreal as well the sensation of floating 300 ft above the ocean, looking up and seeing the moon peak out between light rain clouds that would occasionally sprinkle down and cause a cricket like orchestra when it hit the water. 

Today I'm going to try to acclimate to the time zone abit, do some yard work and most likely sun my self as much as I can while I wait for my supplies to come. This week though I plan to get down to Paia and further to get some snorkeling started. My goal is to get out 2-3 times a week to a snorkeling place! Molokini is my true goal before I go. 

Wildlife and flora is amazing. I guess thats no surprise since we have all experiences or have seen pictures. I have met a frog the size of my hand, a gecko as tiny as my pinky, 2 different species of spiders trying to trap me on my porch and a dragon fly the size of a small bird.

Speaking of birds. I awoke this morning to the sounds of the most amazing birds! Of course what is the first thing I see when I step out...

a pigeon. 

More to come. Here is the Molokini!

All Wrapped Up!

Kevin Akers Awesome site!

That is the man behind this book. Which is of 1960's gift wrap which I guess was the birth of the industry. Awesome book with alot of inspiration. Funny thing is for being so dated it also still timeless. Which is what I hope the stuff I make is going to be like. Not that disposable saddens me, as long as there's a paycheck!

Well here's the cover of the book. But check out his site and see the more recent stuff!

Ketubah this..

Wiki def.

So my first freelance job from my senior project. Hopefully a good start to a steady side job. Since people seem to want to get married in any economic climate. 

A ketubah is a form of visual representation of the marriage agreement between a Jewish man and woman. Or respectively to any two partners that want something to represent the agreement of their commitment to each other.

Here is the tradition form. Some are still made like this...

But there is now a niche almost for this kind of artwork. One that is far more expansive then I could have imagined. For some ideas and inspiration I found alot of unique and magnificent katubah's at this site

Ketubah!

On another note I'm buidling sketches and ideas to hopefully get some patterns and small projects together for portfolio use.

Along with that I have the chance to show my work to Carolrhoda publishing. It so happens there is a link between my boss and the Carol part of the Carolrhoda name. Small world. 

So tomorrow will be a day of getting a proper portfolio layout to present to them!