Journal

新世界の弟子たち by desert sand feels warm at night

January was actually a pretty productive month. I’m trying to keep up the pace, I don’t want to end the year completely disappointed with how much art I made like last year. It would be the artistic equivalent of the fat lady who makes going to the gym part of her “New Year’s Resolutions” when she knows she’s going to give up after the first month.

I try so hard to contain the mess but there is no way… This was inspired by the sun that chases you around in that one Desert Level from Super Mario World 2, the one on the Game Boy Advance where Mario wears a tanuki/raccoon dog costume and can fly.

Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains.

This 9″ x 12″ acrylic painting on canvas is inspired by the conjuration of fire from the Lesser Key of Solomon, a famous 17th-century grimoire on demonology and ceremonial magic. The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as Lemegeton, is a collection of texts detailing rituals for summoning and commanding spirits, often associated with occult traditions. The conjuration of fire specifically invokes elemental forces, symbolizing transformation, power, and spiritual illumination.

I CONJURE thee, O fire, by him who made thee and all other creatures for good in the world, that thou torment, burn, and consume this Spirit N., for everlasting. I condemn thee, thou Spirit N., because thou art disobedient and obeyest not my commandment, nor keepest the precepts of the LORD THY GOD, neither wilt thou obey me nor mine invocations, having thereby called thee forth, 1, who am the servant of the MOST HIGH AND IMPERIAL LORD GOD OF HOSTS, IEHOVAH, I who am dignified and fortified by His celestial power and permission, and yet thou comest not to answer these my propositions here made unto thee. For the which thine averseness and contempt thou art guilty of great disobedience and rebellion, and therefore shall I excommunicate thee, and destroy thy name and seal, the which I have enclosed in this box; and shall burn thee in the immortal fire and bury thee in immortal oblivion; unless thou immediately come and appear visibly and affably, friendly and courteously here unto me before this Circle, in this triangle, in a form comely and fair, and in no wise terrible, hurtful, or frightful to me or any other creature whatsoever upon the face of earth. And thou shalt make rational answers unto my requests, and perform all my desires in all things, that I shall make unto thee.

“To come to the end of a time of anxiety and fear! To feel the cloud that hung over us lift and disperse—the cloud that dulled the heart and made happiness no more than a memory! This at least is one joy that must have been known by almost every living creature.” — Richard Adams, ‘Watership Down’

Kowloon Walled City (Chinese: 九龍寨城) was an extremely densely populated and largely lawless enclave within the boundaries of Kowloon City, British Hong Kong. Built as an imperial Chinese military fort, the walled city became a de jure enclave after the New Territories were leased to the United Kingdom in 1898. Its population increased dramatically after the end of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II, attracting mostly refugees fleeing the renewed Chinese Civil War.

Children of impotent revolt shall never rise up again.