"Technocubist Flower" by Paul Micarelli

I have been processing my large archive of abstract imagery recently. I want to share them online and create prints for exhibits & sale.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli

This image takes the geometric, angular approach of cubism & merges them with the organic form of the flower.

 "Technocubist Flower" 

by Paul Micarelli

***Buy Prints & Products With This Design***:

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:
BUY "Technocubist Flower"

Quantum Mandala #1

 GIPHY Link

I have an app called Forge of Neon that allows you to make these awesome 3D designs made of light points & trails.

As I was making one of these designs, it reminded me of a combination of patterns of quantum energy & a spiritual mandala. So, I decided to save it as a "Quantum Mandala" in both looping animated GIF format & as a video.

On the fundamental level, Reality is an infinite sea of pulsations of patterned energy. This is an attempt to visualize the beauty & intricacy of these ubiquitous energy patterns that form our world.

"Quantum Mandala #1"

by Paul Micarelli

Large Orange Fungus

In front of my parents' house, there's a stump that has grown this large & awesome-looking fungus. It is bright orange & yellow. The size and color of the array of mushrooms makes it stand out starkly against the autumn forest.

The form of this bizarre living organism was so intriguing that I took photos from a bunch of different angles, & added them into my album:

Nature Photography

by Paul Micarelli

 My hand for size!

Anakin & Padme Skywalker Costumes

This past weekend I had a booth for my business Fantasy Photos at the Autumn Fest in Pitman, NJ. It was a 2-day event, and my fiancée Loretta & I dressed up both days as Star Wars characters Anakin Skywalker & his wife Padme Amidala.

I have been growing my hair out for awhile, so I chose to go with Anakin's look from Episode III, "Revenge the Sith" before he becomes Darth Vader. We borrowed the lightsaber & a dart gun that I painted from my nephews. I added the scar over the eye & a leather glove to complete the character. My lovely partner takes her Halloween costumes seriously, & really went to town with her "Padme on Geonosis" costume. When I saw her in it, I was pleasantly surprised at her attention to detail. I thought our outfits were pretty on point.

We also went to a Halloween party over the weekend, and this photo is from the party. We took it easy, since we had to get up for the festival again the next day, but it was a lot of fun.

"Metal Melt" by Paul Micarelli

I have been busy trying to grow my custom portrait business Fantasy Photos & my freelance graphic design career as Paul Micarelli Design. I am also working for my fiancée's family, doing the marketing & promotion for their home heating oil company- 5 Star Heating Oil. Despite the feeling that I don't have nearly enough time in the day, I also want to keep my general creative spirit flowing.

By sharing my artwork, I hope to maintain this aspect of my creativity. I have a huge archive of my images that I can post & offer for sale.

This week I dropped off some prints of my abstract art to a local gallery.

One of the images was this one, that I had not uploaded to my online album yet:

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli

"Metal Melt"

by Paul Micarelli

***Buy Prints & Products With This Design***:

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Metal Melt"

 

Natural Efficiency

A link about a cool tattoo based on the Fibonacci pattern led me to this article about the mathematical efficiency of the

 ThatsMaths:

Sunflowers and Fibonacci: 

Models of Efficiency

It is a short, but informative, explanation of the unexplainable- why space & matter are organized in certain ways. The natural world follows recognizable patterns (like the Fibonacci sequence). These are describable with mathematical syntax, but are utterly indescribably in their mystery and essential beauty.

The tendency to create patterns like the Fibonacci spiral of the sunflower, or the hexagon arrangement used by bees for their hives, is one that is ingrained in the fundamental nature of reality. Trying to understand & explain these phenomena should not take away from their mystery. In fact, it should only deepen it.

On a related note... here is a design that I created, of the GOLDEN spiral. There are items with this representation of the Fibonacci spiral & golden mean available in my shop:

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

GOLDEN

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" Trailer

I woke up early this morning to see the trailer for "Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi".

 Although I think the teaser trailer was more intriguing in certain ways, this trailer definitely got me excited to see the next installment in my favorite movie series. I have to say, the music by the legendary John Williams is absolutely epic & it's edited into this trailer in a masterful way. I love the powerful music at :30s, as Rey journeys into the mystical tree to see the ancient Jedi manuscripts, then switches to a majestic version of "Jedi Steps" when she begins to move the rocks around her in meditation.

Speaking of which, I really like the concentration (pun intended) on meditative techniques, shown as Rey sits in lotus position and begins affecting her surroundings. It was also expressed in the teaser and in the mini-teaser for this trailer, with Luke instructing, "Breathe, just... breathe." I see the spiritual aspects of Star Wars as reflections of our own spiritual truths, and I am hopeful we will get Luke in the same role as Yoda, being a catalyst for the cultivation of inner awakening.

In my previous post about the teaser, I already went into detail about my thoughts of Rey's training with the now-reclusive Luke Skywalker. I suspect a more nuanced view of The Force will be explored- one that transcends the binary Light vs. Dark dynamic that drove the previous movies. There has been a lot of talk about Luke as a neutral "Grey Jedi," who recognizes the need for emotion, discipline, & morality in balance. I think this will open up a whole new vision of the mystical aspects of Star Wars for future storylines.


The island of Ahch-To, where Luke is exiled, looks to hold some fascinating secrets to the history of the Jedi and the Star Wars galaxy. Rey is going to be put through the necessary challenges & trials to ensure she can properly harness her powers. It appears that she will also experience the spiritual and intellectual awakening that accompanies such growth.

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

"Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi" Teaser

We finally see Luke speaking in this trailer, and not just hear his voice. I can't wait to see how they treat him as an older, wiser, and seemingly more cynical Jedi master. Luke seems startled & unsettled by Rey's abilities. Clearly, both he & Supreme Leader Snoke are aware of the "raw power" that this new generation of Force-wielders possess. Where Snoke probably wants to control this power for his own ends, Skywalker recognizes the danger in it.

The other new & powerful Force user is Luke's nephew Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren. He killed his own father, Han Solo, in his bid to become powerful in the Dark Side. In this trailer, they make it look like he may kill his mother, Leia, as well. However, I think this trailer was edited to be a bit misleading. I don't know if Kylo will actually destroy her, but I think he finds that he cannot do it. Maybe someone else does, which throws him through a loop. One of the cool & unexpected visual elements was Kylo's cybernetic or carbon fiber patch over his facial scar. This must be earlier in the movie, because later in the trailer it shows the scar has healed, without the futuristic wound dressing.

 

We also get to see Kylo Ren's Tie Silencer in action, and it appears that he has inherited his grandfather Anakin & his dad Han's piloting skills.

A shot we already saw in the mini-teaser was Kylo picking his lightsaber off the floor of Snoke's red throne room, with the feet of Snoke's personal Praetorian Guard in the background.

We are going to get a much better view of the Supreme Leader in this movie, and a shot shows his partially-obscured face in more detail than we've seen so far. He doesn't look alien, but appears to be a badly damaged & old human. Perhaps like Palpatine, he was sustained by the Dark Side beyond his natural lifespan, leading to his corrupted, decayed appearance. It also seems likely he was badly disfigured in a battle or incident, perhaps by Luke himself. He is wearing gold robes, and may represent the power-hungry, lavish elite that our own world is familiar with.

I think one theme of this movie will be the contrast between the simple, almost poverty-like conditions of Luke's hermitage, and the trappings of wealth & power displayed by Snoke and the rich inhabitants of the casino world of Canto Bight.

In another scene, Snoke is Force-lifting and immobilizing Rey. You can see him & his guards by his throne in the background, and when enlarging the image, it's even possible to make out the large black crystal ring that is rumored to be a focus of Dark Side power.

It is going to be interesting to learn some more about the enigmatic Snoke's background and how all these characters play into the story. Another great visual was the closeup of Captain Phasma's helmet during a battle with Finn, as the electricity from the baton reflects off the chrome mask. It looks like Phasma may be more of a threat in this movie than in 'The Force Awakens".

So, yes, after almost 40 years on this planet & having grown up watching the Star Wars saga, the trailer for a new movie can can still get me excited like I'm a kid again. It is a testament to the vision and creativity that goes into these movies, that generations of people anticipate a new chapter in a story that has its roots in all aspects of human culture and experience. I have always appreciated the elements of mythology, religion, history, and the hero quest that have been incorporated into the Star Wars universe.

I look forward to seeing the new & familiar aspects come together into another episode of the greatest movie series of all time... and in my opinion, the greatest fictional work of the modern age.

"This is NOT going to go the way you think!"

-Luke Skywalker

Byzantium 1200

Byzantium 1200

One of the amazing things that digital technology has given humanity is the ability to virtually travel through time & space.

I have posted before about the use of 3D modeling & virtual reality to reconstruct ancient cities. We are approaching the point where we will have photo-realistic, fully-populated recreations of locations that we can explore like we were really there.

Although I don't play video games anymore, the Assassin's Creed games were awesome because they let you visualize what these historic environments would have been like- better than reading about it or seeing a still picture.

I came across this website on the fascinating subreddit r/papertowns, which features drawings & reconstructions of pre-industrial cities. It is a project called Byzantium 1200 that focuses on creating a comprehensive 3D model of ancient Istanbul, Turkey.

The creators of this project also have a website with a 3D reconstruction of Babylon.

Perhaps one day, there will be something similar, or part of, Google Earth, where these virtual cities will be mapped over their actual locations & you can pick the time period you want to experience.

The Return of "Christopher Walken Stick"!

The baby walking stick who was crawling across my desk showed up again the next day. I had put him on a plant in my bedroom, but it somehow made its way downstairs in the kitchen!

I let him crawl around on my hand for a little bit. My fiancée was joking that he is our son, & I named him "Christopher Walken Stick". After getting a final picture, I took him outside and placed him back in the woods.

Nature Photography

by Paul Micarelli

Mushroom in Potting Soil

This yellow-white mushroom was growing in a potted plant. The fuzzy mycelium (or body) of the fungus is visible in the dirt.

I added these images to my photo gallery:

Nature Photography

by Paul Micarelli