sometimes I don't realize that I'm talking to myself.

I think we all possess, aware of it or not, an instinctive desire to create. And not necessarily to create for creation’s sake, but as a way to discover who we are. When we create -- be it paintings, poems, buildings, bread, metaphysical theories, or music -- each stroke of our pencil (or what have you) is actually an enchanting attempt to transform fleeting glimpses of the subconscious into tangible things that we can see or hold and say, “This is a part of who I am; this is me!”

When we stifle this need, we are depriving ourselves of… well, ourselves. We can’t cling on to that old excuse; “I won’t be any good at it, so I might as well not even try.” If you feel you must create, then you must create. You must create without the uninspired eyes of a critic and instead with the hungry binoculars of an explorer.

Probe the vast oceans of your soul and search for those answers that belong to questions you never knew existed. Toss aside the preoccupation with perfection and just dive into it with the spirit of a toddler leaping into a McDonald's ball pit. In the end, it’s not about the creation, but the creating.


peace.
-lise.

mad rush.

the world keeps spinning
and everything seems to be
in a mad rush.
I keep watching, seeing, missing.
slow down! I plead,
there is too much beauty
to behold in a single spin.
I need a freeze frame; a suspended sky.
in a dream it paused for me
and I stared, confused.
the splendor had faded away.
I awoke the next day
stretching, stifling a yawn,
my eyes boring holes
in the ceiling, and in the walls.
perhaps the beauty was in the mad rush,
after all.


peace.
-lise.

lost at sea.

peace.
-lise.

tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed.

 Just a quick doodle, drawn in a fit of caffeine rage to this Modest Mouse song:

peace.
-lise.

heartbeats.

peace.
-lise.

that final taste before you're taken away.

peace.
-lise.

my sister should work for hallmark.

While visiting home for the weekend, I came across an old handmade card that was given to me by my sister after I first got glasses. It was quite the humorous find, and I felt it deserved a larger audience. Keep in mind that I got glasses in eighth grade, and that my sister is two years older than me (although her grammar may not suggest so).




front

inside

peace.
-lise.

lamplight gardens.

a forest of golden bulbs aglow in my night,
each fleck so small, yet how they flood the abyss!
the palmate rays affix a whiskered kiss
upon my wistful soul, and like a match
this simple act ignites my candled heart.
how can something so intangible burn so bright?




peace.
-lise.

just a box in a cage.

If one's "essence", if you will, is contained within a physical body, which in turn is contained within a building or room (assuming the physical body is currently inside, reading blogs), and the building is contained within the Earth's realm by the ozone and other such atmospheric layers, and the Earth is contained in space by the nature of gravity and the laws of the universe, can one's essence ever be truly free?




peace.
-lise.

some old, some new; consoled by the view.

peace.
-lise.

passerby.

whilst walking I chance upon a passerby
and within each eye I see a story;
deep folds of tragedies and comedies.
I walk pass, and they walk by

and I bid adieu to all those lines I never read.
but I know they’re there, they always are.
just in a different language, or order, or rhyme.
but I always wonder: can they see mine?

peace.
-lise.

meta morphin'.

We change every day. Usually the changes are so small and so gradual that they escape our notice. But they still happen. Despite this, though, I have always felt as though there is something intangible in us that remains fixed; unchangeable. And no matter how much we evolve and grow... we are essentially the same. What is this stationary quality in each of us?

peace.
-lise.

w/e.

Yo Stephanie Meyer, I'm really happy for you and I'mma let you finish, BUT HARRY POTTER IS THE BEST CONTEMPORARY MAGIC-BASED BOOK SERIES OF ALL TIME.

(from here.)




peace.
-lise.

the skin within.

our skins collect memories like shelves collect dust
each layer, a story; each layer, more rust.

new chapters are plastered by the laminate masters
they deftly craft you, a breathing chef-d'oeuvre.
marbled with moments of love and of beauty,
painted with pictures of doubt and suspense.
speckled with scriptures and spider-webbed lies,
whiskered with seconds of hellos and goodbyes.
our lives are all written, too often we find,
with verses and stanzas of the most sesquipedalian kind.
the layers continue, each concealing the last;
though we cannot erase the present or past.
but if we could wipe it all clean, no more dirt or debris;
then what could be seen, and who would we be?

peace.
-lise.

raindrops & vein tops.

peace.
-lise.

a train of thought that ran off the rails.

Humans have eyes that see the world. They can see colors, shapes, and textures. Other animals also have eyes that see the world. And they can also see colors, shapes, and textures; but not in the same way that humans see them. Dogs, dolphins, doves; each have their own unique vision.

The tiny fraction of the light spectrum that can be seen by human eyes is labeled the "visible spectrum". But many animals cannot see all of the wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum, and many more can see outside of the spectrum visible to us.

So who is to say that a human's vision is the "correct" one? Simply put, there are many ways to see the world. None of them are right. None of them are wrong. They are just different. The world cannot be viewed upon without biased eyes.

Oftentimes, we find our own way of seeing the world so astoundingly beautiful that we yearn to show others this beauty; yearn to have them see the same world that we do.

But we forget that this usually cannot work; not because the person is unwilling to view the certain beauty, but because the person is unable to view it. They do not possess eyes with the same sight bias. They possess their own bias. And neither sight is wrong. But neither sight can see the Truth.

Opening your mind is the best way to open your eyes. I have to remind myself occasionally to acknowledge my own sight bias, but I never forget to appreciate the beauty that can be seen within my own "visible spectrum".

So then, what would the world look like if it were possible to view the Truth? Well, I suppose that remains to be seen. [Pun intended.]

peace.
-lise.

watercolors/whatarecolors.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"Lise, those watercolor paintings required zero talent. A baby could have done them."

WRONG. A baby would have eaten the paint and died, rendering him/her unable to finish said paintings.

Lise: 1, Babies: 0.

However, on the off chance that you were instead thinking:

"Lise, those watercolor paintings required zero talent. A dog could have done them."

You would be RIGHT! Well, at least sort of right. My Aussie helped me paint the third one. (You can see his paw prints if you look closely.) AND he is smart enough to know that paint is not to be eaten.

Lise: 1, Dogs: 1, Babies: 0.

However, babies are the only ones who don't have to worry about where they go to the bathroom, so I guess it all evens out in the end.


peace.
-lise.

thank you, daniel gardner!

I think this book just saved my life.

I would love to give a twenty page review about it, but I feel as if nothing I say could do it any amount of the justice it so very deserves. My advice to you: read it.


peace.
-lise.

the half blood prince.

As I am sure you are aware [unless you happen to be a troll or live under a Crumple-Horned Snorkack], the sixth part of J. K. Rowling's magical series arrived tonight, at midnight, in its much condensed - but perhaps as evenly anticipated - movie version.

Since the sixth book remains my second favorite of the seven, behind only the Prisoner of Azkaban, I felt it fitting that I should leave a short excerpt from the wondrous book who's animated twin comes to screen today. Enjoy!

"I believed him finished. I am not proud of it, I was wrong, but there it is... If he had not forgiven we who lost faith at that time, he would have very few followers left." [said Snape]

"He'd have me! said Bellatrix passionately. "I, who spent many years in Azkaban for him!"

"Yes, indeed, most admirable," said Snape in a bored voice. "Of course, you weren't a lot of use to him in prison, but the gesture was undoubtedly fine -- "

"Gesture!" she shrieked; in her fury she looked slightly mad. "While I endured the dementors, you remained at Hogwarts, comfortably playing Dumbledore's pet!"

"Not quite," said Snape calmly. "He wouldn't give me the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, you know."

I cannot even contain my excitement at the thought of Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter portraying these characters in the newest movie. Though, my celebrity crush on the endlessly talented Mr. Rickman might play a part in this unbridled enthusiasm, now that I think about it...


peace.
-lise.

smile like you mean it.

"catfish smile"

Because, hey, even bottom-feeders have some fun once in a while. You know, playing red rover and duck duck fish. Good old-fashioned benthic zone amusement.

peace.
-lise.

notte sento.

I love this Italian short film.

peace.
-lise.

let sleeping dogs lie.

Lately my dog has developed a strong affection for the foot of my bed. And I have maintained a strong affection for the rest of my bed.

Hope your summer is going well :)

peace.
-lise.

escaping the grey area hysteria.

Dreaming in Color

The winding, weaving greys of truth
Ensnare me within their eternal tangle.
Blinded in the haze of insipid deception;
Paralyzed in the blaze of periphrastic perception;
I've been lost in this merciless maze since conception.
Formerly betrayed by the rays of gilded reality,
I now thread instead with the seams of fervid dreams,
And inhale the rich woven whispers of willful illusion
As truth’s beginning is born from truth’s conclusion.

peace.
-lise.

third planet.

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
~ Leo Tolstoy

If we all did a little bit each day to help out the third planet, it would be a better world. So why don't you get off the computer and go eat some organic trailmix or something.

peace.
-lise.

ocean breathes salty.

peace.
-lise.

beta carotene.

peace.
-lise.

an end has a start.

I haven't put any sketches on here in a while, so I thought I'd show you what I'm working on right now. Is it cheating to show you only an unfinished drawing? Eh, maybe. But sometimes the transition of a blank page to a final product is more interesting anyway.


peace.
-lise.

the world at large.

Sometimes the world can seem like an intimidating place. The vastness of it all can make you feel pretty insignificant. But, just think - it gives you so much room to spread your wings. So much room to fly. It just takes a small leap of faith on your part.


peace.
-lise.

colorblind.

peace.
-lise.