Piers Anthony – on ‘Life’

I was looking through my old notes and documents for a piece of music I wrote years ago. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but discovered this instead — something I wrote on a piece of scrap paper more than 15 years ago. It was Piers Anthony’s preface/ introduction in his 1982 novel, “On A Pale Horse”. I must have been around 16 or so when I read it. It made such an immediate impression that I had to write it down, for prosperity if you will:

“… To try to hang on to one particular section of life is foolish, it can’t be done, and if it could be done, it would not be worthwhile. Change is much of the essence of life. Death is the final change. We cannot hold on even to a day; how, then, can we capture life itself?

Perhaps our whole awareness of individuality, of self, is an illusion. If so, it is better not to grasp unduly at that illusion, but rather to live our lives in such a manner that when we must at last lay down, we will not be ashamed.

Life has meaning only if we live for meaning.”
Piers Anthony Dillingham Jacob
May 17, 1982.
From the author’s preface to the novel, “On a pale horse” (‘Incarnations of Immortality’ series)

More about the book/ series, from: Amazon.com, and bloggers here and this one (via Technorati Tags).

Technorati Tags: life, death, meaning of life, piers anthony

Computer Arts magazine

See original review at RoughNotes.wordpress.com:

"Each issue features tutorials (six of them, all very instructional, with the main one with superb step-by-step screens and instructions), product reviews (software & hardware), a section featuring submitted works by its readers (there's an open invitation to submit your work), opinion pieces, industry news and even book reviews (related to design). The accompanying CD-ROM contains software samples and plug-ins and graphic files (for the tutorials).There's some coverage of global news but the bulk of it is on the UK design and digital art scene (it is a UK publication afterall)."

d’artiste: Digital Painting

[Originally posted at RawNotes.blogspot.com, 15 Dec 05]

If you are into computer art, computer drawing or computer graphics, then you’d love ‘Digital Painting’ featuring the works of Linda Bergkvist, John Wallin, Philip Straub and Robert Chang.

Ballistic Pub., Australia: c2004
Call No.: q750.285
ISBN: 09 750 9655 9
Click here to check for item availability.

Each of the featured artist talks about their style and techniques, where they draw their inspiration and ideas. There’s also a step-by-step tutorial where you get to see how the digital canvas is transformed into a picture.

Amazing stuff. I thought the paintings were acrylics or oils but was stunned to learn that it’s all digital.