American Bison - Echos of the Past

The American Bison is a true original and its image takes us back to a seldom remembered past when they roamed freely over the land prior to their decimation at the hands of man.    I tired to capture the simple beauty, strength and majesty of this truly magnificent animal.

 

Colored pencil drawings of American Bison ~ 3x5 inches ~ Black border added using Paint Shop Pro ©Maleko 2011

Out of the Black

 "Out of the Black in Pink" 

(Colored pencil drawing of a horse silhouette on black paper, 

3 x 4 1/2 inches, with a Paint Shop Pro border added. ©Maleko 2011)

My hope is to show that light can be found in the darkest of places if we only look, for the light always dispels the darkness. The simple silhoutte of a horses head emerges from the dark background, showing just a glimpse of the color and beauty that the darkness so often attempts to hide.

 "Out of the Black in Yellow" 

(Colored pencil drawing of a horse silhouette on black paper, 

3 x 4 1/2 inches, with a Paint Shop Pro border added. ©Maleko 2011 )

God's Majestic Silence

"Blue Mountains"  Photograph NW Oregon

© Maleko 2011

Within the silence, that often surrounds

Truth is heard and grace abounds

Within faith's glow, living waters flow

Souls are stilled, empty vessels filled

Answers to prayers, float silently down

God's majestic silence, is all around

~ © Maleko 2011

  


 (This is a companion to a previous post on The Silence of God originally posted on May 15, 2011.  The above post follows the predictions of some that on Saturday, May 21, 2011, God would rapture His church, which did not occur, as the bible states no man can know the day or the hour.  It occurred to me that we still have the voice of God in the silence and His promises which He will fulfill to those who remain faithful to the end.  ~M) 
 

Majestic Red

                                                      

 "Majestic Red" Colored pencil drawing 11x14 (borders added using Paint Shop Pro)

Maleko ©2011

  

If you are interested in purchasing originals, prints or licensing my work please contact me at malekoarts@aol.com.  To download a price list for prints click here Printable Price List or visit the PriceList Page on the blog.  Thanks ~M

The Silence of God

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. Psalm 62:5 NAS

When we experience 'silence' from God we may doubt our faith and even the existence of God.  We believe the silence signifies a negative experience.  We pray, we listen and hear nothing but silence in response to our pleas.  We yearn for an audible voice to break the silence, to calm our growing fears.

But, does God actually speak loudest in His silence?

God does speak of His everlasting love, faithfulness, power, gentleness, compassion, sacrifice, righteousness and grace.   To hear that still small voice, we must quiet ourselves, remain still and listen with more than just our ears for God's grace to be unveiled.

'July Rainbow Over SE Alaska'  

© Maleko 2011

God's voice may be found in...

• The rising & setting of the sun
• A snow capped mountain range
• Clouds floating across the sky
• A bird soaring high overhead
• The delicateness of a butterfly's wings
• A colorful rainbow after the rain

We tell ourselves God is silent, but He is not.  We equate this perceived silence as His disappointment in our lives and nothing could be further from the truth as He daily shares His wondrous creation with us daily.

When God seems silent and distant my desire is remain there, to be captured by Him.

As I grow restless in the silence, as thoughts arise that I must seek the answers elsewhere.  I remember Peter's response to Jesus when asked in the sixth chapter of John if he wanted to go away also.  Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life."

The answers are found nowhere else; so I rest, 

captured within the silence of God.

Adobe Dance

"Adobe Dance"  Colored pencil drawing  11x14 (borders added using Paint Shop Pro)

Maleko ©2011

If you are interested in purchasing originals, prints or licensing my work please contact me at malekoarts@aol.com.  To download a price list for prints click here Printable Price List or visit the Price List Page on the blog.  Thanks ~M

A Mother's Transcendence

"A Mother's Transcendence" written by Maleko ©2011

“Alaskan Wildflower” photograph by Maleko ©2009

To My Mom - Thank you for doing all these things and so much more for our family

To My Wife - Thank you for being this kind of mother to our daughter, I admire who you are and are becoming

I love you both, Happy Mother's Day 2011!!!

"Lost in Illusion"

I stumbled across the first stanza below, written in my journal in November of 2003, 10 years after the death of a loved one as I still struggled and tried to ignore the pain.  It struck me how the grief had and continues to color and impact everything I was and did, everything I am and do.  Over the past 8 years I have made strides to deal with my loss and to right the ship on this journey called life. Thus, I have written a concluding stanza below, remembering our experiences make us who we are.

Lost in illusion, inside my head

Faking a smile, while feeling dead

Voices that scream, make not a sound

Feeling alone, with everyone around

Cloaked in blackness, a hidden heart

Do I trust God? Willing to do my part?

Memories may fade, but sadness remains

Hope for tomorrow, choked by the pain

Lost in illusion, that the enemy creates

What good is a life, so goes the debate

Others encourage, the words unheard

The journey continues, however absurd

The light is there, but makes not a sound

I do trust God, As I fall  face down

The memories remain, and the heart cries

But hope for tomorrow, is not a lie

©Maleko 2011

"Hiding Within" (The Shadow Series)

"Hiding Within" Colored Pencil Drawing 14x16 inches

Maleko © 2011

I tried to show the interplay of shapes as three horses meld to appear as one image, even as if the larger horse is thinking of two other horses as their location is close to the brain, thus "Hiding Within".

The above drawing was left without a border & I like how the horses emerge from the paper seeming to appear & hang in space.  In the below image a border was added using Paint Shop Pro.

"Hiding Within" Colored Pencil Drawing 14x16 inches, with Paint Shop Pro added border

Maleko © 2011

3 Easy Steps .....

Away From the Light & Into the Darkness.  I have come to see 3 easy steps that we may succumb to every day in deceiving ourselves, which quickly lead us away from light and into darkness.  These acts most often seem to occur almost unconsciously and quickly as we fail to follow the truth, which regularly results in broken fellowship, hurt and grief.  

"Wings in the Dark"  Watercolors & Pastels/PaintShopPro  
©Maleko 2011

1- Rationalization of the act - telling ourselves it will be okay and it is just this once so why not?

But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,  ~Mark 2:6

2- Justification of the impact- everyone is doing it and nobody gets hurt so what is the big deal?

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts ; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God. ~Luke 16:15

3 - Expectation of the outcome - that this is the way it is and there is nothing else, no eternal truth or judgement, right?

The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. ~Proverbs 11:23

However, within the darkness there is a light, there is redemption, forgiveness and a rescue from our pain. But we must make a conscious choice to turn from our own plans for making life work and be willing to believe in the grace that is offered freely through Jesus Christ; the way, the truth and the life.

(All scriptures references were found at Bible Study Tools and are from the New American Standard Bible translation.)

Horse Prints Available from Original Art

The following images are originals using various media including watercolors (brush & pencils), ink washes, soft pastels, colored pencils, crayons and markers. View the blog price list page here - Price List or click the left page tab above.

Note - all rights are reserved and images are the exclusive copyright of MalekoArts © 2011

 

  

More designs are available or email me at malekoarts@aol.com if you are interested in commissioning a work.   To to download the current price list for prints and mats, click here Price List or visit the Price List Page on the blog.  All prints are reproduced on high quality paper and are ready and suitable for framing with matting available.  Shipping costs vary based on quantities and sizes order.   Thanks for looking!  Visit our on-line store at MalekoArts to view other works of art and merchandise that is available for purchase.  Thanks ~M