In October, 2012, I traveled to Puerto Rico. I'll always remember the beauty of the island, and the fantastic people that live there. I took my camera, but I'm also glad that I took my sketchbook. In a cool coincidence, one of the places I stayed at was owned by a descendant of a famous Puerto Rican artist. Coincidence...or was it? I also created some paintings of Puerto Rico when I returned from my travels, using photos I took as references. But mostly I drew from life in this sketchbook:

A palm tree in Isabela, Puerto Rico. I'm glad I remembered to take my sketchbook!

So here's a look into the sketchbook I kept when I was traveling in Puerto Rico.

SKETCHES OF OLD SAN JUAN

A lamp post in Old San Juan.

Community cats in Old San Juan.

Every morning, a man would carry a bag of kitty food on his shoulder to feed community cats.

Speaking of community cats, please support the great Old San Juan organization Save a Gato !

The maritime museum in Old San Juan.

Not a sketch, but a painting I did on my return from Puerto Rico. The Jose V. Toledo Federal Building in Old San Juan.

SHACKS BEACH

Surfers at Shacks Beach, Isabela, Puerto Rico. I was drawing with markers a lot back then.

A bird in a palm tree.

Another one that isn't a sketch--a painting of Isabela that I did when I got back.

The next you go on an adventure, consider taking a sketchbook with you. You can take your camera, too--I did. Sketching isn't necessarily better, just different--I took a lot of photos too and I'm glad that I have them! I've used a number of these photos that I took as references for paintings and drawings. But there's nothing like drawing from life in a sketchbook, like I did for example with the sketches of the surfers. It really brings you into the moment to concentrate on a life drawing, especially when as with people who are surfing the subjects are almost constantly moving. I hope you've enjoyed this look into my sketches of Puerto Rico.

One of my favorite quotes is by positive-thinking pioneer and author of "Think and Grow Rich" Napoleon Hill:

A digital drawing I made of Napoleon Hill with his words of wisdom.

I committed myself to being an artist during a difficult time in my life. You know those tests that assign points to stressful life events? A number of those events occurred in a short period of time so my score was pretty high. One thing that helped get me through this time was the New Thought or Positive Thinking movement, especially books by mind-power pioneers like Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy.

Dr. Joseph Murphy taught the power of the subconscious mind.

During this time, my friend Mitch Horowitz challenged me to create a body of work featuring portraits of New Thought heroes like Neville and Dr. Murphy. And so for the past four years or so I have been creating portraits of positive-mind philosophers.

My friend Mitch Horowitz challenged me to portray the giants of positive thinking.

Emma Curtis Hopkins, the "teacher of teachers"

"The Power of Positive Thinking" author Norman Vincent Peale.

The truly heroic Helen Wilmans.

This was Neville's reply when someone urged him to compromise his message.

The legendary Dr. Holmes

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As you can see I like combining pictures and words

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"Every day in every way, I am getting better and better." Émile Coué inspired the Beatles.

Marcus Garvey was inspired by mind metaphysics.

Positive thinking goes Steampunk.

And so it was during a time of adversity that I committed myself to being an artist, and embraced the philosophy of positive, transformative thought. Once I committed myself to this project of portraying New Thought Heroes, I gained confidence and a sense of purpose. I no longer was just sketching without a sense of meaning. And I now had a Definite Chief Aim-- to become a professional artist. My sense of purpose changed all of my artwork. My drawings of cats now had the purpose not just of capturing their beauty and personality but also to help promote animal welfare and animal rescue. "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit..." I hope that this quotation will inspire you as it has inspired me through some difficult hours. I also hope that my artwork will be a reminder (to myself as well!) that this quotation is true. It was during a season of "adversity...failure...heartache" that the seed was planted and I was taught by life to learn--the Art of Positive Thinking.

The ink stains on my fingers from my constant drawing prompted my mother for a while to give me the nickname "Inky." Here are some early ink drawings by me. This drawing of a bird looks very early (the early bird?) and looks like it was done with a felt-tip pen.

I was drawing animals from an early age.

This is obviously a later drawing. It looks like it was done with a ballpoint pen, and seems like a combination of the Jetsons intro and the 1972 Fisher-Price Airport Playset. I like that I included a Go-Go bar!

Years later, in middle school, I bought India ink and pens with nibs at the local art-supply store. I liked Robert Crumb's cartoons, which I had mostly seen in reference books about the history of comics. Here's one of my drawings from that time--it's of SNL's "Coneheads."

This was around the time I first found out about another favorite artist who works in ink, B. Kliban. I loved his book "Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head & Other Drawings." Nowadays, I especially love his cat drawings. Here's one of my many favorites:

One of many great drawings by a favorite artist of mine.

Speaking of fountain pens, I've been drawing with them lately, and really enjoying it. This is a recent drawing I did with a fountain pen:

I drew this image of a beautiful tabby with a fountain pen.

The question remains, What do I like about ink? I like ink because it's never hesitant, it's never indecisive. There's no eraser (not really) or Backspace. It can be painted over or scraped off, but in general it's there to stay. To most people, ink is connected to the quality of being indelible. I also like that ink is bold and definite. You generally don't have to strain your eyes to see it or understand what it means. I'm currently reading and working with Arthur L. Guptill's book "Rendering in Pen and Ink," hoping to sharpen my skills. In future posts on this blog, I will post the inky exercises I've been trying out, as well as some explorations of the artists I love who create their unforgettable works with ink!

A portrait of Bailey, sometimes known as Mr. Whiskers or Tigerpants.

Beautiful and endlessly fascinating, cats are a gift to the artist. The intricately crisscrossing whiskers that beg to be drawn with an Art Nouveau approach. The striking stripes and spots that evoke the majesty of cats in the wild. The soulful eyes occasionally back lit with a flash of jade. All these are great reasons to create pictures of cats, and they are among the reasons that I do. In this post, however, I am going to concentrate on a few other things that inspire me to create pictures of cats.

Calypso is a beautiful rescue cat who enjoys the sunshine.

"RESCUED IS MY FAVORITE BREED"

I create pictures of cats because I care about animal welfare and animal rescue. In doing so, I choose to concentrate on the positive. Among my heroes are those luminaries who use their celebrity platforms to bring to light horrific abuses against animals. Other heroes of mine work endlessly to reform our animal shelters, so that one day the word "shelter" will no longer be a cruel joke. Bringing the suffering of animals to people's awareness is vital and must never stop. However, in my artwork, I choose to depict animals not as victims but in a way that will convince people that animals are greatly to be valued, infinitely conscious, and deeply soulful. This aligns with the New Thought principle of not resisting the negative but instead directing the mind toward what you want. As Wallace D. Wattles said, and which to a limited degree I believe, "Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites. Health is never to be attained by studying disease and thinking about disease; righteousness is not to be promoted by studying sin and thinking about sin; and no one ever got rich by studying poverty and thinking about poverty." Again, I am emphatically NOT saying that people should "think positive" and ignore the suffering of animals. I am only referring to how I choose to depict animals in my artwork. Through the artwork that I create, I want to bring into people's consciousness the truth that every animal has dignity and a soul. (To learn more about my feelings and thoughts about animal welfare in connection with the teachings of the Positive Thinking Movement please see my essays "Are Animals a Part of 'Everyone'?" and "5 Steps to Honor our Oneness with the Animal Kingdom" at Harv Bishop's great blog "Re-envisioning Spirituality.") I live with rescue cats, and I work with and support the wonderful Independent Animal Rescue in Durham, N.C. (And I have donated artwork to their awesome Painted Chair auctions.) I know that TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) absolutely works, I know from experience that community cats can be rescued and adopted and be wonderful companions and have wonderful lives, and I stand up for community cats everywhere and for all time.

LIFE WITH KITTIES

On a lighter note, I also find cats to be fun and entertaining, a side of them I explore in my cartoon series "Life with Kitties." Anyone who lives with cats will attest to their lovable personalities and endlessly surprising and charming quirkiness. In a multiple-cat household, they have a society of their own.

BEAUTIFUL AND FASCINATING

I began this post by talking about how beautiful and fascinating cats are. Along with the other reasons I have outlined in this post, I attempt to capture these qualities as well, combined with expressing the emotional bonds with we share with our kitty companions. Conveying my wonder at their beauty and fascination, inspiring others to see their value and deep souls, and expressing my emotional bond with them as well my appreciation of their lively, individual personalities--these are among the reasons "I Create Pictures of Cats."

Here is a mini-gallery of three recent images I've created.

"Looking up"

"Sleeping Tabby"

"Holding Hands"

I can almost guarantee that your hometown has a historic district with overlooked gems in the form of historic buildings. I like to draw these gems.

I've always had an interest in architecture, and not just because there's a really, really famous architect who shares my last name.

Famous architect Mario Botta. Maybe we're related?

By looking at historic buildings in your town, you can learn not just about architecture, but about your town's history. Learning one bit of information makes you want to learn more. There's a Mason St. in Pittsboro, N.C. and a Masonic temple that was built in 1838. It makes you curious about how the Masons contributed to Pittsboro's history. Visit your local library: The reference section is sure to be full of fascinating facts about your hometown's story as told in its historic buildings.

Masonic Temple, Pittsboro, N.C., built in 1838.

But it isn't just historic places that I like to draw. I also draw places that are historic to me. I'm grateful that I drew pictures of a local coffee shop where I loved to sketch, meet people from widely different backgrounds, and feel a real sense of community. All that changed when it was transformed into a swanky restaurant. But I still can visit the coffee shop through my drawings!

I brought my sketchbook here every morning.

All the furniture was removed when the coffee shop was turned into an upscale eatery.

The great thing about the coffee shop was that it felt like a real community. I met people from all walks of life there, people I would never have otherwise crossed paths with.

A sketch of one of my friends at the coffee shop reading the New York Times.

Drawing pictures of historic and "historic to me" places helps me express the connection to the past which I have always felt. (Speaking of the past, here is a drawing of a house that I did in the eighth grade. )

I drew this house in 8th grade art class. I think that's a lawn mower.

I hope what I've written about why I draw historic places will inspire you to look more closely at the historic buildings in your hometown, and encourage you to have a greater appreciation for those places which, though not technically historic, still have a personal meaning that makes them historic...to you.

Neville Goddard as Prometheus bringing the gift of imagination to humanity.

I first learned of Neville Goddard while browsing in a mind/body/spirit bookstore in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was intrigued by the drawing on the cover of an open eye within a heart shaped tree, as well as by what I read of his background--a former dancer and actor from Barbados? And the fact that he used only his first name

A portrait of Neville with one of his favorite phrases.

A few years later, during a difficult time in my life which coincided with my decision to devote myself to my artwork, I started reading Neville again. Neville's message boils down to using your imagination not for wish-fulfillment fantasies, but to actively become the person you want to be. You do this by "assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled." And don't try to imagine HOW it's going to happen, but instead imagine that everything has already been accomplished. He called it "living in the end" or "living from the end."

Neville says "Live from the End"

Neville said that the best time to imagine yourself as the person you want to be is in that state of feeling sleepy but not quite falling asleep. (For more information on Neville's techniques, life, and philosophy, see "The Miracle Club" by Mitch Horowitz.)

"Neville & the Magical Real-life Cat-nap."

Neville tells us to "deny the evidence of the senses" and concentrate on what we want. When I decided that I was going to commit myself to becoming an artist, I didn't concentrate on whatever weaknesses I saw in my artwork at the time. Instead, I kept before me constantly a vision of myself as creating the kind of art that I wanted to create. I also used active imagination to put myself in the emotional state of being a creative, productive artist. I continue to use these techniques as I work to improve my artwork. I also continue to "assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled" to help me achieve my Definite Chief Aim of being a professional artist.

Neville Goddard used his imagination to get to Barbados.

As "The Magician of Beautiful," Neville taught the magic of using "your wonderful human imagination" to conjure up what you most desire in life. I create pictures of Neville Goddard to remind myself how powerful my imagination can be, and also to pay tribute to Neville as an inspiration. I hope my images of Neville will help inspire you to believe that with your imagination you can become the person that you want to be!

Neville Goddard as "The Magician of the Beautiful."

I am an artist, and my artwork is mainly inspired by mystics, cats, and places. My blog will be devoted to writing about what inspires my artwork.

I love Independent Animal Rescue!

MYSTICS.

Portrait of positive-thinking philosopher Neville Goddard, with a quotation from his writing.

I draw portraits of figures like Neville Goddard who are part of the history of the Positive Thinking or New Thought movement. At difficult times in my life, I have been helped by the ideas of the philosophy of Positive Thinking. If you would like to read more about New Thought, Mitch Horowitz's book "One Simple Idea" is a great introduction.

CATS.

Portrait of a tabby with soulful eyes.

Many of my drawings and other artwork is of cats (and other animals--but mostly cats). Not only am I endlessly fascinated with our feline friends, and live with cats (all rescues), but I have worked with Independent Animal Rescue in Durham, N.C. and care a lot about animal rescue. In my drawings, I attempt to capture the essence of cats and help people to realize that yes, they have souls. I mean, look at those eyes! On a lighter note, I also find cats to be fun and entertaining, and I have a series of cartoons called "Life with Kitties" dedicated to the funny side of cats.

PLACES.

I am also inspired by places. Many of these are historic, and some are everyday places that are historic to me. As an example of an everyday place, I made numerous drawings at the time of my favorite community coffeeshop--and when it was turned into an unrecognizable upscale restaurant, I still had the drawings, and through my drawings I can still visit there any time! I am also interested in local history, and love to draw buildings in historic downtowns.

So there you have it.

Mystics, cats, and places. Of course, I also am inspired by the art of others, and I will also be writing here about the artwork that inspires me. I hope you will join me as I explore my inspirations.

Best,

Tim

“Tim Botta’s artwork brings vivid life to some of the most important figures of mystic history – and reveals the mysticism hiding in our ‘everyday’ surroundings. I am proud to display Tim’s prints of spiritual visionaries. His portraits are more than objects of beauty: They show the world what you stand for.”—Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award-winning author of Occult America and One Simple Idea