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Just a quick update today to show off a piece I just wrapped up. This is a custom pickguard for a Gibson Special 70's Tribute SG. We had quite a bit of fun taking this design from "maybe something like a skull and crossbones" to what you see here. I also got to play with a few different coloring techniques that I've been wanting to try out. Nothing drastic, but the effect was nice. Unfortunately I don't have the guitar for full pictures, so hopefully we'll get an updated view of it all mounted up on delivery.
New Custom Leather
Fresh off the bench! I just wrapped up this custom notepad with a beautiful rustic finish. I wanted to push myself a little bit on this one so I added rolled edges to all of the pockets, which are also all hand stitched. All in all this came out as one of my favorite pieces. I'm sure it's going to turn lots of heads in many meetings to come. As always, if you'd like a similar piece for yourself, feel free to reach out through the contact page or just shoot me an email at firstname.lastname@example.com
"Out Of The Storm"
Well, it's been a while and I'm almost ashamed to say that I really haven't done any charcoal work so far this year. Between several leather projects, studying for professional certifications, and the day to day grind, I just haven't had the opportunity to sit down and really focus. That said though, I have been working in my head making plans.
Although I'm pretty detail oriented and live for it in my work, I'm often quite jealous of people who are able to just let go and not worry about obsessing over details. I have a couple of friends in the artist community who really excel at that style of work, one of which (fellow Nitram user Vitya Malirsh) is quite adept at atmosphere and beautiful landscape work without using detail.
Looking at some of these works I was reminded about how interesting I find the shape and value transitions in cloud formations during and after a storm. Even though I wasn't working on anything in particular, I just knew that I had to try my hand at creating a piece that's free of detail and really let the beauty of the clouds show through. That's when I started pulling out my camera every time I saw an interesting cloud formation, just hoping that sometime I'd get the chance to sit down and "let loose".
After going through a pretty stressful year, I began really feeling the need to work on something just for fun. No commissions, no gallery work, just the kind of thing that would be for me and me alone that wouldn't matter if I failed (like many artists, I have a problem with "failed" pieces). As luck would have it, I ended up being in a situation where I would be spending most of the day waiting in a car with nothing to do. I could have spent that time reading or scrolling through social media, but instead I decided it would be the perfect time to try my hand at some cloudscapes. People paint outdoors all the time. Why can't I leave the comfort zone of my studio setup to work on one piece that "doesn't matter?"
After scrolling through my gathered images, I decided this would be a really good one to start with. It really pulls together a lot of what I wanted to play with but also offered me enough challenge with those trees (another thing I've never really worked on before) that I would be sure to feel like I let out some pent up creative energy. This image was taken sometime over the summer outside Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, ID. It's a tree line I look at nearly everyday as I take an afternoon walk and there are frequently interesting formations like this on the horizon.
Knowing that I'd be doing the vast majority of the work in my car, I decided to take a few moments to rough out some basic shapes and get some undertone placed with charcoal powder. The most important thing here was to save the pure white center so that I could gradually soften it later without having to add white to the mix.
Once I got started "on location" I honestly had a little bit of trouble figuring out exactly how to approach it. Normally when I'm working on something representational of anatomical I'll have clear objects to block in and measure. Since I wasn't actually measuring anything here it was a little difficult to decide where to start. But, since I had the central focus oriented first and some of the basic features of the scene lined out, I decided the first thing to do would be to get some horribly ugly marks on the paper. I knew I would do "something" with the tree line, but hadn't decided what yet. So I grabbed my cheap willow charcoal that can easily be dusted off and scratched out a value reference for the trees. Nothing spectacular, just something to keep the darker values in site as I built up the cloud formations.
From there I was able to start building up some of the cloud formations. Initially I had actually planned on using mostly brushes and cotton balls. However, once I got started, I found the majority of the work was going best with a blending stump and eraser. It was still a little awkward getting used to "scribbling" tone on in order to blend it around, but it quickly began to feel a lot more relaxed.
By the end of the day working in the car, I was able to get the vast majority of it complete, leaving only some touch up cloud work to do and then figure out how I was going to handle the tree line.
After studying the photo above quite a bit, I decided that the lower half of the left formation didn't quite flow right. Something didn't feel right and I really wanted to emphasize the drama quite a bit. Granted, based on my viewing angle of the reference while working on it, I had actually missed the true shape according to what was really there. But, I wanted to create and interpret, not just copy a photo, so I really didn't mind. It did need address though, so I came back and rounded out some of those lines back in the studio while also mixing up some of the other values to build more interest.
When it came time to tackle the tree line, I had quite the decision to make. I really didn't want to do a detailed drawing, but I also wanted it to look like there were trees there and on the horizon. Once again, the need to start was somewhat paralyzing and I couldn't quite figure out what to do. That's when the marathon of Bob Ross I had watched a few weeks earlier popped into my head!!! Why don't I just make a line for a trunk and call it a happy tree that needs friends? One thing Bob was a master at was not getting caught up in the little stuff that doesn't matter. So, that's what I did. one trunk followed by several more in the general location of what was in the photo, but not quite the same. I also decided to make a few of them curve and point toward the center light to guide the eye back to the clouds. In the end I'm quite happy with how they came out looking like trees, but not being detailed trees.
In the end the entire process accomplished exactly what I had wanted. I came away feeling quite successful in learning the basics of a technique I'd admired for a while and managed to do it without obsessing at all. It's pretty refreshing to put out something that I would consider a finished piece while just allowing the piece to come together. I'll definitely be doing more work like this in the future, and may even incorporate some of it into my other work.
I haven't quite had a chance to seal it up and take print quality photos yet, but once I do they will be available for purchase on my Saatchi Art page at saatchiart.com/allenmewes
"Limitless" – Federation Of Canadian Artists
I'm very excited to announce that my latest charcoal piece, "Laocoon's Regret" was accepted into the Limitless exhibition with the Federation of Canadian Artists. This was an open call for all international artists, with all entry fees going toward the establishment of a scholarship to one lucky student in a college visual arts program.
You can view my piece and the others that were selected at http://www.artists.ca between June 1st and August 31st – and you don't even have to travel to Canada to see it!!! It is posted for sale through the show at $730 USD in an unframed state. But, if you would like to purchase it framed, I have all of the materials on hand to do it. Just let me know if you're the one who purchases it and we'll make arrangements. I just wasn't able to get it framed up before submitting the piece to jury. And don't forget that prints are always available on my Saatchi Art page at saatchiart.com/allenmewes
I'm extremely grateful to have been selected by a group who promotes other artists to succeed. Hopefully this is the sign of many more opportunities like this to come. If you haven't seen the work that went into creating this piece, I created several additional blog posts throughout the process.
Anatomy Of A Different Kind
Anatomy study of a different kind. This was just a quick piece to study floral anatomy as I prepare for an upcoming project. I actually had to continually remind myself not to push the details and go for perfection. I also decided to get reacquainted with graphite.
New Leather – Reversible Belt
Laocoon Group, Work In Progress #2
Well, in my last post I said things were going a little slow…. let's say things haven't changed much. But, there has been some good progress made on our Laocoon piece, even if it's not exactly fast.
When we left off before I was still blocking in the main shapes to make sure all of my proportions were correct. I got most of the figures blocked in, with a little bit of work to do on the serpents, but I ended up reaching a point where I had to start making visible progress in order to get things moving. So, I ended up leaving some of the central action for a later time since I'll be working top left down to bottom right (I'm right handed). That leaves me a little time to start rendering some forms and get a feel for where we're going. Sometimes my brain just needs that change in scenery in order to refresh and build momentum. In this shot you'll also see that I've printed out some copies of the previous studies to remind myself of what I did with different portions previously.
Once I finished mapping out some details in Laocoon's face I decided it would be a good time to start rendering some of his anatomy. That allows me to get most of his arm done, his facial features and hair, and a lot of his upper torso. Really that's a large portion of the work to be done and should set me pretty far ahead. In this shot I've just wrapped up all of his facial features and started rendering the arm with some base values. I'll come back and darken things up once I have more of the piece going.
His armpit here is actually one of the challenges for me since there was originally another length of the serpent wrapping his arm right there, which is now broken off. If you remember from previous posts, I'm recreating some portions in my own vision while trying to humanize the figure a little more than the original. Since the reference images of the statue don't include the muscle structure right there, I had to bring out my anatomy mirror. I actually took this photo as a joke to show that I'm too tall, but it shows a method that's important for determining some muscular forms – the anatomy reference we all carry around every day. This is also one of the few pictures that exist of me at work – "Limited Edition"???
As you can see, I still have quite a bit of work to wrap up before my December 31st deadline, but I think I can make it. If you're in need of any last minute gifts for the Holidays, you can always order a print for your loved ones from my Saatchi Art profile. You have your choice of sizes and materials at the click of a button. Just head over to saatchiart/allenmewes to see the current listings available.
Laocoon Group, Work In Progress #1
With the holiday season in full force, I've been having some troubles dedicating as much time as I'd like to the final piece for my Laocoon series. That said, I have been able to get started on a basic block in of the major shapes, though it's not coming along nearly as fast as I'd like.
Still fine tuning my sight-size work, I have the reference photo I'm working off of blown up to about the same size that I'll be working on. I'm adjusting the composition a little bit on the final piece though. As you can see, I'm a little short on wall space in my studio, so I had to create a wall out of some boxes. Sometimes you just do what you have to do in order to get the job done.
Since there are so many complex forms in this piece that are interwoven together, I'm taking a great deal of patience to make sure I have every line plotted correctly. It takes up more time now, but having the accurate block in will prevent any little mistakes from multiplying and throwing off the rest of the composition down the road. Once I get the entire piece blocked in like this, I'll be able to start focusing in on the individual figures and properly developing their forms.
That's all the updates I have on it for now. Remember, if you're interested in prints of the previous study pieces, you can find those and other works on my Saatchi Art profile at saatchiart.com/allenmewes. And don't forget to pass the word along if you know anybody else who would love to see these pieces. Until next time, I hope everybody has a wonderful, stress free holiday season!
Recreating Laocoon, Part 4 – Laocoon
This is the wrap up of our study pieces of the Laocoon Group. If you haven't read the previous entries regarding Laocoon's sons and why I chose this piece, please be sure to head there and take a look. There is a lot of detail in those posts that I'll try not to repeat too much here. You can view them by going to the blog menu, or by clicking these links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
OK, let's get started on Laocoon himself. I want to start with one of those lesser known facts about the sculpture. While I was doing my research on the piece I read an interesting tidbit about an analysis that was done on Laocoon's eyes. They actually found that his eyes were originally painted to represent an old man with cataracts. It's interesting, but it also leads me to wonder what exactly led them to such a specific conclusion. But, I decided to go with it, which is why you won't see any pupils in the finished drawing.
Remember that I'm focusing on specific elements of these pieces to draw the viewer in. In this one, the emphasis is clearly on his face and the pain he's feeling, both as a result of the battle with the serpents, but also pain that the Gods would do this to their servant. So that's why you'll see the most detail for my block in drawing in his face. I've still kept the hair and beard quite light as a spacial reference. Also, notice that I've still used varying line values for different parts of his body that will end up with different value ranges in the end.
For the second shot, you'll see that I've completed most of the light undertones on his body as a point of reference for value while I'm building out his face. I'm also adding basic value forms to his hair and beard at this time. I do this for 2 reasons. One is to get rid of the light space that throws me off at times, but the other is because a beard like his is full of layers with various values. I like to portray that same effect by applying different layers in the beard and hair throughout the time I'm working on the piece.
At this stage you can see that I've added most of the value to his anatomy, with just a few things left to darken up toward the end. You can also see my first run and erasing and blending more of the beard layers. But, the main work on this portion is in his face. There were some aspects of his features that I had to create because of the lack of clarity in a few spots (nothing like yesterday's problems though), such as his left eye (viewer right) and some of the details on his lips. Also, none of these figures have fully defined teeth, so I've also had to create those based on their expressions.
In this one you can see that I've finished out most of the rendering on his face, with only a few little details to adjust. I've also got most of the beard filled in, though it still has a little bit of a spaghetti feel to it. I'm essentially ready to finish out his hair at this point and go back to the body to finalize some of those values. They basically just need to be darkened up to more closely match the deep shadows on his neck and shoulder.
After finishing up the values on his body to really make the shoulder structure pop out, I made a few finishing touches to the beard and hair, trying to maintain the curls and the layers that were built up. With the completion of this one, I'll be moving on to the final piece featuring all three figures. This will be the largest charcoal piece I've done and it should prove to be quite the fun challenge. Remember that this and other pieces are currently available to purchase as prints on my Saatchi Art profile at saatchiart.com/allenmewes. I actually reworked a few of the photos today to make sure that they're all crisp and perfect to adorn your wall. If you'd like to wait for the originals, they'll be available for purchase some time in March of next year.
Recreating Laocoon, Part 3 – Antiphas
We're now on part 3 of our in progress series of the Laocoon group, picking up with Antiphas, the second of Laocoon's sons. If you missed our previous discussions, be sure to go check out Part 2.
Though it's not apparent from the selected composition here, there are some versions of the Laocoon story which state that Antiphas was able to escape the serpents. The sculpture does seem to imply that by the fact that he has nearly escaped the serpent's grasp. A lot of that is shown in the missing pieces from this composition where he's pulling his foot away from the serpent. Even though it's not part of this composition, I felt it's important enough to mention because it does play to what I feel are the critical aspects of the scene. There's a lot of tension in his abdomen here caused by his struggle to pull his foot free. The other emphasis here is on his face and the feeling of anguish as he looks to his father for help. So, those two elements are actually where I spent the most time on this study, and unfortunately had the most struggles (to the point of almost throwing it away and starting over).
If you read yesterday's post (if you haven't, I'll wait…..), you'll remember that I mentioned the lack of clarity in the reference photo getting the best of me. The problem is that from a normal viewing position, it actually looks pretty decent. But, once I got started trying to find the details that establish his face I realized that they just weren't clear enough to decipher what was shadow and what was actually form. In the first few progress shots you'll see that his facial features really don't look right at all. Eventually I found some photos of a relatively similar angle that I was able to enlarge in order to cross reference and then complete them better for the pose I'm working on here. Unfortunately I don't have any images showing this stage because I was quite frustrated with the way it was looking and found myself going back and forth between continuing or starting over.
The last post went into a lot of the detail regarding my processes, so I'll spare you from a repeat here. I did start out with some rough hatching for where my darker areas would be as a point of reference. In the end they didn't really matter, and a lot of this anatomy wasn't quite as accurate as it should have been at this point. Essentially, I had basically set myself up for failure from the start by not taking as much time as I normally would in the block-in stage.
Here I've started laying in some of the value working upper left down to keep my hand from smearing any of my beginning layout lines. But, I've also started working on his face just a little bit. I knew from the start that it wasn't quite right and decided to see how far I could take it as soon as possible. That way I wouldn't get through the entire piece before deciding I had to start over.
Still hopeful that I might save his face, I dug up a little bit of courage to start building out the anatomy in his torso. Since I'm still learning what all those little bumps and mounds are under the skin, I actually spent quite a bit of time studying some different anatomy books, as well as pictures of body builders, in order to determine what portions were bone and what was muscle. It's not highly evident here, but I had also begun adjusting some lines where his body intersects with the serpent. Some things just didn't look right no matter how they measured up against the reference. I also began building out some of the darkest values to the right as a point of comparison for the rest of the piece.
Remember that the contractions in his abdomen are among the critical features that I previously decided on. Maintaining my faith that I could salvage his face, I moved on to that first important feature. The other reason for that is to ensure I have a good value range to reference when I work on his face. Otherwise the values may not be quite right for drawing the attention where I want it. Another note on his abdomen that's worth mentioning. On the sculpture in the Vatican there was actually a chunk of his lower abdomen broken off at some point and then re-attached. If you look closely at the reference photo you may see a darker line to the left of the center. I was pretty certain that was a crack in the sculpture at first, but had to go look to be sure. After studying several different images I was able to find one that clearly showed the damage I was looking at.
By this point I had clearly salvaged his face by finding more reference photos that allowed me to build out his features more clearly. Remember that we're dealing with an extremely old sculpture. Usually eyes weren't completely rendered on sculptures such as this and were instead painted on. That leaves us poor folks in the future quite a bit to determine in regards to the emotion they hold. I know from the angles that he's in a deep stare towards his father, so I attempted to portray quite a bit of pain in the eyes to go along with the grimace in his mouth. I also decided to go with some darker values here to create more contrast and set his face further apart from the rest of his body.
And here's the final outcome. If you saw yesterday's post, you'll see my thoughts on the hair and why I went the way I did here. I also spent a little more time working on the drapery here. It's another one I've been trying to study a lot of. There are entire books written about the physics of why drapery takes the shape it does in different circumstances, and I've been reading them all. The other thing I should point out is what's going on under the drapes. Failing to go back and reference other angles (did I mention setting myself up for failure from the start?), I stared at that spot in the reference for quite some time trying to figure out what the change in values was representing. It took me a while before I decided that it was his arm, which was confirmed once again by viewing other images. I added more contrast to the area here in order to save the viewer from experiencing that same confusion.
All in all this was a fairly common adventure for me being torn between scrapping it and moving forward. I think all too often both fans and the artists themselves forget how many things can go wrong in the process. We had our challenges here, but everything came out in the end. Talking about them again in this post actually reiterates everything I did wrong to cause those problems, so maybe I'll remember to stop it next time!! Since we're finished with the sons, that means we only have one more study piece to go. Check back tomorrow to see our main figure, Laocoon, come to life. And remember, this and other pieces are available for to purchase as prints at my Saatchi Art page, saatchiart.com/allenmewes. I'll actually be taking some higher resolution photos of this one this weekend so that the prints will be even more like you're holding the real thing.


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Budweiser Dairyland National Truck & Tractor Pull
June 22nd - 24th, 2023
We ask that you please adhere to all the health and safety recommendations as we gear up for another safe and successful pulling season.
We look forward to having you back in the stands, pulling Tomah style June 22-24th, 2023!
If you can't make our event in 2023…watch our pulls June 22-24th on this live streaming link for all of the sessions. Remember this is live streamed so you will have to wait till just prior to showtime to get logged on to view our Tomah sessions!!! https://www.ntpa.tv/catalog

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm so unbelievably excited that it's Autumn. I absolutely love Autumn clothes. The cosy knits, quirky coats and colourful layers … More
Tag: coats
These are the best Topshop Coats for AW19
I love a coat. I have to admit. I may have a slight obsession. Trench coats, faux fur, puffer coats. … More
What to Wear: When you have the January Blues
Good Afternoon, and Welcome to another glorious day in January… Since the first week in 2018, I had been struck … More


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The St. Bonaventure Bonnies entered the Atlantic 10 Tournament as the number-one seed for the first time in school history. The team jumped out to a 40-19 halftime lead, but the Duquesne Dukes would not go down easy in the second half. High energy and a full-court press would cut the lead to single digits in the first ten minutes of the second half, but the defense shored up and turned into efficient offense for the rest of the contest. The St. Bonaventure Bonnies defeated the Duquesne Dukes, 75-59, and advance to the Atlantic 10 semifinals Saturday at 6 p.m.
What we saw:
An inside-out game
The Bonnies opened the game 3-12 from three-point range. The team did not see the same success from long-distance it has in recent outings, so the answer was simple: take closer shots. Over the course of the game, St. Bonaventure outscored Duquesne 50-30 in points in the paint, which made all the difference in a 16-point victory. When the shots haven't fallen, the Bonnies have continued to take these long-range shots. However, on Friday afternoon, the found the winning offensive formula to be around the rim. While the Bonnies did find success in the painted area, that didn't stop them from hoisting up another 11 three-point attempts following the slow start. The team continued its long-range struggle, connecting on just three of those 11 attempts, combining for just six made threes on the day.
The difference was that St. Bonaventure got open looks as a result of its inside presence. Dribble-drive opportunities, as well as Osun Osunniyi inside looks allowed for kick-out passes to open shooters on the corners and wings. One of the best parts about this team is that they can attack you in ten different ways. Friday afternoon, layups, dunks and a whole lot of putback shots were the winning recipe.
Utter DOMinaSHOON
Okay, even I'll admit that title is a bit corny. Regardless, the Bonnies' winning effort was spearheaded by the dual performance of Dominick Welch and Osun Osunniyi. Welch hit four of St. Bonaventure's six three-pointers, totaling 18 points on the day. As the Bonnies do not have a "true" frontcourt mate for Osunniyi, Welch has been the compliment to number 21 in the rebounding department. Welch was second on the team with nine boards, but it always seemed like he crashed to the basket when the shot went up. For a player who came into St. Bonaventure labeled as a three-point specialist, it has been pleasing to watch his progression as both a rebounder and defender.
The team's leading rebounder, Osun Osunniyi, put together a smorgasbord of statistics in the victory over the Dukes. Osunniyi matched Welch's scoring effort with 18 points, adding 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. If we're talking about progression, Osunniyi has taken an obsolete portion of his game and turned it into a serious aspect of the team's success. He has become a more than capable passes with great court vision in the half-court setting. I can say with absolute certainty that the Bonnies would not be in the position they sit in without the effort of Osunniyi. Sometimes I get worried he puts in too much effort. Osunniyi tweaked some part of his leg in the season-finale loss to Dayton, and I guess my worries amounted to nothing as Osunniyi dove for multiple lose balls during the quarterfinal matchup. Like I said earlier, the Bonnies do not have much frontcourt depth, therefore keeping Osunniyi healthy is a top priority.
On a real positive note, Osunniyi connected on a 16-footer just above the free throw line! The offense would become far more deadly if Osunniyi had these deeper shots in his daily arsenal, but that lone mid-range shot with a combination of blocks, putback dunks and alley-oops was a welcome consolation.
What we learned:
The Bonnies can't get complacent with a halftime/big lead
"I always say the first five minutes, the first 10 possessions of the second half are critical," said head coach Mark Schmidt in the postgame presser.
Friday, the Duquesne Dukes took advantage of a team riding high on its 21-point halftime lead and punched it in the mouth. Duquesne went on a 14-2 run over a three-minute span early in the second half, and the Bonnies found themselves ahead by just eight points. Luckily, St. Bonaventure could lean on its defense to limit the scoring effort of one of the less-skilled offensive teams in the conference for the rest of the game. However, if the Bonnies find themselves leading at halftime, it is imperative that they begin the second half the same way they played the first on Friday. The St. Louis Billikens will not have the same scoring droughts the Dukes did. St. Bonaventure must keep its foot on the gas for the entire game as it will face a much tougher opponent Saturday evening.
This is an NCAA tournament team
The Bonnies look to make their second NCAA Tournament in four years (three tournaments) after a fantastic season that saw the university's first outright Atlantic 10 regular-season title in history. The "Five Starter Death Punch" of Kyle Lofton, Dom Welch, Jaren Holmes, Jalen Adaway and Osun Osunniyi all scored in double figures again. What's so exciting about this group is its ability to switch defensively. I would seriously put the Bonnies' starting five up against any in the country. Jalen Adaway and the rest of the team has raved about this group's chemistry, friendship, and unselfishness over the course of the season. Nineteen of the team's 32 field goals were assisted on. Nobody cares who leads the team in scoring. The media talks to a new member of the starting five every game, it seems. This group is built for March. I just hope its legs are.


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Design Agreements and the BudgetBy Michael Stone
The purpose of a design agreement is to get a commitment from your client to design the project so you don't have to do the design for free. How do you keep the design within the budget?
Design Agreements Gone AwryBy Michael Stone
We discussed design agreements last week; today we're going to look at them from another angle. The first step is setting the budget with the client.
Getting the CommitmentBy Michael Stone
A contractor in Hawaii sent in a note asking about a few sales issues.
Dishonest ClientsBy Michael Stone
We often hear from contractors dealing with a client who, for whatever reason, has decided to change the terms of their contract. Other professionals have the same problem.
Cancelled Design AgreementsBy Michael Stone
A call came in from a friend recently. It seems that a client of his wants to cancel a signed design agreement.
The Relationship Between Budget and DesignBy Michael Stone
One problem contractors run into is dealing with clients who want to change the scope of the project after signing the design agreement, and not realizing how it might impact their budget.
Design Agreement Contract, Letter of IntentBy Michael Stone
A design agreement allows you to get paid for your work. Don't waste your effort or your time.
Get a Commitment Before You InvestBy Michael Stone
If you want to make the best use of your time and not allow others to waste your time, don't estimate major projects without a design agreement.


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Through my education, I didn't just develop skills, I didn't just develop the ability to learn, but I developed confidence. Michelle Obama
I believe in teaching the whole student by recognizing the wealth of experience in each individual.
Each student should be encouraged to reflect on their own identities and incorporate their unique outlook into each project or challenge that they are given. Students need to feel secure, in a safe space, to fully anchor themselves in their own experiences and use those to empathize with others. This safe space is created by developing a classroom culture of listening compassionately, giving constructive feedback, and allowing for the humor and playfulness which breaks down the barriers between student and instructor. Rather than transmitting knowledge to students like water is absorbed by a sponge, students learn through experimentation with new technologies and new ideas in order to build meaning for themselves. As a librarian, I combine information literacy with design and technical instruction in order to allow students to develop skills which apply wherever their dreams might take them.
Though I continuously update and refine my teaching methods, my unchanging objective is for students to have the confidence to initiate their own projects and experiment with solving the problems that they see in the world around them.


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Objective. To investigate whether anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy can influence the reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in inactive HBsAg carriers. Methods. The medical records of 103 patients [59 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), 41 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 2 with juvenile RA, and 1 with psoriatic arthritis] who had been treated with anti-TNF-α therapy were reviewed retrospectively. Data on seropositivity of HBV, HBV load, and serum aminotransferases prior to and after initiation of anti-TNF-α therapy were obtained. Results. Eight patients were inactive HBsAg carriers, and all of them had normal liver function and undetectable HBV load prior to anti-TNF-α therapy. Reactivation of hepatitis B occurred in 1 patient during the course of anti-TNF-α therapy. After the third infusion of infliximab 5 mg/kg at Week 6, a blood test showed that the patient had normal liver function. When the patient returned for the fourth infusion of infliximab at Week 14, a blood test showed markedly elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (457 and 1054 IU/l, respectively) and increased viral DNA by HBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The fourth infliximab infusion was canceled, and entecavir 0.5 mg/day was prescribed. Then AST/ALT levels began to decrease and returned to normal range after 3 months. Followup HBV PCR showed negative results. Conclusion. We found 1 HBV reactivation case among 8 inactive HBsAg carriers following anti-TNF-α therapy. This finding supports the prophylactic use of antiviral agents in HBV carriers, even if they have normal liver function or an undetectable viral load. The Journal of Rheumatology
|Original language
|Pages (from-to)
|Number of pages
|Journal of Rheumatology
|Issue number
|Publication status
|Published - 2009 Nov
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Rheumatology
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology


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Explore colorful animals across the globe! Big, beautiful photos show all the details from the brightest bird to the most dazzling amphibian. Range maps and easy to read text explain key habitat and life cycle facts for each animal.
This item replaces the following items:
If you would like to order these items, contact Customer Service.
"Boldly presented with close-up photos, the series invites very young readers to discover the lives of not-so-common animals. Each title presents an animal by its physical appearance and structure before moving on to specialized features. Each animal's predator, prey, camouflage, or survival techniques unfold with natural language. The final section follows the animal's life cycle. As an introduction to beautiful but sometimes overlooked animals in series publications, these books are a great addition. Any young animal lover will pore over the vivid photographs and will feel accomplished reading the text independently. These books would also make a great introduction to factual writing and research for young students as the series is consistent in content and organization with a good model of presenting scientific information for early elementary students. Recommended." - Library Media Connection
May 1, 2012
© Capstone. All rights reserved.


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The UES work shirt is based on the style of work shirts first appearing in the 1910s and 1920s but is not a strict reproduction. It can be worn comfortably in all seasons for both work and play.
The fabric is made of UES original chambray (Cotton 60% Linen 40%). We love the premium construction details. The shirt is finished with a slightly more prominent button to come across with a gentle expression. UES used thicker chambray for the lining of the collar and cuff to help keep the form. The sewing has been done by triple chainstitch specifications with a cotton sewing thread. You can enjoy the process of fading by wearing it for many years to come.
UES is a small Japanese label founded by Chuji Matsumoto in 1994. UES comes from the English word "Waste", which means that Matsumoto-San wants you to make full use of each garment for as long as possible before discarding it. It is a small judgement of the concept of disposable wear that is so commonplace today in the world of fashion and from which Matsumoto-San disassociates himself completely.
[Visit our LOOKBOOK and discover a great selection of heritage street-style outfits]


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The Swedish band Tid has been active for about a decade, during which they have offered sporadic releases that can be traced back to two ep, Bortom Inom (2007) and Giv Akt (2010) and the full length Fix Idé (2016), all in the name of a musical form almost unclassifiable at the stylistic level but far from being disorganized and, if anything, full of remarkable innovative ideas. The Sign Records has recently become the protagonist of the meritorious operation to put back on the market the entire discography of the band and, for the occasion, we decided to deal with the most recent one, precisely Fix Idé. Moreover, at the media level, the fact that the engine of this project is Martin Persner, credited as one of the Nameless Ghouls of Ghost pre-diaspora, inevitably increases curiosity and attention, so this kind of pretext to approach the work of Tid is welcome, since we are in the presence of a musical expression of rare freshness. Fix Idé is a work that moves across a thousand stylistic nuances, never ceasing to stimulate the senses of the listener between ethnic drives, hints of post-metal, electronic, dance and ambient, with the melodic aspect always well placed in the foreground and a consolidated song form despite a restless compositional vis. Dumhetens Gudinna, song chosen not surprisingly as the first single for its catchy pace, brings to mind the work of the controversial KLM, among the first to graft heavy metal riffs on an electro dance base; Aurora Surrealis is instead a dreamy and melodic track, although always rhythmic just the right, proving to be the peak quality of the work, but they are not even less than Solens Nya Namn, always rippled by a restlessness electronic, and Demimond with its final singing and persuasive. If we wanted to find a flaw in Fix Idé is only to last a little less than half an hour, but the intensity and quality of the sound offered by Tid rejects any objection of the kind: the value of an artistic expression can not be determined by any means of measurement that is not the perceptive capacity of the listener and, in this sense, the album has a lot to offer, retaining the thickness of the most advanced and sophisticated works without ever expiring in brainless passages.
2016 – The Sign Records


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Coliseum ends 2016 in black, attracts 1 million for 26th straight year
By Kevin Leininger | News-Sentinel
Despite a slight decrease in attendance, the Memorial Coliseum ended 2016 with an operating surplus of $44,044 — an increase of 22.7 percent over the previous year. And 2017 is already off to a good start, General Manager Randy Brown told Coliseum trustees Friday.
"When many arenas are a (financial) drain, we continue to have outstanding performance. It was a good year," Brown said, noting overall events were up by 24.3 percent even though total attendance of about 1.03 million represented a decrease of about 0.5 percent. Even so, it marked the 26th consecutive year the complex attracted more than 1 million visitors. The Coliseum's estimated impact on the local economy was $103.75 million, he added, up 0.4 percent.
Brown said the new conference center performed better than expected, but said weather and performance of the Coliseum's sports teams can also affect attendance. The Mad Ants basketball team did not make the playoffs last year, but the Indiana University-IPFW basketball game on Nov. 22 was a sell-out, with about 11,500 people seeing Fort Wayne's overtime upset.
January events have attracted larger crowds than a year ago, Brown said, including an increase of nearly 12 percent at the just-completed farm show — the 5th-most ever. Seven concerts have been booked for 2017, with more on the way, including one that "may be the biggest we've had," Brown said.
Recent improvements were completed at or below budget, including $645,800 in improvements to the ticket office and training rooms and a $1.23 million upgrade to the rotunda plaza. Coming this year are $1.2 in upgrades to the security area and the arena's 25 suites and a new marque for $49,879. A new scoreboard will be needed in 2018 because replacement parts are no longer available.
"I just hope it can make it (that long)," Brown said.


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Bluehost vs HostGator vs Dreamhost: Which Is Much better? Depth Comparison – Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress
In this post, we will talk about Bluehost vs HostGator vs Dreamhost.
Web hosting and related services are a really essential part of any site company or online blog. These hosting business assist you in keeping your website live and running.
They allow you to make it accessible over the world of the web. Here we discuss two incredibly popular options: Bluehost vs HostGator vs Dreamhost.
Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress
Bluehost vs HostGator vs Dreamhost (Comparison)
You see there are loads of options and services you can discover online when it comes to webhosting. Therefore, it may often end up being really hard to select a service as most of them use the very same services and all claim to be the best! I myself have actually tried various of them while my stint as a digital online marketer. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
Therefore in this series, I provide you with some interesting comparisons and face-offs in between the most popular hosting companies.
We will see which one is better on the basis of:
- The number and quality of services they offer.
- The quality of support they provide.
- How good these services actually are.
- How pricey are these services.
- Register for Bluehost – 58% OFF
- Register for Hostgator – 60% OFF
- Register for Dreamhost – 63% OFF
All the three companies provide the same sort of services more or less. You can get web hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, devoted servers, committed IPs, reseller hosting, and some others. Dreamhost also provides cloud services at a cost of $5 each month.
Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress
Well, I can certainly state that all the 3 services are superior and better than a lot of services out there. When it comes to comparing the three, things can get tricky. Their information centers are robust and their servers are effective. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
While HostGator operates on Dual Xeon power centers, Bluehost runs on AMD. Dreamhost uses AMD and Intel for power.
All these services ensure a 99.9% uptime. Bluehost utilizes CPY segregation which smartly manages the CPU and can protect the site from spammers.
With that being stated, HostGator wins the battle here as it is more capable of dealing with substantial traffic than the two others.
The action time is also a lot much better for HostGator. Bluehost can take an average of 5 seconds to fill your pages while the latter takes less than 2 seconds. Dreamhost is also very steady. It will give you the minimum outages possible.
HostGator and Bluehost utilize cPanel while Dreamhost uses web panel as their control board. Well, most of us are acquainted with cPanels, therefore, the user-friendliness instantly increases in the favour of Bluehost and HostGator.
With cPanel you can install popular scripts like WordPress, Joomla, and Weebly at the click of a button. HostGator takes it up a notch by providing video tutorials that are very easy to understand.
Now, Dreamhost has a completely different control board. For us, it then gets difficult to get used to Dreamhost's panel. This can be due to the host of features it has. You can take time to find out these and the finding out curve can get huge. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
The personalization services offered by HostGator also imply that the latter is more focused on consumer fulfillment. All in all, the user experience is great with Bluehost and HostGator.
Website Speed Test and Up-Time Reports:
All of us understand that speed of site matters a lot as most likely no will wait on your sluggish packing site and they will choose any other alternative. In this comparison of Bluehost Vs HostGator Vs DreamHost we have actually compared that which is very quickly and offers the finest and most reliable web experience to your users.
As we can see that nowadays everyone is declaring to give the 99.9% uptime and however when you get started you get to know the actual reality right behind that. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
Bluehost has actually not been there as we have actually discovered some problem that generally places their uptime right listed below 99% it actually triggered some problems.
When it concerns DreamHost it was extremely stable and the very best part was that it was readily upright during the majority of the month and here we actually don't find any problems with that.
It will be great if you are looking for a trustworthy and fast web hosting experience then you ought to go with DreamHost.
Here when we talk about the HostGator then I want to state here that we have seen such a blazing fast speed of loading site right within a half-second that is really fantastic. If you desire to have the fastest web hosting service provider then you can go with HostGator.
Here if you wish to examine the website packing speed of your website then you need to select any of the speed tests that are available right out there in the market.
Comment: If we discuss the fastest web hosting company then we should it would be truly excellent if you start hosting your domain name with HostGator here the page load time was actually remarkable and it was at an average of 1.38 seconds overall.
Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress
Control cPanel
Here if we speak about the cPanel both the web hosting service provider Bluehost and HostGator provide the very same cPanel and if we speak about the features if almost both functions are the same. And actually, there is no big difference in the cPanel of Bluehost and HostGator.
Essentially, the cPanel comes with a 1-click installer right for many of the popular scripts like WordPress, Joomla, and likewise Weebly. The very best part is that these freebies will certainly assist newbies right in establishing the brand-new site or blog site on their own.
The user does not have to handle the advanced control panel and the functions as here newbies will actually find it easy to use.
In specific, HostGator offers its users right with the easy to understand video tutorials just to assist its users and to get them acquainted with the cPanel along with the speeding up time and really ideal after the video class you will get familiar with cPanel.
And here if we speak about DreamHost, it actually has a different control panel and they usually called it the "Web Panel". Actually, you may discover it a bit difficult in contrast to the cPanel since here "web panel" is having much more functions than the cPanel.
If you actually want to comprehend it then you will need to put an effort and comprehend it.
Comment: Now you have actually got the two winners here the BlueHost and HostGator both of them supply the very same functions and it will be truly good for newbies to start with the cPanel here. The best part is that HostGator likewise provides video tutorials of the cPanel that will really help you in beginning with the cPanel.
Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress
Bluehost is manageable when choosing a web hosting company, you must ensure that the hosting service provider is workable. Hosting Bluehost is easy to use.
The other distinct factor of Bluehost is that it uses the most popular cPanel (control board) on the marketplace. The style of the c-panel is tidy and makes creating your site a quick and fresh process. A screenshot of Cpanel can be seen listed below. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
Hosting Panel
Bluehost cPanel offers you the platform to modify your files, databases, domains, and accounts. An amazing thing with Bluehost cPanel is that it includes basic scripts.
Basic scripts is a one-click script installer that makes it simple to set up and manage applications, including popular applications such as WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
Another crucial feature of Bluehost is incorporated caching. You do not require to use third-party cache plug-ins like WP Super Cache or even W3 Total Cache. With Bluehost hosting, you can organize the hoarding level depending upon the kind of site.
Bluehost Technical Support
Bluehost offers long-term technical assistance by means of phone, live chat, and even email. If your client has an issue, you can contact the assistance team by email, chat, and even by phone. Usually, call your customers by calling (888) 401-4678.
On the other hand, they likewise supply an excellent basis for caring when their consumers see the obstacles they encounter. The answers to these concerns are presented on the exact same platform so that consumers do not straight reach the remarkable assistance team.
Hostgator Customer Service
If you're a new user and require help with everything, you may get stuck to Hostgator since your customer care is sluggish. It occurred to me in the first few days that I ruined my site and required a quick fix (panic attack). I needed to wait more than 30 minutes for the cat to load.
However, they solved my problem, but due to the many consumers, the waiting time is too long. If you're an innovative user, you might not need client support to assist you.
I wish to rank the customer care based upon the reaction time. If the response takes longer, it suggests they do not value their consumers. The waiting time of approximately 5 minutes is considered regular, however slightly more than 5 minutes is second-rate. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
Tip: When calling the customer support number, the waiting time should not go beyond 1 minute.
Hostgator Uptime
As reported in Wikipedia, Hostgator web hosting problems have been reported resulting in extended downtime for consumers. There are many critics of people who claim that their site has downtime. We did not encounter this problem during our time at Hostgator.
Site Speed
The speed of the site is really crucial, not just for the user experience, however also to turn your site's visitors into clients. Hostgator displays a load time of 4.6 seconds in GT metric, which is average given the track record of the webhosting. The download speed of the site averages 2.5 seconds, which is higher than lots of other webhosting.
DreamHost Launched Remixer
Remixer is Dreamhost's site creation service. For beginners, it has the best score since Dreamhost can test you for 2 week free of charge. All you have to do is send your name and e-mail address of yours. Create a password and everything is ready.
Before you visit, Dreamhost prompts you to choose in between three styles, the default color pattern of your site, the picture design, and the typeface combination. This is a fantastic way for prospective brand-new consumers to see what's offered in this service, however it's a bit strange due to the fact that after registering, you have more imaginative options to choose from.
Remixer Editor
This minimal format exists throughout the interface. You can not add shadows, wallpapers, or animations. The same applies to the components of the image: you can not resize or rearrange because this service is for the beginner. This is enhanced by the easy image-editing alternatives: you can apply basic filters to your pictures, but you can not color-correct them.
Its flexibility is extremely minimal: you can, for example, change the background color of your text and, naturally, select various fonts and sizes. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
You can likewise create several text boxes in the exact same component so you can produce titles or quote marks with different fonts, colors, and justification.
Your page style is so flexible that you can reorganize the parts it contains. You only need to drag one from the list in the sidebar, leading or bottom in another.
There is no preview button so you can see the existing status of your page while the visitor sees it. However, the WYSIWYG user interface makes it a bit redundant and is for that reason not a huge issue.
This is more or less the scope of service functions. You can not add buttons or embed your own HTML code. You can not even cut and paste the code from other websites, as you would include a PayPal donation button. There are likewise no third-party extensions.
Dedicated IP Assistance
In addition to the SSL certificate, you will receive a devoted IP address when acquiring. This feature supplies more stability for your site and may likewise assist online search engine as it simplifies cataloging and ranking your site in online search engine outcomes.
In addition, BlueHost provides a domain personal privacy service to conceal particular private info connected with the address of your website. This is a fantastic benefit for those who value their online personal privacy. These features alone are extraordinary, leaving behind a few of BlueHost's competitors. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
Like all webhosting service providers, BlueHost likewise has small flaws. For instance, the company does not offer a monthly payment choice. This means that you need to register for an annual hosting program.
If you truly wish to save web hosting costs, we recommend registering for your two or three-year strategy to get greater discounts. If you are pleased with your service and can remain for 3 years or more, BlueHost will win you a month-to-month charge of $ 2.95.
Rates and Functions
In all services, you can choose from different bundles that include varied scales of:
- Domains
- Limitless Disk Space
- Information Transfer
- Email Accounts and more.
I need to say that HostGator and Dreamhost are costlier alternatives for Indian online enthusiasts as the very same service on Bluehost can be availed for less. For instance, webhosting can cost you $2.95 on Bluehost while HostGator charges $ 2.75 for the very same. On Dreamhost, you will need to pay even more.
The optimum cost of reseller hosting on Bluehost is $2.95 while it can reach $ 119 on HostGator and Dreamhost. HostGator and Dreamhost are absolutely more expensive. However if you are trying to find sure shot efficiency and do not desire any glitches then HostGator does provide a much better warranty. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
The typical speed of websites keeping up Bluehost and DreamHost is 1.9 seconds and 2.3 seconds, respectively.
Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress
Client Support and Feedback
Assistance is of premium value when it concerns hosting services. This is since every online enthusiast out there is not a techie. This is why we many times encounter confusion and then an excellent assistance group is all we desire and require.
Issues can develop like:
- Website is down
- Website has crashed
- Plugins are not upgrading
- Hosting is flawed
- Anything else!
With HostGator, you get a 24/7 live chat alternative, ticketing alternative, and an exhaustive log of tutorial videos to help you with nearly anything. The ticketing system it has is very quick. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
You can expect responses within the next 2-3 hours. On the other hand, the Bluehost support is not that bad. You have choices for a live chat team and a toll-free call center.
When it pertains to Dreamhost, it gets a bit tricky. They do not have services like live chat or a toll-free customer support number. You just have access to an online ticketing system. The team is robust but they take time to react.
I think HostGator is the clear winner here with its wide variety of support choices and fast action time.
Who Wins When It Comes To Bluehost vs HostGator vs Dreamhost
Well, I believe it depends upon who is using it.
I recommend Bluehost to:
Newbies and small-scale organizations which are simply getting started and wish to make a considerable online presence. When the earnings circulation gets regular and savings remain in the bank you can move up to HostGator and take pleasure in some premium services. Best Web Hosting Sites For WordPress.
I suggest HostGator and Dreamhost to:
Already developed online firms who wish to take it up a notch. If you are thinking about increasing your operations and availing the service of strong servers then HostGator is a great choice for you!
- Register for Bluehost – 58% OFF
- Register for Hostgator – 60% OFF
- Sign up for Dreamhost – 63% OFF