banterwords

My most recent rendition of a lotus. I chose the lotus as the centerpiece of this drawing because I absolutely adore looking at lotuses. Looking at the form and color of a lotus, it is clear why the lotus

Mandalas have been used in many spirituals traditions around the world. Though each culture imbues them with a different meaning, there seems to be a sense that these are not simply pictures but rather

I absolutely love taking pictures of plants and flowers. I came across these when I was in Taiwan in late 2018. I think they are very unique and beautiful.

I am absolutely fascinated by snacks around the world. Chips, in particular, interest me because almost every country around the world has their version of this crispy, crunchy treat. When I saw this in

Cafes situated in gardens are quite numerous in Chiang Mai. The foliage provides excellent shade from the unrelenting midday sun and also creates a really lovely contemplative, almost magical atmosphere.

One of my favorite past times is rummaging through old bookstores. There's no telling what treasures you might find deep in their bowels (no pun intended). This particular one (the name of which escapes

I recently started toying with the idea of using mandala-like patterns in general compositions. This was my first try so far. It is not ideal, but then again, it motivates me to keep going and it was fun

When I was about 11 my family and I went on an Alaska trip. It was a cruise so we spent most of our time on board which was pretty boring for a kid. For the most part, I was pretty underwhelmed by the

This disgruntled looking bird really jumped out at me as I was walking down the back alleys of Nimman road in Ching Mai. One of my goals is to catalog the street art I see everywhere I travel. Is anyone

I used to create a lot of visual art when I was a teenager. I drew, painted and sketched non-stop. Art was a shelter that I could run to in order to escape to my own world, away from the stresses and

I absolutely love snapping photos of street art wherever I go. I stumbled on a few great pieces in the back alleys of Nimman road in Chiang Mai. This one is one of my favorites.

![hell temple.jpg]( We went to Hell Temple, otherwise known as Wat Mae Kaet Noi located on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. This temple, like many of its kind, was created by a well meaning Buddhist monk who

Living as a digital nomad is becoming more and more popular these days. Digital nomads, the location independent globetrotters who boast a never-ending insta-feed of exotic locales complete with friends

As society grapples with the decline of traditional marriage, many people are exploring new relationship structures outside of the culturally prescribed monogamous norm. One of the things that are exciting

I have always been fascinated with books that for one reason or another end up banned in any given country. The mere act of officially banning a book makes it tantalizing for me as I wonder what subversive

Hello and Welcome to Banterwords! I am a words person. Always have been, always will be. I loved words from the moment I first started reading as a child. Back then words were the key to hidden dimensions