Day 3738: A hero and fallen leaves.

 

"Uncertainty": digital collage.

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2GN2S ... 

A hero.

Growing up, Richard Casper always knew he wanted to serve others. When he was a junior in high school, the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened, and he realized how he would fulfill that calling. “I had this urge inside of me,” he said. “I joined the Marine Corps infantry. … I wanted to be the first person going overseas and fighting.” During basic training, he was selected for a special duty of guarding then-President George W. Bush at Camp David. Once he received clearance and completed that 14-month assignment, he was still determined to deploy.

A Marine veteran who was forever changed by his service in Iraq. When he realized art created an outlet for his PTSD, he founded CreatiVets, which offers visual art and songwriting programs to wounded combat veterans. His work has helped more than 900 veterans, and he says it's also a way to honor his fallen friends.  

Read Richard's story here.

Every Fall This High School Art Teacher in Nara Sweeps Fallen Leaves into Ephemeral Art

 

this year’s fall foliage creation is the cat bus from My Neighbor Totoro 

all images courtesy hamacream

Over a decade ago a high school art teacher in Nara asked himself the question, what are some free activities that would inspire students to take an interest in art? The answer lay at his feet: the vibrant colors of the fall foliage that had fallen to the ground. So he picked up a broomstick and got to work.

in 2021, the teacher created the popular children’s show character Anpanman

For over 10 years, every autumn, the art teacher has been creating popular anime or game characters using a broomstick and the tree leaves that have fallen into the school’s courtyard. At first his creations were ignored but over time they grew in popularity and now he chooses his subjects based on popular demand from his students. His creations are popular not only with the students but with the school janitors too!

It’s only been in the last several years that the teacher has begun posting his works to social media but you can see them, as well as his other creative classroom endeavors, on Instagram.

in 2020 the teacher created Isabelle (Shizue, in Japan) from the Animal Crossing series of video games

in 2016 he created the globally loved Winnie The Pooh, a request from students

 

Hirotaka Hamasaki

high school teacher: Nara, Japan

twitter.com/hamacream

https://www.instagram.com/hamacream 

 

 

 

 

 

A 3+minute video, fast fluffy cat, here.

 

Just because ...

 

Silver Diamond Firetail

 

Smiles for Sunday ...

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

 

                             Thanks for coming by today