Images By Lee Rowell

New Gift Items Available

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 04:37:00 +0000

You now have 3 options to buy our products: 1) Use the 'Web Store' link above to buy Prints, 2) Use the 'CafePress Shop' link above to buy gift items with our website name, or 3) Use the following link to buy gift items that do not contain our website name: http://www.cafepress.com/ImagesByLeeRowellPremium. If you have any questions or don't see what you are looking for, please send me an email at lee@leerowell.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Much more on the way soon.

2010

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:36:00 +0000

There is no doubt that 2010 has been full of challenges. This time of year I'm always amazed to look back on the year and realize first how awesome life is and second how much stronger I am as a result of all the challenges. I have closed a few doors this year and opened a few more. I don't know what next year holds and it doesn't even matter. I guess I've come to realize that I will always have ups and downs. If we didn't have the 'downs' we wouldn't know how wonderful the 'ups' are. I used to think that some people led charmed lives. Everything seemed so perfect. Everything they did was effortless. Things seemed to fall into their lap while I struggled to tread water. But, looks are deceiving. I now think everyone has their own struggles and battles. Maybe some people just look at them from a different point of view. Some people have said that I have led a charmed life. I don't know who started that rumor. I know that I have changed by perspective quite a few times as I have grown into the person I am now. Maybe by changing my perspective it has made my life a little easier than someone that stays in the same mindset and runs around in circles. I have no idea. But, I can say that I have no regrets. I am who and what I always wanted to be. And, the best is yet to come - regardless of circumstance.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your life is filled with positivity and peace.

Web Store Now Open

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:46:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Thanks for stopping by.

Our web store is now open. Right now I only have about 30 items listed, but that will soon change. If you don't see something or a size that you are looking for, just send me an email. Almost everything I do is available in any size.

lee@leerowell.com

Check Us Out on Facebook!

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:35:00 +0000

Check out our new Facebook page 'Images by Lee Rowell' !!

Thanks for stopping by!

Coming Soon

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:54:00 +0000

Hi all!

I'm sorry for not writing anything in a while. I've been very busy. I have a lot of new things coming to the website within the next few weeks. You may notice I've added several images of male torsos (specifically requested). I'll also be adding female torsos next. I try not to show anything that is inappropriate. I apologize if anyone is offended. But, I think the human body is beautiful. Why not celebrate it? Open your eyes! There is beauty everywhere in everything and everyone.

Cheers - Lee

07/15/10 - Doomsday

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:28:00 +0000

So, I was reading last night about a new (or new to me) Doomsday theory about the Gulf of Mexico. I don't know why but I have always been facinated by Doomsday theories. Most of them have proven to be false over the years, but I still like to analyze the logic behind the theories. This particular theory involves the oil leak in the Gulf. It's not exactly the oil that's the problem, it's the methane gas. The theory says that there is a giant bubble of methane gas underneath the ocean floor of the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently, the oil rig explosion occurred because a large amount of methane gas was released - which is highly flamable. Also, according to the theory, the oil leak is comprised of 60% oil and 40% methane. A normal oil leak is said to be comprised of only 5% methane. Obviously, methane is very toxic and flamable. It depletes the ocean of its oxygen thereby killing sea life. According the the theory, the methane also moves onto land via the air, rain, storms, etc. Supposedly, the air is being monitored by scientists and large amounts of carcinogenics (cancer causing agents) such as benzene have been found in cities such as New Orleans. Exposure to small amounts of benzene causes a very painful cancer several years down the road. But, the real meat of this theory is that eventually the pressure will build from the methane bubble and raise the ocean floor - which they say has already occurred. They also say large cracks and crevices have appeared in the ocean floor which are also leaking oil and gas. Supposedly, the next step is a sudden explosion of the methane gas which will kill everything in the Gulf. The water from the ocean will then pour into the empty cavity where the methane bubble was stored causing a Tsunami that will wipe out a large portion of the surrounding countries. This Tsunami will also bring ashore all of these toxic chemicals and oil. So, what is not killed by the Tsunami will be killed by disease caused by the chemicals. I don't think I believe all this, but I think it is very interesting - especially considering the dinosaurs were wiped out in a similar way by a meteor which landed in the Gulf of Mexico.

I guess I like Doomsday theories so much because I'm not afraid to die. I'll face it head on. Whatever happens will happen. If death is the end, then its been a great ride so far. If it's not, then there is yet another adventure ahead. Bring it.

07/14/10

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:24:00 +0000

Why is it that relationships with other people are so difficult sometimes? I could be having a great day and then suddenly get sucked into someone else's drama. I've gotten to the point where I try everything possible to avoid drama, but some people are relentless. Why is it that we feel like we have to choose sides in arguments with friends/family? Why can't we just agree to disagree? I don't know - maybe it's human nature. I have known some people most of my life that can't get along with anyone. They constantly feel the need to have some kind of battle brewing. I suppose everyone feels that their ideals should be everyone else's ideals. I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. We all perceive the world based on our own specific outlook and experiences.

Until I went to college I thought that my family's views were always correct. Boy, was I wrong. I had never encountered so many people with so many different ideas. And, the most complexing thing, their ideas were not flawed. Believe me, we had many late night conversations about life in general. I learned a lot. Maybe this is where I learned to agree to disagree. I suppose if you never have that experience, then you will always believe that you are always correct. Hmmm. I guess that's another good reason to go away to college.

So the question, 'Why can't we all just get along?", well we could if we could learn to agree to disagree.

07/11/10 - The Phelps Clan

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:25:00 +0000

The Phelps Clan from the Westboro Baptist Church showed up in Dallas this weekend. If you don't know about them, they are from a backwoods church in Kansas. The church is mostly made up of the family of Fred Phelps. The travel the country picketing things like the funerals of the military, AIDS resource centers, other churches - all the time saying that all the country's troubles are due to the fact that 'God hates fags'. I will say up front that I think everyone has the right to believe in whatever they choose. What you do not have the right to do is shove your beliefs down someone else's throat. These folks are not exactly what you would call peaceful demonstrators.

So, their goal in Dallas was to picket the Resource Center of Dallas - which provides meals and assistance to people with AIDS, the Dallas Holocaust Museum, a local Catholic Church, a local Jewish Synagoge, and a local Southern Baptist Church. Well, I am very proud to say that the people of Dallas fought back. The Resource Center of Dallas turned the demonstrations into a fundraising event. They asked that for every minute that the Phelps Clan was there that people donate money. Their ice machine had recently broken so that needed roughly $3,500 to purchase a new machine. By noon yesterday they had already raised $7,700. The community also organized and surrounded the resource center with their own demonstrators with signs that made absolutely no sense - just stupid sayings, nothing that would anger anyone or fly in the face of religious beliefs. The Holocaust Museum also decided to fight back. They offered free admission this weekend and at noon yesterday had already reported record attendance. The demonstrations today should be interesting at the local churches. It is almost comical to me that a Baptist church would picket another Baptist church. And, if they are so religious, why are they not in church instead of outside picketing? They say they are doing God's work.

Well, all this just proves a point. Hate will never win. Love always wins in the end. All these demonstrations were designed to turn people from their wicked ways and do harm to these organizations. So far this weekend, it has done the exact opposite. I would imagine that the sermon today at the Baptist church will be one of love - exactly what true religion teaches. Only ignorance teaches hate. If you don't know anything about the Phelps Clan, I would encourage you to look them up. I think you will be shocked at some of their teachings and what they have done to date.

07/09/10

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:57:00 +0000

I was reading yesterday about the new approved haircuts for men by the Iranian government. My first thought, of course, was the dangers of the control of a religion on a government. But, then I had to take a look at the way I was raised. I was raised in a Pentecostal church in Alabama. Rather than focusing on Love, Kindness, and Happiness, our focus was what you could and could not do. The could not do list was much larger than the could do list. A few examples from the could not do list: No shorts, swimming with the opposite sex, no jewelry, no pants for women, no haircuts for women, no going to the movies, no drinking, no smoking, etc, etc. We also taught that men should not have long hair. So, how different were we from Iran and the Muslim extremists? I do want to point out that this is NOT an attack on the Muslim religion. I think it's great for people to have faith - wherever they find it. My problem is that the majority of religious people aren't using religion as it was intended. They are using it as an excuse to control other people. How easy is it to defend an argument by saying, "Because God said so." I have watched so many people take sentences from the Bible and use them totally out of context to defend their arguments. But, what these folks are not seeing is how many people they hurt by trying to control other people. The bottom line is that extremists are never going to go away. I suppose it's human nature. There will always be a difference of opinion, but extremists are dangerous - to both the physical world and the mental health of those involved.

I don't know that this entry actually made a point at all. I just know I see this happening around me all the time and know firsthand how easy it is to be sucked into this type of thing. It's frightening.

07/06/10

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Well, I recently celebrated an awesome birthday. I must admit that it feels strange saying that I'm in my mid thirties. I know it sounds stupid, but I was depressed for a few days. I know. I know. It's just so strange to me how much I have realized about life over the past few years. There are so many things that I never knew were possible. So many things beyond my wildest dreams. Life continues to amaze me.

This year has been like a tornado so far. Unfortunately, I haven't accomplished as much around art as I had hoped. Work has taken a lot of my time and other issues have consumed the rest. But, I will be painting some new things soon. If you are an artist, you will understand this. You just have to be in the right place to create.

I do have one thing that I want to get off my chest. Roughly two years ago I had a run in with my family members from Alabama. I hadn't spoken to them in a long time and hoped that they had changed - maybe grown a little or expanded their minds a bit. I was wrong. I am very sad to say that some people stay in the same place their whole lives. They refuse to change or grow. Ironically, they told me that if I didn't change my ways and return to their way of thinking that 'God' would kill me. They said they had a vision of my funeral. Funny thing is that my will specifically states that I will not have a funeral. I will be cremated. Well, sadly enough, it didn't work out to be friends or family with them. It really hurt me for a while. They have the right to believe in anything they choose and so do I. I will never return to small mindedness and/or ignorance. You cannot use fear against me. If I die tonight it is not a result of their false visions and teachings. If I live to be 100 it is not the result of their prayers begging 'God' for mercy. But, my question is this - how did I manage to break free? How did I bust through the ceiling and see the wonders that life has to offer - the wonders that they will never see. It makes me very sad for them.

So, relating all this back to my art work, what do they see when they view my art work? With two different mindsets, they can't possibly see what I see. Do they see the beauty or something corrupt and sinful?