About The Artist

A wee bit about ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇɴᴜʟᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴀᴡ:

They are a ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴ (until proven otherwise) that makes v̶i̶s̶u̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶f̶u̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶a̶t̶ ᴀʀᴛ in a Very Futile attempt to figure out the Primordial Ooze trapped in their Noggin that you call a Ｂｒａｉｎ.

Jokes aside (but are they joking??), The Penultimate Straw is the pen name of Karen Bar, pictured above in blue.

They generally have two states of existence:

1) Being. 2) Creating.

Oftentimes these two states overlap greatly. What you see here is generally a result of the latter, with a dash of the former added in for good measure.

Not their most flattering image, I know.

Like a true creative renegade, The Penultimate Straw has chosen to forego the generic, stuffy, corporate-esque "mission statement".

In order to capture that oh-so-elusive "why??" that drives their never-ending creative expression, they have instead opted to create an Artist Manifesto through a piece alternatively titled Lessons I Wish I Had Been Taught, shown here:

[Click image for full-screen preview.]

Any and all art created by The Penultimate Straw is painstakingly and lovingly done by hand, on paper, using a smorgasbord of traditional mediums. They often let the artistic process dictate the final direction any given creation ends up taking; they simply provide the original concept.

Legend has it that they have been diddly-doodling since the earliest days of their existence, with no plans of slowing down. They have no formal art education and plan to keep it that way.

Kindly do not disturb them, they are having Big Important Thoughts -- of the delightfully illuminating type (pun always intended).

Namely, The Penultimate Straw is still figuring out exactly how to apply their gifts and abilities in a fulfilling, sustainable way that makes a tangible impact on the lives of others.

They are currently experimenting with new and inspired ways to tie together their written musings and artisitic creations in a fruitful way.

At the end of the day, The Penultimate Straw has but a simple goal in their sights: to help people rediscover and rekindle their innate passions, talents, and skills in a way that encourages a stronger, deeper connection with who they are at their core. They believe every being deserves the opportunity to carve out an inspired place in this world-- one in which they are able to express themselves freely and authentically.

It is never too late to take action on the things that give you a sense of purpose.

If you've made it this far, The Penultimate Straw is leaving you with a little homework assignment-- Immerse yourself wholly and completely in the present; the past is immutable and the future does not exist.

Surrender to what is and focus your efforts on the moments that light you up inside and make you feel alive in every sense of the word.

Make every mortal moment infinite.

Thank you endlessly for your time and consideration.

The Penultimate Straw - 2022/12/24.

Sincerely, Karen Bar.