Adam Pacio

@kierken.bsky.social

92 Followers 133 Following

Artist, Writer, World Builder, Gamer, LGBTQ Activist, Modern Occultist, Fantasy Cartographer, Manhattan NYC Contrarian committed to Life Out Loud. Recovering from a stroke, reinventing life as a creator.

Old Country Summertime Mandala - Work in Progress 7/27

Teaser photo of a silhouetted man holding his head in his hands processing grief.

Blocked in mandala around a solar theme.

Article card - 26_2506 - Th - An Awakening that needs to be acknowledged. A subtle end to a lasting grief. Pacio 49's Life Out Loud substack.

Background image of a stone statue of a woman in grief holding her hand before her face.

Obsidian Grandmothers Mandala, Work In Progress. AdamPacio.com.

Article header image background of a LinkedIn post analytics results screen. Headline - 26_0508 F - A Working Weekend - Quick progress post as things speed up for Memorial Day Weekend, on Pacio49's Life Out Loud on pacio49.substack.com.

Luxe, Calme, et Volupté - The Day Matisse Outgrew His Teachers. Substack article teaser graphic for Pacio49's Life Out Loud substack at Pacio49.substack.com. Image behind is a fade of the header graphic showing the painting itself and the photo of Henri Matisse.

Alexandre Cabanel's "The Fallen Angel" (1847) (Academicism). Depicting the Angel Lucifer as a beefy hunk, shedding a single tear in shame and rage. Oil on Canvas.

Cover image for an article titled "26_0214 S- Love and Gratitude, Art and Life", subtitle: "A progress report for Valentine's Day" from the Substack Pacio49's Life out Loud, pacio49.substack.com.

Image - A dog climbs a hill of a forest with very little underbrush, and slanted "god rays" of sunlight pierce the mist under the canopy at an angle.

Article advertisement for Substack. "3 Things to Know About the Artist Alexandre Cabanel From the Academicism Movement, For Middle Managers Who Strictly Adhere to SOPs and Panic When Someone Suggests a New Workflow"

Graphic advertising a substack article at Pacio49's Life Out Loud. Title of the article: Three Dark Truths Why Modern Art Refuses to "Paint Pretty" for Foks Who Didn't Study Art History". URL is PACIO49.SUBSTACK.COM.

Art Quote: "The Beautiful is the ugly. The ugly is the beautiful." - Champfleury 1857.

Historical Portrait of Gustave Courbet circa 1856 over the headline "5 Facts Content Creators Should Know About the 1850's Realism Artist Gustave Courbet While Fighting Against the Algorithm's Demand for Fake Aesthetic Perfection" from the free Substack "Pacio49's Life Out Loud" Intro to Modern Art section.

The icon for the elite "Kingmakers" of the Art World, who each decade turn Fine Art into a source of Profit or Power for themselves in the Art War that is the history of Modern Art.

A rainbow hued crown with five tines on a field of black with a gold ring around it inset from the edge.

Come along for the journey of exploration with me on my substack of Pacio49 Life Out Loud at pacio49.substack.com!

The Artists and Art Innovators icon for the 2026 Intro to Modern Art. A rainbow painted star in a circle, surrounded by rainbow dots ono a field of white.

French Realism painter Gustave Courbet's self portrait, entitled "The Desperate Man". Courbet began to attack the elite 'Kingmakers' of the 19th century French Art world, which was the pebble that started the avalanche that became 150+ years of Modern Art.

salr disc mandala painting by Adam Pacio.

Screenshot of Envato Elements showing their new UI.

Screenshot essay titled 'A Single Piece of Brief Advice For The New Year If the Old Year Kicked the Crap Out of You and Left You Hurting'. The body text discusses overcoming a difficult year and advises against making New Year's resolutions for 2026. Instead, it encourages focusing on small improvements, such as cleaning a corner of a desk or organizing laundry. It emphasizes the importance of small victories in daily life, indicating that these can lead to substantial change over time. The author expresses support and understanding for those struggling, reminding them to concentrate on making repairs rather than feeling pressured to set resolutions.

The same comforter image as above, except the white comforter in the image has been given the coloring of one of the mandala paintings, the Solar Disc Mandala. The singing bowl and curtain and the hardwood floor remain unchanged.

AI-generated image with a white comforter on the floor of a morning meditation scene.

Screenshot essay titled 'Three Things You Can Always Look For In Considering a New Artwork When You Don't Know Where to Start With Something You Honestly Kinda Think Is Pretentious, Or At Least, Above Your Current Tax Bracket.' The essay discusses the perceived pretentiousness of art, contrasting established art institutions with unconventional art pieces. It provides humorous commentary on the challenges of discussing art at social gatherings and offers three key observations: 'Gasp & Ooh,' which captures the visual surprise and appreciation; 'Bowouf?', representing the confusion in unexpected artistic elements; and 'Loud Silence,' highlighting moments of contemplation. The essay concludes with practical advice on how to respond to inquiries about art.

rainbow petroglyphs of 'the grandmothers', manifesting rainbow hues across the spectrum and delivering lightning bolts of realization into the beehive necklace of Amber and Jet, symbolizing life. Work in Progress. A rainbow spectrum ribbon encircles the Grandmothers.

Screenshot essay titled 'Four Reasons Why "Powering Through" is a Scam and Taking a Break is Actual Strategy'. The essay discusses the negative impacts of neglecting rest, illustrated by a personal story of suffering health consequences from overwork. It critiques the notion of relentless productivity with metaphors about vehicles and brain function. The text emphasizes four key arguments: 1. The brain requires downtime to process information effectively; 2. Individuals are not disposable, and taking breaks is essential for long-term productivity; 3. Napping represents a rejection of a productivity-focused economy, asserting personal control; 4. Fatigue impairs decision-making, thus breaks help restore clarity and focus.

Screenshot essay titled 'Three Ways that Carl Jung Used Mandalas to Help Put Life in Order.' The text discusses Carl Jung's use of mandalas for personal expression and therapy. Key points include: 1) Daily Art Therapy, where Jung painted mandalas each morning as part of his healing process; 2) The significance of the circular format, referred to as 'Magic Circle,' which symbolizes a sacred space for integrating chaos into order; 3) The Instinct of Self Preservation, where Jung believed circles offer a defensive boundary for the psyche, representing safety and control over one's reality.

Screenshot essay titled 'Four Things to Keep In Mind When Appreciating Modern Mandala Art For Curious Westerners & Non-Buddhists'. The text discusses the author's experience as a NYC artist exploring Mandala art. It outlines four key points: 1. Definition in Language - explaining the meaning of Mandala as 'Circle' in Sanskrit. 2. Folk Art Origins - detailing how Mandalas are a category of Nepalese and Tibetan tangkas, arranged geometrically for meditation. 3. Buddhist Guided Visualizations - describing Mandalas as tools in Tibetan Buddhism for visualization and Western occult practices. 4. Art Therapy and Mindfulness Tools - highlighting Carl Jung's use of Mandalas in art therapy for self-awareness and patient treatment.

A tutorial drawing in procreate. The sky, clouds, and then working from far away and getting closer layer by layer, back to front landscape style. Faraway trees, yellow meadow, midground trees rendered. More as the tutorial finishes out. James Julier Art tutorials.

Screenshot essay titled 'I'm still not impressed with Gemini 3. Here's why.' The text discusses the author's post-stroke experience of reinventing themselves by using AI for business strategies and creative ventures. Despite following advice from Gary Vee to embrace AI, the author expresses disappointment in Gemini 3's performance, describing it as unimpressive and likening it to a 'MehComputer.' The author struggles with Gemini 3's inability to provide useful business strategies, often reminding it of their lack of specific assets it refers to. The essay highlights frustrations with Gemini 3's repetitive focus on past conversations and its overall reliability, concluding with skepticism about AI's capability beyond being a search engine.