For the past week we’ve been treated to some spectacular sunsets. Part of this has been due to residual smoke from fires burning in Canada that has swept into Minnesota, and part has been due to the weather conditions here. The other night while we were out enjoying an ice cream cone, I noticed that the western sky was setting up for what looked like a great sunset. I scurried home to get my camera, then headed out to find a choice spot with a great foreground to make my photographic image of the setting sun. As would happen, the conditions were changing rapidly. I pulled into the parking lot of a commercial building that overlooks the interstate; mind you, not the “choice” spot for a great image. But although what I saw looking to the west was not photogenic, what I saw as a reflection in the building behind me caught my eye. With the curves in the glass and its separate panels, the sunset took on a look that reminded me of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” The colors of the sky seemed to swirl about in the reflection, yet were anchored by the lamp and its post. So although I didn’t find what I was expecting, I was delighted at what was presented to me by chance.
summer
A drive-in delight on a hot summer’s night
It’s summer here in the mid-west. We’ve had temps in the 80’s and 90’s, and humidity that sometimes matched those temperatures. One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer’s night is to be on or near the water, whether it’s a pond, a lake, or a river. So last night we headed over to Hudson, Wisconsin and with our feet in the water, we watched the sun set over the St. Croix River. It was beautiful and delightful, especially with all the sailboats and recreational boats on the river. Afterwards, it seemed only appropriate to finish off the evening with some cool ice cream. We were on the east side of Saint Paul and stopped at the Dari-ette Drive-In. Here you can order from your car or walk up to the window. We ordered our ice cream and sat outside at a table to enjoy the evening. With its neon sign, the flashing ice cream cone, and the lights of the cars going by, I couldn’t help but pull out my camera to photograph one of the last few drive-ins that still exist in the state. If you’re in Saint Paul or passing through, I’d certainly recommend a stop at the Dari-ette Drive-In.
Colors of summer
I’ve been thinking of how best to depict summer in one image. There are so many adventures and activities that we associate with summer, but how can one summarize those all in one photographic image? To me, this photo brings together the colors of summer — the bluest of warm-weather skies, the white puffy clouds that grace the heavens, the green of all the abundant growth that takes place during the season, and the golden-yellow of the sun and the flowers and the warmth that accompanies summer. My second photography instructor (and my favorite — thank you Karyl!) had a saying that I have always remembered when photographing — “isolate to simplify.” To me this image represents the essence of that phrase, pulling all my feelings of summer into three elements and one simple representation.
Summer in the Windy City
We got away this past summer’s weekend to the big city of Chicago — my first visit in about 30 years (yikes!). It was a wonderful and fascinating time, filled to the brim with new sights and experiences. One of the lasting impressions I came away with is the city’s appreciation for art and architecture. Art and sculpture is found everywhere, with people experiencing it firsthand. Whether young or old there was a fascination with the Cloud Gate at Millennium Park (shown here in the photo) or the Crown Fountain, which afforded a chance to cool off on a hot summer’s day. We took in a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, where the neighborhood lives and breathes baseball and history, and we enjoyed a river cruise by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. What a perfect way to learn about the history of Chicago, the building and rebuilding of the city, and the pride that permeates nearly every city block. The weekend renewed my belief in the importance of art and its ability to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds. No matter what verbal language is spoken, what ethnic background, what age, there is no better way to communicate than with a visual work of art, a true universal language all its own.
Exhibits, awards and publications
This past Friday night was the opening reception for the 4th annual Horizontal Grandeur fine art exhibition at the Stevens County Historical Museum in Morris, Minnesota. The exhibit brought together artists from across the country, all living in states with prairies. Inspired by Bill Holm’s essay, “Horizontal Grandeur,” there were inspiring and wonderful interpretations of the prairie theme. I was honored to have two of my photographs juried into this show. This image, “Dawn’s first light on the prairie” was photographed while I was an artist-in-residence at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa. My second photograph in the exhibit is the image from my April 11, 2010 blog entry “Pasque flower welcome to spring.” For a complete viewing of the pieces in the exhibit, please visit the website for the Stevens County Historical Museum at www.stevenshistorymuseum.com.
Here in the Twin Cities I’m a member of the Minneapolis Photographic Society — a group of wonderfully talented photographers with diverse interests. Each year there is one image that is selected as Color Print of the Year and one that is selected as Monochrome Print of the Year. This year I was awarded the Color Print of the Year for my image “Through the red barn window.” To see more of the award-winning images from the group, please visit the website: http://www.mplsphoto.com/mps/site/a28yearend.php
And lastly, I am excited to have a photograph published in the July/August issue of “The Iowan Magazine.” This image “Swept into the center” is the opening spread of the portfolio section titled “red.white.blue.”
It’s been a busy and exciting few months, and I feel honored with these exhibits, awards, and publications.
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