Desert Bloom at DeGrazia, Tucson

Here is one of my recently completed artworks, "Desert Bloom at DeGrazia, Tucson". Created with color pencils, it depicts the gated path leading up to the DeGrazia Art Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
You can find more of my artworks on my Melissa Enderle Artwork Facebook page or on my website.

Tweet

Pastel: Splashes of White and Violet

My latest artwork, a pastel of spring flowers at Olbrich Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. Painted on PastelMat paper.

Tweet

April Snowshowers Bring Unhappy WI residents

You'd be mistaken if you thought this scene was photographed in January. No, it was photographed yesterday in Madison, Wisconsin. A record 7.2 inches (18.3 cm) fell yesterday - just when the snow from the weekend's storm was nearly melted. 

Although I wasn't happy to see the snow, I felt compelled to brave the elements and take some photos.

A snowy tunnel

While walking to Tenney Park, I spotted these two taking a spring/winter swim. While they might be pining for summer, I'm just eager for spring to be here. 

Oh well.

The good news is that within a few days, the snow should be gone. This better be the last time.

Tweet

Tulips at the Capitol

A beautiful spring day in downtown Madison, it was a perfect opportunity to capture the capitol in spring. Moving down to a lower vantage point, I managed to hide any people and focus solely on the magnificence of the architecture and nature. If you haven't been to the Wisconsin capitol, it's worth a visit!

Tweet

A little Spring in Downtown Madison

One sunny day, I headed downtown to check out its spring clothes. Although it wasn't as pretty as Yonsei University's (in Seoul, Korea) campus, the UW Madison campus had some pretty spots as well. 

I then walked towards the capitol. Some of the trees were beginning to bloom as well.

Tweet

Change is in the Air

In the last two weeks, I've visited Olbrich Gardens three times. After a rainy spell these past several days, a slight break (at least for a few hours) enable me to check the local botanical gardens yet again.  Last week's warm weather and blue skies brought out lots of people; today, the overcast skies, brisk wind, and cool temps meant a smaller crowd. A week ago today, the cherry blossoms were singing. Today, few petals remained; Their tune was over. I walked away from the area from the area where I had photographed the cherry blossoms and magnolias last week, searching for new subjects.

The wooden bridge crossing the Starkweather Creek was my spot of choice for today. Here, the redbuds provided a colorful contrast against the overcast sky. 

Next to the bridge, three painted turtles vied for a spot on the grassy section of a log. 

What changes are you observing in your area?

Tweet

Spring Awakens at Olbrich Gardens

Having photographed (at least according to my sister) all the flowers in Korea, it was high time that I began to document those spring beauties in Wisconsin. Spring in Wisconsin is a few weeks behind that of Korea, so I had to be a bit more patient. Finally (as my eyes and sinuses also revealed), the warmer temperatures have awakened spring in the area. After completing my online teaching, I took advantage of the pleasant temperatures and non-rainy late morning to walk to the Olbrich Gardens. It was the first time that I had visited Olbrich in spring, so I was eager to see what it would look like.

Other people, young and old, seemed to have had the same idea, strolling around the grounds (free admission) to see what firstfruits of spring were present. While many areas still looked rather dormant, sections were sprinkled with color. Blue Stars carpeted the ground, interspersed with daffodils. Magnolias and cherry blossoms added to the color palette, offering variation in size and color. I crouched low to the ground to get some shots, immediately getting dirt on my freshly laundered jeans. Oh, the price that a photographer must pay! 

Needless to say, it wasn't difficult to quickly rack up quite a few shots. I'll have to return in a week or less to see what further changes there will be. The folks (including many volunteers) were busy with spring cleaning and preparing many areas. I can't wait to see the fruits of their labors!

via Instagram

Tweet

A Walk Through the Desert Wildflowers at Catalina State Park

I timed my trip down to Arizona this spring so I could see the desert wildflowers. The area had received ample rainfall this winter, so the flowers were happy. We took a drive about 1 1/2 hours away and visited the Catalina State Park near Tucson. 

I was surprised to see how green much of the park was. The leaves of many of the trees were emerging, and grasses of different sorts looked very fresh - unlike the wild grasses near Apache Junction which have already dried up. The creek going through the park definitely helped.

In addition, the area was dotted with various wildflowers, in various intensities of yellow, white, orange, red, orange, and blue. Some were so tiny and appeared to be very fragile. They reminded me of some of the tundra flowers higher on a mountain.

Some of the flowers played hide-and-seek, peeking out between the cacti. Many of the cacti themselves were beginning to blossom as well. I suspect that in a few weeks, rocky hills and mountains in this park will look very different yet again, with these fragile rainbows all dry and withered up, hoping to reappear next year.

See more of my photos from Catalina State Park on my Flickr Site

Tweet

Heunginjimun Gate, Seoul

While waiting for nightfall when the LED roses would light up at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, I walked with a friend across the street to the Heunginjimun Gate. What a contrast - from the spaceship-like ultramodern steel building of the Plaza to the stone and wood structure of the gate. 

Meaning "Great East Gate," Heunginjimun Gate was the major Eastern gate for the wall that surrounded Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty. Now it sits amidst the ultramodern skyscrapers, huge electronic displays, and a plethora of markets.  

As written on the sign in front of the gate:

Heunginjimun was the east gate of the capital city of Seoul and was built in 1398. The current gate was rebuilt in 1869. This large gate in the east was inscribed with the letter "ji," meaning wisdom. An arch type passage was created in the embankment linked to the fortress wall, and a fortress gate was built at the gatehouse erected on the passage. The gatehouse is a two story building of a type which can only be found at Sungnyemun and Heunginjimun, among the fortress gates of Seoul. The gatehouse was where the commander stayed to hold the gate and was used as a command post in times of emergency. 

Walls built with bricks and windows made of wooden plates were installed outside the gatehouse to defend the city against its enemies. The gatehouse of Heunginjimun clearly shows the architectural characteristics of the 19th century which includes a simple structural assembly and various decorations. In addition, a crescent shaped revetment was built in front of the gate to defend against invaders, and this revetment can only be found in this gate in Seoul.

The Heunginjimun Gate, also known as Dongdaemun Gate, is the Korea's National Treasure No. 1. 

Tweet

A Little Symphony at the Pond

One of the places that I was keen to visit within the Garden of the Morning Calm was the pond with pavilion. This area wasn't a part of the winter lighting festival in which I attended this past January. Such an area combines some of my favorite elements; bridges, traditional architecture, a pond, surrounded by spring plant life.

Instead of dragons or lions heading the beginning of the bridge, it sported some stone frogs. Soon this choice would become more evident. I had heard loud croaking but assumed that it was probably piped frog sounds coming from some speakers scattered throughout the pond's edges (I've been to other Korean sites where music is projected from speakers concealed as rocks). 

Lo and behold, it was the real deal! Near the shorelines were some rather long-limbed frogs, blissfully croaking away. It was fun watching them puff out their cheeks like symmetrical barbells. The frogs didn't seem that concerned about the curious onlookers. Perhaps it was mating season and they were more concerned about attracting some lovely lady frogs.

Tweet

Springtime at Garden of the Morning Calm

This past weekend, I went with a few friends to the Garden of the Morning Calm. Sure, I had plenty of things to do, but visiting this beautiful garden in spring was on my Korea "bucket list." I first visited this place in January during the winter Lighting Festival. Part of the garden was not included in the winter event, and I wanted to see its springtime transformation. Korea gets gardening right.

The 330,000 sq m. garden is open year round; during the higher season (mid-March - November), it is open from 8:30-sunset. Located about 40 km northeast of Seoul, it is an easy day trip. We took the subway from Hongik University, transferring once and arriving at Cheongpyeong Station. Although a city tour bus was available, we decided to pile into a taxi and shave off a little time, arriving at the entrance about 20 minutes later. Although it was fairly busy, the large area provided ample space to spread out and get some shots without hordes of people. As with any Korean destination, arriving earlier is best. 

Within the grounds, there are 20 different themed areas. Some areas were very manicured, and others felt more natural. Pavilions and other Korean-styled buildings provided shelter, picnic spots, places to eat/drink, purchase plants & gifts, and bathroom facilities. 

One could easily spend half a day, particularly if enjoying all the different paths, boardwalks, greenhouses, and facilities.

I'll be posting more on the garden. For now, here is the link to my Flickr album.

Tweet

Nature's Glow

With the azaleas much farther this week, I decided to go for a walk after school, exploring the color of nearby Yonsei University. I love photographing its well-maintained campus. While walking down one of its many slopes, my eye was drawn to the red glow beneath the shade of some trees. I loved how the red glow was reflected in the window of the Tudor-style building.

It's not the first time I've photographed this area. Below is the same spot in autumn.

Tweet

Courageous Pinks

Although Korea's cherry blossoms tend to steal the show, they're not the only game in town. An equally beautiful blossom is the maehwa plum blossom. 

In Confucian times, the maehwa was considered one of the Four Gentlemanly plants. Still seen as one of the Four Seasons symbols (along with the wild orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum), the maehwa plum blossom represents courage. One of Korea's earlier blossoming trees, it was admired for blooming in the cold of early spring. A beloved symbol for scholars, the maehwa represents strength, fidelity, integrity, and nobility.  

I photographed these images on a late afternoon at a local temple. Although it had been a long day at school, I'm glad that my friends invited me to go on a walk with them.

Tweet

A Visit to Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival

Despite the bad air quality, I was determined to visit Seokchon Lake for its cherry blossom festival. I met my friend there early, before the crowds came. Located in the Jamsil area of Seoul, it was a direct 45-minute subway ride, right on line 2. It was the first time that my Korean friend had visited the park during spring.

Melissa in Seokchon park

Colorful cloth lanterns lined part of the great path around the lake. Petals already were gently falling to the ground, dancing with the slightest breeze. Couples posed with selfie sticks, capturing themselves and the beautiful blossoms.

Thankfully, the pathway was not crowded, likely due to the earlier time of day and the air quality. It did make soft lighting for photography and easier navigation.

Tweet

Lotte World Tower, Spring View

Despite the bad air quality, I met a friend outside of Jamsil Station to see the cherry blossoms around Seokchon Lake. Rising dramatically against the graceful blossoms and lake is the Lotte World Tower. At 555 meters tall and 123 floors in total, the just-finished tower dwarfs the shopping center and other skyscrapers in the area. Built to withstand a 9.0 earthquake, the controversial building is designed to house a luxury hotel, offices, retail, and an observatory.

Tweet

Before the Crowds Come: Cherry Blossoms in Seoul

 When it's spring in Korea, everyone seems to want to get out and enjoy the blossoms. I'm no exception. However, I don't particularly like having my tranquil spring photos marred by lots of people. Getting there early is the key. No need to Photoshop anyone out in these photos!

Tweet

Spring Peek at Seoul Foreign School

Back from the EARCOS conference in Manila, Seoul Foreign School has welcomed me with its first signs of spring - the cherry blossoms. One of my favorite trees is by the school's beloved Korean Gate. The photo above is taken from a window on the fourth floor of the elementary building.

Framed by Christ

Opened gate doors in the early morning light

Tweet

Spring Tidbits

This past Sunday, I went for a walk, hoping to capture the first colorful signs of spring here in Seoul. My sinuses were the first indicators a few weeks ago, indicating that the trees definitely are pollinating. The first forsythias and wild violets could be spotted. Tomorrow I head out for the Philippines, where I'll be attending a conference. By the time I return the following Sunday, I expect to see the beginnings of some colorful tree blossoms. Once they start, my camera will be quite busy... 

Tweet