Thursday, July 20, 2017
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Caught in the Act
Having a puppy around, you never know what surprises you might find.
No need to look into Marly's mouth; the carnage around is reminder enough that chewing is one of Marly's favorite pastimes. (Fetching is #1).
Needless to say, I had to do a little "surgery" on a few critters.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Artwork: Tending the Sheep - Dougga, Tunisia
Tending Sheep by the Roman Ruins
Color pencil
Dougga, Tunisia
My latest artwork is of a shepherd tending sheep by the ancient Roman city of Dougga, Tunisia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Note the large carved stones scattered throughout. It was not uncommon to see shepherds and their sheep meandering through the ruins.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Liberty and the Branches
Right below the rotunda, one can find four beautiful mosaics. Made by Kenyon Cox, Liberty and the branches of government are represented. Each measures about 28x20' and contains about 10,000 pieces of glass. The tiny hand-cut pieces are made from many different types of glass, including opaque, colored, shiny, and matte, with backings of aluminum and copper. Considered some of the finest glass mosaics in the world, the varied glass types create a strong dimensional effect.
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| Liberty mosaic |
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| Justice mosaic |
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| Justice mosaic (detail) |
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| Legislation mosaic |
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| Government mosaic |
See more of my photos from the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison
Friday, June 23, 2017
Madison State Capitol Dome interior through Different Lenses
As part of a photowalk with a featured guest photographer, we spent most of our time in the Madison State Capitol. It was the first time for Olympus Trailblazer photographer Frank T Smith to visit the city and its magnificent landmark. Like others who come to visit, Smith was impressed by its beauty and attention to detail. For the next few hours, we explored the interior and observation deck, seeking photographic inspiration.
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| Photographed with my 12-50mm lens (24-100mm equivalent) |
The ornamental frame surrounding the central dome glimmered in the sunlight, setting off the swirling 34 foot mural. Painted in 1912 by Edwin Blashfield, "Resources of Wisconsin" features twelve women holding products of Wisconsin such as tobacco, wheat, and lead.
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| 8mm fish-eye lens |
As it was an event sponsored by Olympus, the company provided a camera body and lens for people to test out. I had a chance to try out a wide angle lens (7-14mm). I also got a chance to take a few shots with Frank's fisheye 8mm lens. It was fun to try the lens out, but not something I'd go right out and buy.
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| 7-14mm lens |
It was fun seeing how different lenses could render different views of the same subject.
See more photos of the State Capitol on my Flickr page.
Saturday, June 03, 2017
Thursday, June 01, 2017
Block Printing of India
A video shared by my friend reminded me of why I love the textiles of India so much. Each step reveals the artistry and intricacy that is so lovingly performed.
The textile lover that I am, the Anokhi Museum in Jaipur was a perfect place to visit when in the Pink City. Along with informative displays on the history of block printing in India, they had a few craftsmen doing demonstrations.
I especially enjoyed watching the man carving the wood block. It amazed me how such intricate, narrow lines could be formed by such simple tools. Each stroke was made with confident precision. Definitely not a beginner piece!
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| Holding up a finished block |
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| Floral block detail with chisels |
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| Three blocks that are needed to form one print. Precision is needed for both the carving and in alignment of the inked blocks. |
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| Printing on a small handkerchief cloth |
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| Stamping on a resist (in Gujarat, India) In addition to printing with multiple blocks, a resist might be added, the cloth immersed in a dye bath, and the cloth washed, dried, and re-printed multiple times. So next time you see a hand-printed piece of fabric, you'll appreciate the artistry and understand why it is more expensive than that commercial knock-off. |
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Friday, May 19, 2017
Monday, May 15, 2017
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!
Monday, May 08, 2017
Thuburbo Majus - Ancient Roman Site
While living in Tunisia, one of the sites I visited was Thuburbo Majus. Located about 60 km southwest from Carthage on a major thoroughfare connecting Carthage to the Sahara, it is a significant Roman site. Originally a Punic town, it was founded around 27 AD by the Romans as a place where army retirees could settle. Much of the trading town was built around 150-200 AD and prospered as a center for growing grain, olives, and fruit.
Excavations began around 1916 and again around 1925 and the 1950's. Like many Roman sites in Tunisia, there likely is much still that remains below the surface. Now, visitors to this very rural site will find sheep grazing nearby, perhaps even walking over the large mosaics still in situ. Most of the significant mosaics and baths, along with a massive head of Jupiter are now in the Bardo Museum. Despite it not being as well known as Carthage, many of the impressive pieces in the museum were from Thuburbo Majus. I visited the site several times, but found it most beautiful when the fields were green and yellow flowers abounded.
One of the more prominent structures at Thuburbo Majus is the Capitolium. Here, a fairly intact olive press can be found. At the center of the town was the forum. Many of its columns still stand. Near the forum can be found remnants of a market, shops, and a basilica.
Saturday, May 06, 2017
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.
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