Sep 272024
 

It is such a joy for me to photograph tiny parts of plants, enlarge them, and see structures that were not visible to my eyes before.  These plants are part of the living collection of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota.

Bromeliaceae Pitcairnia grafii

Bromeliaceae Catopsis morreniana

Orchidaceae Pleurothallis grobyl

Orchidaceae Dichaea pendula

Melastomataceae Pachycentria glauca

Orchidaceae Cadetia ceratostyloides

Jul 072024
 

The Sandhill Cranes raised two colts this spring.  

They found a sweet spot behind our house under a date palm tree.


The colt is checking out what its parent is finding

 

Both colts are checking out what their parent is digging up

 

It appears that they are having a conversation!

 

The parents are ever vigilant

Jun 022024
 

June 1 was my solo exhibit opening!  We had such a nice gathering of art fans.  I gave a talk as an introduction to the show and received many interested questions.  I am so grateful to Bill Rusling, Liz Trostli, and Randy Havens for working all Thursday afternoon with me to hang the show.  It looks splendid. The Arts Advocates Gallery has a beautiful exhibit space and lighting to show off the works.  Along with many 8″ x 10″ and 13″ x 19″ prints on beautiful paper, I was also able to have two 24″ x 36″ images made, one on framed canvas and the other on aluminum.  Both turned out really well.

I also want to express gratitude to my friend Pat LaRussa, who typed up the labels for each print–49 of them in total.  Pat and my sister-in-law, Shelly, helped Randy and me set up the refreshments.

This Saturday, June 8, I will give a presentation on my photography for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, show examples and demonstrate the techniques I use for capturing closeups.  The gallery is open from 2 to 4 PM and my talk will begin about 2:30 PM.  I hope to see you there!  Here are three images from the show that I made at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Apr 072024
 

For me, art is seeing with imagination.  I see the world and modify it with my imagination.  

Orchidaceae Rhyncholalia cultivar Arbin, Honduras with Painted Background

 

Orchid Painting

 

Orchids, Feathers, and Fur

 

Walking Iris

 

Backlighted Orchid with Painted Sky

Mar 102024
 

I have a passion for making close-up photos of flowers.  The following are from the collection of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida.  These particular blooms are about one-quarter inch in size, so the photographs reveal more details than I can see in person.  

Because macro lenses are notorious for their shallow depth of field, i.e., they focus one very thin slice at a time. Therefore I use a technique called focus bracketing or focus stacking to allow us to see a much greater depth of field.  I make a large number of photos each focused slightly nearer to the subject (bracketing) then I stack them together in Adobe Photoshop and run a program that selects the most in-focus part of each photo and merges them into one.  Any movement of the flower will cause the merged photo to misalign and make an interesting abstract. The artist in me make like the abstract result, but the botanists may be frustrated.

Bromeliaceae, Tillandsia ionantha, Mexico

 

Bromeliaceae, Tillandsia ionantha, Mexico

 

Orchidaceae, Stelis argentata, Los Rios, Equador

 

Orchidaceae, Stelis argentata, Los Rios, Equador

 

Orchidaceae, Laelia undulata ‘alba’

 

Orchidaceae, Laelia undulata ‘alba’

 

Orchidaceae, Maxillaria, Cayo, Belize

 

Orchidaceae, Maxillaria, Cayo, Belize

 

Orchidaceae, Pleurothallis racemilflora

Sep 042023
 

Bamberg, Germany was our first destination on this trip.  

“Bamberg is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, laid out over 7 hills where the Regnitz and Main rivers meet. Its old town preserves structures from the 11th to 19th centuries including the muraled Altes Rathaus (town hall), which occupies an island in the Regnitz reached by arched bridges.”Bamberg.Germany “is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in 2022.[6] The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby Babenberch castle. Cited as one of Germany’s most beautiful towns, with medieval streets and buildings, the old town of Bamberg has been a UNESCO World Heritage Sitesince 1993.[7]” wikipedia.org

During our Masters in International Business Studies (MIBS), we met a young man from Bamberg.  Tragically he died during his study at University of South Carolina of a car accident. Bamberg remained a mystery to us until this trip.  What an historic and beautiful place this is and how fortunate he was to be raised here.

A mill in the middle of the Regnitz became Hotel Nepomuk, where we stayed. You can see our room windows under the eaves.

“According to legend the bishop of Bamberg did not grant the citizens any land for the construction of a town hall. This prompted the townsfolk to ram stakes into the river Regnitz to create an artificial island, on which they built the town hall they so badly wanted.” Bamberg.info

View of the cathedral towers from our hotel room

Böttingerhaus built from 1707 – 1713 as a baroque palace for Johann Ignaz Tobias Böttinger

The front door and knocker of Böttingerhaus

“St. Peter’s and St. George’s Imperial Cathedral is one of Emperor Heinrich II’s legacies. Emperor Heinrich II. had the Cathedral constructed in Bamberg as early as 1002 and it was completed in 1012. However, this house of worship fell victim to fire, as did its successor. The third construction which contains stylistic elements of the late romanesque and early gothic periods has survived to the present day.” Bamberg.info

Adjacent to the cathedral are the Old Court and New Residence, seats of the Bamberg Bishops since 1007, containing a magnificent rose garden

 

These picturesque homes were once owned by the fishermen.

St. Stephan started in 1008 as a Roman Catholic Collegiate church. In 1807 it became a Protestant parish church.

Fermate, by Walter Green, created 2007, located in St. Stephans church, Bamberg, Germany

The baptismal font is elegant in its simplicity

Evening view of the cathedral

 

Evening view of the Rathaus from our hotel

 
 
Aug 312023
 

Glass vessels and sculpture fascinate me. Over 15,000 pieces are on display inside the Hotel Wilder Mann, famous in the 19th c. where Elisabeth II, Empress of Austria, stayed for a week in 1862.  The collection is from Bavaria, Bohemia, Austria and Silesia and comprises glass from 1650 to 1950 and features Biedermeier, Art Nouveau (Jugendstil), and Art Deco (Modern) styles.

Biedermeier, Friedrich Egermann, Blottendorf, Bohemia 1828 – 1845

Biedermeier, First Experiments from Franz Pohl Glashütte Carlsthal, Schliesien, 1835 – 1842

Art Deco, Modern, Josephine Glassworks, Schreiberhau, Silesia, 1920 – 1950

Art Deco, Modern, Josephine Glassworks, Schreiberhau, Silesia, 1920 – 1950, closeup

Art Nouveau, Meyr’s Neffe, Adolf bei Winterberg, Bohemia, 1900 – 1915

 Jugendstil, Wilhelm Kralik Sohn, Eleonorenhain Bohemia, 1900 – 1905

Jugendstil, Wilhelm Kralik Sohn, Eleonorenhain Bohemia, 1900 – 1905, closeup

 Jugendstil, Wilhelm Kralik Sohn, Eleonorenhain Bohemia, 1900 – 1905, closeup

Vienna Winter Exhibition, 1902 -1903, glass with leaf or heart-shaped applications that are first preheated and then rolled onto the hot surface of the glass bubble and embedded in the wall

Aug 282023
 

It is fun for me to make photos of others’ arts and crafts to share and to keep as memories.  This is a quirky assortment of just some of the sculpture, graphics, paintings, and vessels we saw on our trip to Europe this summer, spanning many artistic styles over the years.

Bamberg, Germany

Bamberg, Germany Cathedral Rose Garden

Einstein with marijuana graphic beside stickers on the downspout, Regensburg, Germany

Don Juan of Austria, 1547 – 1548, born in Regensburg, illigitimate son of the widowed Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. John (Johann) became a military leader in the service of his half-brother, King Philip II of Spain, Charles V’s heir, and is best known for his role as the admiral of the Holy League fleet at the Battle of Lepanto.

Bronze relief map of old city used as beer table at Regensburgerfest, Regensburg, Germany

Barbara Blomberg, mistress of Charles V, Holy Roman Emporer, mother of Don Juan de Austria, Regensburg, Germany, wall graphic in the lobby of Das Regensburg Hotel

Passau, Germany

Art Nouveau (Jugendstil), glass vessels with silver decoration put on in an electrolytic bath, by Johann Lötz Witwe, Klostermühle, Bohemia, 1900 – 1905, The Glas Museum, Passau, Germany

Mirabell Palace Garden, Salzburg, Austria. The Mirabell garten was laid out under Prince-Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun from 1687 according to plans designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.

A sculpture in a nook of the mighty 11th c. Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festung), built on a rock 400 feet above the Salzach River

Door handles, Salzburg, Austria

Trail of the Witches, Alpe di Suisi, The Dolomites, Italy

Trail of the Witches, Alpe di Suisi, The Dolomites, Italy

Trail of the Witches, Alpe di Suisi, The Dolomites, Italy

The gardens of Hohenschwangau Castle, Füssen, Germany

The gardens of Hohenschwangau Castle, Füssen, Germany

A cairn at a barn in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland

Balade D’ouchy, Port de Lausanne-Ouchy, France on Lake Geneva

Parc Olympique, Balade D’ouchy, Port de Lausanne-Ouchy, France on Lake Geneva

Quartier du Flon, Lausanne, France

Suspended discs spanning between buildings, Quartier du Flon, Lausanne, France