Suzanne

Suzanne Havens is a mixed media artist who lives on the Gulf Coast of southwest Florida.

Royal Palace in Seville, Spain

Nov 292014

The Real Alcazar, Sevilla was built by Moorish rulers then taken over and built upon by Pedro I in 1364.

Isabel I sent explorers to the New World from this palace. The Spanish royal family maintains a private residence within the palace.

Entrance to Private Quarters from Patio where Court Met before the Hunt

Patio of the Dolls Was Named After the Doll-Like Figures built into the Wall Design

The Mudejar Style of Architecture Includes Elaborate Patterns and Poetry in Tile and Carvings

These Intricate Tile Designs Remind Me of Quilt Art

Imagine Having this Patio Inside of Your Home!

Extensive Walled Gardens Allow the Royal Family to Enjoy the Outdoors in Privacy

Pomegranates Growing in the Garden

The Kings Enjoyed this Garden Retreat

Peahens and Peacocks Live in the Garden

The Garden Walls Were Built in a Rustic Style which Contrasts with the Formal Structure of the Garden

The Mesquita (Grand Mosque) in Cordoba

Spain No Responses »

Nov 142014

Cordoba is located south of Madrid and north of Sevilla. It has been settled and resettled by numerous people who have left behind their art and architecture.

The Mesquita was first built in 785 AD, evolved, and in the 10th century lavish additions were made. During the 16th century a cathedral was built inside

More than 850 arches and columns gave me the impression of infinite splender

The Mihrab, the prayer niche, remains adjacent to the cathedral

The intricate patterns of Moorish architecture contrast with the figurative scenes in the Roman catholic architecture

A contemporary building that sits between the Mesquite and the Ramon bridge is styled to harmonize with both

The bell tower is over 300 feet tall and built on the site of the original minaret

Toledo

Spain No Responses »

Nov 042014

Ancient Romans, Visigoths, Moors, Jewish and Christian people have all contributed to Toledo’s rich heritage.

Toledo on the River Tagus

The Toledo Cathedral was built between 1226 and 1493

The palace of Carlos V stands on the site of former Roman, Visigoth and Muslim fortresses

Catholic churches incorporate architecture of the Moors

Floor tiles from the synagogue

The River Targus made capture of Toledo difficult

Puerta del Sol has Moorish arches and towers that fortified the northern entrance to Toledo

Segovia

Spain No Responses »

Oct 202014

Segovia, northwest of Madrid in the Castilla y Leon region of central Spain, is known for its 15th century royal castle, 16th century Gothic cathedral, and Roman aqueduct.

The Alcazar, or royal palace, sits high on a rocky spur. The form is sometimes compared to a ship.

Castles were fortified because of the battles between the Catholics and the Moors.

Royal thrones and crest

Both the knights and horses wore armor in battle.

The knight’s amour covered his feet with a design that looks like a pair of ferocious birds.

The knights’ bravery was heralded in stained glass windows.

Autumn view of the fallow fields through a Gothic arch

The golden fields among rugged hills provide a dramatic view from the Alcazar

This cathedral was started in 1525 after the previous cathedral was destroyed during a revolt over the appointment of a regent from Utrecht.

The cathedral was consecrated in 1678 and is called the last great Gothic church in Spain.

Water from the Rio Frio (Cold River) flowed into the city over its 2,400 foot length.

Two tiers of arches were required to cope with the change in gradient.

The aqueduct was built in the 1st century AD and was in use until the late 19th century.

Sighted in Madrid

Inspiration No Responses »

Oct 192014

Sculptures on the Ministry of Agriculture

Sculpture of Diego de Velazquez, Spain’s leading court painter of the 17th century Golden Age

The Atocha train station where we took the luxurious fast train to Cordoba

Motorcycles and scooters are very popular and suitable to the narrow streets of the historic districts

September 19 is universal Talk Like a Pirate Day where I saw several pirates of various ages

Madrid Revisited

Inspiration No Responses »

Oct 182014

For subscribers, if you only saw a small portion of the photos posted in the last blog, here are the three photos downsized for email.

Addition to the Art Museu Thyssen-Bornemisza

Elevator Addition to the Museo Nacional Centro de Reina Sofia

I recently made my first visit to Spain. I was fascinated by the way art and design styles over Spain’s long history are combined, intermingled and found adjacent to one another. Sometimes the result is harmonious and other times I perceived a disruptive clash as the rational and emotional sometimes conflict.

The addition to the Thyssen-Bornemisza art museum is contemporary without a strong visual relationship to the primary building, an early 19th century palace.

Neo-classical congress sits next to a contemporary building.

The Museo Reina Sofia (Queen Sofia Museum) was built in an old hospital. It has an addition of a glass elevator in the front and a contemporary addition on the opposite side. The museum houses 20th and 21st century art.

Merry Christmas!

Inspiration No Responses »

Dec 252013

Merry Christmas to all Christians! I showed this new photo collage to colleagues at the Venice Camera Club and was encouraged to make it into a Christmas card. Too late for prints and mailing for this year I decided to share it with you via email. To me, she looks like she has emerged right from the stained glass. I hope that this image brings you joy and courage to express your most loving concerns for all of humanity.

Carolina Butterflies

Creative Musing No Responses »

Oct 052013

Long ago while hiking in the North Carolina Mountains I came upon a convention of butterflies sipping water from the wet rocks along side of a waterfall. I made a photo and have been displaying an 8″ x 10″ print ever since. One day this spring I felt compelled to make a painting of these butterflies. A big painting. 3 feet x 4 feet. I sketched them in quite fluidly, but then became enraptured in their detail. I marveled at their consistencies and differences due to lighting, angle, distance and some uniqueness to each one. I built up layers of color because of their iridescent structure. The painting remains in the studio. I enjoy seeing it there. I’m wondering how it will relate to the next painting…

Summer Sights on the Gulf Coast of Florida

Inspiration No Responses »

Jul 272013

Summer afternoons in Florida are a nice time to visit museums, tour a garden, swim in the pool or the Gulf, have a leisurely lunch and take a few photos along the way. The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg and the Ringling Museum in Sarasota both make fun day trips.

The Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg breaks out of the box with both glass and rock.

The Dali Museum glass wall/ceiling brings light into the core of the museum. The painting galleries surround the core with walls separating the strong natural light from the controlled gallery lighting.

The architecture of the Vinoy Hotel hearkens back to a more decorative style.

Gordon Huether is a sculptor and painter with a studio and gallery in Napa, California which I visited last summer. The hot colors of the glass inside the cool metal express the tropical heat with a sense of contemporary sophistication of a city that welcomes new art forms.

This beautiful rose, blooming in the July heat, is part of Mabel Ringling’s rose garden.

This maiden has stood so long in Mabel Ringling’s rose garden that she has begun to grow lichens on her fair complexion.

In the center of Mabel Ringling’s rose garden stands a wrought-iron gazebo. Looking straight up to the clear blue sky reveals its pattern, which echoes the structure of the garden itself.

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