This past Monday was Veterans’ Day, a day in which we honor our American Veterans who have sacrificed much to help protect our country through their military service.
This should be a daily reminder for us but there is one day set aside to honor them. These efforts below may maintain the tribute even longer.
This Veterans Mural was painted by James Shepard in Terre Haute, Indiana. It reflects iconic images from the famous flag raising of Iwo Jima, seen here in the DC area with the sculptural memorial in Arlington. These pictures show stages toward completion.
Combat Paper is a therapeutic concept conceived for Vets to deal with the impacts of serving in the Iraq War. In cutting up their uniforms, they can make paper to use for art projects and writing. Although hearing some of the disparaging expression in this video is uncomfortable, I think the concept of creating something positive from something that is symbolic for a lot of tragedy and loss that many Vets have endured should be commended.
In light of Hurricane Sandy bringing a lot of destruction to the East Coast, particularly NJ and NY, here are some murals in tribute.
NYC’s Custom House murals, coincidentally via Lost City, where you can see most of the city’s old landmarks. Let’s hope maritime + other commerce gets back up and running there soon with full services for all the city.
I am writing this post in advance of the election so I do not know the outcome as this is published. I strongly hope whoever wins will help to turn our country around for the better. This is the first time I can remember that so much hangs in the balance in determining which way the future of country goes.
It’s going to take a lot of clever, creative thinking…I hope whoever wins is up for and can handle the task.
Our freedom and future depend on it…
Meanwhile, Staten Island, NYC and those without power or water in NJ could really use this (via The Australian).
Who Left the Tap Running, a Simon McGrath Sculpture in Sydney, Australia.
Click here for ways to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
I’ve really been enjoying watching the Olympics, more than I remember for the summer version in the past. With only this week to go, here’s a mural that caught my eye for color, rendition and subject.
Usain Bolt, the Jamaican Olympic 100m and 200m record holder is depicted in a large scale public mural in East London, painted by the Australian street artist James Cochran, who is also known as Jimmy C. In comparison to the Bansky’s mural and other street art that was “removed” just six days after one was painted due to a complaint, this colorful mural seems to captivate people’s attention. It’s exceptionally painted and really captures the sense of movement with its burst of color that comes from the speed of a champion runner. This brings that phrase “going the speed of light” to mind.
I’m also fascinated with the process. Here’s an earlier stage of the work also via Hungeree.
And the final piece as it remains to be enjoyed on the wall via Zap2It.
You may want to scroll down Hungeree’s site because there are some really wonderful murals here like this coffee bean one in Moscow. The mural image was painted on top of a layer of coffee beans affixed to the wall. I wonder about longevity….
…Or this Michael Pilato “Inspiration for State College” Mural that he painted for Penn State and then recently repainted over Jerry Sandusky. Since this photo was taken, Coach Joe Paterno has also been removed.
…or an Olympic swimmer sculpture being installed in Omaha, where the US Olympic swim team trials began…
Photo credit: Dave Weaver / AP, Nati Harnik / AP
…or this wonderful photo of a Belinda Hocking, an Australian Olympic swimmer, who appears as sculptural glass with this miraculous stopped-action shot.
Back to the Olympics. It’s time to watch the track portion.
But if you’re looking for interesting murals in while in London, go to the Londonist and take a mural tour while there.
I saw this just in time for the London Olympics. Some of these may be conceptual plans but I hope to see these structures while I watch some of the games. I’m more a fan of the winter Olympics than I am of the summer, however.
I think all of the Olympic structures are pretty exceptional. I don’t get the sculpture, however.
Information Pavilion
Aquatics Center
Top of Aquatics Center
Beatbox - CocaCola Olympic Park Pavilion
Acelor Mittal Orgit Sculpture by Anish Kapoor
Here’s the Olympic Park the night of the Opening Ceremony and the official website, if you want to keep your pulse on the game schedules.
Winning horse race day that is! Yes, I’ll Have Another is the name of the horse that won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. The Derby was a pretty good race (I missed the Preakness). He came from up from behind and maintained his place in the front to edge out a win . We watched with mint juleps in hand. Having Kentucky roots, how could I not? This post, was supposed to run right after the Derby but it never got scheduled; however, it works now that the Preakness has occurred and The Belmont is right around the corner on June 9th. Could we have another Triple Crown winner, finally?
Here’s an appropriate post in conjunction with the Derby. Look at these realistic horse sculptures and murals in Lexington, Kentucky. I remember seeing them when I first came into the town but didn’t see the murals at the time. Pretty impressive. Those “underpasses and bridges” would be enough to fool me. Good thing cars don’t drive nearby.
Lexington murals and horse sculpture via Stuck at the Airport
I found this post from the entertaining blog, Stuck at the Airport. How often have we all been stuck at the airport and not having anything to do? Just look around you, take pictures and start a blog. Pretty ingenious and gives us all a lot to see while not being stuck at the airport, thankfully.
I’m always inspired by beautiful creations that come from something that is otherwise everyday, and in this case, considered mundane, growing with abundance in Nature in Panama. The indigenous Indian tribes got smart and decided that they could use the nut for carvings as a “elephant safe ivory” and no longer cut down this tree because it has become so resourceful for their economy. The reason the nut is often left as the base is not only to show a single carving; although some do use two nuts, but to let custom officials know that this carving is not from elephant tusk.
These tagua treasures that I discovered on our Panama trip exemplify this concept of exceptional mini sculptures from the everyday nut that take quite an artistic talent to carve and even paint. We saw all of these animals while there, btw. Including three coatimundi (a raccoon type animal) that reminded us more of lemurs as they went bounding across our path on our way to the jungle to see the howler monkeys.
Taqua is an egg size nut that grows nearly everywhere in South America. We saw the tree whenever we were walking in the rainforest. There is no shortage of supply for creating these beautiful creatures. There is also tagua jewlery that can be carved. The hand dyed and woven basket above is another one of the treasures that I purchased from the Embera. I love the colors and keep all the taguas inside — truly a basket of treasures.
We learned about them at the Embera Indian village where we visited. Each family had tagua figurines and wares for sale. I purchased something from each family but ran out of funds to get an all white armadillo that caught my eye. Consequently, I’m on a search and hope to find one to finalize my collection. These are the closest I’ve found to the one I saw with combinations of both figurines — small nut base with this top armadillo style and the ribbed armadillo tail of the second one. This site seems to give credit to the Embera Artisans and has carvings more in keeping with their intricate style. Whatever I find, it won’t be the same unless it comes from the village.
White carved tagua armadillo via Where on Earth $40
Armadillo tagua from Where on Earth $30
I like how One World Projects supports the Indians from which these figurines were created because as you can the price can otherwise get awfully inflated. If only they had an armadillo like the one I’m looking for…Excuse for another trip?
I just recently returned from a trip to Panama. We’ve been trying to get there for years and it was well worth it. While there, I thought about how nice it would be to live in the tropics. I received this post from Archello, a great site for everything architectural (see sidebar) and low and behold the topic was tropical residences. How timely. I particularly like Casa de La Flora, a new design hotel in Thailand. It is designed like a private residence.
This infinity pool reminded me of the one we saw at the Trump Tower in Panama. It has some of the most unusual architecture in the city.
Trump Ocean View Tower
What a gorgeous place for cocktails and a wonderful view of the city at sunset. It’s his most prize hotel in Latin America. This view from about 16 floors up. It’s pretty cool (literally) to have drinks while dangling your feet in a pool.
Infinity pool and lounge chairs at poolside Trump Tower Rooftop
Middle Lounge area located across from the Middle Bar and separates left & right sides of rooftop
Middle Bar located between two sides of the rooftop pool
Right side of the pool deck with cabanas
On the way down we saw many artistic things, like the clever concept of portraits made of pennies and a mezzanine area that had a sculpture slatted chair that I thought could have been by David Trubridge.
Penny Portraits at the Trump Tower in Panama City
Mezzanine has a variety of art and sculpture
There were two larges scale Botero sculptures – one at the entrance of the hotel and one in the lobby. Never mind he’s a Columbian artist and the Panamanians don’t really like the Columbians.
Botero sculpture in the lobby of the Trump Towner in Panama City
These are condo units as well and downstairs there are wings on either side of the lobby with shops, mini-bars and restaurants. It was the first time I had seen a wine-on-tap bar. What great idea. You can pour a taste, shot or glass from a spigot. What a great design concept.
This was just one day of our trip and not including the jungle adventure that came before. If you’d like to see more, head on over to Slipcovers for Your Walls, casartblog for Casart coverings, where I posted more pictures and an interesting video of worker ants that we stumbled upon while hiking in the jungle.
Ahh, its’s now a work week again and I’m still thinking of memories of the beach, wishing we could have that relaxed pace all year long. But alas, we’ll just have to reflect on these times that help make vacations all the more appreciated. Meanwhile, here are some stunning beach photos that will leave a lasting impression.
Light painting on Britain’s beaches by Jamie Wardley from the UK’s Daily Mail.
Next time you’re burning a bonfire, you may want to consider this beautiful and sculptural Beach Burner by John T. Unger.
Firebowl by John T. Unger
Firebowl by John T. Unger
There are a lot of songs I could use to Kick Start the Weekend with this post but Starlight by Muse seems a fitting way to put a sunset on the beach scene until the next vacation.
Post Irene and while writing this I’m not sure where I’ll be. On vacation, finally, or stuck working still?….As I write this with an hour upon the big bands of 85 mile winds approaching that have caused 20,000 people to lose power in Virginia, I’m not sure if power will still be on in the morning. But, at least I can envision signs of rainbow — hoping all will be well.
Here are views that you may be seeing “after the storm” captured in a Morning Drive by watercolorist landscape painter and illustrator,Nick Swift, who I’ve just added to my blogroll. He has an interesting background being partially color blind that brings extra fascination to his work. He also has an instructive painting demo that show the process of his work. I’m intrigued with the artist’s creative process.
I also like his shells, which I hope to be collecting by the time this post is published. I love beachcombing in the early hours before any ones else is awake and the beach gets crowed — and I’m NOT a morning person but this gets me up.
But I hope I’ll be seeing signs of a rainbow by this time too:
1) Rainbow Door to Paradise by Agnieszka Cuprys from Poland (designboom).
2) A Rainbow “house” stairs by Ab Rogers and DA Studio (modern house deco).
3) Plexus no. 8 by Gabriel Dawe is lovely and reminds me of a translucent rainbow (St. Louis Riverfront Times).
4) and even Rainbow Sheep — now that’s really seeing rainbows (moonbattery).
Regarding Images used: I do not claim ownership of any of the images posted on this blog (unless stated otherwise). I try my utmost best to give credit from original sources. If you have ownership rights of a photo and wish for me to remove it, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
