Diary of a Mad Art Teacher... and photographer...: September 2011

My Favorite Tree- an autumn portrait

During my walk today, I happened upon some perfectly fantastic lighting conditions that lent itself to some kicking cool photography. This perfect storm of clouds, time of day, season, colors and tree conditions happened when I had the time and inclination to take many many pictures.

Focus on color

Black and white variation

Alternate color combination

West view

Wounded side

Wind lean

Glow

Silhouette

Get ready for your closeup

Sunset

Cracks in the facade

Things are looking up

Love this tree, it is a joy giver!!

Abstraction: Updated!

I really enjoy closeup and abstract views of ordinary things. Fall seems to lend itself to this fascination I have, mostly because of the colors. I like to try simplifying the intense color contrasts by using compositions that focus on form and repetition. I am starting with these, and I will be updating and adding to this post as I go through this fall.

Burning hot colors

Detail of sculpture from The Concrete Park in Phillips, WI

Bottle bed for Angora Cat sculpture at The Concrete Park in Phillips

Leaf Arrangement- collaboration

Leaf mosaic

Headdress

Detail from Concrete Park

Leaf Arrangement

Leaf Mosaic 2

Sepia bee

Symphony in red

Droplets

Fuzzy

high wire

Web

Look closely for your joy!!

MORE PIX:

Melting frost

sparkling weeds

Moss

over a creek

Roadside frosted weeds

ART FIELD TRIP!!!!!!!!

So, what have I been up to on the school front these days?? Well, I have a lot to do every day.... a lot!! I have a minimum of 5 different classes, in 2 different schools- a couple days per week I have 6. That is a lot of prep work!! But because I am an absolute maniac about my students, I took them on a field trip. You know, because I like to live on the edge. HAHA!!

Love this place!!

Actually, I feel an obligation to take my students to the Concrete Park in the nearby town of Phillips, WI. The Concrete Park was built by a local man who had retired from logging, owned a bar, grew ginseng and was an artist! He made over 230 sculptures in a 10 year period, as a man of 65 years old. The importance of this Park is recognized all over the United States as a prime example of outsider art- art that is created by non-trained artists- and has been been studied by many.

I did my thesis on the art of Fred Smith and so I feel very connected to it and feel the need to have art students visit. Many of them have lived in the area all their lives and have never been to the Park. Such a shame, it is an incredible environment!