Man in the Maze: May 2008

Wisconsin

Ok so tonight, we went downtown Norfolk to shoot some pics with Tom and Chris. Unfortunately, my tiny camera doesn't do justice to the site. You should see what they got with their professional equipment... But here it is anyways...

~ Vickie ~

• Sunrise magic 05-15-08 •

A late post...

• Sunrise 05-12-08 •

Was a nice morning, and the heat was not as bad.

The sunrise was more ornage due to the smoke from all the fires burning

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden - Sculpture Show

Susan and I headed down to Miami for a weekend get-a-way. After a great evening in South Beach, we wanted to see the Sculpture Show at the Fairchild Tropical Gardens. The Fairchild is quite unique because it is a research botanical gardens - protecting endangered tropical plants, housing the largest varieties of Palms, and trying to introduce native plants back into Florida.

However, before the Hurricane Season, it is a temporary home to some of the great sculpture artist of the 20th and 21st century. This year, Fernando Botero, Dale Chihuly, Roy Lichtenstein were the artists. The sculptures were scattered across the lowland section of the 80 acres of tropical plants. It was amazing - I'm partial to Chihuly - his forms truly blended into the plants and became a part of the flora. The organic forms are so plant-like - you sometimes forget that they are blown glass. Check out Chihuly's site: http://www.chihuly.com/installations/fairchild/index.html

Bustleburg,Virginia - Series 1

Shot using Fuji S7000-Edited(filtered) in Nik effects. I appologize for the image quality but I can't escape dial up here in the country! I love everyone's work! It has got me inspired to drag out the old medium format Yashicamat and play again!

• Sunrise Storm Clouds •

There are some mornings that photos just do not do any justice...

But the beauty of using a wide angle is that it adds a bit more dynamism to a shot that is supposed to capture the awe of reality.

In Vegas, they even build fake streets indoors

Yep, it's possible... it's Vegas... This is INSIDE Ceasar's Palace if I remember well, one of those fake streets where all the designer boutiques line up. Put your credit card in the freezer before you go. Pic taken while on a Lectora user conference trip with my little Canon 3s. I don't have a good flash at all and usually my indoor pics suck but this one turned out better than I expected. Obviously, there's lots of room for improvement but one day, I'll have a really good camera with killer lenses... LOL

• Nefertiti •

The original supermodel.

Some photo studies of a statue that is roughly 4.5 inches tall. Black and White is using a single desk lamp the color version is using window light only.

Old pic from when I went to SF for a conference

I'm not a photoggrapher by any means but I do love photography. I took a few pictures way back when I went to the Flashforward conference in Frisco. I took a day to walk around and stopped for a few hours at the MoMa. I loved the architecture of the building more than anything else! I had a borrowed little 3 MP camera with me and that's what came out..

:)

• Smoke on the Water •

Woke up this morning to the smell of burnt foliage [maybe sugar cane]... and it was close. As luck would have it we also had some fog, created some thick smog on the way into work.

• Gurus •

Wayne and Curtis Mothershed [cool name eh?] whilst taking a break at work.
Every once in a while it is worth it to decompress and take a walk. As luck would have it, we have some nice space to walk around.

Curtis is visiting us from the great state of California.
It is always nice having [VERY] talented visitors, because it helps to lessen the vaccum of working disconnected.

Check out his style here:

http://www.curtismothershed-illustrations-fineart.com/

• "When are those guys going to stop warming up and
get to playin' some music??" - W.A. Baker •

While at work and noodling away I need music. And nothing helps work the day away better than bands play with sirens of soul and/or funk. While attending Pratt I was drawn to the smoky dens of NYC and the Village - while waiting for my print jobs for the next days art critique - that offered great atmosphere for some dancing and drankin' [no mispelling here].
[Drankin' is different than boozin' in the way that boozin' means getting "stinkin" to the point where you can not dance effectively or with date-securing flair].
This is real music with real bands. Now-a-days most of the music is not meant to be played live. All these acts have bands so fine that your eye lids would be pasted open for weeks after seeing their sets.
The U.K. has always had a love affair with American Soul and Funk with the legendary Jamiroquai leading the revival charge in the early 90's.
The main difference between the American and UK Soul revival is the adherence to the genre. The UK scene is very much about purity - but that being said they are able to deftly mix old with the new.

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The U.K. [and Europe] continues to burn the Soul flame hot with some great singers and acts which can be found here:

http://www.tru-thoughts.co.uk/artists/quantic-soul-orchestra

Now we have some newer acts that have AWESOME lives shows

• The Budos Band •

• Breakestra •

• The Bamboos •

• Quantic Soul Orchestra •

• Radio Citizen •

• Alice Russell • <----WOW!

• Spanky Wilson •

• Amy Winehouse • <---Talented, but a bit disturbed

• Nikka Costa • <--- Now she can wail...

With these ladies - and the bands who back them - the movement is still going strong.

In your leisure if you are looking for something different [and toe tapping], please check them out.

I know it's not for everyone, but neither are brussel sprouts...

MJB Designs - (Michael Jackson Baker)

Michael and I are the perfect graphic team. I do the 3d scene - Michael does his photoshop magic. He is a graphic magician! A job should not be this fun. Muchas Gracias Miguel.

• The man, the myth...the Wayne •
Always ready with a belly laugh and a story.

A bit of a tangent from the purpose of this blog, but...

His humorous yarns are full of self deprication, but that's what I love and admire about the man. The ability to laugh at one's self. He has done some outrageously funny stuff, and many of them are grounds for getting locked up or caned in most third world countries.

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As artists we can be known for taken ones work or self way too seriously [as I raise a toast with my 'pinky finger' in the air]. With his humor, worldliness - and steely acumen/sageness [Susan now rolling her eyes, ha] he helps to put things into perspective the Wayne way. With a method all his own, he has a way of cutting through to wick of the issue. Especially when dealing with linear thinking people or situations.

I appreciate him in many ways, most of which for just being objective and non-judgmental.

He helps to keep me on track and focused with the methods of critique, and our collective work is better for it.