Monday, May 29, 2017

City Views, Country Dreams

Good afternoon from New York on a cloudy Memorial Day Monday.

I am sure that many families who've wished for better weather are hoping that the sun returns in time for a picnic or other outdoor plans.

Clouds outdoors give me a great opportunity for an overdue blog post, showing you all some city views from late May.



Even though yesterday was also a bit overcast, I went out for a long walk, passing by some of my favorite brownstone buildings on my way over to the neighborhood Sunday flea market and farmers market. It's always a pleasure to make note of the old houses' decorative details.

The photo below of 108 shows a building that has recently had some facade work done.  I rather like the entwined vine motifs, but wish that the seams between the panels had been better disguised.


The two houses in the following photograph have also recently had some loving care.  I'm glad that the moss wasn't all scraped off.  You can tell that this is a holiday weekend by the plastic-encased newspapers that have been left on the front steps.


I only bought some Cameo apples from the farmers market and did not find much of interest at the flea market.  I continued my walk along other avenues and discovered a rather lack luster street fair along many blocks of Broadway.  Lots of fried food, grilled meats, lemonade, and somewhat suspect linens, carpets, handbags and cosmetics.  The straw hat stands had possibilities, but would have been busier on a sunny afternoon.

During the past week, while not reading detective novels, knitting and keeping up with the breaking news from the President's foreign trip, I've also been continuing to post photographs of some of my old paintings over on Instagram.


After having these paintings all to myself for decades, it's been fun to have a quick way to share them with other eyes.  If you all would like to see them, just click Here.

Thank you all for your visits and comments.  I do apologize for my not having done much visiting myself.  I promise to have a major round of catching up very soon.  Ahh, looks like the sun might be trying to break through, so I might now go out for another walk.

Monday, May 22, 2017

City Views, Country Dreams

Good Monday morning from New York.

It's a bit cool and rainy today, but at the weekend the sun was shining and I noticed that some new sculptures have appeared along the median malls along upper Broadway.


This large bronze mother and child sculpture is by Joy Brown and has been installed at the West 71st Street exit of the 72nd Street subway station.


It is possible to find out more about this public art project by having a look at the Broadway Mall Association link here.  The following photo shows the Joy Brown sculpture on the mall at Broadway and 79th Street.  Its curves seem to echo the architecture of the Baptist Church in the background.


I'm still probably spending far too much time trying to keep up with various current event developments, but thought I would share with you a photo of a painting I completed towards the end of the last century.  I am thinking of getting out the oils again this summer when it will be possible to keep my bedroom/studio window open without fear of a pollen attack.  I am posting more photos of old paintings on my Instagram page.


Thank you all for your visits and comments on my prior post with the pictures from the Met exhibit.  I will be getting back there eventually for another look and more photographs.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

City Views, Country Dreams

Good Thursday morning from New York.

This has already been a tumultuous week in our country.  I have spent many hours indoors, staying away from hay-fever-producing pollen, but instead following developments on the political, governmental front.  

The pace of various investigations seems to be quickening, even though the President has fired the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Russian governmental officials met with the President in the Oval Office of the White House yesterday.  American press members were not allowed to take photographs.  Tass was allowed to take photographs.

On Tuesday, I did escape my apartment.  I met a friend at The Metropolitan of Art to view a fabulous new exhibit honoring the Comme des Garcons designs of Rei Kawakubo.  You all may enjoy viewing the link in the previous sentence.  I will also share with you some of the photographs that I took while touring the exhibit.


The exhibition designers have created a set of bright white stages and "fitting rooms" that are starkly lit to allow viewers to see many details.


The groups of mannequins sometimes show designs from differing collections.


In many instances, it is possible to have a very close up view, allowing one to examine the tailoring and materials.


Lots of creativity has been used in creating the head dresses, too.


Many of the black garments reveal to the viewer that they are not completely constructed from one shade of black.  Black can have a cool blue tone, or a warmer brown tone.


Some of the garments might not be what one would choose to wear, and yet in some cases, a particular garment might be very wearable.


I do plan to visit this exhibit several more times and only present a small sampling here of what I saw on Tuesday.


It will be interesting to see if the exhibit draws crowds as the weeks go by.  On Tuesday, it was fun to see that some of the visitors were also dressed in very interesting ways.


I am hoping that some of you who see these photographs might also be able to visit the exhibit.


Over on my Instagram page you will also be able to see a short video I made at this exhibit.

Thank you all for your visits and comments.  Now, I will turn my attention back to watching Senate hearings and working on my current Intrelac knitting project.