Artistic Expressions

 

I was playing around with one of the options in my photo editing app and discovered one particular option that intrigued me.  I used a photo I posted back in 2024 of an artwork at the Celebration of Fine Arts.  You can see the original piece in my photo here.  I loved this version of that same art work created by my editing app.

When I'm working with a photo, this option gives me multiple versions but in order to see each option I have to select the each of those samples at the bottom of the screen one at a time.

Once I've selected them all, I can choose the one I like best to download.  Once I download the one shot, this page closes and I have to repeat the whole routine if I want another version.

Even though it can be a bit tedious to repeat the process to get a second or third option, I still enjoy using this particular option because of the variety it produces.  There is always one with a metallic look like the one to the left.

There is always one option that produces a 'Superman' themed image.  That particular one always makes me chuckle at the way it incorporates Superman into the image.

I enjoy playing with this option.  Especially when I find the perfect photo to work with.

Alvarado Historic District

 

I took a little detour through the Alvarado Historic District last weekend and stopped to snap a couple of photos of some of the houses there.

Each of the houses in this district have their own unique style.  

This neighborhood is near downtown Phoenix and right in the backyard of the Heard Museum.  There are lots of interesting houses on these streets. 

Historic Tomb

 

Papago Park is where we find the tomb of Arizona's first Governor.  I posted the story of this unusual tomb back in 2011.  (Yikes, 15 years ago.)  You can read about this unusual pyramid tomb in the link to my past post.  Governor Hunt began serving as governor before Arizona was a state.  He guided the way to our statehood.  The tomb has been here since 1931 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Between the Rocks

I drove out to Papago Park on Saturday and made my way up to the top lookout point at the park's edge.  I noticed the steady stream of planes coming in for a landing.  The park is located under the flight path for Sky Harbor International Airport.  I waited so I could capture one of the planes between these two huge rock formations.

I actually went there to see if I could photograph any of the waterbirds that hang around the lagoon but, the park was too busy so the birds were staying away.  So the only photos I got were of the buttes that surround the park.  This view is looking north and the top view is to the south.  

Theme Day: Sky

 

Clouds make a sky so much more interesting so when I planned for this post, I searched my archives until I found a sky photo with just the right amount of clouds to make it interesting.  Living in the desert, I'm much more likely to see nothing but a large expanse of blue.  

The theme for June 1st is "Sky" for us City Daily Photo Bloggers.  To see other sky shots, click here.

Zuni Girl

 

Zuni Girl is a sculpture by Native American artist Doug Hyde.  She stands in a quiet corner near where the parking lot meets the courtyard at the Heard Museum.  I thought I had posted a photo of her before so I went back and looked and sure enough I did a post a photo of her 10 years ago. 

Back then, there were no plants around to shade her.  She looks much better with all the plants around her and casting soft shadows.

Short View, Long View

 

I met a friend that I don't get to see very often for lunch yesterday.  The Heard Museum is about half way for each of us so had lunch at the museum cafe.  The food there is always excellent so it's always a good choice.

I was a few minutes early so I wandered around the museum courtyard taking photos.  This view was taken at about the halfway mark of the courtyard looking toward the entrance with that fountain leading the way.

This one was taken all the way to end of the courtyard with the second fountain leading the way.  The two fountains sort of mirror themselves making it look like one continuous fountain.

We had our lunch just to the left at one of those tables.  One last al fresco lunch before the heat starts to set in.

Sunflowers, Large and Small

 

I see lots of these small sunflowers growing at the Desert Botanical Garden.  They tend to be scattered among the wildflowers.

In the Phoenix area, we see more of these small ones than any other kind.

However, every now and then I'll see one of these jumbo sized sunflowers.  I saw this one at a local plant nursery.  No matter what size they are, they always catch my eye.  They make a good photography subject.  

Copper Cluster

 

I was attracted by this cluster of copper colored pottery when I was at the Desert Botanical Garden.  I found them decorating a quiet little corner near the herb garden.  Those three pots together were complimented by the copper-like wall in the background.  It makes a lovely scene with a warm glow.

Things I Don't Understand

 

I heard a lot of noise outside yesterday morning so around 10:30 AM I decided to investigate.  I discovered that trees were being cut down on the street behind where I live.  One was already gone.  You can see the trunk to right in the photo above.

The second tree was in the process with a man up the tree taking off the branches.

By 1:00 PM, here's what it looked like.  Two perfectly nice trees gone.  I simply don't understand it.  We live in a desert city where shade is of utmost importance.  Why cut down perfectly healthy trees?

I'm going to have to do some investigating to see if I can understand what is going on.  I hate seeing our trees treated this way.

Desert Plants

 

The desert will be heating up later this week.  We've had a tiny bit of a reprieve these last two weeks with temps in the 80's and 90's but by Saturday it's supposed to top 100 again.  

One last walk at the Desert Botanical Garden so I can admire the beauty of the desert.  Above is an ocotillo bloom that looked especially nice against a blue sky.

To the left is a patch of prickly pear cacti surrounding a tall cactus.

In this photo we have three nicely shaped agave plants tucked into a patch greenery.  The desert has its own way of surviving the heat.

Memorial Day!

 

I saw this piece of art in the window of a gallery that was closed at the time.  It appears to be a combination of paint and scraps of wood.  Shadows are clouding the image but you can still tell that it has a certain patriotic theme going on.  I thought it would be a perfect image for Memorial Day.  After all, all things political and patriotic are a bit of a jumble these days here in the U S of A.  What's right and what's wrong have been twisted into a knot.  Here's hoping we can untie that knot in future days.

The Dog and The Rose

 

My friend Glenda was dog-sitting for her neighbors two weeks ago so when I visited her I got to spend some time with Pepper, this friendly little pup.  

Behind Pepper are my friend's three Desert Rose plants.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that she was feeling bad that none of her desert rose plants had bloomed yet.

Well, it finally happened!  She got one tiny pink bloom on this  plant just this last week and you can see a bud for one more.  

Her patience paid off!  Maybe it will encourage the other two plants to start producing blooms.

"Phoenix" and "Le Saxiphoniste"

 

When I was at the Musical Instrument Museum last Wednesday, I took the opportunity to get a photo of this sculpture simply called "Phoenix".  The artist is Louis Halleux.  It's a stylized Phoenix Bird turned into a musical instrument.   I remembered seeing it from a distance way back in 2009 when I first visited the museum.

I also found another interesting sculpture called "Le Saxiphoniste".  This one is the work of Jean Claude Lecouflet.  I found it in a small, enclosed garden near the Music Theatre.  

Mid-Week Concert

 

I did something a little different Wednesday morning.  I drove out to north Phoenix to attend a concert at the Musical Instrument Museum.  It was the Phoenix Symphony chamber musicians playing a selection of pieces by American composers.  I need to do this more often because the auditorium at the MIM is a perfect setting for smaller concerts.  As you can see, the seats are tiered with each level a lot higher than the next.  Being on the short side, I appreciate getting a better view over the heads of others.

I hadn't been to this museum in a long time so it was nice to familiarize myself to its setting and architecture.  It's an attractive building, inside and out.

Happy Sighting

 

I'm always happy to see cute little cactus wrens out and about.  They are such busy little birds and they aren't shy when a camera is pointed in their direction.  This one was happy to sit still and pose for me.  

Downtown Phoenix

 

I was in downtown Phoenix for the symphony last Saturday evening.  I happened to exit symphony hall on the opposite side of the building and I snapped these two photos along the way.  

To the left is that great sculpture that sits in the lobby of the convention center and just outside symphony hall.  I've featured this sculpture before.  It's by Louise Bourgeois and is called "Art is a Guaranty of Sanity".  

Above is a photo taken from across the street and you can see this sculpture through the windows.  To the left, right behind that vine covered wall is the little garden outside symphony hall where I took this photo earlier this year.

There are lots of patterns included in the architecture of the convention center.  It makes for great photo ops.  

Museum Employee Art

 

As I mentioned yesterday, here are three more employee art pieces that were on display at the Heard Museum.  

The one above is three individual round canvases painted by Sylvia Richardson a sales support specialist.  It's called "Messengers: Cicada, Butterfly & Dragonfly".  They were painted in acrylic paint.

To the left is a piece called "Airborne Worm Dance II" by Jay Payestewa - Daugherty who is a shop associate and buyer. This one is a mixed media piece.

This last one is painted by Rebeka Peshlakai who is the Institutional Giving Coordinator.  It's called "Hi Dad".  Her message said it was a painting of one of her dad's favorite fishing spots.  I particularly love the way she painted the clouds and cliffs in this one.  

I'm always impressed by the amount of talent that makes up our world.  

The Lecture Room

 

I took this photo in the room at the Heard Museum where the Artful Mornings lectures are held.  You can see the beaded bag and the soft sculpture I featured yesterday on the table.  About once a year, this room is filled with art works that are created by members of the Heard Museum staff.  You can see three of them behind the speaker.  

Here are two closer views.  The one above was painted by John Bulla (deputy director & COO) with help from Laura Beckman.  I know it looks like it might be composed of beads but it's actually acrylic paint.  That must have taken hours and hours of work. It's called "Baxter Jax - Sun Dog".  

I really like the one to the left also.  It was painted by Nolan Lightfoot (security officer) and it's called "The Hunt".  If you look closely in the bottom left corner, you will see a figure in a red shirt among all that yellow.  It made me think of someone making his way among a forest of aspen trees.  

I'll show you a couple more tomorrow.  

Artful Morning

 

Yesterday morning, I was at the Heard Museum for another Artful Morning lecture.  This time it was about artist Jamie Okuma.

Ms. Okuma has been working with beads since she was 4 years old and her artistic career has evolved into fashion and what is called 'soft sculpture'.  

She created the outfit and the beaded bag to the left.

Here is an example of a soft sculpture.  It also contains a lot of beaded work.

She created this beaded bag for the 2025 Heard Museum Indian Fair and Market.  The whole thing is carefully beaded.

Here's a view of the other side.  More beading this time in a pretty floral design.  

You can see more of her incredible work and designs here.  She has some beautiful designs for both men and women.  

Tall Eucalyptus Tree

 

There is a very tall eucalyptus tree located in the courtyard area of Biltmore Fashion Park.  It's been standing there since the beginning of the mall which was 1963.

Just recently, I notice a little plaque on the side of the tree.

On closer look, I discovered it was a memorial plaque to someone named Ruben Mendez. I tried to find out who this was but could find no link of someone named Ruben Mendez and Biltmore Fashion Park.

I might take a wild guess that he might have been a landscape gardener or grounds keeper.  

It's an interesting little memorial.  I have no idea when it was placed on the tree.