Cruising Central Avenue

 

My friend was driving as we left the Heard Museum last weekend so I took the opportunity to snap a couple of photos right through the windshield as we drove up Central Avenue. Traffic was very light as you can see.

The photos turned out better than I expected so I decided to post them.  It was a pretty day with blue sky and sunshine.  Both of these were taken in the "midtown" area of Phoenix where quite a few tall buildings frame the street and the light rail tracks run down the middle of the street (left in this shot).  The tinting on the windshield shows up at the top of these photos.

More From the Space Makers

 

I have a few more pieces from the Space Makers exhibit I told you about in yesterday's post.  This first one is a painting by Peter Busa who was a founding member of the Space Makers artists.  This one is called "Children's Hour".

Busa was a friend of Jackson Pollock and influenced some of Pollock's work.

This piece is by Dyani White Hawk.  The photo doesn't show how shiny those copper space are.  It's one of those pieces that as you walk past, it appears to be moving.

These last two paintings are by Steve Wheeler, another founding member of the Space Makers artists.  This one is called "The Magic Horn" and it was painted in 1942.

This one is called "Woman Eating Hot Dog" and let me tell you, I stared at this painting for a long time trying to locate the woman.  I still haven't found her but I'm guessing the hot dog had all the fixings on it. The colors of mustard, catsup and relish are present in this painting.

I did a Google search on each of these artist's names and found a rainbow of colorful works from each of them.  It was quite entertaining.

Learning New Things

 

I was at the Heard Museum over the weekend to attend another "Artful Mornings" lecture and it gave me the opportunity to visit a new exhibit that just opened a week ago.  The new exhibit is called "Space Makers: Indigenous Expression and a New American Art."

The exhibit was exploring the art of a group called the Indian Space Painters who had a profound influence on the American art scene.

This exhibit was organized by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville Arkansas.

I had one of those WOW moments when I entered the exhibit gallery.  Most of the works were full of brilliant colors and wildly different patterns and symbols.  This piece is called "Sustenance" and was painted in the 1960's by Linda Lomahaftewa.  

This is another one by Linda Lomahaftewa. It is untitled and was painted in 1970.

This one was created by Benjamin Harjo Jr. and it is called "Ancient Images, Modern Times".  Benjamin became known as the Picasso of Native American Art.  I can see why.

This was also painted by Benjamin Harjo Jr.  This one is called "Honoring the Spirit of All Things".  

I really loved this exhibit.  I'm sure I'll be back to see it again while it's at the Heard Museum.  I love learning new things and I had not heard of this group of artists, many of whom studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe.  The IAIA gallery is one I visit every time I go to Santa Fe.

The Gift of Flowers

 

This combination salon and barber shop has been gifted with a permanent display of flowers on the front of its building.  They look like pretty waterlilies waiting there to greet all their clients.  I didn't see a signature on this one but I do think it is very nicely done.  

Taking part in Monday Murals.

Full Moon Over Camelback Mountain

 

These photos won't win any prizes but I was enjoying the full moon hanging above Camelback Mountain as I was driving to my friend's house.  I snapped a couple of shots out the windshield of the car as I was stopped at the traffic lights.

As I got closer to my friend's house, the perspective almost looked like the moon was setting behind the mountain but it wasn't.  It was on its way up in the eastern sky.

When I got to her house, I tried taking one from her back garden but I had this tree to contend with so I framed the moon between the tree limbs.

After all of that, my friend Dave got the best shot.  He had a much better view when he snapped this one.

New Multi-Housing Units

 

I recently spotted two new multi-housing units near downtown Phoenix.  This one is called Monroe Gardens and it has an attractive look with all that brick. 

I didn't see a name on this one but it also is appealing to look at.  I like all those balconies.  That would be a must for me.  I love my balcony. I like stepping outside several times a day and enjoying the fresh air and the view.

Both of these places are within walking distance of shops, restaurants, museums and theaters.  That is another advantage.

Nature's Art

 

After two days of "conceptual art" I thought it might be nice to show a bit of mother nature's art.  There is beauty all around us all the time and we just need to notice and enjoy it.  Here are two desert rose blooms that I photographed two weeks ago.  If you've followed my site for very long, you will know that this is a favorite of mine.  I'm always drawn to these blooms when I'm at the Desert Botanical Garden.  These beauties will most likely be gone the next time I go to the garden.  They do not tolerate colder temperatures so they go into the garden's greenhouse about this time of year.  They will be back in the spring.

Here's a bonus bloom.  These pretty flowers bloom all year long on the large toothpick cactus plants.  I see one or two every time I'm walking there.

Airplanecrashclock

 

Yes, I did run those three words in the title together because that is the name of this piece of conceptual art by Charles Gaines, the artist I spoke about in yesterday's post. This piece was constructed in 1997 and depicts a cityscape that brings together iconic buildings from Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.  Above the fictional city, an airplane begins its flight path.

 Operating at 10 minute intervals, the plane slowly glides over the fictional city until it descends into a simulated free fall complete with the sound of screams from inside the plane.

It descends until this little square in the cityscape flips over and the plane disappears under the space that is now showing a crashed airplane.  This piece was not intended to represent any specific disaster. The artist's original idea was to create an atmosphere of suspense and to explore the emotional build-up of an anticipated catastrophe.  

The description card tells us that this piece is intended to make us think about how we are manipulated when our emotions are heightened. The fictional cityscape suggests how fact and fiction are conflated in movies and in the media impacting how we perceive deadly events.  

Well, that certainly gives us lots to think about.

Understanding Conceptual Art.....Or Not

 

The definition of "conceptual art" is: art in which the idea or concept presented by the artist is considered more important than the finished art object. I tried to keep that in mind while viewing the most recent work of conceptual artist Charles Gaines at the Phoenix Art Museum.  

This exhibit is called Numbers and Trees, the Arizona Series.  Gaines used photographs of Arizona cottonwood trees.  The trees were then plotted with specific colors and a numbered grid based on the colors was placed over the trees.  I don't pretend to understand it but it was both interesting and beautiful to see.

The exhibit also included this work called "Greenhouse" which is a massive enclosure containing three stainless steel trees.  The trees are enveloped with smoke as adjacent monitors track historical and real-time temperature patterns of global warming. As it does this, the light inside the structure changes based on the temperatures being represented.

In this photo you can see the monitors on the wall to the right.  This is another concept that I don't really understand.  However, it is a fascinating exhibit with a lot to see and to think about. These works make me think that Gaines has a scientific mind as well as an artistic nature.

There is another part of this exhibit that coveres Gaines' work between 1992 and 2023.  It contained a variety of pieces that while still conceptual, are completely different from the work I've shown here.  I'll show you one of them tomorrow.

Styles In All Ages

 

The Exhibit honoring the Arizona Costume Institute that I mentioned on Sunday had some other fashions to see besides that rather bazaar  COVID coat.

This "Court Gown" from 1765 was on display.  Imagine wearing that headpiece.

This Opera Coat from 1895 was designed by someone named Madame Judith.  I have a feeling I'd get a lot of stares if I wore that to the opera today.  

On the other hand, this ensemble from the 1920's could be worn today without too much fuss.  This one was designed by Hattie Carnegie who was a fashion entrepreneur from the 1920's to the 1950's.  

The exhibit brought us right around to modern fashions and this 'little black dress' adorned with gold safety pins.  This one comes from the Versace collection of 1994.

It was fun to see some of the fashions collected over the 58 years the Arizona Costume Institute has been operating.

Veteran's Day

 

I decided that this Navajo rug created by Helen Begay was a perfect photo for this Veteran's Day here in the U.S. The Code Talker's rug features some of the Navajo words that were used to describe certain military objects.  You can see that the word for "turtle" translated to tank and the word for "whale" translated to battleship.  In 2001, the US Department of Defense declassified the code which made it possible for Helen to create this beautiful rug.

On display at the Heard Museum along with the rug above was this beaded bag made to honor Sgt. Grant Gover who was one of seven Pawnee code talkers.  He was killed in action on 11/1/44.  The artist who made this bag is unknown.

Today is a day to remember all service members and to honor those serving today.

The COVID Coat

 

I recently visited the Phoenix Art Museum to see two new exhibits.  One of the exhibits was all about the art of fashion and a recognition of The Arizona Costume Institute which has been a part of the museum since 1966.  This coat was a recent museum purchase with funds from a special endowment for fashion items. It immediately caught my eye when I entered the gallery. 

I decided to include a photo of the description information so you could read the museum's description.

I have to admit, it is an interesting concept in an artistic way.  It certainly isn't something anyone would actually wear.  Or is it?

The Friendship Totem

 

This totem pole was carved by Norman Tait, a Nisga'a artist from British Columbia.   It was gifted to the city of Phoenix in 1966 and the city gave it to the Heard Museum to display and maintain it.  It stood on the Heard Museum grounds until 1999 when the museum embarked on a large expansion project.  

The totem pole remained in storage until recently when in consultation with Tait's brother and daughter, it was carefully restored.  It was  raised again a few weeks ago in a special ceremony and is now located in a prominent position at the museum.  

It's in an area where school children gather when visiting the museum.  It will be one of the first things those kids see when they arrive at the museum.

"Heard" and Seen

 

These little ladies sitting on this shelf are sculptures by Native American artist Roxanne Swentzell.  They were on display in the newly renovated gift shop at the Heard Museum.  The piece is called "Heard" and the artist's statement reads "To speak your truth and be really heard is so important. Being able to hear another whole heartedly is also so important. These two women are expressing these states of sharing and receiving.  I think we could use more of this in the world today."  Amen to that!

The sculpture to the left is also by Roxanne Swentzell.  However, this sculpture was found in a display case in the southwestern art section of the Art Institute of Chicago.  I was pleased to see an artist I've admired here in Arizona represented in such a prestigious art museum so far away from her home state.  This piece is called "Admiration". 

You can see some other pieces of Roxanne's art here and here.  

In Hope For Our Future

 

I'm kind of at a loss for words this morning.  The results of the election has both saddened and frightened me.  I'm not quite sure what to make of it all and I'm questioning everything.  In 2016, I could say that the voters just didn't know what they were getting but in 2024 everyone knows and it looks like a majority wants this.  How can that be?  I'm sure there will be a lot of soul searching going on but for now, I fear we have a bumpy road ahead.  Sorry for the rant.

I chose the "peace" dove above as today's photo for a reason.  

Decorative Tree

 

I saw this pretty tree on the outside wall of the new gift shop at the Heard Museum.  Someone told me that it is a work in progress. Those are candles scattered among the branches.  

I'll be sure to return soon to see what the finished tree looks like.  

The New Gift Shop

 

The Gift Shop at the Heard Museum has been closed for renovations all summer long.  To accommodate summer tourists, they had a small shop set up in one of the meeting rooms.  Last Sunday morning, they invited members to a grand opening of the new gift shop. I was excited to see what they had done so I made a point of going. What a change!  The new shop is bigger with wonderful new features.

As I made my way around every corner in the shop, I was amazed at how beautifully the art work was being displayed.  The space around the pieces makes it easier to see each piece.

The rug room was especially attractive.  It is amazing to see all these colorful rugs displayed like this.  In the old space, they were piled on top of a table which made it hard to get a good look at each piece.  

They have even added a "viewing room" where a collector might be able to view a  painting or sculpture away from the display cases to determine if they want to make the purchase.  The whole place is quite spectacular.  It was like going to a whole new museum to me.  

Hoping for good results on this Election Day!!

Mexican Church

 

I found another mural inside a Mexican restaurant that I go to quite often.  I had never been seated on this side of the restaurant so I hadn't seen this mural before.  I like that church with the tall steeple at the end of the street.

Taking part in Monday Murals.

Dinner with a View and More

 

Last Saturday evening, I had dinner with friends before an event in downtown Phoenix.  We decided to have dinner at The Compass which is the revolving restaurant on top of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

I snapped this photo before it got too dark to see anything. The view is great but the reflections in the glass make it difficult to Photograph.

This photo shows the restaurant from the street below.  You can see the round part where the restaurant is located through the palm tree.  

The event we attended was the ballet.  I had never seen the whole Swan Lake ballet performed before.  I knew the music and had of course seen many bits and pieces in movies or TV shows but never the whole ballet.  It really was quite spectacular.  

Those Very Busy Cactus Wrens

 

When I visited the Desert Botanical Garden last weekend, I had a close encounter with one of those industrious cactus wrens.

This one was hopping around right next to me and took a moment to pose for a couple of photos before hopping off those rocks to continue his search for more bits to add to its nest.

After my walk, I stopped at the restaurant for some breakfast and was entertained by this cactus wren who was busy building a nest inside an opening in one of the heaters that hangs over the restaurant's patio.  I'm not sure that's a very good place for a nest.  I would think that when those heaters are turned on, it might get pretty hot up in that crevice.  I'm betting the maintenance team will clean that nest out before that happens.  That poor little cactus wren will have to start all over with his building project.