A Solar Sytem

 

Did this wake you up?  Of course, it is not a solar system but rather an abstract scene I created with a photograph and editing software.  Initially this image was of 3 rings that happen to be circular ceramic tiles (see them?) used in underground tiling projects.  After using black to color the area around those rings, I let some creative juices flow and added several multi-color circles and single-tone dots.  And, of course, this creation reminds me of Picasso's quote regarding abstract art:

"There is no abstract art.  You must always start with something.  Afterwards you can remove all the traces of reality."   --Pablo Picasso

Warty Wonders

 

"You crown the year with your bounty,

and your carts

overflow with abundance."

           --Psalm 65:11

Love in Stone

 

"Two souls, one heart."

                                     --French proverb

All Smiles

 

"Smiling is infectious,

You can catch it like the flu.

Someone smiled at me today,

And I started smiling too."

                                                                   --Unknown

Getting Ready to Ride

"Never approach a bull from the front,

a horse from the rear or a fool from any direction."

                                                                              --Unknown

 

"Speak your mind, but ride a fast horse."

                                                                             --Unknown

Diablo Buds

Today's photo is of the flowers on the Diablo Ninebark shrub -- would you have guessed that?  With a little imagination and a computer, digital photos can take on lots of new looks, including this image of some very tiny blossoms.  If you have any type of digital camera and access to editing apps or software, try something and I bet you will be hooked!

Diablo Buds, by Stephanie Funke

Summer's Sailing Away

"When summer gathers up her robes of glory,

And, like a dream, glides away."

                                                                                    --Sarah Helen Whitman

 

 

This photo was captured on West Lake Okoboji during an early August regatta.  With autumn's arrival quickly approaching, I wanted to share another photo featuring summer and time at the lake.  And, honestly, although I love autumn and it's wonderful mix of colors and cool temperatures, summer always tops my list of favorites.

State Capitol Building

Located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, our capitol building is easily identified with its towering center dome glistening in gold.  This large stone structure was constructed between 1871 - 1886 for just under $ 3 million and has since undergone various restorations, with a major exterior restoration project completed in 2001.  In this photo of the West Capitol Terrace, also visible is the Pioneers of the Territory sculpture.

Splat! & more

This image, Splat!, is one of five of my photos selected for the Upstream People Gallery's 15th Annual juried online photography exhibit.  If you haven't noticed, in the upper right quadrant of this photo there is an imprint left by an unfortunate feathered friend who probably saw a reflection in all of the glass and crashed into the skywalk.  I was passing through this walkway in downtown Minneapolis when I heard a young girl tell her mother to look at the bird's image on the glass.  I was amazed and captured this interesting photo thanks to the little tike's keen observation.  To see my photos as well as other very interesting images, go to www.upstreampeoplegallery.com/ and click on the image.

 

Splat! by Stephanie Funke

A Message with the Mask

 

"Act well your part; there all the honour lies."

                                                            --Alexandar Pope, Pope:  An Essay on Man

Upcycling Idea

What is upcycling?  In my opinion, it is taking something I would normally discard and turning it into something else with a purpose and/or value.  Forgive me if my definition isn't official but I thought it was appropriate for the photo below and considering what to do with old license plates.

 

 While editing this image and thinking about repurposing, I decided to look for websites that had ideas for upcycling license plates and here is one that might interest crafters: 

www.repurposed-life.com/2013/02/08/dragonfly-made-from-discarded-license-plates/

 

 

Use old license plates, a chair leg and discarded keys to create a dragonfly

 

 

A Birthday Greeting

To a very special nephew,

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

 

 

Opening Celebrations

Uniturk, by Stephanie Funke, is visible to the far right

 

Above and below are photos from recent opening receptions in which my photos are in the current exhibits, including "Perception" at Gallery C in Dubuque, Iowa and "64 Arts" at The Buchanan Center for the Arts in Monmouth, Illinois.  Both of these exhibits remain through the end of September and are open for viewing during regular business hours.  My group of turkeys is in the forefront in the first view and my shot of Chicago's Hancock building is seen in the second image.  The last picture includes a young girl whose likeness is featured in the painting above her.  That painting, also included in the 64 Arts Exhibit, was done by the girl's mother, and, from what I understand, the little child did paint some shapes on the canvas before her mother started the project.

 

Enveloped, by Stephanie Funke, is in the upper right corner

 

Another view of 64 Arts



That's her!  Launchpad, by Basia Krol of Illinois

 

Lovely Luna

 

"The night walked down

the sky with

the moon in her hand."

                                                                                   --Frederic Lawrence Knowles

Abstract Roots

"There is no abstract art. 

You must always start with something. 

 Afterwards you can remove all traces of reality."

                                                  --Pablo Picasso

 

 

So, in case you are wondering just what this is, I will reveal the "something" which with I started; i.e., brace roots on a corn stalk.  After some creative editing, the result proved interesting and quite unusual -- I guess that is my way of saying I liked this and wanted to share! 

Ice Cream

 

"My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just

enjoy the ice cream while it's on your plate."

                                                      --Thornton Wilder

Gardening

 

"What a man needs in gardening is a cast-iron back,

with a hinge in it."

                                                 --Charles Dudley Warner, My Summer in a Garden

 

"I know that if odour were visible, as colour is,

I'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds."

                                                             --Robert Bridges, "Testament of Beauty"

 

 

 

Nifty Nubes

In Spanish the term nubes means clouds; hence, the title Nifty Nubes!  Anyway, recently it received Special Recognition in the online Landscapes Exhibit of the Light Space & Time virtual gallery.  In order to see my image along with other delightful outdoors scenes, please visit www.lightspacetime.com/landscapes-art-exhibition-photography-digital/

 

64 Arts 2013

 

If you reside near Monmouth, Illinois or plan to be in the area while this exhibit is open, I am sure you won't be disappointed.  The Buchanan Center for the Arts is located at 64 Public Square, Monmouth, IL and the gallery is open M-F: 9-5 and Saturday: 10-2.  I am honored to have an image that was selected for this exhibit and in a future post plan to share a few photos.  Stay tuned.

Water flowing

 

"...Moving water has a fascinating vitality.

It has power and grace and associations. 

It has a thousand colors and a thousand shapes,

yet it follow laws so definite that the tiniest

streamlet is an exact replica of a great river."

                                                                                   --Roderick Haig-Brown

Relax!

Today, in the USA, is Labor Day when some folks have the day off of work, school and so on. If that is the case for you , I hope you can take a few moments for yourself and simply relax.  Enjoy the day.

"Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax."

                                                                                                                -- Mark Black

"Take a rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."

                                                                                                                        --Ovid