Tomorrow I go to R&F Paints in Kingston, NY to apply a layer of encaustic wax and resin to my Roman Wall photos.  I have prepared 9 of them, in preparation for my show in September at RiverWinds Gallery. www.riverwindsgallery.com.

 

I took these in Rome with my iPhoto and the Hipstamatic App.  Love love love the effect. Perfect for encaustic treatment.

  And today I got my hardcover of  my blurb book, Roman Walls -- now on sale at blurb.com, as an ebook, or at my show.

The images are printed in Epson Velvet Fine Art Paper, which has enough tooth to hold the encaustic -- most photographic papers do not.  Then I glued them to encaustic boards with matte media, a glue that doesn't bubble and works very well.  The boards are made for R&F Paints.  This should be fun!

Bernini Angels on Pont Sant'Angelo, Rome

Bernini designed 10 angels for the Pont Sant'Angelo - the bridge leading to the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican, in Rome.  I photographed them several times while I was there.  Each angel holds an instrument of  the Passion of Christ, i.e., the crucifixion. 

1. Angel with the Column (Throne)
2. Angel with the Whips
3. Angel with the Crown of Thorns
4. Angel with the Sudarium (Veronica’s Veil)
   
5. Angel with the Nail
6. Angel with the Cross
7. Angel with the Superscription
8. Angel with the Sponge (with vinegar)
9. Angel with the Lance

Here are 4 of them.

Angel with the sponge

Angel with the superscription

Angel with the crown of thorns

Angel with the whips

Cemetery Faces

While waiting for a friend to get his prescription filled in Fishkill, I wandered across the street to the Dutch Reformed Church cemetery.  The church is one of the oldest in the county, dating from the 1770s; the cemetery gravestones are in remarkably good condition, and some of the inscriptions are in Dutch.  I found a book that lists all the inscriptions, if you're interested:  http://archive.org/stream/cu31924025961107#page/n5/mode/2up.  Anyways, I was totally intrigued by the angel faces on the tombstones.

Isn't she cute? In Dutch.  And what's with the 6 triangles on the head?  A crown? A tiara?

Love the curls and the jowls.

She has a nice hairdo also.

This one's much grimmer.

Another Dutch gravestone, with chubby cheeks.

This way to heaven.

Four Barns, a Garage and a House

As promised -- barns!

First barn photo of the day

This great barn was on the same farm.  Ok, maybe it's a garage, but still wonderful.

This beauty was just down the road.

Turn down Rhinebeck Road and you can see this red/white combo.

Still on Rhinebeck Road is this classic Currier and Ives house.

Abandoned barn with weeds.  Also on the same road.

Road Trip: Route 145 & Sharon Springs

Took a road trip yesterday to Sharon Springs -- a 2 1/2 hour trip from home.  Sharon Springs was in its heyday a spa with sulfur waters.  Then the inevitable decline, a revival sparked from NYC folks, National Historic designation to save the old buildings, and now features cafes and small shops, a lot of them featuring goat soap, goat lotion, goat milk mac & cheese, etc.  But what I really got excited about was the farmland on Route 145.

Along Route 145

Because we've had lots of storms, the hills are a vivid green.  And I lucked into some fantastic clouds yesterday.

Two trees along Route 145

I had expected to take lots of picturesque ruin-type of photos, but that wasn't what I saw for the most part.

Sharon Springs, NY abandoned house

 Instead, saw a lot of lovely old buildings, in various states of being lovingly restored.

Sharon Springs, NY

Had a late lunch at the Black Cat Cafe -- mac and cheese made with local Beekman cheese and goat milk.  Tangy and delicious.  Topped with a machiato  coffee, shades of Italy!

Black Cat Cafe

Beautiful flowers in cafe window

On the way home, took photos of great barns.  Will post those tomorrow.  Nice trip!

More Italy: Country/City

An abandoned borgo

 

 

These are sneak previews of my gallery show at RiverWinds the month of September.  A borgo is a tiny town -- this one was perched on a hillside.  You can see an outline of Todi in the distance.

Colors of Rome, on a small side street

 Wandering the streets of Rome in the summer heat, I took many photos of the walls -- love their patina, the color. the layers.

The opening is September 8 - 5-8 pm at RiverWinds Gallery, www.riverwindsgallery.com.  But come anytime -- we have a wonderful selection of work from regional artists.

Melissa and Roslyn Get Married

A month or so ago, I received an email from Melissa in Perth, Australia, asking me to photograph her Manhattan wedding with Roslyn at the City Hall.  Receiving an emphatic "yes!" from me, we met at the City Hall in downtown Manhattan one Friday at noon.  Same sex marriages are not yet legal in Australia so they decided to tie the knot in New York. 

That's Roslyn on the left, Melissa on the right.

What a great place to get married!  I had a blast waiting for them (I got there early).  Brides, grooms, family of all persuasions milling around.  Same sex couples and mixed sex as well (is that the right term? oh well)  The process is efficient and pleasant; the energy was buzzing.  Just lots of happy excited people!  They even offer bouquets at the gift store, in case you forgot to get one on the way.  The Aussies have an interest in architecture, so we used one of City Hall's art deco elevators for a few pre-nuptial portraits.

Roslyn, looking quite elegant.

Melissa, likewise.

Waiting, on one of the long green couches

So you sign in, and take a number.  When it's called, you go to a desk and fill out forms.

Papers are signed, ID's checked, (I was signed in as the Witness! a first for me). Then you wait to be called for one of the two chapels.  In the anteroom is another green couch...

The ceremony lasts a minute.  Does anyone protest? the vows, the rings, the kiss.  The essential elements. 

The Vows

The Rings

The Kiss

The Happy Tears

Then the official photo in front of this large mural of City Hall - very cool.

And the celebration begins!

The whole process was about an hour; the city charges a nominal fee.  The venue is handsome, the atmosphere joyful.  It was a wonderful place to get married.  And all my best wishes to Roslyn and Melissa, a delightful couple and a joy to photograph.    You go girls!