Abstract Cement Sculptures

The sun was perfect today in Ithaca to photograph the cement sculptures in the sculpture garden of Cornell Plantations.  With no leaves on the trees, there was little distraction from the magnificent cement objects.  I am continuing to work on a series of abstract montages, which are a distinct diversion from my focus on flowers over the years.

Here is one of the montages I produced today.  Would love to have any feedback.

Shagbark Hickory Tree

This was a submission to a blog on the Cornell Johnson Art Museum website.

Each day, this tree greets me as I view it while walking to pick up the paper or mail. It has grown in its present position for years on the golf course and I cannot remember a time when it was not there.

The tree changes its hue and expression depending on the time of day and season. Right now, the gold leaves are brilliant in the autumn sun and announce the beauty of the season.  In the early morning, the sun shines through the leaves from the East and in the afternoon, the glow of the setting sun illuminates both the leaves and the irregular bark.

Each season, the tree is interesting to view. In the winter, the rugged bark is poignant against the harshness of the climate.  The many grays of the shagbark denote the sculptural lines along the trunk and branches.

From winter to spring to summer and then to fall, this tree has been a visual reminder of both change and consistency.

Artistic lotus pods

There are many ways to use the lotus in artwork in addition to photography.  I made cement molds from the leaves and use them as stepping stones, garden decor, water fountains, and bird feeders.  The pods can be used for swatches for the door, arrangements, and holiday wreathes.  With a bit of spray paint, you can transform the pod into a very crafty object.  The attached photo shows me at a garden club event with my silver sprayed lotus pods arranged among Artemesia.

End of the season

Even the lotus leaves turn color at the end of the season.  They lose their chlorophyll and the yellows and browns in the leaves show through. Eventually, the leaves shrivel and die and fall into the water to decompose.  With the amount of leaves in the pond, one would think that the pond would fill with decomposed matter.  Fortunately, the process does not quickly change the pond and the spring will bring renewed growth. It has been a gorgeous season with about 500 lotus blooms decorating the pond for 2 months.

Another cement abstraction

I made several versions of the cement sculptures before I settled on this one to submit to the State of the Art Gallery for a show in October.  I am on the Greater Ithaca Art Trail open weekends in October in Ithaca, NY and the gallery show is intended to help advertise the trail and its artists.

Would love any feedback. This one was printed on canvas, 20 x 30 inches.

Abstractions in the Cornell Sculpture Garden

One of the architecture student projects in the '60s was to produce massive cement sculptures.  Nobody wanted them to be placed on the central campus, so the decision was made to put them in a remote area of the Cornell Plantations. At that time, the area was agrarian.  In the '80s, the managed area of the Plantations expanded and the sculptures are now part of a large sculpture garden in the arboretum.

I find the sculptures very photogenic during all seasons and all angles of light. The warm morning and afternoon light, however, give the best hues on the cement.

As a project for an upcoming art show, I chose to produce an abstraction from some of the pieces.  What do you think?  Would love to have some feedback!  Thanks.

Morning Glory Montage

After a busy day of taking photos and running errands, I sat down and produced this montage, using manipulative tools in Photoshop. How do you like it? Would love any feedback.