August 2011

Bandstand
Salt Lake City, Utah
2011

At sundown, some stage scaffolding casts an interesting shadow pattern on the backdrop of the bandstand at the Utah Arts Festival.

The Gesture (Freedom)
Topeka, Kansas
2011

From a sculpture at Washburn University. The sculptor created the piece to commemorate cancer survivors–either all cancer or perhaps just breast cancer, I don’t recall–but in any case freedom from cancer is a precious freedom indeed.

Losing Your Edge
Omaha, Nebraska
2011

There was a ride much like this at Joyland, the local amusement park where I grew up. It was one of my favorite rides in the park. Now I have no interest in getting on such a thing. I like to think it’s because I’m older and wiser, but it’s probably just plain being old that explains it.

Foreign Exchange
Topeka, Kansas
2011

Japanese gardens, or at least tokens from Japanese gardens like this lamp are very popular in this country. I’ve never been to Japan but have to wonder, do they have American gardens there? If so, what token icon do they feel most symbolizes an American garden? Perhaps a garden gnome, or maybe a pink flamingo. Hopefully it’s not one of those plywood cutouts painted to look like a lady bending over exposing her bloomers that seemed so popular in the Midwest for a while.

Pac-Man
Topeka, Kansas
2011

On one level this image comes across to me as having some serious emotion and artistic value, and is deserving of a name reflecting that impression. But on the other hand I don’t think anyone who was around during the early days of video games (and paying attention to them at all) is not going to see the more obvious interpretation. So I guess the question is can an image that has that kind of reference be taken particularly seriously. It’s kind of like trying to take the William Tell Overture seriously having spent considerable time watching Lone Ranger reruns as a kid. (There’s a photo floating around the family archives somewhere of me at Christmas in a Lone Ranger outfit. Hi-Yo Silver!)

Lone Lily
Topeka, Kansas
2011

A lily blossom in the goldfish pond at Washburn University. I took this a couple of months ago when I was there for the Mulvane Art Museum art festival.

Room With a View
Wilsall, Montana
2011

I’ll end this series of photos with one of some of the facilities at the Wilsall rodeo grounds. On to something else tomorrow.

Crow’s Nest
Wilsall, Montana
2011

I don’t know what the official name for the skybox where the announcer and timers sit at a rodeo is, but crow’s nest seems appropriate. From this angle it doesn’t look like there’s much going on for the silhouetted woman in the box to be watching, but there were a lot of riders etc. just out of view behind the shoots and gates.

Teamwork
Wilsall, Montana
2011

Four of the five creatures in this photo look like they are enjoying being part of a well-coordinated team. The fifth, well, he just isn’t really into being a team player.

Practice, Practice, Practice
Wilsall, Montana
2011

I’ve seen people do a lot of amazing feats of skill over the years but I’ll never cease to be amazed at the timing and coordination required to rope the back legs of a running steer. Of course no matter how much you practice, in the end it depends as much on the erratic behavior of the ropee as it does the skill of the roper.