Saturday, October 15, 2005

Jim Edwards @ H. D. Smith Gallery

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Painting (Edited): The Mother Road by Jim Edwards

Jim Edwards is curator of the H. D. Smith Gallery which is located in the Hoogland Center for the Arts in downtown Springfield, Illinois. The photograph above is edited, and digitally enhanced for this Internet posting. The actual painting does not include the red and black frame, nor the overlarge artist name. To view the actual painting check out the H.D. Smith Gallery where the piece is part of the "Six by Six" Art Display.

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Photo: Jim Edwards at Desk in H.D. Smith Art Gallery Oct. 2005

The painting hangs just behind Jim's beautiful, and well organized, wooden desk located in the center of the gallery. What a place to work? I can only imagine!

The painting was still available for purchase as of October 13th, 2005, and free for the viewing of course.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Burning Burning Bright

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Photo: Myer's Brothers Building Downtown Springfield, IL

Burning Burning Bright
By JeromeProphet

I stumble down the stoney path
Never sure in which direction.
I only know I'm heading down
From my body's resurrection.

I tumble down the rocky cliff
Never sure it's my intention.
I only know I'm heading down
From my soul's intentions.

I've made my way to the end of this world
There's nowhere to go but down.
The fire burns below me now
The smell of death surrounds.

I slipped back down into the pit
From which I tried to climb.
The fires below me begin to spit
My soul burns sublime.

Just down, Just down, stumbling down.
Swallowed by the quickening darkness of fire.
I awaken in this place with a smile.

Explanation: This poem is a description of one soul's descent into hell. It is not an endorsement of hell, or going to hell. Please, to those weak-minded enough to believe that sin, and worshipping the devil is a good idea - I say think again. Hell is a horrible place, the devil a horrible creature, and this poem touches upon this theme throughout.

Photograph: Myer's Brothers in Downtown Springfield, Illinois. Captured in October 2005 around sunset. Photograph by JeromeProphet. I used this photograph with the poem, as the title of this post matches both the poem's theme, and the photograph.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

October Comes

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Photo: Springfield, IL - Old State Capitol Dome at Dusk 10.13.2005

October in Springfield, Illinois is both a beautiful time, and a sad time for those who love the sun. Days are growing ever shorter, and temperatures are dropping - especially in the evening. Any illusion of endless summer which Springfieldians may clutch onto throughout September are usually brought to an end by the middle of October.

While each year is just a little different most here in Central Illinois cross their fingers, and wish for an "Indian Summer". Indian Summer is a gentle, slow, and tangibly beautiful transition into the first frosty days, and nights of Fall. Every October we Springfieldians look for signs of this slower than usual entry into Fall. The leaves on the trees may change a bit more slowly, and a bit later than the year before. The air conditioners are still needed into the first weeks of October. The sky remains clear, and blue. We look for these signs, and hope for a fluke.

Perhaps it will last? Perhaps Summer will just go on forever? Why must it end? Can't just one year be different? We slowly find ourselves spending less time outdoors. We decorate our homes with Pumpkins, and Halloween lights to defeat the growing darkness.

And we hope.

But year, after year despite our hopes Fall takes over, and the cold touch of Winter begins to show its way into our lives once again. It comes in the night. A frost on the window. A cold brush across the wall. The inevitable sense of defeat when we finally turn on the heat so as not to awaken to a freezing cold home.

We break out the light jackets, sweaters, and hoodies - pushing the Winter coats to the side for now. We know it is only a matter of time until we'll be wearing them, but we tell ourselves not right now.

We begin baking cookies again. We put away our grills. We cover up our pools.

And we take in the beauty of the trees as they once again metamorph themselves into the butterflies they only can become in Fall.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Pam Miller @ H.D. Smith Gallery

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Painting: Pam Miller's Flyin' High in 1966


The artist note on this piece states: The 1966 Corvette Sting Ray changed little in style, but the 396 engine was bored out to 427. Hurling the car from 0-60 mph in five seconds, the engine could reach a speed of 140 mph. It seemed like flying!

About the Photograph: Photograph by JeromeProphet. Taken on October 10th, 2005. At the H.D. Smith Gallery in Springfield, Illinois.

The H.D. Smith Gallery which is located in the Hoogland Center for the Arts is still hosting the "6 X 6" Themed Display. Six by Six has a convenient parallel in themes to the Route 66 Festival. Yes, the 2005 Route 66 Mother Road Festival has already come, and gone. But there's still a chance to catch some excellent art in Springfield, Illinois. Pam Miller's Flyin' High in 1966 is already sold, but is still on display. This photograph does not do the acrylic painting justice. The photo you see was edited, and color adjusted for presentation on this blog, but it's much better in person so check it out while you still have the chance!

In the coming days I'll post more photographs of more excellent art on display at the H.D. Smith Gallery so stay tuned.

Pam Miller @ Hoogland Art's Center

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Painting (edited): Pam Miller's Pop Goes the Summer

Description by Artist: In Springfield, a short jaunt off Route 66 could be to the Lake Press Club. There kids often spent a summer day in their favorite swim suit (not a name brand) and drank pop from a bottle (not a can) and made their own fun (without electronics).

About the Photograph: Photograph taken at the Hoogland Center for the Arts located in downtown Springfield, Illinois. I had to make a judgement call in terms of altering the hue of the photograph to compensate for indoor lighting effects. Also I cropped the painting to fit on this blog. The painting is much more beautiful in the gallery, so go and visit if you can. This painting is still available for purchase as of this posting!

I have several more photographs of paintings, by a variety of artist which I'll post in the coming days.

Monday, October 10, 2005

Doom's Day Flu

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Photo: Spanish Flu Victims - Soldiers in Prime of Life


How the Avian Flu might effect you:

1. You might die.
2. Someone you love might die.
3. Half the people you know may die.
4. Half the people you work with might die.
5. Half the people in your community might die.
6. Half the people in your nation may die.
7. Half the people on the planet might die.

Having said this you might feel that it just can't happen. You believe that in this modern world that someone, or something will stop the Avian Flu virus from mutating, or from spreading once it does.

Think again.

Do you recall hurricane Katrina? No one could stop hurricane Katrina, and there's little likelihood that anyone will stop the avian flu from mutating. Asia simply lacks the willpower, and resources to stop the Avian Flu from spreading.

When it became clear that hurricane Katrina would make landfall there was little that people could do but run. When it became clear that running was the only thing to do not everyone was able to run in time. There's no way to run from a virus in this global community.

If any nation, especially the United States attempted to isolate itself from the rest of the global community in order to protect itself from an Avian Flu pandemic those efforts will most likely come when it is already too late.

Look how little will exist to stop the millions of illegal immigrants flooding into the U.S. because of the thirst for cheap labor. Which politician will stand up first to propose a quarantine of our major asian trading partners?

It won't happen until it is already too late.

The United States is just a few hours away by jet from any nation, and the possibility that the U.S. Government would preemptively impose a quarantine, or even curtail air travel to and from Asia is unthinkable. It just won't happen.

Therefore if the Avian Flu mutates into a people-to-people transmitted virus, which it is likely to do, then it will reach the U.S.

Once it reaches the U.S., then what?

The virus is contagious even before people show symptoms, which means there won't be a way to know if you're contaminated, and are spreading the virus to others. The virus will spread quickly.

The virus is very lethal. The human body doesn't have any prior experience with this virus, and therefore no immunity to it. It has killed half of those who have caught it from contact with contaminated birds.

It doesn't just kill the old, sick, or weak like ordinary flu, it kills younger people - similar to the Spanish Flu.

The United States will not be uneffected. Hundred's of thousands of U.S. citzens may die before marshall law is imposed. The world economy may collapse when world trade is curtailed due to the pandemic.

There isn't a vacine, nor any known treatments, although Tamiflu may help. Even if there was a treatment there simply isn't enough for everyone, even in the richer nations.

This leaves us all very vunerable.

If any of us learned anything from Katrina that was not to trust our government to be able to save us in a crises.

If this pandemic becomes real, and ever hits the U.S., we're all in grave trouble.
In the meantime I'm dusting off my copy of The Stand to get a few pointers.

I include several Spanish Flu pandemic (1912-1918) links below. Unfortunately, the Spanish Flu pandemic may provide an accurate analogy to what may happen soon once the Avian Flu mutates. Hundreds of thousands of americans died in the Spanish Flu pandemic.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/influenza/

http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Dana Thomas House II

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Photo: Dana Thomas House - A North Overhang Against Sky

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Photo: Dana Thomas House - Dana Thomas' 143rd Birthday Party!

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Photo: Dana Thomas' 143rd Birthday Party Magic Show!

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Photo: Dana Thomas House - West Face

At a later date I'll Post a story on the wonderful Dana Thomas birthday party - her 143rd!

Dana Thomas House I

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Photo: Dana Thomas House - East Face View

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Photo: Dana Thomas House - South View of Main Entrance

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Photo: Dana Thomas House - Close Up of Main Entrance Arch

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Photo: Frank Lloyd Wright Patterned Reflections


The Dana Lawrence-Thomas House is one of Springfield, Illinois' crown jewels. Dana Lawrence-Thomas commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design an addition to her parent's existing Victorian home. Frank Lloyd Wright used the opportunity to completely recreate the entire home - leaving just a few interior rooms of the original structure.

I'll add more to this post soon.

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