Maybe one of the more challenging exercises to date in my intermediate level class.
Crushed Plastic Watercolor
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NOMA – July 2016
This was captured during a visit to Copenhagen last summer. I like to think these two fellows are ruminating about the, then, pending closure of this famous place.
Calgary Stampede – 1983 image
I am starting to think there is a treasure trove of images captured in old photographs from our world travels over the last 35 years. This one is from a series of ‘snaps’ taken with a simple and inexpensive camera using Kodak or Fuji film from 1983. The 3×5 print is all I have, but after scanning and a little photoshopping, I am quite pleased with the result. Hopefully, I will find more…
A watercolor for today
Thematic Philately Topic – World Stamps Received on Personal Mail
Perhaps my favorite way of collecting stamps has been to collect the letters, airmails and postcards sent to me and/or my spouse from countries around the world. I find that the more remote or “exotic” the country of origin the greater the thrill, but sometimes the sheer esthetic appeal is all you need. Unfortunately, the ability to practice this type of collecting has been significantly diminished in the last decade or two with the advent of electronic communication. I was fortunate to be publishing in the scientific literature for many years before pdf’s of scientific papers were available, and the only way for someone to receive a copy of your paper was to request a reprint through the mail. Consequently, I received, and collected, many of these postcard requests – a favorite example is shown below from the “CCCP”. A larger collection of these can be seen on the pull down menu under Thematic Philately on this blog.
Thematic Philately Topic – UK First Day Covers
Receiving UK First Day covers in the mail once or twice a month from the Royal Mail is a passive form of collecting, I admit…..but the array of topics and creative art that often (but not always) is provided in these covers is astounding. I have been collecting since October of 1993, and this ‘Sherlock Holmes” theme was my first received. To view more samples go the pull down “Thematic Philately” Tab on the blog.
The Last Iceberg
Manchester University 1970-1971: Thirty eight live acts in two semesters…No problem!
We all had this tremendous appetite for live music. Coming from disparate corners of the UK, all of us being 17 or 18 years of age, escaping the boredom of living at home with families in sleepy neighborhoods, we just could not believe the plethora of live music many nights of the week at the University of Manchester Student Union, the Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), downtown venues and surrounding colleges. My recollection of those times was that our ‘band of friends’ would venture out most weekend nights for one of two performances, and also mid week when possible. I recently came across my first year (freshman) student union card, on the back of which I diligently recorded the band/artist roster for the first two semesters of that first year. A list-making & collecting compulsive/obsessive pattern that has followed me into adulthood.
A total of Thirty Eight performances over the first two semesters – here is the illustrated list with a few annotated memories. This is a pretty amazing list in retrospect.
Starting with the most memorable for me – Led Zeppelin at the Students Union, March 19th. Although it was March, the Union Hall was packed solid, standing only and getting very hot. I recall making my way over the tall window on the west side and climbing onto the ledge – fabulous view over the heads of all and then cracking open the window to help cool the room.
Act #2: John Mayall Continue reading
Mars Attacks Cards from the 60’s
As kids in the 60’s we use to love collecting these gruesome cards – the more gory the better. The whole collection can be found here. Never had a single bad dream….
It’s the audience! AC/DC at River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is a professional sports stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina and this is the crowd for this AD/DC concert. You can check out the whole concert on youtube, but just watch the masses respond in my favorite AC/DC song “TNT” and wonder how could you not get a feeling of megalomania if you were on stage? And what a fan base they have in Argentina – they know every word!
