29. Brad Bickers the Graduate

Allow me a little expression of a father's pride when I extend a hearty congratulations to my son, Jonathan Bradley Bickers, who was graduated from Bartlett High School in Bartlett, Tennessee this past weekend.  Brad, always a hard worker, has been mentioned in this blog before (once for becoming an Eagle Scout and the other in regards to his growing yard greeting business, Flamingo Brad & Friends) and he is working this summer expanding his landscaping and lawn care business before starting college this fall.  Don't get a heat stroke, Brad.  It's already over 90 degrees in Memphis!   In this picture is Brad, his truck he uses in his business, and Ajax his dog, all photographed at Shelby Forest State Park north of Memphis.  Click on the image to enlarge.
 

28. Valley of Fire State Park (photographs)

Thanks to the recession, a couple of months ago I was able to spend a few days in Las Vegas, Nevada for a price that made it impossible to turn down.  My wife and I aren't big gamblers, so we spent most of our days visiting the local state parks including Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire State Park.  It was a fascinating experience as I had usually gone through the major deserts of the west in the summer, enduring blistering heat.  Here, it was a pleasant 60 degrees at day and nearly freezing at night.  Everything poisonous was hibernating, the parks were nearly empty, and the weather was great (we had arrived just after weeks of storms had rolled over the Las Vegas valley).  I took about 6,000 pictures over four days.  Here's a couple of them from Valley of Fire State Park, about 20 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Many more will soon follow.  Click on the images to enlarge.

27. Snow Vanes I and II (photographs)

It has been snowing here in western Pennsylvania. It's been snowing a lot. Step into my front yard and the snow will come up past your knee and half way up your thigh. I drive out of my garage along the bottom of an ice canyon until I burst upon the street, hoping that a person or an animal isn't lurking behind these white wall corners. Actually, I would find getting about quite an exciting adventure but for the other drivers out on the road who tend to tailgate and have no appreciation how slick snow can really be, as evidenced by the great pile-ups we keep seeing over and over again.

This time of year is also one of great beauty and I am loading up on plenty of digital images of the sights of the season. The sun has an especially appealing way of interacting with snow and ice to create unexpected wonders. After our epic snowfall, I noticed thin vanes  of snow clung to the branches for days --something that I rarely see. I'll be posting more photos and snow-inspired paintings in the days and weeks to come. Click on the images to enlarge.

 

26. Flamingo Brad and Friends

For those of you who live in the Memphis, Tennessee area and Northeastern Shelby County, I'd like to announce the beginning of my son's new enterprise, Flamingo Brad and Friends, a lawn greeting business. Brad started a landscaping and lawn care business last summer, and he plans to continue that business this year as well. But in addition, Flamingo Brad and Friends provides people a delightful way to surprise and entertain someone with a special greeting a bold visual statement. Flamingo Brad's logo and website were created by yours truly. Click the logo and check out Brad's website for more information.

25. A Cold Wind - (photograph)

A Cold Wind, by Bob Bickers, digital photograph

This image is another example of using various devices to achieve a desired effect. In other words, "whatever works." I took this picture (one of my favorite barns in Murrysville, PA) with a Polaroid camera one cold winter day. A combination of short exposure and slow development in low temperatures created a very coarse image with a bluish overcast, perfectly capturing the bitter cold I was after (and was experiencing!). Click on the image to enlarge. If you have seen my main website (at www.bobbickers.net) you might have noticed a new design change. I am trying to modernize my websites to make them more readable and easier to navigate. Expect additional changes in the weeks to come.

24. Winter's Breath - (photograph)

I decided to start off the new year with Winter's Breath, one of my favorite images. It was taken a few years ago with a Polaroid camera on a sunny but cold and brisk day. I hoped that the cool colors of the cloud and sky would convey the cold wind I felt on my face. Sometimes, my best images aren't necessarily created with my best equipment. Anyone with a good eye for composition and color can capture an image in such a way to transform a snapshot into fine art. Click on the image to enlarge. 

 

23. The Business End - (photograph)

The Business End, by Bob Bickers, photograph, 2009

Technically, 2010 is the last year of the first decade of the 21st century, just as 2000 was the last year of the 20th century. But just as that argument fell on deaf (and largely ignorant) ears back then, so are people unwilling to listen to logic now. It's hard not to think you are in a new decade when you are forced to write two different digits in the date. That being the case, I won't even try to argue when the decade ends or begins, at least, not here.

This blog began in 2009 and it has been an interesting and successful year for me in many ways. I think it is fitting, however that I end out the year with the photograph, The Business End, as it shows how almost anything you encounter in life can be made into an interesting piece of art. This truck was in front of me and I was amazed at the detail in colors and shapes that was so unlike the back end of most vehicles. I had to grab a photograph and preserve what I saw. I want to thank all those who supported and encouraged me this year and in the past. I hope your own artistic vision continues to expand as well and that you will find art --and maybe beauty- in everything you see throughout the new year. Let's make this year and decade a good one! Click on the image above to enlarge.

22. ESAL Art Show at the Penn State New Kensington Gallery

The East Suburban Artists League is holding its annual members show at the Penn State Gallery at their New Kensington, PA campus during the month of December, 2009. The campus is located on Route 780 in Upper Burrell, PA in Westmoreland County. More than 50 paintings, drawings and sculptures are part of the exhibit, and many are for sale at prices ranging from $50 to $500. An artists' reception is slated for 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, in the gallery. The Art Gallery and the East Suburban Artists League exhibit will be open through the holiday break except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The reception and exhibit are free to the public. For information on ESAL, contact Sue Foster at (724) 327-6097 or susanfoster@windstream.net via e-mail. The two pictures shown here are by Bob Bickers and appear in the exhibit, Clear Signal and Misdirection. Both pictures are framed and available for sale at $60 each. Click on the images to enlarge.

21. Conemaugh Photo Album - Autumn 2009 [Conemaugh River Reflections III & IV]

The season has passed and the colors of autumn here are but a memory. They still live in my photos and here are a couple more images of the area behind the Conemaugh Dam not too far from where I live in western Pennsylvania. Click on the images to enlarge.

20. Tree Dreams I - (photograph)

I cannot help but stop and spend a little time with a tree that catches my eye. That was true of one particular tree I have known for some years, but which seems to grow more spectacular as it ages. This one is not too far from the Conemaugh River in northern Westmoreland County. Besides the gnarled wood and rich texture and color in the leaves, the truck is splitting open but also appears to hug the ground. I like the spacing of the branches that allow a view into the tree trunk. I took this photo late in the day as the sun was setting. The tone was slightly modified to bring out the rich details. It is not uncommon for trees that have either grown isolated or had the surrounding forest cleared away by agriculture to grow into eccentric individuals. I have more images of this tree to post later. Click on the image to enlarge.