These are all common objects photographed at the Falls of the Ohio on a single cold day in January 2011.
Archive for the ‘Ohio River’ Category
Frozen in Ice
Posted in Art, art and environment, collections, creativity, fresh water, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, unusual collection, watershed, tagged Art, artistatexit0, Falls of the Ohio, ice, photography, water on January 17, 2011| 6 Comments »
The Architect of Ice
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, birding, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature photography, Ohio River, Originality, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, artistatextit0, Falls of the Ohio, ice formations, Louisville, nature, photography, Styrofoam, winter landscape on January 14, 2011| 13 Comments »
Come along on this vicarious adventure to the Falls of the Ohio. The seasons and river help make this a dynamic environment. I stole a couple of hours during a very cold day to visit the park and was rewarded with a riverscape transformed by ice!
Right at the river’s edge was where I found the ice. The driftwood, logs, and living willows looked as though clear glass had encased their forms. I love being a witness to all the transformations that happen in this relatively small place. It literally can change before your eyes. Ice at the Falls is always a magical event and one that doesn’t last very long.
Ever wonder what it takes for ice like this to form? The conditions need to be just right. First it takes a river where the water is warmer than the air around it. The river appears to steam and fog can form. The warmer water vapors come in contact with the colder trees and rocks, condenses, and turns to ice as the temperatures fall below freezing. You also need one other element and that’s an engineer or architect to direct the action.
If you look closely you can see the architect of this scene in the center of this low growing willow tree. Here he is seen from a different angle.
The little fellow I was observing was a true artist and had such mastery over his materials. All he had to do was simply point and wave his arms around and an ice fog would cover the trees and other structures within reach of the river. In this way he painted the Falls in ice…take a look. Here he is again doing his thing along the riverbank.
Judging from the slightly mischievous smile, he seems to be enjoying his creations. I followed along and recorded him in action. He never slowed down and moved from tree to tree in a methodical way.
The architect made ice that varied in appearance. Some trees he thickly covered and others he decorated with frozen sausages and jellyfish hanging from the slenderest of branches.
I watched the architect will the ice into place according to an intention and plan known only to him. I suppose if one were to study this…there probably are some mathematical equations that can explain all this?
But when it’s this pretty and magical…who cares what the numbers are doing? It’s nature exhaling and gathering itself before the next big breath restores and awakens the land. As I left the architect to finish doing his work. I walked alone admiring what he had left behind. To end, here are three images my camera recorded along the river. The last one in particular was lucky…and ducky!
Bottoms up everyone, till next time!
The Orange Curtain
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, barge cable, Falls of the Ohio, found materials, nature, recycled art, soul searching, Styrofoam on January 8, 2011| 6 Comments »
Looking up at me with that reassuring smile, I thought it a good omen on my first foray of the new year. It’s winter and so it’s cold, but the sun is bright and clear and strong shadows are everywhere. I’m bundled up and so it’s okay as I venture forth along my spot on the Ohio River.
Today the landscape and it’s living inhabitants are asleep or away. I see only a few seagulls and ducks along the river and that’s all. With the leaves now fallen, the polystyrene sculptures that mark my studio area are more visible. The very bright whiteness of the Styrofoam can be seen from a distance and it helps these pieces are vertical elements too. This contrasts sharply with Spring and Summer where you could walk within fifteen yards of this spot and not see these figures for the trees.
The “choir” is still all here, which is what I expected. People are fair weather animals and when it’s cold, fewer are willing to explore this landscape on foot. I admit to liking the existential “feeling” I perceive on these winter walks. There is a clarity that I appreciate not only in the light, but within my mind too. Winter does a good job with its cold in prioritizing things and the relative lack of sound makes it easier to hear my own thoughts.
My found materials are as I left them at my open air studio. I decide to sit on the plank (a little cool on the buns!) and make my first figure or 2011.
Looking around I pick up two smallish pieces of Styrofoam and constructed this delicate figure. Here he is before the addition of found glass ears. The mouth is also glass and I like how the river and sand polish this material as it grinds away the sharp edges. Once completed, I look for an interesting backdrop to create the images that represent this day.
I featured this on a late post from last year. I’m fascinated by this frayed barge rope or cable that has been snagged by this willow tree. I like how it is slowly unraveling and the bright orange nylon? fibers add that unnaturalistic element that seems so out-of-place in this environment.
As I move this little figure around this orange fiber outburst I wonder if the beauty I’m perceiving from the color is somehow out-of-place and perverse? I begin the year wondering if what I’m also doing out here is aestheticizing garbage as much as I am calling attention to our relationship with nature? In my defense, I tell myself that I’m just an artist doing what artists have always done…which is react to materials and processes and selectively ordering things in the ways that artists do. What do you think?
When I last saw this frayed cable, it was helping to form this interesting drift that was a combination of wind, snow, sand, and ice. I posed a different figure around that formation. Now all the snow is gone for the moment, but surely we will receive more before season’s end. Oh, I forgot about the small shoe sole that I tied onto my figure. Since it came from a child’s shoe…it is meant loosely to be an attribute of innocence. I have done this with other figures in the past.
When I could no longer push the cold out of my mind and finger tips, I decided to leave this figure by its orange curtain. I moved him into a position that suggests he’s taking shelter from the elements. On my next outing to the Falls, I will stop by and see how he’s doing…that is if he’s still out here and hasn’t walked away.
Falls Pursuits
Posted in art and environment, birding, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio River, tagged Art, artistatexit0, Falls of the Ohio, outdoor activities, photography on January 6, 2011| 8 Comments »
I have been to the Falls of the Ohio this year and made something from the junk I’ve found, but this is not that post. As 2010 was winding down, I looked at the year’s images to see if there were other stories that could be created from them. Yes, I found a few, however, what was really needed were more hours in the day. Before I could get to them…2010 became history. And so now, I’m doing a little backtracking and enjoying placing myself in a warmer landscape than currently occupies the view out my window. I had the idea of showing how other people enjoy recreating in this unique place. To begin, if the conditions are right, you can fly a kite. I came across this guy many months a go and I don’t think there was enough wind for him to get the lift he needed. Louisville, Kentucky can be seen across the river.
One of the Falls activities I see many people pursuing is fishing. There are a few gem days during the course of the year when the fishing is just fun and excellent. That primal aesthetic to catch one’s meal finds contemporary expression in angling. It can be as sophisticated as you like using only the best gear sold in the catalogs…
…or it can be a rather simple activity not requiring a lot of fancy fishing equipment. In fact, you don’t even need a shirt!
I can remember the look of delight on this man’s face when he had the fish in hand. What worries me is that I’m seeing more and more people taking fish out of here to eat. Although the river is supposedly getting cleaner, there are still toxins concentrated in the fish’s tissues. It’s still a good idea not to eat too many too frequently. And, the bigger the fish, the more likely more toxins will be present in the fish. Some folks will go to some lengths to reach the fish that others can’t reach. It certainly helps to have a boat.
I think this guy looks like he would be more successful at fishing than he actually was. The river bottom here is extremely rocky and the current swift. It’s very easy to lose lures and bait netting you a major case of frustration. Sometimes just the boat is enough!
Paddling kayaks in the rapids created from water being released under the tainter gates is gaining in popularity. I have to admit there have been many times I’ve thought how handy it would be to have a small boat out here. I have even thought about taking some of the larger chunks of Styrofoam that I find and making my own makeshift water craft, but then I come to my senses. I may still do it one day…we’ll see.
Some folks don’t go much further than the Interpretive Center where they can enjoy the exhibits or listen to one of the volunteers give a talk about nature in the park. Birdwatching is a popular activity and one I enjoy too.
I don’t mean to pick on these guys…but I’ve noticed many birdwatchers feel that they need to look the part too! Was it the late Wally Cox who crafted the classic nerdy birdwatcher look complete with khakis and pith helmet? I suppose it’s better than wearing a feather suit! In 2010, I did see people doing an activity out here that I had never seen before. First, seeing these guys gathered at this place along the rocks piqued my curiosity and I moved in closer.
What I found was a competition under way among members of a club who operate remote control cars. Their cars were designed to roll over rugged terrain and the contest was to see who could best negotiate a course laid out at the Falls and its fossil rocks. Here’s what the cars looked like.
These cars were amazingly powerful and rugged. With their outsized tires, many of these cars could crawl up nearly vertical rocks and boulders. It takes some skill on the part of the operator to navigate around the hazards in the least amount of time. And then, there are people who see the Falls in more practical and utilitarian terms like this man.
I ran into this fellow on a couple of occasions and each time he was doing the same thing. He was salvaging the metal wheels from these tires. He would cut away the rubber and take the metal rims with him to the salvage yard. He seemed thrilled that there were so many wheels out here. I also see people collecting driftwood to decorate their gardens and to make arrangements with fake flowers that they could then sell. One man I spoke with said he received $25.00 an arrangement. Based on the mental image I formed of his driftwood art, it didn’t sound all that appealing to me. But I need to not be so judgemental in such matters since as this blog is proof of…beauty and utility are in the eyes of the beholder! Here’s to another year of river art and adventure at the Falls of the Ohio.
Post #223, So long 2010
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, nature, Ohio River, Originality, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, artistatexit0, Falls of the Ohio, nature, recycled art on December 31, 2010| 4 Comments »
Another year’s worth of fresh water has passed under our bridges. It’s been an eventful year in many ways and to recap things sounds like more energy than I currently have to expend on something at this moment. I guess I can’t party like I used to! So, here I am limping my way across the finish line with Post number 223.
I love the way ice changes the riverscape at the Falls. Over the years, I have been a lucky witness to some interesting ice formations. On this last trip, however, the ice present seemed to cover surfaces in a glassy coating. I decided to take a walk along the river side of the Woodland Trail. It was cold, but the wind was calm which helped things a lot. I made this figure that I named “Acorn Eyes” from stuff out of my collecting bag and objects that I found along the way. The snow and ice formed a lighter background that actually helped objects to stand out more clearly.
Here’s a colorful shoe followed by a child’s playground ball I came across.
One natural object that caught my eye was this ice-covered milkweed pod. This plant is very important in the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly.
By the sycamore trees I found a spot I like that has these wonderful exposed roots. You could still see the mottled greens and whites of the tree bark through the thin coating of ice that covered them. I decided to take a few pictures here with my newest Styrofoam figure.
With as much pressure as is regularly put upon this landscape, I marvel that there are any trees here at all. The river is a powerful force washing away most everything that stands before it. Subtler still, but also very effective is the role ice plays in breaking apart the fossil rock. Water seeps into the smallest cracks and as the temperature drops below freezing, the water expands into ice, further wedging apart the gaps. In this way rock is split and broken down.
Walking along the trees that border the river, you can see the remains of logs that were washed into here during previous floods and eventually became stranded. As they decay, they release their nutrients back into the environment. I like looking for the patterns formed by the various layers deposited.
I am also looking forward to whatever the new year brings. May it be a positive and peaceful one for all. I know the river will keep life interesting for me…and I hope I can do likewise for you through this blog. See you next year!
Styro-Snowmen, Dogs, and Polar Bears
Posted in Absurd, animal art works, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, Originality, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, tagged Art, artistatexit0, Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, snow, snowmen, Styrofoam on December 26, 2010| 8 Comments »
We awoke to a white Christmas in Louisville. Just enough snow to cover the lawns and trees. By now all my Falls of the Ohio holiday cards have been sent out. Usually, I have several designs going at once. This year, I made cards featuring snowmen, a dog I made from river delivered Styrofoam, as well as one featuring a Styrofoam polar bear with one leg I found out here amazingly enough! Sometimes the cards are funny and sometimes they riff on some aspect of the holidays we could live without.
Both of the snowmen I made were created using parts of old Christmas ornaments I have found out here. Usually, the perfectly round Styrofoam balls I find were originally fabric covered baubles meant for the tree. This first snowman also features a bottle cap hat which gives you some sense for its scale. The nose on this one is actually a miniature carrot I also discovered in the sand and kept for just such a purpose as this! I waited for the snow to arrive which it did this year just in time.
The little dog came from a previous post that most everybody missed and so I don’t feel as badly about recycling one of my former projects. In this case, I thought the dog came out particularly well and deserved another chance to shine. It’s made from Styrofoam and sticks, plastic, and tiny bits of coal thrown in to create eyes and a nose! He’s so light that he doesn’t leave tracks in the snow!
I featured another image of this dog in my last post on the spoor of a particularly large bird which was a fun juxtaposition to work with. In this overall group of photos, the object’s shadow plays a role as a design element. As I recall, this was a very cold day with wind which caused some issues with the camera’s batteries. I had little time to snap these before the camera turned itself off. Among the other bits of polystyrene I was carrying on me was a “bear effigy” that I found out here this year. I posed it in a few places along the way and here are some of the images.
Emerging from its hibernation, the one-legged Styro-Polar Bear encounters a rapidly changing landscape. What was historically all ice and snow is now a melting landfill.
I mounted the Styro-bear on a small piece of wood I found out here so it could stand up. I found it in damaged condition missing one of its legs. I have no idea what this was originally intended to represent, but it reads bear-like to me. The bear is such a resonant image going back to the beginnings of art and ironically I find one that says something about the here and now and our relationship with nature. Much has changed.
One final snowman before closing and this one wears a blue hat! I made this guy as a window decoration for a display at work, but couldn’t resist adding his portrait to the winter series. Although he was made with Falls materials…he’s strictly a visitor.
Happy Holidays, Winter Solstice, etc… to everyone out there. My best to all in the coming year!
First Snow
Posted in Absurd, animal art works, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, nature, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, tagged Art, artistatexit0, Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, nature, Ohio River, photography, recycled art, snow, Styrofoam on December 18, 2010| 10 Comments »
I’m the only one out here and for good reason too. It is just so cold and the wind isn’t helping matters at all. My eyes peer through a narrow exposed slit formed by the bottom of my hat and the top of my scarf which covers most of my face. On a day like today it is good to have a purpose and I do. Each year I make my own set of holiday cards and mail them off to family and friends and I use the Falls of the Ohio to provide materials and context.
The snow changes things by generalizing the landscape. You need to be careful where you step out here since the snow gives you a false sense of security. All the old dangers are still out here…they are just harder to see. A misstep can cause you to fall or twist an ankle and it is slippery walking on top of this wood.
For me, however, all these miserable conditions are worth the moments of enchantment that occur. Every day objects take on a renewed visual interest and new compositions are created.
With the vegetation gone, this frayed barge cable shows up easily on the willow branches that have snagged it. The river deposited it long a go and it is finally falling apart. Next spring, strands of this rope will form parts of next year’s oriole nests. What I also find interesting here is how the wind, sand, and snow blow together to form a light drifting mixture.
Walking towards my outdoor studio site, I unexpectantly came across these tracks in the sand and snow. These were made by a very large bird and I thought Great Blue Heron or even Sandhill Crane? It’s unusual to see these bird tracks here since the herons in particular stay closer to the water’s edge.
The little dog traveling with me couldn’t resist seeing where the tracks led to. The sand and snow mixture may have exaggerated the true size of this bird. After a short walk the tracks end here.
I wonder if what is recorded here is a brief moment of indecision? First, the bird turns one way then another and then the tracks are gone. It may have jumped into the air from this spot since there are no other tracks in the immediate area.
I come across another nice snow/sand drift and start taking a few shots for my holiday cards. I had made this little Styro-snowman with a Blue Hat at home with Falls’ materials and brought him along. Here he is admiring the drift as he walks on one side of it. Each time I take a picture I need to take my glove off and before long my finger tips start to burn. The longer I’m out here…the more purposeful I become.
Reaching my familiar site, I find the large figures that watch my back. Other than the snow, more has changed here since my last visit. There’s a new figure leading the group like a skinny choir master. It’s getting harder to take a simple picture and I think the day is getting colder still. The camera is freezing and the batteries are getting zapped. Soon, I won’t be able to take pictures and I decide to turn around after about a half an hour’s walk. I did take one other picture for this post from my snow filled studio. It shows that indeed, milk crates can hold water…as long as it’s frozen. See previous posts a go. Time for some hot chocolate and heat!
The Water Crate
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, fossils, found objects, nature, photography, recycled art on December 11, 2010| 8 Comments »
The train and I arrived at the Falls at the same time today. It’s a frosty cold morning, but the sun is rising. The only places you can find the icy covered driftwood now is in the shadows. I’m more in the mood today to just go for a walk with my trusty camera.
I found this little composition and it reminded me of some of my favorite Max Ernst paintings. I’ve always admired his creativity. Ironically, the plywood panel with the circular hole is made of plastic! I have no idea what it belongs to?
I thought I would check out the area near my outdoor studio site. There’s not much in the way of birds out here in the willows, but on the river, I have spotted Lesser Scaup ducks mixing with Mallards. The photos I made of them are good enough only for identification purposes.
I came across one of my recent Styro-figures that I had thought was gone. The last couple of times I have been out here, I don’t remember seeing it. He or she is still standing in an area where someone has recycled the metal wheels from these tires. By cutting these tires up it prevents them from becoming mosquito nurseries and at least some element from the wheel gets reused.
Stopping by my trusty site gave me the chance to revisit some old friends. The wind has knocked a couple of them down and I think they may have had some human help too. It may only be a few months before this area will get rearranged by the later winter/early spring river overflow.
Walking down to the river it’s much windier. The reddish bark of the willow saplings adds a note color to the landscape. The river is a little higher than before and waves are pushing against the shore. In the air above, Ring-billed Gulls dive into the water when food is spotted. Yes, there is also trash in the river which gets pushed onto the land.
Objects made with fossil fuels wash over limestone bedrock with its embedded fossils. A little water seems to make the fossils stand out a little more. Over 350 million years a go these corals were at home in a marine environment.
Contrasting with the cleanliness of the exposed rock are sections were mud, sand, and silt have been cast ashore. That’s were I found this image.
To me this also has the feel of a fossil. This comb is evidence of life and its made from ancient carbon. I wonder if plastic can fossilize?
I have collected more than one milk crate along the way. I like to use them to store found objects and wood at my outdoor site. Walking the river I found this image and was provoked by it. It’s a picture that finds some beauty in futility since this crate will never hold water. There is snow in the forecast for this weekend and I’m anxious to see if it pans out. More later.
Recent Found Orbs
Posted in Absurd, Art, collections, creativity, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio River, unusual collection, watershed, tagged Art, artistatexit0, balls, baseballs, Falls of the Ohio, orbs, photography, spheres on December 10, 2010| 7 Comments »
On my last walk at the Falls of the Ohio I came across so many found round objects that I thought a few photos of them might be fun or interesting so what the heck. I’ll start with the first orb I came across which was an osage orange fruit also called a hedge-apple around here. It looks somewhat brain-like because of its texture. There are also a few genuine and fake baseballs in various states of decomposition thrown in for good measure. I also found another plastic orange…that one will go into the Fake Fruits and Veggies Collection which keeps growing with each trip to the river. The day began cool and frosty, but warmed up with some sunshine after noon. Alright now and without further delay, here are the photographs.
Styro-figure and Roots
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, Originality, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, tagged Art, artistatexit0, Falls of the Ohio, nature, Styrofoam, tree roots on December 5, 2010| 11 Comments »
Because the work a day world had me preoccupied, it’s nice to be able to return to the river. This interaction with the Falls occurred about a week a go, but it also takes me back to the early days of this project. To stir the imagination I would challenge myself to only use materials found within the circle of a chosen tree. The results were often incongruous, but it was fun to do. The following polystyrene figure was made in a similar way where I allowed myself only materials available in a small area.
I found just enough Styrofoam for a head and body. Splitting a nut in half became the solution for the eyes. Bits and pieces of brightly colored plastic further called attention to the head.
The first heavy frost is near now. The flowers have bloomed and the seeds are going on their own journey. Migrating sandhill cranes have crossed overhead. I’m by this small “creek” that’s more of storm sewer overflow for the nearby village.
There’s always water flowing …even when it’s not raining at all. People like to fish here especially when the river is high and catfish are close to shore. When we do get high water, this spot catches many of the logs that drift in here and become stranded. I like to walk on top of this bridge when I’m crossing over from one section of the park to the other.
I moved the small figure I had made to the creek and snapped this portrait. On the riverbank I can find recently chewed willow saplings and I know there is a beaver currently around. Evidence of past beaver encounters mark some of the dead trees near the creek’s mouth.
Also in this vicinity are some of my favorite trees. There are particular sycamore and willow trees that have exposed root systems. These trees appear to be uprooting themselves and moving on which they do very slowly and deliberately!
The river has retreated from here for now. This is also a favored place for fishermen. The nearby fossil cliffs make a convenient place to cast a line or build a fire. The underlying limestone sends currents flowing in multiple and treacherous directions. The water here is usually well oxygenated and so it attracts fish.
I left this figure by the side of the path and walked to my vehicle. This day began sunny but quickly turned overcast and gray as it wore on. To close, here is another view of a tree with a great platform of roots showing by the nearby fossil cliffs.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 