Ars Nova

The much-anticipated new east wing of the St. Louis Art Museum opened yesterday. Too much of the collection was in storage. The new wing is devoted to modern and contemporary art, giving the glorious original 1904 building by Cass Gilbert room to breathe.

I gather some architecture critics have already panned it as rather plain. One, quoted in the newspaper, declared that "it fails to dream." The architect, Sir David Chipperfield, maintains that the building was designed for the art and its enjoyment, not for its own sake. I think that both opinions are true. From the outside, the building is an undistinguished box, right angles in shades of gray. The interior holds no surprises, just rectangular spaces. However, there is an ingenious combination of natural and artificial light, all a bit soft, with simple white walls and spacious views. When moving from room to room, the building disappears and the visitor's entire attention goes to the art itself. The new wing is self-effacing, only concerned with its contents, and shows it off superbly.

So much to shoot in coming days. There are more pictures of the museum. The Pridefest parade is today, one of my favorite annual photo-ops. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday bring parades,carnivals, air shows, music and fireworks for our Independence Day celebrations. It's only ten days until we touch down in Calgary. Overwhelming.                     

Paint Louis

I missed some local events when I was in Chicago last weekend. One of them was Paint Louis, the sanctioned but irregular opportunity for graffiti artists to redecorate the long floodwall that runs along the Mississippi south of the Arch. I swung by on my way home from work last night and got some shots. Someone, presumably from that city, even painted the flag of the City of Chicago to remind me of my travels.                    

The Loop

Just a bit more from Chicago. It's nice to be a passenger in the front seat of a bus instead of always behind the wheel. This a bit of the elevated train tracks (the El) that form The Loop, the rectangle of transit lines that defines the city center.

Lots to shoot this weekend. Our art museum opens its much-awaited big addition. The Pridefest parade is on Sunday. Still need to find something for tomorrow.        

LSD

Lake Shore Drive and the northern end of Interstate 55 in Chicago. The way to get home if you don't mind driving 300 miles / 500 km.      

Irresistible

Got a bit of luck at the wedding reception. As usual, the wedding party sat at a long table at the top of the room. We were at the first table right in front of them. A bunch of, oh, I'd guess three to five year olds came up to watch the action. Hey, kids, can I take your picture?

The children, all relatives of the groom from Oregon, were perfect models. That boy on top was a total camera hog. After the individual shots I got them in groups.         

Family

Pix of my side of the family:

My nieces Kelly WIlson, Lauren Wilson and Stephanie Crowe.

Stephanie entering the chapel.

My sister Sue WIlson with her daughters Kelly and Lauren.

My son Andy with his fiancee Claire.

Andy draining a mojito.

My daughter Emily and son Andy, who refuses to play it straight. Baby to be Madeleine is somewhere off the bottom of the frame.

My brother John, the family's French connection. 

My sister Mary Beth, her daughter Catey and husband Mel. 

Greg, Stephanie's boyfriend.

Stephanie and her brother, Steven Crowe.         

 

I Hope They Are Always This Happy

What a gorgeous and talented couple. They both have college business degrees and now MBAs from the University of Chicago. The future awaits them in New York, where Grant will work in finance and Catey in marketing (my sister will correct me if I got that wrong).

Maybe I should switch careers and try wedding photography. It was more fun than flying last weekend. Two hours late getting home - thunderstorms in Chicago, worse thunderstorms in St. Louis. Much of the center of North America is awash. We're supposed to go to Calgary in two weeks for the Stampede but at the moment the entire fairgrounds is under water. Perhaps we should try the Mojave.        

A Wedding

Why we came to Chicago this weekend: the wedding of a favorite niece, Catey Mark, only child of my sister, Mary Beth, and her husband, Mel. Cate's husband is Grant Curry. who, for lack of anything better to do, competes in triathalons. They both got their MBAs from the University of Chicago last week and are moving to New York. It's a great match.

Much more of this to come.                       

I'm Bored

Early Friday evening at the St. Louis airport. Flight to Chicago running 2.5 hours late. Will miss the rehearsal dinner and party. I'm bored. Reduced to taking pictures of the coffee machine at the American Airlines club.        

Hard Times

I didn't think have time to do a post today but this caught my eye. Simple edit of a scene along the Komen run route. What kind of people would you find in the Hardtimes Lounge?

Up to Chicago again today. May or may not get a post up Saturday.       

Thursday Pink Arch Series

Arches made of balloons are more transient than those made of steel, but all things must pass. Sometimes, though, the pink theme is taken too far.

Really low on material. I may have to take a submarine into the deep archives until I get to Chicago. Things will be awfully busy when we get there, too.       

Turn Off The Bubble Machine

A scene along the Komen Run route. Is anyone out there old enough to remember Lawrence Welk, Stan Freburg and this bit?       

If You Want To Call It That

Scenes from the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure on Sunday. Looks like the Mercedes of strollers. While we're curing things, could we work on beltlines?

I've meen very remiss in visiting  my friends' blogs. Monday evening was my fourth night out in a row, almost unprecedented. Let's see, Shakespeare In The Park, opera, opera, son-in-law's parents in town from Houston. Whew. And back to Chicago Friday. Things gotta calm down.      

Hope

The Susan G. Koman Foundation is a huge organization that promotes education, treatment and research for breast cancer. They have fundraising runs and walks throughout the country. There's been one here for years and the women from my law firm usually organize a team.

That's the Crowe & Shanahan group. From left to right across the top: Julie, who has been my partner for 28 years; Dawn, one of of our paralegals for more than 20 years; in the pink shirt, Joan, our cancer survivor, Julie's sister and paralegal for twenty-something years until her family moved to another state; Traci, in the hat, a lawyer from another firm, but we like her anyway; Kaari, Julie's present paralegal; Cindy, who has been my paralegal for more than thirty years (the woman is a saint); Jackie, my administrative assistant; and Jennifer, who does intake for new clients. That's a group of really good people.

Attendance at the event has declined significantly in recent years. The Foundation has created a good deal of controversy, which you can read about here if you wish. Form your own opinion.               

It Takes Concentration

We finally got to our annual Shakespeare In The Park production on Friday. This year it's Twelfth Night and it was terrific. We tried to go opening night but, despite arriving two hours early (people have picnic dinners on the grass), it was so crowded we went home. Tried again two weeks ago but the show was canceled due to severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. The third try worked.

I usually take a lot of pictures of the green show, 90 minutes of entertainment before the play itself. Didn't get much this year because we tried a new offering, a superb four course dinner on the lawn above the stage. Only had time for a few shots of perenial favorite Juggling Jeff. I've taken lots of pictures of him through the years around town. This one is my favorite.

At the bottom, the stage just before the second act.              

Near The Bottom Of The Tank

When I'm running out of pictures there are certain things I can pull out to get a good response. Children. Dogs. Belly dancers.

Olivier will like this. The audience at this last show at the Renaissance Faire did. On to a new topic tomorrow.       

Fairely Good Portraits

Ow. Go ahead. Call the pun police. Sometimes I can't stop myself.

Just three people hanging around the Renaissance Faire. Two were happy to pose. The last is what's sometimes called a sniper shot.

Lots going on in The Lou this weekend. However, Mrs. C and I will be attending performances tonight, tomorrow and Sunday that will keep me out late (long story). I usually write posts in the evening but we'll pull something together.