Water, Water Everywhere

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We are not having dangerous flooding along the Mississippi so far this year. Still, it's pretty dramatic to look at. In the top photo, the water is usually way beyond the arches in the yellow stone part of Eads Bridge. Below is a photo from inside a garage on the street that runs along the river. The water level is normally well beyond the chain fence in the mid-ground. I haven't checked the flood forecast for a few days but if the river goes up much I'll be back this weekend.

By the way, a sure sign of spring - yesterday I had to do another of those two-hours drives for a court appearance. It was the first day in many months my windshield got bug-spattered.

FREE CAR WASH AFTER EXIT

TOMORROW: CDP monthly theme day, red. Think outside the box.

La Peinture En Plein Air

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Words sound so much more elegant to Americans when they are expressed in French. Just to say "painting outdoors" seems so bland. You know, you might be barbecuing outdoors or something.

Henryk Ptasiewicz was working hard en plein air when I met him, despite many interruptions from curious passers-by. I was interested by his unusual painting posture, which you can see in the phote below. He was curled up like a discus thrower, ready to spring open. When I took some telephoto shots from a distance, it was fascinating to watch his eyes dart from the subject to canvas and back again. The second picture in yesterday's post shows some of this.

If you would like to see the finished painting that Ptasiewicz was working on click here.

Art Appreciation

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Out trolling for pictures on Saturday. I left my office and drove past Citygarden, intending to go to the river and check the flooding (more about which later). As I passed the corner of 8th and Market, I saw a painter at an easel making an image of my fav, Eros Bendato, and the surrounding cityscape.

This bore investigation. I parked the car and introduced myself to Henryk Ptasiewicz. He was born in the north of England to Polish parents and studied art in London. I was trying to stay out of the way of his work and did not learn how he came here. His artistic statement tells us that:

My style is realistic, it came about because of the influence of the Surrealists. If you can paint the real world, then you have a chance to illustrate another one. I liked to paint things which only existed in my mind.

You may enjoy seeing some of his work here. A bit more about Ptasiewicz tomorrow.

The Sun Doesn't Shine Over Forest Park

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Still overcast this weekend. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, someone said. When the sky gives you weird light, make B&W HDRs. Hey, I actually made the effort to use a tripod on this one.

SPECIAL UPDATE: MERIWETHER LEWIS' AIR SUPPLY

Not looking good.

Post-Apocalypse Now

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This kind of stuff just gets my eye. Some people might find it ugly. I think it's interesting, really interesting. This is a section of the Mississippi floodwall with a gap for access to barge operations. (The gap can be closed by a movable section of wall). There is wild, chaotic color juxtaposed against apparent desolation (but it's just river industrial operations). It kinda reminds me of paintings by Yves Tanguy.

I'm writing this at my desk late Friday afternoon. It's been a long week. The postcard I keep here of Richard Avedon's portrait of William S. Burroughs is creeping me out. Time to go home. And Saturday? Must...take...pictures...

Thursday Or Possibly Friday Arch Series

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Oops. I had so much on the Official Schedule this week, especially on Wednesday, that I literally lost track of the day of the week. Oh well, life in the fast lane. If this were Thursday, which it's not any more, you would be seeing this wonderful Thursday Arch picture in its natural habitat (but you're not). This one was shot from the north, not the side I usually work, with Eads Bridge at the bottom. Once again, a three-shot handheld HDR. So many HDR images are garish. It don't have to be that way.

Speaking of bad memory and disorganization, my friend Virginia has been bugging me not to forget the April 1 theme day, red. I'll give her red. I'll give all you comrades some red.

The Park Really Isn't This Gloomy

.The last, for now, of the spooky Forest Park photos. Got to throw this up quickly. I had a court appearance yesterday a two hour drive away from St. Louis and then a business obligation last night. Sorry no comments on Wednesday. Just no free time. I'll be back to it.

TOMORROW: Thursday Arch Series. I screwed up, so it will be on Friday this week. Virginia thought at first that it was the Washington Monument.