Ponytail drawing & photo: First Friday Art

One of the prompts for the 2022 Inktober event was “ponytail.” My interpretation, shown below, was a quick pen-and-ink drawing of a pony’s tail. 😀

Ponytail drawing

I’m also including a photograph of a ponytail. Okay, it’s not really a pony, but people often mistook him for one.

This is Calypso Blue, a miniature horse I once owned. He measured 32 inches at his withers. Miniature horses are supposed to have proportions similar to full-sized horses, only smaller in size.

Mellow fellow miniature horse 9January2019

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art

Muttart Conservatory : Monochrome Monday

 Muttart Conservatory

Pyramid-shaped greenhouses at Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Monochrome Monday

Models forever in flight: Wordless Wednesday

Models forever in flight

Models forever in flight at Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

Firepits at Winterfest 2023 : LAPC

In February, we went to see firepits at Winterfest at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, Oregon. You never know what kinds of things the participants of the firepit section will come up with. The firepits used to be on display on park service land along the Deschutes River in Bend.

This one looks like a Viking ship, complete with dragon head and tail.

Ship firepit

Here’s a closer look at its head. Look at those teeth!

close up of dragon

Flowers and forest firepits

This firepit looked like a round flower, full of flame.

Flower fire

This looked more like a daylily.

flower firepits

This one looked like a big stump covered with bark.

tree trunk fire

Geometric firepits

Several of the firepits were more geometric. I really liked this one.

geometric firepits

This one looks like an Olympic torch, waiting to be lit.

torch

Some have lots of straight lines and color. I liked the bold blue color of this one.

blue square firepit

This one also has straight lines with an interesting sun and moon motif.

Tall fireplace

This square one has the Harley Davidson logo.

Harley firepit

This one looks like it would fit right into a corner.

square fire

Round firepits

Some firepits are more rounded. I liked the open framework of this one and the red color.

red round firepits

This one always reminds me of the Seattle Space Needle.

tower fire

Hanging pits

A couple of the pits hung from chains, like this one.

hanging fire

This one was like a large, cooking pot. I liked the flame cutouts on the base.

hanging pot firepits

Odds and Ends

Some don’t fit neatly into any category. This giant anvil reflects the fire-related theme.

anvil firepit

There were lots of details on this guitar-shaped firepit. It’s gorgeous!

guitar firepits

This one was an octopus engulfing a small boat.

octopus fire

Here’s a closer look at it. This was another one of my favorites.

octopus on boat firepits

The last one I’m featuring looks kind of like a tree trunk. When you look a little closer, you’ll glimpse a flamingo peeking out.

flamingo firepit

Like I said at the beginning of the post, you never know what kind of firepits you’ll see!

See more of my firepit photos from the 2020 festival and the 2016 festival.

Lens-artists Photo Challenge – Art in the Park (and other places)

Dressed up tree: Thursday Tree Love

I saw this dressed up tree in downtown Bend a few days ago. I learned that this form of street art is called “yarn bombing.” Local crafters create unique knit and crocheted pieces to cover trees, statues, benches, bicycles, and other structures. Their work certainly brightens up a cloudy day.

Dressed up tree

Thursday Tree Love

Collection of… : LAPC

A collection of ingredients used to cure maladies at an ancient apothecary

collection of herbal cures
Kam Wah Chung, John Day, Oregon

A few carefully curated contemporary works, echoing history

Contemporary baskets
Baskets by Natalie Kirk (Warm Springs Tribe), High Desert Museum, Oregon
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Where the path may lead: Monochrome Monday

I saw this well-known quote on where the path may lead you at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.

Where the path may lead quote

Monochrome Monday

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #244-Glowing moments

Today I have the honor of serving as guest host for the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge. The prompt this week is glowing moments.

One of my earliest memories is of me sitting cross-legged in a darkened closet, awestruck by the glow cast from a jarful of lightning bugs. Though I don’t have pictures of that magical moment, I have captured many glowing moments since then.

A High Desert sunset glows with fiery colors.

Glowing moments sunset

While the rising moon shines in subdued tones.

Full moon

Purple lupine flowers shine on a cool spring morning.

Blooming lupine
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Mountain scene table: First Friday Art

I created this mountain scene table with my husband twenty years ago. He made the table from milled birch wood and vine maple, cut from our property. I designed, painted, and carved around the mountain scene on the table’s top.

mountain scene table

Here’s a picture of the table while I worked on it. I painted the mountain scene with acrylics and used different colored stains on the game boards to mimic marquetry. Real marquetry uses different colors and types of wood that is cut and pieced together.

Mountain scene table
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Lighted leaves-Winterfest: Monochrome Monday

I took this photo of lighted leaves at Winterfest in Redmond, Oregon. Sepia tone highlights the shapes and textures of the leaves on this lighted tree.

lighted leaves

Monochrome Monday

Barrel House Tour, Deschutes Brewery: LAPC

This past weekend, I went on the Barrel House Tour at Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. The brewery offers several tours including public tours, private tours, and this one, where you learn specifically about barrel brews.

Barrel House Tour

You begin and end the tour in the Bend Tasting Room & Beer Garden. As you can see, it’s full of visitors there to taste the brewery’s iconic beers.

Deschutes Brewery

On the tour, you walk to a nearby warehouse where you’ll see some of the ingredients used to make their beers. Deschutes Brewery currently sells their products in 32 states and a few countries. Black Butte Porter is their most well-known beer, but there are three dozen different beers, and a couple ciders, available at the tasting room location.

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Guinness Storehouse visit

I’m sharing photos of a Guinness Storehouse visit on this Saint Patrick’s Day. The Storehouse is in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland and it gets millions of visitors a year.

Guinness Storehouse sign

Guinness was first created in 1759 and the Storehouse where it’s made opened to the public in 2000. The best selling alcoholic drink in Ireland is Guinness. The exhibits at the Storehouse lead you through the history and manufacturing of this iconic beer.

Guinness Storehouse

I liked how the display boards had brief, informative explanations.

Hops description

Displays are also artistic and multimedia. This fountain was one of my favorites. I’ll share photos of their whimsical advertising displays in a future post.

Water display
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Succulent mural in Bend: Monday Mural

This succulent mural is at River’s Place, a food truck pod on the east side of Bend. We are lucky to have at least seven of these “pods” where trucks can hook up to water and power to serve customers. Each pod has indoor seating with numerous beers on tap. They also host musicians, trivia nights, and other events.

This mural was created by Nicole Fontana, of Fontana Painting. Succulents are one of my favorite types of plants because they have so much variety. She captured that variety well.

I have featured Nicole’s work in a previous post featuring whimsical doors in Tumalo. I loved the detail in those paintings and in this succulent mural.

succulent mural

Monday Mural

Snowy Owl drawing: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a pen and ink drawing I did of a Snowy Owl. Some have more black markings on their feathers than others.

Snowy owl drawing

I once took a long drive to see a Snowy Owl when I lived in Bellingham, in northwestern Washington state. The owl had been spotted in a residential neighborhood in Point Roberts, Washington. To get to the peninsula where Point Roberts is located, you have to drive into Canada or get there by boat. At that time, it was quick and easy to drive into Canada from the states.

I’m including a map to show where Point Roberts is. Zoom out to get a better view.

When I got to where the owl was, I watched it perch on a fence post in someone’s yard, oblivious to the crowds flocking around it. The bird was there for a few days, just long enough for many birders to check this species off their list.

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Round and round we go: Wordless Wednesday

round and round

Carousel

Round and round we go at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

Dinner at Spork: Monochrome Monday

Dinner at Spork

I took this picture while having dinner at Spork restaurant in Bend, Oregon. The decor is a mixture of straight, industrial lines and curving lampshades and baskets made from natural materials. Houseplants add a touch of color. The menu includes an eclectic mix of wonderful tastes and textures.

Monochrome Monday

Smoked Salmon Benedict: Wordless Wednesday

Smoked salmon Benedict

Smoked Salmon Benedict from The Lemon Tree, Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

Wild sunflowers: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a pen-and-ink drawing I did of wild sunflowers. These were growing at Wawawai Canyon, in southeast Washington State.

wild sunflowers

Here’s the picture from my archives I was working from.

Wild Sunflowers

The wild sunflowers in the photo below were growing on the east side of Steens Mountain in southern Oregon. There are 52 species of sunflower in North America.

Sunflowers & stagecoaches at Steens Mountain, Oregon August 2019
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Sisters Coffee Mural: Monday Mural

This Sisters Coffee Mural is in the Old Mill District of Bend. I believe the featured bird is an Osprey. Ospreys are regularly seen near the Deschutes River. This bird is also known as a ‘Fish Hawk’ since fish are its preferred prey.

This mural was painted last summer by Vivi Design Co. I previously featured murals they created at Dr Jolly’s.

Sisters Coffee Mural

Monday Mural

Reveal petroglyphs with digital magic: LAPC

Did you know you can reveal petroglyphs with a little digital magic? Yep, there’s an app for that. In this post, I’ll show you how I revealed several petroglyphs with the app, Rock Art Enhancer. Click through the slideshow of each image below.

In each of the first pictures, I show the original image. In the second, I used the Auto level and increase saturation tool. The third pictures show a variety of effects. All of these petroglyphs are located in southeast Oregon.

These petroglyphs were carved into rock thousands of years ago and over time they have become less clear. Unfortunately, the messages conveyed by many of these carvings are unknown. While some show obvious elements of wildlife, humans, and the sun, others are open to interpretation.

Revealing petroglyphs with an app

The first series shows petroglyphs on a rimrock cliff located in Harney County. The second effect brings out the details, but I prefer the almost psychedelic colors in the third image. The third effect used the Decorrelation Stretching (abbreviated as D. Stretch) YUV Custom tool.

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Lone Pine Coffee mural: Monday Mural

This painting is in the eastside Lone Pine Coffee Roasters business in Bend. The mural was painted by artist Megan McGuinness and it wraps around three walls. I like how she outlined almost everything with white borders.

This scene shows a fox in the foreground and a snowy owl in the upper corner. The mountain on the right is Smith Rock, a local rock climber’s favorite. Crooked River wraps around the edge of the mountain.

Lone Pine Coffee mural

Monday Mural

Memorable pictures of 2022: LAPC

Today I’m sharing a dozen memorable pictures of 2022. I’m including photos of history, nature, and culture.

In the first one, I used infrared processing on a picture of Mt Rainier and I also added a colorful eel image. The challenge prompt was “surreal.” I had fun with this one!

real or surreal

The next picture is of a quilt at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. In addition to being beautifully crafted, this one had a message of kindness. I took so many pictures of the show, I divided it into three posts.

Words on quilt

The next picture is of an unexpected guest in our backyard. This Barred Owl feasted on the ample supply of Pacific Tree Frogs breeding in our pond. From then on, our nights were slightly quieter.

Barred Owl in Bend
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Great Horned Owl painting: First Friday Art

This month, I’m sharing a Great Horned Owl painting I did over the past couple of days. I used acrylic paint on a piece of unfinished oak wood. Sometimes I paint the main subject shape with off white paint before adding the color. I used this technique in my High Desert Mural. This time I did not do the lighter base painting.

Great Horned owl painting
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Peace and joy dog: Ragtag Daily Prompt

There are two things that bring peace and joy to my dog, Shelby.

When she’s feeling stressed or trying to get to sleep, she sucks on her blankie. She never bites holes in it. As you can see in the video, this nooking activity brings her peace.

The thing that brings her joy, is her ball. I do a “fetch walk” with her every morning. She also likes to play fetch down a hallway, in a garage, or anywhere else she can.

Peace and joy dog, Bend, Oregon 8 April 2020

As a new year begins, I hope you too find things that bring you peace and joy. 🕊

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – New

Tick Followed Tock clocks: Wordless Wednesday

Tick followed tock

Tick Followed Tock clocks at Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland

Wordless Wednesday

More reindeer decorations

Last year I showed pictures of part of my reindeer collection and this year I’m sharing more of my reindeer decorations. A good thing about this collection is that it’s only out during the yuletide season. I look forward to seeing them every year!

This large metal reindeer looks delicate, but it’s heavy. I like displaying it underneath this metal sun sculpture.

more reindeer decorations

This beauty is made from blown glass. I love how this one’s pose is so confidant.

Glass ornament

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A gift of words

If you’re looking for a special gift of words, consider buying the Central Oregon Writers Guild 2022 Literary Collection. Local writers submitted long and short poetry and prose covering a wide variety of topics.

gift of words

The work of 37 authors was accepted, including two of my pieces. My poem and short story are both about autumn, my favorite season. 🍁

Fall at the Japanese Garden

To purchase the book, visit Roundabout Books & Café in the Northwest Crossing neighborhood of Bend. You can also purchase it here, from Amazon.

Local writers appreciate the support you’ll give them by buying this gift of words.

Thanks!

Siobhan

A tower of light tale: LAPC & WWP

There, above a rocky shore, a cylindrical tower appears.
The shipwrecked crew stumbles towards the house of perpetual light.
They ascend a zigzagging set of stairs, rising above the gray mist.

Lighthouse tower

A well-worn trail leads them towards the shining tower.
Thick fog clears, revealing a path that encircles the lighthouse.
The crew heads towards the front door, seeking warmth and sustenance.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse
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Paddling through the snow: WPWC

Every year in December, the Tumalo Creek Holiday Lights Paddle Parade takes place on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. This year, I took pictures of them paddling through the snow. I thought maybe there wouldn’t be as many participants, but a little snow falling didn’t stop people from joining in on this annual event.

Paddling through the snow

Here’s a short video of paddlers on the river.

Paddlers decorate their kayaks, stand up paddleboards, and canoes with holiday lights and paddle from Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe for about a half mile to the Flag Bridge in the Old Mill district.

Paddle Parade

You can see a snow-covered inflatable reindeer on the kayak on the left side of the photo below. I enjoy seeing reindeer wherever I can.

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Fish sculpture on overpass: Monochrome Monday

Fish sculpture

Fish sculpture on overpass in The Dalles, Oregon. Salmon and sturgeon leap and splash in churning waves in this metal artwork. This sculpture is by the exit for the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, a sight worth seeing.

Monochrome Monday

Indian peacock drawing & photos: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a quick pen-and-ink drawing of an Indian peacock I drew. This was for the month-long Inktober drawing challenge. The prompt that day was “ego.” When male peacocks prance around displaying their tail feathers I think of them as being proud, egotistical birds. In reality, they are trying to attract mates and protect their territory.

Peacock drawing by Siobhan Sullivan

Here’s a photo I took of a proud Indian peacock. I increased the color saturation when I processed it to bring out his beautiful blue and green colors.

Proud peacock

When I think of peacocks here in Central Oregon, I think of Richardson’s Rock Ranch in Madras. They have a large indoor and outdoor rock shop and peacocks wander freely around the buildings.

Here’s a photo of their old family home with the birds perched on the front porch and foraging in the front yard. Can you see the pheasant decoration on the side of the building? The peafowl must have been attracted to it since they are also part of the pheasant family, Phasianidae.

Richardson's Rock Ranch

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

Rollin’ across the Columbia: Monochrome Monday

Rollin' across the Columbia

Rollin’ across the Columbia River near Biggs Junction, Oregon

Monochrome Monday

Greetings from Bend mural: Monday Mural

Here’s a picture of the new “Greetings from Bend, Oregon” mural. This mural is near the flag bridge in the Old Mill district in Bend. It’s on the Mill A Loop trail, where I walk regularly.

This colorful mural is by artist Karen Eland. I’m a big fan of her artwork and have previously featured her work in Bend. She collaborated with five other artists on this work in the Foxtail Bakery in the Box Factory district.

Foxtail closed in January 2022. The restaurant currently at that location, Papi Chulo’s Taqueria, has new murals adorning their walls. More murals for me to seek out and share!

Greetings from Bend mural

Karen features local flora and fauna in this Greetings from Bend, Oregon mural. This mural includes columbine, lupine, and paintbrush flowers. A Western Tanager perches on “From” and a Rufous Hummingbird hovers over “Oregon.” Tiger swallowtail butterflies flit about the edges and a honeybee perches on a flower in a corner. Cascade volcanoes float in the background and the iconic smokestacks of the Old Mill stand tall in the foreground.

You can see another example of Karen’s work in this mural in Sisters, Oregon. She collaborated on that piece with fellow artist Katie Daisy .

Monday Mural

Hibiscus photo & drawings: First Friday Art

For this First Friday Art post, I’m sharing a hibiscus photo and a few drawings. I took this picture of a Spin the Bottle Hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. I’m not sure who came up with the common name, but it’s a funny one!

Hibiscus

I’m sharing a quick pen-and-ink drawing I did of Hibiscus flowers. I’m participating in Inktober, a challenge where you make a drawing a day for a month based on prompts.

I tend to fuss over my artwork a lot, so for this challenge, I’m trying to draw fast. You create a different kind of artwork when working quickly. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a freeing experience. The goal is to capture the essence of your subject.

You can interpret the prompts any way you want to. Here was my interpretation of ‘bouquet’ from the October 5 prompt.

Hibiscus bouquet
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Find special surprises: LAPC & TTC

Find treasures on walks

When out and about taking pictures, you never know when you might find special surprises. This delightful dragon sculpture was at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. It brought a little cheer into a cloudy day.

Find special surprises Silverton

Though not as much is in bloom at this time of year, I was happy to see these fall-blooming crocus at the The Oregon Garden last week.

Fall crocus

Find special surprises in the skies

Here’s the last glimpse of the sun going down on a nearly cloudless day near Waldport, Oregon.

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