Weekend Reflections - Downtown Tucson

Because of all the buildings with glass windows, downtown is a great place to see reflections. Chris and I were there last Sunday to watch a running event. Maybe we'll go back again someday and spend more time just leisurely walking around.

It was fun looking for distorted lines and abstract designs in reflections:





And there were palm trees galore!


This is my fourth Downtown Tucson post from that whirlwind visit and I still have at least three more to go.

Weekend Reflections is a meme for any type of reflection photos. To participate or see more reflective posts, visit James at Newtown Area Photo.

Sunset Blossoms - Skywatch Friday

splashes from frogs
jumping in canyon pool
sunset blossoms


To join the fun and share your sky view, visit Skywatch Friday.

Surprise Sunrise

I didn't think I could see the sunrise from my backyard. But early one morning I peeked over the wall, between tree trunks, and spied a palm tree way in the distance surrounded by orange and violet sky colors. As the wind gently blew the palm fronds, the view changed. It was like looking into a kaleidoscope. Each moment was fresh and new. Neat!

I snapped this picture. Not a sharp image, but I did capture the shapes and colors.

original image

Then I played around with the image in photoshop, trying out different adjustments and filters. I'm not sure why it's so much fun manipulating photos. Maybe the element of surprise, and the chance to experiment with colors without having to clean up big messes.

mosaic, inverted colors

glass distortion

spin, inverted colors, paint

pinch, extrude

These last two are abstracted quite a bit and barely look like palms anymore. But I think they still the have the essence.

wave, crop, rough pastels

liquefy, crop, paint


cool september breeze
sunrise and palm colors dance
painting a new world

Rufus pecanosaurus

When I first saw these tall red things at Reid Park in Tucson, Arizona,

I didn't know what they were.

Alien figures...exposed roots...giant blood vessels?

Later, I learned the full title of this playful life-sized 1988 piece:
Inverted Pecans in Ceremonial Red (Rufus pecanosaurus)

Stripped of their bark, five pecan trees
are painted red and installed upside down.

More information from Smithsonian Art Museum Research Information System (SIRIS).