Monday, August 22, 2011

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Sunset, looking east



Virginia Dare (The first European born in America), August 18, 1587.
Roanoke Colony was the first English colony in the new world and she, the first child.
The colony fell on hard times, her grandfather, John White, among others went home
for help.  When he returned, the entire colony was gone without a trace--including
his grand-daughter.  No one knows what became of her.  This sculpture shows her
 as an adult having been raised by the Indians, in the unlikely event that she survived.
Ah artists.  



Sunrise at Nags Head



Sunset at Nags Head


Hi Folks.  Guess I've been slightly remiss in keeping up with all this, but I'm home and refreshed.  Took all the art supplies, but didn't use them even once.  The snapshots were too much fun.  Besides we read some killer novels, and used up a lot of No. 50 suntan stuff.  I think we actually changed races, and I definitely got beach bum down.  It's rough--you get up, drink coffee, go to the beach, and go back to sleep.  When you wake up you knock off a few chapters and get in the ocean.  Then it's beer til bedtime.  It's amazing I survived.

The above beach shots are from South Nags Head, Outer Banks, NC.  For two weeks we were admitted to heaven.  Traveled around a tad, like down to Hatteras and Ocracoke, and over to Roanoke Island to see the Elizabethan Gardens (also  represented above).

I was absolutely intrigued by the different character of the sky throughout the day--always changing--always wildly beautiful.  Every kind of cloud form and color imaginable.  Crazy stuff.  Hope these pics show some of this.

I would love to make paintings of all these, and many of the 245 other shots from this group.

\\///\


20 comments:

Robin said...

Your photographs are wonderful, I can almost feel the serenity of your vacation in each of them. I love the way the sky changes, as do waves, something I am noticing more lately too. Glad to hear you are back and refreshed.

Linda Roth said...

Coming home from vacation can be such a bummer, but for the photos. Yours make me feel like I've been there. Very nice. I commend you for sightseeing too.f The beach, the swim,the nap, the beer would have kept me on the blanket. Virginia Dare me or not.

debwardart said...

Makes me long for a beach somewhere. Glad you had a wonderful, refreshing vacation. Even if these don't make it to "picture-hood" I'm sure they will inspire some paintings.

Autumn Leaves said...

I wondered what had become of you, Bill. Did you meet up with Rick Nelson (another artist) by any chance? And someone else (can't remember who) also wrote on Virginia Dare not too long ago. I vaguely thought the name sounded familiar but that was about it. Interesting! The photos are gorgeous and my word! Were you living the life of Riley or what???!!!

hw (hallie) farber said...

I'm glad you survived. Great photographs.

Casey Klahn said...

I'm relaxed just from the story of your vacation. Thanks for that.

Linda Roth said...

I rarely leave two comments--but I was thinking it's a damn good thing your vacation ended when it did. Hurricane? Earthquake? What did you really do on that beach Bill?

William Cook said...

Hi Everyone--My internet has been going on and off --not working well--so I'm on the phone with Verizon somewhere in India (I presume), on hold of course, and we had an earthquake. What a day. I was in the middle of responding to all these wonderful comments for the third time, and lost it all. Forgive m e if you don't get a response, but know that I value all of your comments. I'll keep trying. Halie--you OK down at the epicenter? Wm

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Sounds like you really got into the spirit of vacationing with time to observe the sky. Sounds like you're also really enjoying your new camera! Welcome back. I have missed you!

William Cook said...

Hi Robin--The sky really was the star of the show--that and serenity--you're right. Great to hear from you!

Hi Linda--You're right. The photos kept me from coming home empty-handed. At least there's that. Best.

Hi Deb--If you ever get to the beach, two weeks is a minimum. Just knowing that there is always a beach somewhere will have to do until then. Thanks for checking in!

Hi Sherry--Yep. Although we did have some nice meals in between the Riley part, and maybe I exaggerated the drinking a bit. There was a hammock, speaking of lazin' around--I never tried it oout-- I'm afraid of 'em--like it'd twist up with me in it or something. All the best.

Hi Hallie--Back at you with the glad you survived--after the quake and all. Thanks for checking in!

Hi Casey--My pleasure. Falling apart every once in a while helps.

Hi again Linda--Ah yes--we did leave our mark. The outer banks yielded up so much eye candy that I figure it needs to recoup something--or something. I hear they've already ordered Ocracoke evacuated. I was just there last Wednesday riding bikes. I'm just speechless about the earthquake. Is 2012 gearing up or something. Time to just get the lawn chairs out and watch what happens next?
Unbelievable.

Hi Katherine! Great to hear from you. Yes that camera is awesome--but I am discovering it's limitations too--still a good thing because there are always compensations. I've missed you too--all the best.

John Brisson said...

Think I'm seeing some fantastic paint subjects!

RH Carpenter said...

Welcome home, Bill. Looks like a fantastic, lazy, perfect vacation! Thanks for sharing the great photos - I hope to see you doing some sky paintings - or incorporating skies into other things - as soon as you recover from vacation (always takes about a week!)

William Cook said...

HI John--I know--amazing what you can come up with if you just look around.

Hi Rhonda--Thanks! I'm looking forward to working with these skies and clouds, although they won't be attempts duplicating the photos. Hopefully they'll grow into their own [other] thing as you point out. Meantime I'm finishing up an illustration commission (a birds eye view) of the Viewpoint school in CA. No arty stuff until this is complete. Maybe I'll post a progression of the stages for this piece. What do you think? I think you're right about a week's recovery. It's been four days and I'm still coming out of vacation mode. Best.

hw (hallie) farber said...

You may need some recovery time from Irene, too. Eight hours of wind and rain has just subsided here (no damage or loss of power)--and I'm 170 miles inland from Va. Beach. Be safe.

William Cook said...

Hi Hallie--I know. the rain and wind has been noteworthy but not as bad as was expected.

I think the excessive news coverage scared everyone into preparing. The media coverage was hilarious at times. The best example was the guy and girl all bundled up with a microphone, braced against the wind, tortured look on their faces, giving the horrific update down in Ocean City--and behind them a guy in a bathing suit walks by headed to the beach--waves to the camera. That was it--I didn't need to hear any more breathless coverage.

I did enjoy seeing the shots from Nags Head showing Jeannette's Pier from right where we set up our umbrellas and chairs.

All in all though, the massive municipal preparations and evacuations etc. were probably a good thing--got everyone's attention. Minimal human toll, thank the Lord.

Thanks for thinking of us--all the best.

Franco said...

beautiful photos!

illustration poetry said...

i love that pic Sunset at Nags Head... do you think there was a rabbit living in the sky?

William Cook said...

Hi Franco--Thanks for checking in--happy you like them!

Hi Mita--I'm so glad to hear from you! We had a couple weeks of really interesting cloud watching. There were all sorts of odd critters up there--and a couple friends of mine as well. Best.

SamArtDog said...

Wassamadda wid me??? How did I miss these?
Oh yeah... I was in Maine. Like you, not doing art, but taking lotsa pictures. Some weren't half bad, but these... WOW! Snapshots? Humble for heavenly, dude.

William Cook said...

I love Maine. Every year as kids we looked forward to packin up the car and heading to the southern Maine shore. Thanks for your wonderful comments and for checking in! Best