Thursday, February 25, 2016

Washington DC.: FDR Memorial and the New Deal

Sculptor Robert Graham's website says the following about the bas reliefs and their negative images in the area commemorating the many programs created in the time of Franklin Delano Roosevelt:
"Social Programs" contains images of the fifty-four programs that were initiated under FDR and the New Deal. Within each panel, individual images symbolize the essence of various innovative programs, set within a background of the hands and faces of workers. The names of each program are also written in Braille. These are organized as five bronze panels, each measuring 6x6 feet with five corresponding bronze cylinders, which contain the negative images or molds of the five panels."

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Washington DC: Lincoln Memorial

I recently spent five nights and four whole days 
soaking up the monuments, art and architecture of Washington.

I walked around the Tidal Basin, visited the Renwick Gallery, the Phillips Collection, 
the Library of Congress, and the two buildings of the National Gallery of Art and the National Zoo. 
I spent time at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, 
Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the FDR Memorial.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Washington DC: Greyhound Bus Station, Repurposed

The addition, a multi-story office building, uses the art deco original Greyhound Station as a main entrance. The inside is clean and open, retaining its streamlined look and feel.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Photo Shoot at Carol Watson's Greenhouse

I recently joined a group of local photographers and went to the group's recent event at a favorite local greenhouse. So many things were in bloom! It was fun to begin to get to know the members.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Saranac Lake: Adirondack Carousel's Painted Murals

The second and third photos, above, are details of the Marcy Dam mural. Marcy Dam broke during tropical storm Irene in August 2011 and will not be replaced. Here is a good article about the debate following the storm and break, originally printed on Adirondack Almanac. Returning the woods to its natural state, a goal of those who love the Forever Wild clause that remains part of the park's guiding principles, would indicate against rebuilding the dam, and that argument won the day.  Well partly, at least, it won: the cost of a new dam would have been prohibitive.
Details of other murals at the Adirondack Carousel are above and below.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Adirondack Guide Boat at Saranac Lake Free Library

We are told that Edmond A. Guggenheim donated this beautiful 
and classic Adirondack Guide Boat to Saranac Lake Free Library. 
He also donated the Dickert Wildlife Collection (see yesterday's post), 
a both beautiful and haunting taxidermy collection, to the library.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Tiny Black Bear Cub, Part of the Dickert Wildlife Collection at Saranac Lake Free Library

Charles Dickert Wildlife Collection at the Saranac Lake Free Library.
This tiny bear cub, the smallest of the cubs in a grouping of taxidermy black bears, has the sweetest look. The Dickert Collection is a haunting and beautiful, extensive collection of mammals and birds from the Adirondacks and elsewhere. The collection resides in a fine large room in the basement, built for the collection by library benefactor Edmond Guggenheim.  Highly recommended.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

At Fifty-five, Mt. Van Hoevenberg's "Modern" Base Building Due To Be Replaced

This Modern-design base building at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, the sliding sports training facility and concession near Lake Placid, at 55 years old is a piece of history that apparently has outlived its usefulness. The building is too small. 

The Authority that runs the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg owns far more sliding sports artifacts such as sleds for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, and other memorabilia, will build a bigger space to develop a much needed museum and will presumably tear down this building in the process. 

Can you hear nostalgia in my post? 

Should an example of Modern winter sports architecture be saved in its own right? Should it give way to a newer building designed to hold its history? Why can't the building itself be seen as a cool part of that history?

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

We Met the Gumball Machine Magnate of Northern NY in Saranac Lake

This proud and happy man discovered a huge niche and built his business from the bottom up. He serves northern New York and much of mid-state. He wanted me to take his picture!