Thursday, July 8, 2010

Cadillac Ranch












© copyright Linda Swanson all rights reserved





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Just outside and west of Amarillo, Texas is Cadillac Ranch.  Out in the middle of nowhere is an unusual sight.  Ten Cadillacs  buried nose first into the ground.  When you're driving on I-40 in Texas there's not a lot to see on the south side, so when you come up upon this sight it's very noticeable.  Over the years it's become a quirky tourist attraction.  An eccentric millionaire, Stanley Marsh, is a driving force in unusual artistic endeavors in the Amarillo area.  Over the years, the ten Cadillacs comprising the work of art have been ravaged by the elements and covered over with years of ever-changing graffiti.  Every so often some company will do a commercial or they will be used for a movie.  When this happens the Cadillacs might be painted with just one color or possibly with their original colors.  No matter when this happens, within 1 - 2 days of them finishing the project, the graffiti will be put on again.  Visitors come from all over the world to leave their mark and to add to the years of ever-thickening paint, which at this point, may be the only thing keeping the cars together.  It can be difficult to get photographs without people in them as it is usually covered with tourists.  I've included original photographs and copies of the photographs manipulated in Photoshop.

A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. 






Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Round and Round



© copyright Linda Swanson all rights reserved

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I think I'll end the month with another picture from the Santa Monica Pier.  This is the world's only solar- powered ferris wheel.  It gives riders a panoramic view of the Southern California coastline from more than  130 feet above the Santa Monica Pier.  
E.B. White quotes (American writer 1899-1985)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Bradley







© copyright Linda Swanson all rights reserved



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The other brother of Kylee, Bradley is all boy, loving baseball.  He has very impish eyes.  He always looks like he has a secret and somehow you want to know what it is.  He laughs easily and loves life.  He's fun-loving and happy.  I like him a lot.

I'm convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile. Tom Clark

Monday, June 28, 2010

Gavin



© copyright Linda Swanson all rights reserved
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This is one of Kylee's brothers, Gavin.  He is a smart cookie.  I just heard that he was accepted into a really cool gifted and talented program where he got to spend time in the mountains of Colorado.  He's also an entrepreneur.  He makes and sells masking tape wallets.  I'm so impressed with him.  He's very nice, well mannered and a real cutie!  Oh, a couple more things....he plays baseball and is a great athlete.


" Attitude reflects leadership, leadership reflects attitude."
Author Unknown

Friday, June 25, 2010

Beautiful Kylee












© copyright Linda Swanson all rights reserved
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Since I haven't posted any pictures for the last 2 days I thought I'd post 3 today to make up for it.  I think that I've decided to do that from now on if I skip any days.  I loved the photo shoot I did with 3 of my favorite children last year.  In the next few days I'll post the boys.  Today it's Kylee's turn.  She's a natural beauty with the most amazing eyes.  What a sweetie.

"The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives." 
Robert Braul

Monday, June 21, 2010

Pink Ocean


© copyright Linda Swanson all rights reserved
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I did this Photoshop piece for a video project in school.



But more wonderful than the lore of old men and the lore of books is the secret lore of ocean.