The Detroit Public Library

I've never been inside. I go to the local branch and take out many books, but I've never been inside this one. I hate to admit that and I hope to rectify it soon. But we were on another mission, and didn't have time, as has always been the case when we were there.

Bye Bye Ice Fisherman

If this warm weather keeps up, the rotting ice will be going out soon and the ice fisherman will have to retreat. They can fish in the water or wait until next year. I took these shots at Metrobeach over the weekend.

More art by Detroit artist Mary Taitt:

Colorplay, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Digital painting.

I also painted this.

and made these quick sketches in a Moleskine sketchbook:

I'm working on filling in the final blank pages in a returned sketchbook that circulated around to 12 people in Jim Doran's Sketchbook exchange--I did these quickly with Faber-Castell and Pigma artist pigment pens. On the first chicken, I added a little white gouache. The second chicken is one of about 15 sketches I did on newspaper before I did the sketch in the Moleskine. On the last picture, I added a little colored pencil. The Moleskine is one with yellow paper, so they all look a little too yellow to suit me. Click images to view slightly larger.

Spring Fever in the Big D!

There's still snow on the ground. Not as much, but still plenty in some spots! But its WARM and people are out celebrating sunshine! People are skateboarding and rollerblading and sitting out in the sun and flying kites. They are lying on the beach. This was odd to see, because Lake St. Clair is still FROZEN and full of ice-fisherman!!!

Sunset at Balduck Park

This is the local park where all the dog-walkers come. It's not an official dog park, but the people let their dogs run loose, and the dogs come and bark viciously at anyone else (any "strangers.") The dog walkers then say, "oh, he won't hurt you," but he nips at you and growls meanly. I like dogs--but I prefer friendly ones. And I'd like to be able to use the park unthreatened. It's very close to where I live.

On the far left, you can see a few houses. The park is not very wide at this point. I am standing at one edge and you can see where it ends on the other side. However, it is fairly long for a small urban park.

Winter is hard on animals and birds. This is a dead downy woodpecker. I don't know what killed it, but it probably wasn't a predator, or it would have been eaten.

A riot

(of color and a profusion of blossoms): More orchids at the conservatory.

The second pictures is a mini-ice palace in the gardens of the conservatory with a hose is running and creating this ice sculpture.

Outside the Conservatory

Outside the beautiful Conservatory on Belle Isle (and in many other places), there is broken car window glass, where a thief has broken the window to steal the contents of a car (or the car itself).

More conservatory

BB and les fleurs.

In the Xerophyllic Room at the Conservatory

There are lots of wonderful cacti and other xerophyllic plants in the desert room at the Conservatory on Belle Isle.


These are very quick sketches in a Moleskine that was returned from circulating among 12 other artists in my second moleskine group. I am filling in the blank pages.

The one on the left was designed as a companion piece to one done by AURORA FOX. I like hers better.

A visit to the "beautiful island," Belle Isle

Yesterday, we went to Belle Isle, visited the conservatory, went for a walk at Nashua Creek, and stopped at the Ice Palace.

The first collection shows views of the conservatory from the outside, the second some shots inside.

The conservatory is famous for its orchid collection.

On our walk along Nashua Creek, we found a dead raccoon.

Finally, the ice Palace is started to melt from days of above freezing temperatures.

I expect to probably show a few more shots from this visit tomorrow and maybe later. This is an overview of what you might see if you accompanied us on this particular expedition. There's LOTS more to see on Belle Isle.

Algae

A few days back, I posted mountain ranges of algae. Here's another view. This is on the shore of Lake St. Clair. On the public beaches, this will all be cleaned up before summer, but in out-of-the way places, it hangs around all year.

The lighthouse is not a real lighthouse, but part of a restaurant. Lighthouses are everywhere around here, both real ones and fake ones.