Postcard from Tucson – Big Time Football

Editor’s Note: This will be my last blog for approximately a month as I head out tomorrow for more photographic adventures in the Arizona/Utah wilderness, eventually winding up in CA to do a close friend’s wedding. If I can find a free Wi-Fi connection someplace, I will do a blog, if possible. You can follow my further adventures on Twitter, FriendFeed and Facebook (all jcorkrum); or on a special page on my Website. I can send updates with my Blackberry (and even some photos) when I have signal. This should be a fun trip as I am seeing mostly new territory. Take care. - JRC

Last Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending my first NCAA College Football game in a long, long time. In fact, I don’t even remember the last time I went to one, probably about 25 years ago. Been to many, many NFL games in that time, but not college.

Anyway, I had great seats on the 32 yard line around, 21 rows up from the field. Across from me was “The Red Zone,” where vocal students and other supporters, all wearing red shirts, gather to support the Wildcats. They cheered vociferously for UofA and soundly booed the opponents for the evening, the Central Michigan Chippewa's. The atmosphere was electric, in more ways than one.

You see, Mother Nature was not ready for the game to begin. To the north and south of the stadium, there was a tremendous display of lightning, along with claps of thunder…and as you can see from one of the photos, we were asked to leave our seats and head to shelter. Many did, but not me…nor did the Red Zone fans. In fact, they started chanting, “F*%!K the Lightning,” in perfect harmony.

The game was delayed 45 minutes, until the lightning just stopped. It actually never got over the stadium, and no rain fell that night. But finally, the University of Arizona football team took the field to a thunderous ovation (no pun intended), the band playing the fight song, and the traditional fireworks were let loose, all signifying the start of the football season. It was a sight to behold.

After the kickoff, the Arizona defense performed marvelously, shutting down one of the nations most highly regarded quarterbacks. Central Michigan could only muster one first down in the first half and had less than 100 yards offense. Our offense, did OK, but could not seal the deal, so to speak, when they got inside the 20 yard line. Arizona kicked 4 field goals and only scored one touchdown in a 19-6 victory.

But, Arizona won and it was great to be part of a major college football game and all the atmosphere that goes with it. I already have tickets for the UCLA and Washington State games in the same seat, and will probably attend others, although there are only six home games this year.

These pictures are not all that great as I took them with my little point-and-shoot, but it gives you a little idea of what is was like last Saturday night.

Picture of the Day – Iris and Things

One of the things I miss by living in the Southwest are the blooming Iris plants of the Northwest in spring. They don’t grow here that I am aware of. Since my digital painting is back in full swing now, I decided to paint an Iris in an Impressionistic style. I like how it turned out.

This painting is called “Iris and Things,” mainly because I don’t know the names of the flowers that were in the original photograph. I will probably paint another Iris or two in the near future. Click on the image to see a little bigger version.

I look forward to your thoughts and comments.

Picture of the Day – Bryce Trail

I took this picture back in November 2007, the last time I visited Bryce Canyon National Park. I show it now because a week from this very day I will be back at Bryce. It will be about the only place on my forthcoming trip where I have tread before. Most of my destinations are all new for me.

I will start out in Mesa, AZ with a weekend visit with my son who is doing his Army Reserve weekend. After an evening of football, beer, hot wings and Chinese food, I will head north with stops at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce, Red Canyon, Kodachrome Basin, the famous Utah Highway 12 drive, and Capitol Reef National Park. I am really looking forward to breaking out of the confines of Tucson and seeing new things.

Anyway, I like this photo as it shows a trail that starts at the rim and works its way down via switchbacks to the canyon depths. I did this trail back in the 1960’s, but not sure these old legs can handle it now. Still, I may try it for old times sake and for the photos.

I look forward to taking many pictures of new places and sharing them with you here. I will check back in here before I leave.

Postcard from British Columbia – Kootenay Boats

I took the original photograph for this painting several years ago while on vacation on Lake Kootenay in Eastern BC. I love the image and always wanted to paint it, but everything I tried was less than satisfactory. Not anymore.

I think this is a good painting, and although it needs a few more finishing touches, I wanted to share it with you today. You see, I am 99% positive I took this photo on this very day, but can’t remember the year for sure. I know I had a new film camera and was trying it out for the first time on this trip. This is perhaps my favorite image from the trip.

And now, it is a new favorite painting….at least for now. You know how artists are!! Enjoy.

Postcard from Rome – Sketch of a Roman Statue

Here is another of those “lost” works I recently found while digging around my computer. It is a sketch I made of a statue in Rome…and am sad to say I don’t know who the artist is or, for that matter, where it is in Rome. My notes are in storage and my memory is not as good as it once was.

It closely resembles another statue in Rome done 2,000 years ago of the god Castor. Sorry I can’t be more specific.

Some of my favorite works are the digital pencil sketches I’ve done over the years…and for that matter sketches and engravings done by other artists. Recently, there was an exhibit at the University of Arizona of engravings and sketches done by some very famous artists from antiquity. It was an inspiring show and I kept going back to see them again and again.

Sadly, my own sketch works were not very good sellers when I was doing shows. But, since that is no longer a concern, you can expect more sketches and even some digital engravings in the near future.

Postcard from Bisbee – A New Painting

The digital paintbrush is back in my hand and I’ve produced a new painting I want to share with you. It is just a simple image from downtown Bisbee, AZ, but I like it very much. I hope you do to.

It has been a while since I sat down and did an entire image from scratch. For this painting, I used Painter X almost exclusively, with a little Photoshop thrown in at the beginning and end to polish it off properly.

When I stopped painting a couple of years ago, I was beginning to get into an “Impressionist” mode for some of my new works. As you can see, I continued that mode here. Not all my paintings will be in that style. But this one fit just perfectly, or so I think.

For instance, the old truck painting I showed you a few days ago would not fit into this style (I know, I tried and in a very short while knew I didn’t like it). But where it fits, I will use it.

Thanks for letting me share this first humble effort with you. I hope my work will get better and better. Sorry the image is so small, but that is the biggest that Blogger will let me do. Click on the image and you will see a larger version.