Friday, October 5, 2012

Gargoyles and 2 Centenarians in Downtown Atlanta

The view north from SunTrust Plaza features three of Atlanta's 100 year old buildings. I'm sure Portman and Associates made this little observation platform just for architecture tourists.

On Wednesday I took a few pictures of the Imperial Hotel and Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 


This is the view from the SunTrust sculpture garden toward the Sacred Heart Catholic Church's gargoyles. The twin towers are 137' tall.

Orientation.

P1120584-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Sacred-Heart-Catholic-and-First-1st-Methodist-Church-captions-full-1024
I was standing under the leftmost arrowhead. Left is south, right is north. This photo looks to the west.

P1120584-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Sacred-Heart-Catholic-and-First-1st-Methodist-Church
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Atlanta 1897 by Walter T. Downing (1865-1918), Imperial Hotel 1910 by Edward E Dougherty (1876-1943), Atlanta First United Methodist Church 1903 Willis Franklin Denny (1874-1905)

P1120585-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Sacred-Heart-Catholic-Imperial-Hotel-from-SunTrust-Plaze-4-big-haired-muses-sculpture
I don't know the name of the sculpture. I call it "4 big, big-haired beauties kneeling inside a wreath." (Thanks to Travis Taylor who id'ed the sculpture as "The Rites of Spring". More on Travis' blog "Wonderlust Atlanta.")


P1080228-2011-03-06-Sacred-Heart-Church-Atlanta-detail  
This is a great view (but not a great picture), looking south from Peachtree at Ivan Allen. Sacred Heart's red tower is stunning but you only have until the light changes to see it. My vantage point was just beyond the leafless trees.

Once I started looking I just let it go an enjoyed the view.

P1120586-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Sacred-Heart-Catholic-Imperial-Hotel-from-SunTrust-Plaze-4-big-haired-muses-sculpture
The foreground / background mix of styles and colors is what I enjoy most. ..."radically different from its surroundings, and therefore inherently special-looking, happily located to make some drama and contrast.." Jane Jacobs.


P1120587-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Sacred-Heart-Catholic-Imperial-Hotel-1910-by-architect-Edward-E-Dougherty-detail
Those rich red towers are stunning.

P1120588-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Sacred-Heart-CatholicChurch-1897-by-Architect-W-T-Downing
The longer I looked the more I enjoyed the view.

P1120589-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Imperial-Hotel-1910-by-architect-Edward-E-Dougherty-brick-detail
But I didn't have much time left on the parking meter.

P1120589-2012-10-03-Atlanta-Imperial-Hotel-1910-by-architect-Edward-E-Dougherty-brick-detail-detail
One last look at Edward E Dougherty's brickwork Wow. You can't see this unless you stop and look.

SunTrust Plaza isn't on your way but you should go anyway. If you work there, please invite me up for a view.

Monday, October 1, 2012

ACAC Artist Team Picture a Field Guide

Last Friday I went to ACAC's Annual Open Studio event and took pictures of the artists. Put "Open Studio" on your calendar for late September 2013; thank me later.

Before I get started let me straighten something out:

ACAC is the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center formerly know as Nexus, just west of Georgia Tech. MOCA GA is the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia on Bennett Street just north of Piedmont Hospital. Different organizations but both deserve your support as a visitor and/or patron.




ACAC has a "Studio Artist Program" for select artists. ACAC provides 14 studio lofts "out back" behind the main gallery. I think it's an old print shop, done up like a U-shaped 2-story motel around a courtyard with a balcony on one side. It's nice and you have to be pretty special to be here.

Thirteen of the artists opened their studios on Friday. I met them, saw their studios, saw their work, and took their picture. I regret missing Michele Schuff.

It was home base, they were among friends, they might have had a sip or two before I got there. They were comfortable. I had the best time.

I visited in this order:

P1120502--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-14-Dayna-Thacker-sign 
Dayna Thacker
P1120500--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-14-Dayna-Thacker-herself
P1120503--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-5-Nikita-Gale-sign 
Nikita Gale
P1120504--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-5-Nikita-Gale-herself
P1120506--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-4-Jill-Frank-sign 
Jill Frank
P1120507--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-4-Jill-Frank-herself
P1120509--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-3-Jonathan-Bouknight-sign 
Jonathan Bouknight
P1120511--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-3-Jonathan-Bouknight-himself with Lisa Alembik
P1120513--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-2-Mark-Brotherton-sign 
Marc Brotherton
P1120515--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-2-Mark-Brotherton-himself
P1120516--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-1-Mark-Paul-S-Benjamin-sign 
Paul S. Benjamin
P1120518--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-1-Mark-Paul-S-Benjamin-himself
P1120519--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-7-Nancy-VanDevender-sign 
Nancy VanDevender
P1120522--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-7-Nancy-VanDevender-herself
P1120526--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-6-Michele-Schuff-sign 
Michele Schuff
P1120527--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-6-Michele-Schuff-herself-closed
P1120528--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-13-Stuart-Ziff-sign 
Stewart Ziff
P1120530--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-13-Stuart-Ziff-himself
P1120531--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-8-Seana-Reilly-sign 
Seana Reiley
P1120533--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-8-Seana-Reilly-herself
P1120535--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-12-Marcia-Vaitsman-sign 
Marcia Vaitsman
P1120537--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-12-Marcia-Vaitsman-herself
P1120539--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-11-Michael-David-Murphy-sign 
Michael David Murphy
P1120543--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-11-Michael-David-Murphy-himself
P1120545--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-10-Craig-Drennen-sign 
Craig Drennen
P1120549--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-10-Craig-Drennen-himself
P1120551--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-9-Michi-Meko-sign 
Michi Meko
P1120556--2012-09-28-ACAC-Open-Studio-9-Michi-Meko-himself

ACAC tweets @ACAC and does Facebook.

Thanks to the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center all the artists, all the fans, and all the nice folks who said hello.

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