Since most of my photography is virtual and just stored as bits and bites on a computer, I had a lot of work printing and framing enough photographs as to give a good representation of my art. I concentrated on the photos that I thought might have the most universal appeal, hoping that someone might actually buy my art. After all, art can be a very expensive hobby.

Showing Off

I and two other artists were going to show our art at the local historical park. Two weeks before the Art Trails weekend and long after the map book was published, I found out that they had booked a “Ghost Hunting” parapsychology group for that Saturday and we could not be at the site for that day. Fortunately, the Yosemite Western Artists group offered me the use of Gertrude School – their meeting area – to use for our show. Gertrude School is a one-room schoolhouse built in the late 1880s. It is used as an art studio by YWA and they have live models pose there every Friday for the artists to portray. Many of my best portraits were taken at Gertrude School. Best of all, it is only a few miles from my home. So I was very glad to move my show to Gertrude School.

Of course, it meant we were no longer on the guidebook maps and we were off the main area, but it was better than cancelling out after all the work I had put into the show.

Here are a few of the animal photos I showed for the Sierra Art Trails.

Dogs

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Beau

Happy

Here’s a photo that won a local Pet Photography contest… where I got a chance to photography the “Happy” photo:

The Beagle

Not a Dog

Jack the Cat

Encampment Horse

Peekaboo

I’ll talk more about the Sierra Art Trails in my next post, so see you then!

Yosemite Pioneer History Center

Photography Wagon

At Yosemite National Park’s Pioneer History Center on weekends, they have people recreating the life experiences of the 1800s. Here is a picture of one of the docents and the photography equipment from that day and age.

Barn Dog

Over the summer, they have many horses stabled at the center. Some are draft horses to pull the wagons. Others are available for trail riding. This is a picture of the huge barn and the dog who stands guard.

Civil War

Here are some pictures I made from the Civil War Re-enactment in Mariposa California in June. With the first set, I wanted to create the look of old-time photos.

Southern Cavalry

The Knitter

The Gentleman

Southern Comfort

Photo Illustrations

For the next set of pictures, I wanted them to look like paintings or illustrations from old magazines.

U. S. Cavalry

The Blues

Civil War Painting

The Explorers

Corey and I spoke briefly with a woman, Patricia, who was setting up the carnival. They do this almost every week in a different location year round. There are two other carnival groups that are part of their same company here in California.

Setting Up

Patricia

Patricia was from Mariposa near here and had been with the Carnival for about a year.

Setting Up

Tornado

Carnival by Night

There was a great deal of beauty and artistry that went into making these rides. I made a point of coming back when it was dark to capture the magic of the lights.

Himalaya

Carousel Horses

Carousel Top

Dark Carnival

It was interesting to walk around the carnival the night before it opened. The lights were on the amusements, but it was almost completely deserted.

Candy Stand

Thriller

The scariest-looking amusement was the fun house dedicated to Michael Jackson. That’s a pretty frightening idea all by itself.

Michael Jackson

I had intended to return to the carnival and spend some time there while it was open. Unfortunately, I ran over a deer antler and punctured a tire, so my car was out of commission for the weekend.

The carnival may have been small, but it was a wonderful photo opportunity.

Carnival Reflections