Category Archives: Art

Art in Common Places – Graffiti

May 9, 2018Artgraffiti, graffiti on trains, taggingMary Ann Huffines

On a recent bike ride, I passed a train car with the most amazing artwork spray painted on the car. I love finding art in common places – graffiti was the artwork I found on this ride. Some of the train cars had tagging that had been cleaned and you could only see a shadow of the “artwork.” I do hope they don’t clean this eye artwork.

Some of the artwork that can be found on train cars is exquisite. Other times, the graffiti is just bad art. There is good article about this subject, Graffiti: Art of the tag, that you might want to check out.

I wonder who the person was that created this image and does the person do any other type of artwork or is this the main avenue for self-expression?

Art in Nature

May 23, 2017ArtArt in nature, Rocky Mountain National ParkMary Ann Huffines

How enchanting it is when you come across art in nature. You have to pay close attention or you may miss the illustrations carved into tree trunks, branches and stones. Rocky Mountain National Park has an abundance of fanciful, natural artwork. It doesn’t take too much of an imagination to see the volcano in this fallen tree trunk.

Doug Schneiter, Loveland, CO Woodturning Artist

August 16, 2016ArtDoug Schneiter, Loveland Sculpture in the Park, woodturningMary Ann Huffines

During the patron party at Loveland Sculpture in the Park this past Friday, I was delighted to meet Doug Schneiter, Loveland, CO woodturning artist. This event showcases exquisite talent. Many of the pieces easily go for $50,000 plus and are worth every cent. As I strolled through the aisles, I thought I saw intricate baskets in one of the booths. Soon I discovered, the artist creates his pieces out of wood by turning, burning and then adding intricate bits of color. The end result is a basketweave pattern.

Doug began focusing on artistic woodturning in the mid-90’s. He was inspired by the work of David Nittmann to develop what David termed as “basket illusion.” David Nittmann passed away on August 13, 2014, but his memory lingers on through the work of Doug Schneiter.

Doug had a continuous stream of people coming to his booth at the sculpture show and sold two pieces while I was talking to him about his work.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Doug Schneiter would create a few smaller pieces to be featured at the Loveland Visitors Center. Visitor Center Manager, Gary Light, happened to stop by Doug’s booth at the same time that I did. He knew Doug and has been suggesting this idea to him for quite some time. Gary spotlights all things Loveland at the Visitors Center and you can find unique gifts produced by local artists. Lovelanders may not be aware of the high quality items that Gary selects for the Center. The program that I work for, the Loveland Business Development Center is located in the same building as the Visitors Center. I will be checking in to see if Doug’s beautiful artwork shows up.

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Hand Painted Wall Murals

March 28, 2016ArtGhost Signs, Street art, wall muralsMary Ann Huffines

In some cases painted artwork on buildings is strictly for advertising; especially old ghost signs. I am delighted to see the resurgence in this type of street art. Mural painting on the side of buildings has become quite trendy and increasingly there is no advertising integrated into the paintings. I have no issue, at all, if buildings are painted with a commercial message – as long as the paintings are tastefully done. I realize the quality of artwork is subjective. Whether a wall painting is contemporary, realistic, or even surrealistic, I hope this trend continues.

The original intention of street murals was most likely not to attract the tourist industry, but rather local artists beautifying their cities. In St. Petersburg, Florida there is a guided tour offered every Saturday to explore over 30 murals in their Central Arts District. I have never been to St. Petersburg, but I will add this to my bucket list. I do try and get shots of interesting wall murals that I find on my travels and occasionally a friend will post a photo from their travels. Two friends of mine from Virginia, Don and Donna, are avid quilters. They posted this photo from one of their trips…what a perfect mural for them to find.

I so appreciate public art, in almost any form. I am fortunate to live in an area of the country where outdoor sculpture abounds. We do have some painted murals on buildings, but not nearly enough!

This post is primarily about outdoor wall art, but I feel compelled to add a photo from the women’s restroom at The Chart House, located in Crescent City, California. This mural takes up an entire wall and is such a fun surprise when you enter the room. Everyone leaves that room with a big smile on their face.

Check out the 19 best cities to see street art in the United States. If you have a trip planned for one of these cities, you may want to stop by the local visitors center to see if there are any walking or guided tours for their street art.

Transformer Box Artwork – Art in Common Places

February 9, 2016Art, WalkaboutsCO, Loveland, sugar beets, Transformer Box ArtworkMary Ann Huffines

Don’t you love driving by a transformer box that an artist has turned into public art? I have been taking photos of the “transformed” boxes for quite some time. They aren’t always that easy to get to. I catch a glimpse of cool artwork out of the corner of my eye, as I am zipping by in my car. The trick then is to find a parking spot. Some of the best artwork is on very busy streets. This may need to be added to my bucket list…get to those hard to access boxes. That could also be worked into my exercise regimen.

Loveland and Fort Collins, CO have remarkable artwork on their transformer boxes and I am so happy that someone made the decision to add this form of artwork in common places.

Loveland is particularly good at spotlighting historical aspects of the city in their transformer box artwork. The above box has a splendid illustration of The Rialto Theater.

The Loveland Feed and Grain building is an excellent example of showcasing a local landmark that was constructed in 1892.

Sugar Beets – The Great Western Sugar Company opened a sugar factory in Loveland in 1901 and it was called the “mother” sugar factory of the Front Range. This company referred to the sugar beet as “white gold.” The factory closed in 1985, but the building still stands on Madison Avenue in Loveland, CO. Sugar beet factories strengthened local economies during this period of history. It is sad to see the crumbling factories that dot the Front Range. It is too bad that money wasn’t found to stabilize these buildings before they fell into such disrepair. If you are a history buff, you may enjoy reading the Silver Wedge, produced by the City of Fort Collins.

Painted transformer boxes will have to be a continuing series. I will set out again, once the snow clears, to get more shots of these local beauties.

Mary Ann's Walkabout

A Walk Through Loveland, Colorado and Beyond