Sear-Kay Ruins

Sears-Kay Ruins, taken with Iphone, Lara Serbin #coloreffects.

 

 The soft dirt path sparkled as I looked for clues to why the Hohokam, ancestors of today's Pima Indians decided to build a village on top of this mountain.  I caught myself imagining them using this sparkling dirt to create body paint or add bling to mud plaster earthen walls.

 

Sears-Kay Ruins, taken with Iphone, park signage.

 

  As I came upon the first of 40 rectangular rooms made out of heavy rocks blackened with centuries of desert tarnish I began to imagine how one would live on a summit like this. I mean I could see for infinity up here.  Lily, Eva and Ben and Jeffrey were already up at the mountain top village of decay.  I wanted to savor the approach of the village. Lily was expecting actual houses and that the Hohokams would have dinner waiting.

 Sears-Kay Ruins, taken with Iphone, Lara Serbin #coloreffects.

 

Did I mention that this place was built 900 years ago?  It is amazing to know that Westminster Abbey was built 1000 years ago. Currently, I am reading Westminster: A Biography: From Earliest Times to Present, by Robert Shepherd and it is funny to see how relatively new the west is.

 

Westminster Abbey, London, England, Google Images

 

While Edward the Confessor was spending 60 years building an Abbey that is still functioning,  the Hohokams were building stone based shelters for the basic necessity of shelter.    Of course this location at Sears Kay is rather remote. There is no body of water to bring constant foot traffic.  You would never know it was there if it wasn't for the road sign.

 

 Sears-Kay Ruins, taken with Iphone, park signage .

 

The Hohokam had everything they needed up here.  There is wild game to hunt, small floodplains for growing corn and beans and many native plants like saguaro, cholla, prickly pear and mesquite.  Then as now, the foothills provided ideal habitats for deer, sheep and rabbit; the burned bones of these animals have been found in the trashed deposits at Sears-Kay Ruin.

 

Sears-Kay Ruins, taken with Iphone, Lara Serbin #coloreffects.

 

I really felt on top of it all up here.  Even though the temporary means of construction were no longer, I could still feel something vital.  How could you not, the views were powerful in every direction.  It is worth a return trip to watch sunrise.  I will be surprised if my red stone arrowhead is still sitting where I left it.  

 

Presidio Windows

Presidio San Agustin del Tucson 1775-1856

I took some pics in Tucson late Friday with my friend Alice.  It was an hour or so before the sun was going to set and the sun was playing hide and seek with the dark gray scattered clouds.  I love showing off the Old Pueblo, I know I must have mentioned this many blogs by now but I did spend a lot of time in this place learning to perfect my sketching and watercolors.  The  historic row, territorial freestanding and mini mansions are located in the heart of the Old Presidio.  Back in the 1700's it was an adobe garrison built by Spanish conquistadors and priests.  Presently, none of the original adobe fortress walls are left but the architectural developments that cropped up in the 17th Century are within the street boundaries of  6th Street and Alameda going North and South and then Stone to Granada going East and West.  You have to cross the railroad tracks to get to it. Once you find yourself in the single lane dark dank bridge to cross the railroad up above you can feel you are crossing over to a different feeling.  The skewed streets will take you to the El Presidio the place of authentic Tucson vernacular architectural style.

Residential alley east of Main Avenue, Presidio San Agustin del Tucson 1775-1856

Buildings were constructed of 14" thick adobe walls with smooth plaster and paint on the exterior.  Most of the structures have neutral paint choices like warm butternut, taupe, beige and white.  Since the shells are neutral, thick and heavy, the windows are generally small.  Think about it...if the the window was large it would deflect under the weight of the heavy plaster.  It is also hotter than an oven on broil in the summer so smaller openings means less heat to let in.  Spanish conquistadors rocked chain mail instead of medieval metal armor.  I really mean it!

Presidio San Agustin del Tucson 1775-1856

Let's talk about why El Presidio windows are so incredible.  

1. Deep set, allows for shadows *like eyeliner*.

2.  Compact size, usually narrow and tall, my favorite size.

3. Drape treatment. Adds grace to relaxed building style.

4. Ironwork, as long as it is painted and has some kind of ornamentation.

5. Prickly pear and other sculptural cacti growing up from the ground to give it that Good, Bad and the Ugly reminder.

6. Sometimes adhesive tint can add some colorful spark to the matte finish of the walls. 

7. Shutters are a nice long as they are operable. Something really great about having an open window in the spring and using a louvered shutter to block the sun but let in fresh air.

8. Striped awnings. Of course, how could I leave that out!

I have spent many hours water coloring windows in the El Presidio.  I can take a line drawing and paint it with watercolors to make it look life like.  It takes shadows which I mix with burnt sienna and you guessed it...French ultramarine.  What magic you get from mixing those two pigments together.

Watercolor, by Lara Serbin

Windows are the eyes of a building.

Farm House

I like this farmhouse very much.  I went with the intention of capturing the glow from the sunset since the front of this charming house faces directly west.  I sat on a sun beaten wood plank that lay across the flowing canal across the lonely road.  It was so peaceful sitting there, no cars passed the house and I for as long as I was there.   This house is isolated on a vast expanse of bright green fields with mature trees directly east and south to give it a quaint setting.  Sitting alone in a field can be uncomfortable, I am sure of that.

Like a vulture surveying it's prey I crept closer to the porch.  The solid wood door was charming and had modest dental trim.  Bright green weeds were a vivid accent playing behind the teeth of the ancient deck chairs.  The deck chairs were a weather hardened pair with one holding an ancient woven poncho and the other a phone book with faded yellow pages still turned to the same page by whomever was last sitting there.  When I peered into the window next to the chair there was an upright piano.  When I look at this image all I want to do is sit with some friends on the porch drinking home made lemonade, listening to a banjo and watch the sunset.

I thank Stephen Bales of Bales Hay to tell me about the history of this house.  Originally, it was the home to J.G. Osborn who worked for Bales Hay located in Buckeye for 15-20 years. The house sits next to Liberty Cemetery.

The 120-plus-year-old Liberty Cemetery is located on 207 Avenue south of MC85.  The land, donated by Clem Collins in 1885, was located next to the Free Methodist Church.  The first burial, in 1885, was for Norma Jones, daughter of W.W. Jones.  There are approximately 590 internments, with the last burial being Jose Ruan in 1992.  Buckeye pioneer Thomas Newton Clanton is also buried there.  Images of America, Buckeye, by Verlyne Meck.

Tagged Mayberry

Abandoned Building along Beloat Road in Buckeye, Arizona, photo credit: Lara Serbin, 2013

Sanctuary Building at DeGrazia in the Sun, Tucson, Arizona, 2012

I was driving down Beloat Road heading to the Rock and Mineral Club monthly meeting in down town Buckeye and I gazed at the homestead on the left side of the 2 lane rural road.  I have driven by this mysterious building hundreds of times and always wanted to jump out and check it out. I parked near it and saw that there was someone talking to a caretaker kind of guy.   The caretaker house sits directly east of the tagged shrine.  I walked over and was lucky enough to gain access to the shrine to take photos. The man was salty with a white beard and an accent from a distant place. I shook his hand and he said "No more than 200 photos!"

Look at the first photo...you there?  OK, it was amazing!  I was over powered with artistic expression sprayed on every vertical surface inside this place.  I have seen other spaces with paint but this was different.  Look at the DeGrazia mural.  It is nice don't get me wrong but it is not the same blow your hair back kind of thrill that the photo on the top has.  I think art that is expressed from a variety of artists is more compelling than one artist laying down the law. It is DIVERSITY that is so stimulating.  It was also a funky space inside.  Any kind of building codes were thrown out the window. There were stair treads so tiny I could barely get my foot on it to step onto it.  The space was overtaken by layers of spray can expression.  It wouldn't have been the same if it was in a newer building. I am drawn to the 50's-60's time frame.  Tagged vintage glass blocks are poetry.

Abandoned Building along Beloat Road in Buckeye, Arizona, photo credit: Lara Serbin, 2013

Painted window art, Arizona Inn, Tucson, Arizona, photo credit: Lara Serbin, 2012

Let's compare these two window examples above. The first one is naughty spray paint art over vintage glass blocks. The photo below is obviously one artist who painted pretty flowers on glass.  I can't believe I am saying this but I prefer the top photo.  I could sit pool side and look at the spray painted glass block only if they were vintage glass blocks.  If it was done right.  If someone tagged new glass blocks I wouldn't dig it.  I might have to go to Arizona Inn to confirm this.  I would need some poolside time to really think this through.

Abandoned Building along Beloat Road in Buckeye, Arizona, photo credit: Lara Serbin, 2013

Happy Valentines Day!

You All Sing Pretty Out There

Sunday, 1/5 photo for #5shotchallenge theme: TEXTURE

Location: 32nd Street hike on Squaw Peak *still Squaw Peak to me*

I was invited to a challenge by a friend of mine named Heleluki to a #5shotchallenge on this Instagram that I am totally addicted to.  I don't really even know if this is a man or a woman.  Just my virtual friend Heleluki who lives in Finland and has 2 cats.  He sent me the challenge I think like Saturday night at midnight.  I told him quickly I would get back to him the next day. I lay on my #pillow wondering what a #5shotchallenge and then got a little tense thinking does it start now when I get it?  Is there a time limit?  I picked up my phone at midnight and asked, "So does that mean 5 photos in 5 days. Yes, he replied and added "Your theme will be 'texture', but only if you like and have the time of course."  Heleluki added "...and have fun!"  

Monday, 2/5 photo for #5shotchallenge theme: TEXTURE

Location: Buckeye, Arizona neighborhood east of Alice Charmin Building

I have to say the first photo was weak.  It wasn't really what I wanted so I decided for the following day the texture would need to be more structural.  I didn't want to just take shots of cactus ribs.  Most of the buildings in Arizona are stucco so it is a challenge to look for unique texture.  Texture is everywhere.  I liked the chain link with the grayscale.  Everything just bakes out here in the Arizona heat.

Tuesday, 3/5 photo for #5shotchallenge theme: TEXTURE

Location: Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona Biltmore Resort

So Tuesday I was in Phoenix with about 15 minutes to find inspiration.  As I was walking to my car with mascara from Saks 5th Avenue, I was going to snap the basket weave block facade on Macy's but I canned that idea.  Let's not get desperate, Heleluki said to have fun.  Macy's is not fun. What could be better....Frank Lloyd Wright blocks.  Frank knew a thing or two about adding texture to a facade. Why do so many designers weeney out by using stucco?  You can't see it but there are little bird nests in the cracks.

Wednesday, 4/5 photo for #5shotchallenge theme: TEXTURE

Location: Buckeye, Arizona, Alice's House

I invited myself , Eva and Lily to Alice's house on Wednesday in the middle of the day for inspiration.  It was fun indeed.  Alice has an outdoor workshop at her house with rock grinders, cutting tools and thirty years worth of collecting rocks and minerals.  The photo above is actually a football size of Fluorite. The color is a gorgeous grape purple.  My focus is texture not color. Just saying.  We poured some water over it and cleaned it up for you!

Thursday, 5/5 photo for #5shotchallenge theme: TEXTURE

Location: Buckeye, Arizona, Alice's House

Inside Alice's house are collections of many things like roadrunner figurines, De Grazia paintings, and hobnail glass dishware.  To me the hobnail glass conjures Buckeye as 'Mayberry' perfectly.  I need Mayberry.  When you are in someone's home in Buckeye you may have the chance to pick out a piece of candy out of a glass hobnail bowl.

                         

So Lily's 3rd grade class were not listening in music class yesterday. They're charge was to write eight sentences about Louis Armstrong.  As I was reading the reminder from school my Pandora was playing "Let's Fall in Love" by Louis Armstrong so here you go.  Armstrong's voice has lots of texture.

Bee Box Collection

Lately, the best feeling I get is being outside.  I find answers in my surroundings. I live in Goodyear, Arizona.  As an architect it is important to get out and see spaces.  When you live in the country like me you have to be very creative.  Even a canal head gate can be inspiration for a future design.  I have an ongoing filing system where I store all of my digital photography.  So far, each city or town that I have visited has its own folder full of photographs I have taken.   I have a photographic memory that I pull from when designing.  

These bee boxes are on my drive to downtown Buckeye, Arizona.  To get to downtown I cross the Gila River, a riparian waterway cut through the desert.  Right after I cross the wash there is a cluster of bee boxes that sit below the road protected by old knarled trees.  Last summer I attempted to take a photo but I was put off by the swarm of bees. 

A couple of days ago I gave it another shot and this time when I got closer to the boxes I didn't hear anything at all.  No flowers in bloom anywhere so now is the time to visit.  The simple columns of stacked wood boxes are simple and elegant.  Each corner is joined with dove tail connections.  Worn out branding letters in black are nicely faded but still legible. The boxes are mostly white in nature with one or two of pastel blue and pink.  The sequence of the layer looks random to me but ordered by the exactness of the stacking.  There is no hardware only a simple indentation for the hand to manipulate the box position.   

Most bee box collections can be seen under trees by agricultural fields. It is a co-creative process between plant and bee.  The bees inside are so orderly taking orders, fulfilling duty and serving the Queen bee. The exterior of the box speaks of purity and innocence like a baby's nursery.

The next logical step is to see what happens when these boxes are opened.  I need a bee suit now so I can get a closer look at the texture.  Something makes me want to go back and take another look at sunset.  So maybe I won't wear my bright orange pants?

Sharpie Meets Photoshop

It is raining right now and it makes me want to write something with a lit candle on my table. But there is no room on my desk for anything else. There are layers of other things for me to do but I must write. All I can hear is the water splashing down from the scuppers and some Vivaldi.  This week I did some more drawing on the buff paper at the light table. Can't really say what I am working on yet but I can talk about process.

This process is evolving.  I always like to start off tracing the basic buildings and layout by hand first on the light table. Once I have architectural improvements nailed down in pencil, I take out a thick sharpie and hand trace very slowly.  See how the corners are perfectly 90 degrees?  Some like to over cross the corners to make it look sketchier but it is just too fussy for me.  The basic outline of anything is called profiling.  The lines inside the profile should be drawn with a lighter pen weight. See the parallel parking space how nice they look with a thinner weight.

I leave out text and arrows on purpose.  Writing the text by hand is like wearing a linen suit for an interview. It will look rumpled and too casual.  Digital text on top of a hand drawn sketch is pretty close to Nirvana for me.  You dump a bucket of paint on a canvas and underneath add a digital font it is suddenly substantial.

This is my black metal flat file.  See how thin the drawers are? All my buff trace paper sketches live in here.  I have a lot of artwork from my babies in there too.  I need another flat file soon.  The rest of my outfit is pretty much turquoise, blue and green. No, I am not going out today.

To make the buildings really pop I tape on white paper to the back side.  I can't believe I am telling you these secrets!  For the street I taped on the cut out blackened street from the xerox I was tracing over.  Alas, I want the street to be darker than anything else.  A final treatment before I scan it into the computer is overlay the trace paper with chip board BEFORE photo copying.  Just before I photocopy I run out to the garage where I keep lots of card stock in 8 1/2x11 sheets and then I skip to the copier and lay them side by side on top of the buff trace paper.

My flat file and paint samples.

A little blow up to show you my latest evolution.  So you see the hand drawn that I scanned right?  After I scan the drawing I bring it into Photoshop.  I add the final make up to the drawing.  Make up is shadows and  like bright green accents to the trees.  I like how the shadows came out kind of not perfect here. I love how it came out Eric Carle style.  I needed to show vehicle flow and I didn't want to get arrows on google as clip art.  Clip art is a bad word.  So I totally free handed the red arrows in Photoshop.  I need to organize the layers though, I think I must have a million layers for each segment of arrow. Also, shadows need to be crisp and a little transparent, just like in the real world.