Sunset on the Pier

New release just in time for my first ever art showing!

Yes, you read that correctly - I will be showing in a local art gallery, inside the St. Peter UCC, and I am just thrilled at the opportunity! When I have more details about an opening reception and how long my pieces will be up, I will be sure to let you know. ; )

Now onto this image:

Sunset on the Pier
Mexico Beach, Florida

Taken in July 2011, this was the last evening of our vacation, and my first chance to head down to the pier for a photowalk. And, wow, I was not disappointed!

I wasn't the only one basking in the warm glow of the sunset, as there were several people along the pier, as well as many families having photoshoots along the beach. It was a gorgeous evening to be out with a camera.

And the next morning, I got the boys up and out the door for a family picture at sunrise before we left Florida. I know I am definitely ready to go back to the beach again!

Sweet Shot Tuesday #98

Yes, I know...today is Friday, not Tuesday, you say. That's okay, though. Have to break out of the box every once in awhile. : )

This is the Silent Sentinel, St. Francis Borgia Regional Church in Washington, Missouri. Sunday I went on a photowalk with a group from the Franklin County Area Photographers, and this image is from the very first snap of my camera that afternoon.

Submission for Sweet Shot Tuesday hosted by My 3 Boybarians.

Silent Sentinel

Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge {Blossoms/Trees}

Last weekend we had mighty thunderstorms roll through the area. After the storms, move on, we could almost hear the rush of the water in the creek from our house, so the boys and I headed down to check it out.

We were not disappointed! The normally dry creek bed was rushing along, full of the rainwater draining from the high hills. The cold water tumbled down the steps of rocks, creating beautiful waterfalls that were the width of the creek.

Nearby, the wildflowers were happy to soak in the sun and the extra nourishment that came flowing by. I believe I also caught a little insect resting on the leaf of this bloom.

This photo is for the Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge {Blossoms/Trees}.

And the Winner is...

First, more about the art piece...

I am a fan of architecture and the St. Louis Cardinals. One afternoon, a friend and I decided to walk around Downtown St. Louis and capture architectural photographs. And this piece of art emerged from that walk...

The photographs are taken at Busch Stadium and the Eads Bridge, next to the Landing. After searching for the perfect quote to set off the photographs, reading through Jack Buck and others, I decided on the simple, yet poignant, "For the Love of the Game."


The "L" is from the smaller Stan Musial statue outside Busch Stadium.
The "O" is the Cardinal's logo in the wall of the stadium.
The "V" is Eads Bridge just a few blocks from Busch Stadium.
And the "E" is the glove from "Dizzy" Dean's statue.

***

Using the number generator on random.org, I was given the number 11...which is a comment by Diane Schultz. Congratulations, Diane! Email me at tyann@marcinkdesigns.com to claim your prize. Please note that if you do not email me by midnight, April 18th, I will have another comment number randomly chosen.

Thank you, everyone, for playing along and entering the giveaway. I sincerely appreciate your support and comments. Please note that shipping is always FREE on fine art prints, so don't hesitate to grab your own fine art print for yourself...or to give to someone you love.



You can visit my website at www.marcinkdesigns.com.

Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge {Easter/Eggs}

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for an 11x14 fine art print of the St. Louis Cardinals For the Love of the Game in celebration of opening weekend at Busch Stadium! See this post for the details.

---

Our family tradition to decorate Easter eggs:

1. Use crayons to draw squiggles, swirls, pictures, and words.
2. Dip into the PAAS egg colors.
3. Dry off the eggs.

We are so complicated, aren't we? Here is one of the eggs that I decorated. I had first thought to draw just my hubby and I on the egg, but when I accidently drew my head in the wrong place, it became a family drawing...which I actually like better than my original idea. (See our real family photo here.)

The boys colored it orange for me (I had no say in the colors of the eggs since I was snapping pictures), and it went into our arsenal for the big family egg hunt that is then followed by the deviled egg feast.

This photo is for the Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge {Easter/Eggs}.

St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day {PlusCircleSharePinTweet} Giveaway!

Opening day at Busch Stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals is tomorrow!!! And on Saturday, the Cardinals will receive their 2011 World Series Championship rings. Congratulations, Cards, it was an amazing series to watch!

To celebrate, I am giving away an 11x14 print of my wildly popular For the Love of the Game in your choice of a red or white background. Here is what you do to win:

Choose the red or white background and post a comment below on which one you want if you are the winner. Easy enough?

For additional entries:

Plus one this post
Circle me on Google+
Circle Marcink Designs on Google+
Share this blog post on Facebook
Like Marcink Designs on Facebook
Pin this post on Pinterest with your choice of the red or white background
Follow my Marcink Designs Pinterest board
Tweet this post
Follow Marcink Designs on Twitter

Blog about this giveaway

Use these buttons for shortcuts or see the sidebar on the right -->

Then, leave a separate comment for each of the things you did. Each comment is an entry into the drawing! Monday morning, April 16th, I will randomly choose a winner from the comments.

Good luck and show your love for the St. Louis Cardinals!

Hristos Voskrese!

Jacob, Tyann, Joey, Mike, and Noah

Our annual Easter family photo. Looks like sitting on the couch is becoming our usual pose.

This is our living room, with my husband's grandmother's artwork in the background. Nina came to the United States from Russia when she was 8 years old. The family tale includes that her family came from a line of royalty...maybe she was a Russian princess?

Nina was wonderfully and artistically talented. Her art was to create rugs. Yes, rugs. She would purchase burlap the size of the rug she wanted to make, whether a small picture size or a large area rug.

Then, she would take wool fabric, many times picking up wool clothing from garage sales, stripping it to small pieces. Nina dyed the wool to the colors she wanted and set to hooking the wool, creating the rug artwork.

Click to the picture to see the details.

Nina's pieces were her own masterpieces. Sometimes she even created pieces mimicking a famous painting. My husband's favorite piece of hers was her rendition of Van Gogh's Starry Night. Unfortunately, that piece was lost after Nina passed away.

We had the piece hanging in our living room professionally framed and cleaned so that we can enjoy it. The scene is of an idyllic countryside, including a horse and buggy, a small village, and birds flying over the mountains. Nina's attention to detail is amazing.

In memory of Nina, Hristos Voskrese (Christ has risen!). He has risen indeed!

Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge {Sunshine/Light}

The sun was getting low in the sky, approaching the golden hour, and I was on my first walk with my very new 50mm f1.4 lens. I knew this little garden tucked away in our town's downtown area would be beautiful at this time of day and made my way over to it. The flowering trees and the streaming rays of sunshine did not disappoint me!

For the Leap Into Spring Photo Challange {Sunshine/Light}

I Heart Faces April Photo Challenge {Happiness}

Score!

Joey just made a soccer goal and was sprinting over to us on the sideline to make sure we saw it. Can you tell he was just a little happy?

My submission for the I Heart Faces Photo Challenge of Happiness.

This photo was submitted to the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com

Steam Engine No. 844

School was out, and the sun was already too warm for a spring day in Missouri. The steam train was coming through town, and we were going to see it!

Our first stop was the Fudge Shoppe on Main Street for a scoop of ice cream each to snack on. We made our way down towards the train station, found a spot on the old platform, and settled in for the train to arrive.

My 3 boys, 2 nieces, and 1 me.

Steam engine No. 844 was on its way to Shiloh, Arkansas in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The train pulled cars filled with Civil War reenactors, as well as a load of war cannons. The tracks were buzzing with train enthusiasts of all ages, and the policemen were on their toes, keeping everyone safe.

Steam engine No. 844 in bokeh.

No one was allowed to wander the tracks, so capturing the engine straight on had to be done while walking...which wasn't too easy...but the third shot hit it. I must add that I was also holding my 4 year old's hand and herding my 6 and 8 year old at the same time as taking this shot.

The engine building up steam before rolling down the track.

As soon as we had crossed the track, the crossing lights flashed, and the bars came down. The whistle stop was over, and the steam engine had to be on its way.

The American flag waving proudly in the sunlight as the engine passes by.

Our afternoon excursion was over, and we headed back up to Main Street to our vehicle. I hadn't put away my camera yet, and I spied the barber shop's door open as we were passing by. Feeling brave, I peeked my head in and asked if I could snap a photo. The barber and the gentleman obliged me.

A barber and a gentleman.

Photographic Fine Art Name - SIMPSON

Have you seen your name spelled out around you? Maybe you noticed how the branches of a tree created a W or the way a bench arm curved, it looked like an S.

I see letters...everywhere...literally. And I have taken photographs of these letters in architecture and nature around us. Here is a name I created last week:

Where are all of the letters from? Here is where I found them:

S - the arm of my bench
I - the St. Louis Zoo, in Cat Country
M - the Eads Bridge, Downtown St. Louis
P - the Calvin Theatre, Washington, Missouri
S - the steps of a church near SLU
O - a windmill in a backyard, Union, Missouri
N - the side of a house, Washington, Missouri

The majority of my letters are from the St. Louis, Missouri area. A few are also from our vacation travels.

Would you like your name spelled out? Visit Marcink Designs today to see all my letters and to order one for yourself or for a gift!