MesmanBlog

Oregon Landmarks Collage

2012-01-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

We've created a collage that combines some of the beautiful destinations in the state of Oregon, the most visited of which is Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. Also not to miss is Crown Point, with its Vista House overlooking the Gorge. The illuminated buildings of Portland's waterfront skyline are reflected in the Willamette River. Two views of the state's highest peak, Mount Hood, and the magnificant Ecola State Park on the Oregon Coast round out the scenery. The collage wouldn't be complete, however, without J. Seward Johnson's Portland sculpture "Allow Me". Here, the pedestrian's umbrella shields him not from a Portland downpour, but, rather, a light spray from Multnomah Falls. You can Purchase this image on our fine art photography website.

New Vertical St. Johns Bridge Triptych

2011-10-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

We've just listed a new version of our Portland St. Johns Bridge triptych. While the one before had square cropped images, this one utilizes the full-frame vertical rectangles. And, as always, these vertical triptychs are perfect for those narrow spaces next to doors, above light switches, or on the side of cabinets. You can purchase this triptych framed or matted from our Fine Art Photography website.

Paul Bunyan's Halloween Party

2011-10-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

The economy is bad, sales have sunk, summer is over. Portland's Paul Bunyan thought that was reason enough to throw a Halloween Party! You can see the "party picture" on the home page of our Fine Art Photography website. By the way, the snapshots used for the picture are in our opinion from the greatest carnival in the world -Fasnacht in Basel Switzerland-.

Venice Canal, Italy

2011-10-05T19:22:00.001-07:00

We just listed this archival framed print of this narrow Canal in Venice Italy. You can purchase this and others from our Fine Art Photography website

Portland, Oregon Neon Sign

2011-10-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

This flickering neon sign is towering above the Willamette River in Downtown Portland. The words Made in were just recently changed to read Portland. You can purchase this image from our Fine Art Photography website.

Spring Colors at Portland Japanese Garden

2011-09-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

It may be Fall, but we just listed this Spring color image from the Japanese Garden on our website. It's never an overstatement to say that any season is spectacular at Portland Japanese Garden. You can purchase the above image either matted or framed from our Fine Art Photography website.

collage of various images of Portland Japanese Garden

2011-09-28T11:46:00.001-07:00

Here is a fantasy created with images from the Portland Japanese Garden. This photographic collage includes the Garden's Sapporo Pagoda, the stone steps in the Natural Garden, and one of the Garden's magnificant Japanese Maples, shot in the Fall. Portland Japanese Garden is worth a visit during all seasons. These above prints can be purchased either matted or framed from our Fine Art Photography website

Olive Tree in Lavender Field on gallery-wrapped canvas

2011-09-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

These beautiful, organized rows of lavender surrounding a lone olive tree were photographed near Sault, the center of the French lavender country, just prior to harvest. The aromatic herb is used in foods, for skin issues and, of course, in countless beauty products. You can find a wide variety of hand-made lavender products right here in Portland by visiting the Lavender Haven booth at Portland Saturday Market. The canvas print shown above can be purchased on our Fine Art Photography website.

Oregon landmark triptych #5 framed to 5 x 14

2011-09-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

This triptych presents Portland and some of its surroundings at dusk. 1) The Portland Skyline as viewed from the East side of the Willamette River. 2) Seen from Portland, Mt. Hood disappears into the Eastern horizon 3) and, Crown Point and Vista House stand guard over the Columbia River, a must-see when visiting this region. Here is more info about Crown Point. This triptych as well as others can be purchased on our Fine Art Photography website.

Oregon Landmarks #4 Portland, Made in Oregon, Cannon Beach

2011-09-21T18:31:00.001-07:00

Mt. Hood lingers behind the Portland Skyline, the "Made in Oregon" sign as it appeared prior to becoming the "Portland" sign, and Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock comprise this triptych that we call Oregon Landmarks #4. You can buy this one and others at our Fine Art Photography website.

Triptych of Oregon Landmarks #4

2011-09-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

The Portland Convention Center was photographed in the Spring when the Cherry Trees put on give quite a show. The Center is known for its twin spire towers which, recently, have become known for being illuminated annually on September 11 in memory of the events of 9/11. The "Made in Oregon" neon sign has become a thing, as the words "Made In" have been replaced with "Portland". Finally, Steel Bridge looms large over the flowering trees at Waterfront Park.

You can purchase this framed triptych or others from our Fine Art Photography website

St. Johns Bridge, Cathedral Park, Portland Oregon, triptych

2011-09-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

The St. Johns Bridge is a steel suspension bridge over the Willamette River in Portland. The construction of the bridge began a month before the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and provided many county residents with employment during the Great Depression. The middle picture represents the foundation of the bridge, named Cathedral Park. This beautiful bridge is the pride of many Portlanders. You can purchase this framed triptych on our Fine Art Photography website.

Three Oregon Landmarks #2 framed into a triptych

2011-09-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

Mt. Hood towering above the Portland, Oregon Skyline, the eye-catching "Portland Oregon" neon sign with its flickering lights, and finally, Cannon Beach with its Haystack Rock create a beautiful keepsake featuring just a few of the many iconic landmarks in the state of Oregon (by the way, the two seagulls posed for us, free of charge). You can buy this triptych and others on our fine art photography website

Framed Oregon Landmarks Triptych #1 matted to 5" x 14"

2011-09-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

These are three of Oregon's many iconic landmarks: 1) Mt. Hood hiding behind the Portland Skyline 2) The "Made in Oregon" neon sign that towers above the Willamette River and 3) Cannon Beach with it's Haystack Rock. You can buy this and other framed triptychs on our Fine Art Photography website.

Colmar, France gallery-wrapped canvas

2011-09-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

This colorful facade 0f half-timbered houses is in the town of Colmar, in the Alsace region of France. We've printed this image on canvas and gallery-wrapped it to a finished size of 16" x 20", ready to hang, no frame, matting, or glass necessary. You can purchase this canvas and others on our fine art photography website.

Les Eyzies de Tayac gallery wrapped canvas

2011-09-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

This stunning village built into cliffs is located in the Dordogne region in France. Wouldn't you like to see this view every day? This photograph is printed on canvas and gallery-wrapped to a finished size of 16" x 20", ready to hang, with no need for a frame, matting, or glass. You can purchase this canvas and others at our fine art photography website:

Paul Bunyan moved to the Gorge

2011-09-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

With the heat wave that we've had here in Portland, we thought that Kenton's statue of Paul Bunyan could use a vacation from his spot in front of the Wells Fargo at the intersection of N Intertstate and N Denver Streets, so, we moved him to the Columbia River Gorge to cool him off.
We're now offering this print as a 16 x 20 gallery-wrap canvas

Air Force One!

2011-02-19T07:19:00.001-08:00

We were down at the airport yesterday, shipping some orders, at about the time that President Obama's plane was due to land. The President was coming to Portland to visit the Intel facility in Hillsboro.

We wanted to see the plane land, but soon realized that we were at the wrong end of the airport (air traffic was coming in from the west; we were at the east end of the runway). So, we hurried to the other side of the airport, hoping that there would be a place that we could stop and have a good view, but not really knowing the area.

When we saw a group of cars stopped at the side of the road, we figured that they must know something. We had no sooner parked and gotten out of the car when, there it was, massive Air Force One, heading straight at us. It looked so low, it really looked like it was going to land on us!

What a sight! The whole experience lasted less than a minute, but it was really spectacular. Somehow, with no time whatsoever to prepare and no idea what to expect or where to set up, Yvonne managed to get the above shots.

The Tulips Are Sprouting!

2011-02-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

While much of the country is blanketed in snow and ice, here in the Pacific Northwest our Spring-blooming plants are popping up out of the ground and thriving in the mild temperatures. Seeing the foliage of daffodils and tulips everywhere, it isn't hard to imagine the spectacular scene that's just around the corner at places like the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn, Oregon, just south of Portland.

Our Art at Trinette's in Southeast Portland

2011-01-28T14:51:00.000-08:00

Trinette Weber and her daughter, Marlis, are currently displaying our work in their flower and gift shop, Trinette's, at the corner of SE Stark and 81st in the heart of the Montavilla neighborhood. In addition to an "island" display containing matted and framed prints, we also have smaller displays with pendants, magnets, bag tags, and note cards for sale. A limited number of 2011 calendars of the Portland Japanese Garden, with our "Sunrise" on the cover, are also available. Several of our large framed prints are on display in the windows, as well.
This stretch of SE Stark is a vibrant area filled with great restaurants, bars, and boutiques and the beautifully restored Academy Theater. On the first Friday of each month, the businesses stay open late and host art openings, concerts, and food and drink specials. If you're in the area, please stop by Trinette's and show your support for local artists!

Preventing Nozzle Clogs in Our Large Format Printer

2011-01-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

Like anyone else with a professional level Epson printer, we're constantly battling against the dreaded clogged nozzles. The situation is always worse in the winter, when we're constantly heating our home, creating a dry environment. Well, George at Pro Photo Supply just gave us something new to try: placing a wet sponge in a Tupperware container with holes drilled in the lid into the cabinet while the printer is not in use. This will create a mini "humidifier" that should help keep the microscopic nozzles from drying out and clogging. We'll let you know how successful it turns out to be!

The Flat Garden at Portland Japanese Garden

2010-04-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

We love the Flat Garden at Portland Japanese Garden. However, due to the narrow space between the railing and the benches on the porch of the Pavilion, it's impossible to capture the entire Flat Garden in one shot. So, Yvonne decided to get creative and produce a panoramic image that includes everything!

All of the plants and trees appear just as they do to the naked eye. However, Yvonne had to adapt the wooden rail and the overhang of the roof of the Pavilion in order to show, all at once, the view to the right, to the left, and center. We hope that you like it!

Making PDX Japanese Garden Even Better

2010-03-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

It was a strange sight at Portland Japanese Garden yesterday, seeing Heavenly Falls and the Lower Pond completely empty. A worker stood where the water should have been, sweeping with a large broom. Two ducks landed in the dry pond and waddled around, probably wondering who had drained their pool.

All of this was for a good cause, though, as the garden puts the finishing touches on the renovation of the "Zig-Zag" bridge that winds through the iris bed. The Garden says that the new version of the bridge will be "sturdier and less confined, while remaining in harmony with the Garden setting". During the construction, the Garden's koi have been moved to the Upper Pond.

We'll resume our "Etsy Artist of the Day" feature with our next post. In the meantime, thanks for supporting local artists and buying hand-made!

Spring is Here!

2010-02-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

Spring has arrived 4 weeks early in Portland! The crocuses and some of the daffodils in our front yard are already blooming. . .

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The other day, we were contacted by a photographer that we've never heard of. The gist of his message was that he apparently sells similar images and products to ours and he offered to "sit down and show (us) a few tips and shortcuts". Hmm. . . We thought we were doing pretty well, on our own. Bizarre. . .

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Our ETSY ARTIST OF THE DAY is the multi-talented D. Antonia Truesdale, whose Etsy shop is called The Midnight Orange.

An artist since a very early age, D. Antonia says that her work evolved "from jewelry onto mixed media" and that she "loves making altered books and assemblages". We're particularly fond of her magnificant clay pieces, like those shown above.

You'll find more of D. Antonia's work in her Etsy shop.
You can also follow her on:
Facebook: The Midnight Orange
Blog: www.themidnightorange.blogspot.com
Flickr: www.flickr.com

As always, thanks for supporting independent artists and buying hand-made!

Two Dog Stories

2010-02-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

We heard two dog stories on Good Day Oregon this morning, one very sad and one very happy. A man died on the Oregon coast while attempting to save his dog, who had been swept into the ocean by a wave while playing. The dog managed to swim ashore and survived. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a family was ecstatic when they were notified that their beloved dog was found, alive and well in a forest, three years after it went missing.

Etsy Artist of the Day:

We think that Philadelphia-based artist Lori Cellini creates beautiful paintings! You'll find the three shown above, as well as more of Lori's work in her Etsy Shop

As always, thanks for supporting independent artists and buying hand-made!