Tag Archives: art

Museum of Seminole County Displays Senator Sculptures

Big Tree Park, INSIDE FLORIDA, VARIOUS, ,
Big Tree Exhibit Panorama
Big Tree Exhibit Panorama

There’s an interesting exhibit at the Museum of Seminole County History through September 30, 2015.  It features over a hundred works of art made from the charred remains of The Senator – the 3,500 year-old cypress tree that burned in 2012.

Big Tree Exhibit - Mark Rice Senator Painting
Big Tree Exhibit – Mark Rice Senator Painting

I’ve written about The Senator before.  You can view those posts at this link.  This latest chapter in the story provides some beautiful artwork made from the ruins of a tragedy.

Big Tree Exhibit - Ted Page Seminole Indian Carving
Big Tree Exhibit – Ted Page Seminole Indian Carving

It’s well worth going over to see these in person.  It you’re there this Wednesday night (August 19th, 2015) between 5 and 7 pm, you can also meet the artists.  I have some other photos from the exhibit at this link.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Now – go make some photos!

©2015, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.

Airstream Ranch

INSIDE FLORIDA, VARIOUS, , ,

UPDATE (February 2017):  The Airstream Ranch that was along I-4 in Central Florida is gone now. It was demolished on February 9th, 2017 to make way for a new RV dealership.  A little more info is in this post:  https://edrosack.com/2017/02/26/goodbye-airstream-ranch/

I don’t remember when I first noticed the display of seven and a half upended 1957-1994 vintage Airstream travel trailers planted in a field on the south side of Interstate 4 east of Tampa, Florida (near exit 14).  I do remember thinking it begged to be photographed.

Fellow Photography Interest Group member Tom M. thought so too, so we stopped on the way back from Tampa this week.

Airstream Ranch
Tom contemplates art: The south-east side of the “ranch”

Frank Bates created the Airstream Ranch in 2007, commemorating the 75th anniversary of Airstream (hence 7 1/2 trailers) and paying homage to the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.  It’s been controversial and neighbors didn’t especially like it.  The dispute eventually ended up in court with Mr. Bates prevailing.  The court didn’t say it’s a work of art, but they did rule there’s no evidence it “created a nuisance, was a commercial sign or constituted an open storage of the vehicles.”

Airstream Ranch B&W
Airstream Ranch B&W

This turned out to be a difficult photographic assignment, especially since we were there in the middle of the day and the light was harsh.  How could we interpret someone else’s “art”?  How could we take something that’s been photographed so many times and do anything unique?  Who knows?  Who cares?  I do know I enjoyed stopping and finally getting to see this up close, instead of glancing at it from the highway as we zoomed by.

Airstream Ranch
Side view from the I-4 side

If you go, don’t stop on I-4 – it could be dangerous!  Instead take Exit 14 and go past the McDonalds, then take a right on US 92.  The next right is Castlewood Rd. and it winds around behind the field where you can park on the side and walk a short distance to the trailers.

Is this display artwork?  Junk? An advertisement?  A nuisance?   Me –  I think it’s outstanding in the field.  And great fun!

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Now – go make some photos!
©2013, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved