Red Square Art Project

Further proof that I had Russia on my brain in high school was this gem of an art project that I rediscovered.   It's pretty rough around the edges, and I remember rushing to paint it to get it done in time, but if you couldn't tell it's a mini St. Basil's Cathedral and Kremlin clock tower popping out of the pages of a book.

This was made around the same time as my Oscar, probably the best cared for art project I ever made in school.  The assignment involved working with clay to create a book base that you'd then individualize by elaborating on the pages.  Considering all of the travel guides that I had been reading at the time, it's not too surprising why I ended up going this direction.

The star on top of the clock tower broke off at some point, as did one of the tour buses and a few of the lamp posts that I'd made.  While I never considered this project shelf-worthy, I thought I'd bring it up now as it's once again serving as a bit of foreshadowing for the upcoming trip in a few years time.  There's still a lot of planning that has to go into making it a reality, but if a few travel guides had me thinking that this art project was a good idea, imagine what the real place might inspire.

Echo Dale Farm: Part 2

A continuation of my photo set from Echo Dale Farm near Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Echo Dale Farm: Part 1

In addition to the beautiful beach and park, the farm at Echo Dale (just a short drive outside of Medicine Hat) is also a fun place to explore. Featuring an original farm house that was moved to the site, a barn, blacksmith, and an abandoned mine, the site offers a look at what rural life consisted of in the early 1900s. A collection of turn of the century farm machinery also lines the walking paths and gives a brief glimpse at how the homesteaders tamed the West. It's an incredibly picturesque area along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River.  

Hughes farm house ca. 1902