One of my fellow members of the Catawba Valley Camera Club, Hickory – Judy Young is also a pencil sketch artist. She used my lion photo from Gir National Park, Gujarat, India to create a pencil art piece. Wonderful rendition by Judy!
Saw this old, stranded boat while driving around Bera and couldn’t resist the urge to bring out the red in a monochrome image.
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. Statues of Buddha, generally under a tree, are found all over India depicting him in a serene, peaceful, and meditative pose.
With his elephant head and human body, Ganesha (or Ganesh) is one of the most beloved and popular of all the Hindu gods. This is because he brings good fortune while destroying all obstacles.
Ganesh is depicted as an art form in colorful statues and stone carvings.
Found an interesting, artistic tee shirt design depicting a composite of a lion and a woman at Gir National Park, Gujarat, India
Interesting wooden carvings of faces at a road stop in Costa Rica
Costa Rica hand carved animals are made with exotics woods such as Guapinol, Rosewood, Purple Heart, Parota and others. Saw these wooden sculptures at a rest stop in Costa Rica.
For over 100 years, farms near Sarchi, Costa Rica have been producing some of the country’s best coffee beans. Needing a sturdy way to transport this precious cargo to ports on the coast, a demand for ox-drawn carts was born. The earliest oxcarts of Sarchi dating back to the late 1800s were simple and functional. But as time went on, craftsmen began incorporating their own unique markings to distinguish their carts. By the beginning of the 20th century, competition among artisans was strong, and carts were decorated with elaborate geometric patterns, similar to the designs that can be seen today. An elaborate painted oxcart wheel adds to the colors of Sarchi.
The term “Pura Vida” has been present in Costa Rica’s vocabulary for over 50 years. It’s English translation means “pure life” or “simple life”, however its more then just a phrase- it is a way of life. Costa Ricans (Ticos) use this term to say hello, to say goodbye, to say everything’s great, to say everything’s cool.
Long before eco-tourism vans took to the roads of Costa Rica, there was another much simpler mode of transportation: the oxcart. Brightly painted with intricate designs, these original wagons or their replicas can be seen throughout the country. Northwest of the international airport near San Jose (SJO) is Costa Rica’s capital of oxcart production, Sarchi, where a giant oxcart replica (the biggest in the world) sits right in the town’s central park. Toy model oxcarts are available in souvenir stores.
In the northern hills of San Ramon in the Cordillera Central, Costa Rica lies the scenic town of Zarcero. One of the main attractions of Zarcero is the Iglesia de San Rafael (built in 1895), a stunning church both inside and out. Those who appreciate beautiful landmarks must see its gorgeous religious paintings, graceful archways and colorful stained-glass windows.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Jose was built in 1802 and has been the seat of the Catholic people of the city since. The large neoclassical church features a mix of stained-glass works.
An intricately carved, ancient gateway has been restored and preserved in Kayavarohan, India
Numerous Hindu icons, number of copper coins and a stone quern have been found from Kayavarohan, Gujarat, India. A grand head of Tapasvi, the image of Kartikeya and an idol of Uma Maheshwara are some of the rare and unmatched archaeological specimen discovered from Kayavarohan.
Kayavarohan, Gujarat, India is a place of great archaeological importance and the Archaeological Survey of India has listed Karvan as a heritage site and has set up a special museum for the remains found around this site. Karvan is one of the major sites of Indian Heritage.
Walking through Kayavarohan, one can find many old temples with Shiva lingam. A lingam, sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism.
The famous Kayavarohan lingam (housed at the famous Shiva Temple) represents the “formless” but a unique, exceptional iconic form of Shiva bearing the image of a meditating yogi, who holds parchments in one hand and citron (Matulinga) in the other. The image on the right has a smaller replica of the form at the location where the original lingam was first housed. The image on the middle bottom shows a lingam that is partly below the ground and is as tall as a human.
Our resort in Anand, Gujarat, India had beautiful pathways through the gardens, places to relax, and artistry on the walls.
The grounds of our resort in Gujarat, India had an ample collection of artistic Buddhas
Various stone sculptures of Ganesha were decorated daily at our resort in Gujarat, India,
Ganesha, a much-beloved and worshiped deity, is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He is also known as the God of wisdom, prosperity, and auspiciousness. A Ganesha statue can be hand-carved in many postures and forms, typically with four or eight arms, holding various symbolic objects.
An interesting sculpture of Ganesha with Kali on the back at our resort in Gujarat, India.
Ganesha, also spelled Ganesh, also called Ganapati, elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, who is traditionally worshipped before any major enterprise. Lord Ganesha clears the obstacles and paves the way for us to move forward in life.
On the back side of Ganesha is the depiction of Kali. Alongside being the Goddess of darkness, destruction, and death, Kali is also a symbol of Mother Nature because she is believed to be timeless and formless, representing the creation of life and the universe as well.
Since moose are a common sight in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, it isn’t surprising to see related artwork in the area
Photos by Ravi 