April 2013 – Ruth E. Hendricks Photography

Woke Up, It Was a Foggy Morning

My sister and I were on the phone and she had just asked me about my seeing things to photograph and am I always on the lookout for a good photo and I said I think I take fewer pictures now, that I am not obsessing about getting a decent shot blah blah blah and THEN-

And when I got to the red light at the end of the Liberty Bridge before the tunnel, I saw the fog enveloping the PPG building except for the pointy towers peeking through.

I opened the back window and took a quick shot.

On the way to school the next day I didn’t get a red light so no photo.

Day three! A red light and another quick pick of the city without the fog.

April 30, 2013April 30, 2013 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: architecture, city, fog, foggy, Liberty Bridge, Pittsburgh, postaday, PPG building, skyline, weather 18 Comments

The Extraordinary Art of Bodhi Wind

Buddha became the enlightened one, under a Bodhi tree.

This is the name taken by native Pittsburgh artist who tragically passed much too soon, the day before Thanksgiving in 1991. If you graduated from Perry High School, Pittsburgh Public Schools, class of 1968, you knew him as Charles Kuklis. An incredibly talented artist, he was always sketching and drawing.

Recently there was an article by Joe Smydo in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about what to do with an artist’s work after they’ve died.

Bodhi Wind painted the murals for Robert Altman’s 1977 film 3 Women. (Click here to read about the movie and see a photo of Sissy Spacek and Shelly Duvall and one of the large murals painted by Bodhi Wind.) He designed clothing for Cher and his work was shown in Architectural Digest May 1978. An archived article in the NY TimesApril 26, 1977 by Jennifer Dunning is online.

A blog by Angeliska shows more photographs of Bodhi painting the murals for 3 Women. We read on this blog that his mother, Jean Kuklis (also mentioned in the PPG article) would welcome speaking of her son and his art.

I had the good fortune to meet Mrs. Kuklis, her daughter and granddaughter, Monday afternoon and got to photograph some of Bodhi Wind’s artwork. His mother generously shared his story and creative artwork and I wanted to share it with you. I had the privilege of seeing pieces he created in high school, too.

She hopes her son’s art could be shown in a large space, a bank, hotel lobby or convention center. Some of the painted panels are big.

Many are painted on wood and interestingly framed.

Readers who would like more information about the artworks should email Bodhi Wind’s family Bodhi.Wind.Art(at)gmail.com.

detail from the Octagonal

This is one panel of a series. Very large. It needs to be turned right side up. I left a bit of his sister in the pic on the right so you get the idea of the scale.

April 29, 2013February 7, 2021 by Ruth Categories: ArtTags: 3 Women movie, architectural digest, art, art gallery, artist, Bodhi Wind, Charles Kuklis, Cher, Grace Jones, Los Angeles, mural painting, painting, Perry High School, Pittsburgh PA, Pittsburgh Public Schools, postaday, Robert Altman, Taos 54 Comments

Dinner, Sunday

Late Sunday afternoon, I drove across the river to shop for dinner ingredients and some fruit for lunches this week. The larder was looking a bit sparse. It was either go shop or eat another grilled cheese and/or egg sandwich. M and I had just talked on the phone, earlier in the day about wanting a real meal. She was thinking Thanksgiving like. I opted for meat and potatoes.

At the meat counter I asked the butcher for two petite steaks (on sale). Not too big. It’s funny about meat. Sometimes it actually turns me and I can’t even think about eating it, and other times I am actually craving a serving. It was one of those days of wanting it. Not thinking about it having a face.

Came home and sautéed an organic yellow onion in some Amish butter and then sliced up a box of fresh mushrooms. Baby Romaine salad with Steve’s favorite brown Clamato tomato( I swear they look chocolate) and a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Garlic smashed Russets.

After I plated the food, I used the phone to capture the dinner. Feeling ready for the start of a new week, fortified.

April 28, 2013April 28, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Cooking and Eating, PhotographyTags: cooking, eating, family, food, iPhone photography, photogpraphy, postaday, salad, smashed potatoes, steak, Sunday dinner 10 Comments

Peter Celebrates the Big Five O (+)

Stuffed grape leaves, and fancy cheeses. Goat cheese and fig jam on bruschetta. Green grapes. Some bubbly to toast. M and D brought the most drinkable wine. A secret in the carafe, a blind test. Carlo Rossi. No kidding. Beat out the pricey Portuguese wine. What do we know?

Dates and nuts in a chocolate South African pudding recipe, topped with whiskey whipped cream, created by his wife Janice. Happy Birthday to Peter. Live music at a party makes the evening rhyme. Marc on harmonica and Peter and Doug on guitar. Kim sang a number with the lyrics on her cell phone.

A fun surprise party. Well done, J.

April 28, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Music, PhotographyTags: birthday, celebration, champagne, food, friendship, guitar, harmonica, music, party, postaday, wine 14 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture

Culture. We are part of so many different cultures. I went and read the definition of the word. More like definitions!

Tried to get a direction.

Friday night was the Gallery Crawl in Pittsburgh. I’m adding two from NYC Spring Break trip that seem to fit into my take on the challenge.

Music, Painting, Sculpture , Art and my wonderful teacher Germaine Watkins from Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild with two of his photographs on display Friday night.

I ‘d gone downtown with my friend Steve to check out and take pictures of the students’ artwork at the All City Show.

April 27, 2013April 27, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Weekly Photo ChallengeTags: art, Gallery Crawl, Germanin Watkins, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, music, painting, postaday, sculpture, weekly photo challenge 23 Comments

The Beerman Cometh

New York City. Spring Break.

April 25, 2013April 25, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Light in the City, People at Work, PhotographyTags: available light, men at work, New York City, photography, post no bills, postaday 7 Comments

Flowering Pear Blossoms Fall Like Snowflakes

There were thunderstorms and heavy rains. then it cleared a bit.
As I pulled out of the school parking lot, a strong wind came up and the blossoms swirled and fell like snow.

April 24, 2013April 24, 2013 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: blossoms, photography, postaday, Spring, trees, weather 9 Comments

Sure Sign It’s Spring

Bloomfield Bridge Tuesday afternoon waiting at the red light I looked next to me and saw a vision.
Top down on a shiny brightly colored convertible.
A definite change in the weather and I took it as a sure sign that Spring is finally here. (it’s a Murano by Nissan).

April 24, 2013April 24, 2013 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: car, city scene, Pittsburgh, postaday, transportation, weather 9 Comments

April Showers, Richie Havens and Here Comes the Sun

It was MIXED BAG (vinyl) in my dorm room in the early seventies. Over and over. Richie Havens sang Dylan better than Bob.

Here’s an email in response to the one I wrote in December.

Subject: A Message of Gratitude

Last Christmas Matthew was back from Croatia and we were sitting in Mark and Erika’s living room in Ohio, remembering the first Richie Havens concert I forced him to go to as a teenager. We saw him together years later in New York City at the Knitting Factory, too. Matthew and Aunt Mary braved a Connecticut snowstorm to see him together and sat right under him.

——————————————————————-

Hi Ruth

Thank you so much for taking the time to send along such kind thoughts. I will make sure Richie sees your email.

Best wishes for 2013!

Leslie
Stormy Forest Productions, NYC

—–Original Message—–
From: ruthehendricks
To: stormyforestprod
Sent: Sat, Dec 29, 2012 3:50 pm
Subject: Message of Gratitude

This is a message for Mr. Havens as I sit with  my 32 yo son tonight (home from 
Croatia where he lives) listening together to RH on youtube.

When Matthew was 14 I forced him to go listen to a Richie Havens concert in 
Pittsburgh Pa at the Carnegie Music Hall.

Oh he was mad cause who wants to go anywhere with their mother at that point of 
their life?
We waited in the corridor afterwards and met Mr. Havens and my son said he emanated 
positive energy right out of himself into him. 

  Matthew saw him in concert at least six times after that and he said tonight 
that Richie Havens was able to communicate to his soul.  We saw him together at 
the Knitting Factory years later.

So powerful and I wanted to express gratitude for his musical gifts and these 
wonderful  loving memories we share of listening to Mr Havens music and energy.
Xxoo
Ruth Hendricks

Richie Havens RIP. Matthew and I spoke on SKYPE last night when we heard of your passing and we will always remember you and your music which touched our souls, deeply.

for Richie Havens Streaming Audio click here

April 23, 2013April 23, 2013 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Beatles, Bob Dylan, family, gratitude, Here Comes the Sun, memories, Mixed Bag, music, photography, postaday, Richie Havens, Spring, Stormy Forest Productions, tribute, Wonder Child, You Are So Beautiful to Me, youtube 7 Comments

Paris in Pittsburgh

Sunday afternoon, Steve and I were walking across the Schenley Bridge on our way to the Carnegie Library in Oakland. We saw lots of shiny things reflecting the sun. As we got closer, I saw combination and key padlocks.

Not sure when these locks started showing up on Pittsburgh Bridges but this was the first time I’ve seen them.

Love Padlocks or Lovelocks, they’re called.

They signify “everlasting love” according to the entry at Wikipedia. And they aren’t just in Paris. There is a whole list of cities – Prague, Rome, Zurich, London, Moscow, Dublin, Sydney. The padlocks are controversial as some deem them unsightly and akin to litter. Eyesores. Too much weight on some bridges.

Other citizens are outraged when they’re cut off from public bridges around the world. Not sure what the stance is here in Pittsburgh-these additions to the Schenley Bridge over Panther Hollow. Guess time will tell.

We were able to see names or initials inscribed on them, dates. Most of the padlocks hung from one section of fencing.

Just now I read that the padlock keys are thrown under the bridge.

I remembered seeing a photo of a ton of padlocks on a Parisian bridge in a Weekly Photo Challenge from WordPress: LOVE (click to see photo of Paris Bridge)

and if you want to read the list of locations around the world and see more photos of love locks, click here.

If you look at bridges around the world sporting Love Padlocks, Pittsburgh is going to have to go some to catch up!

Do you think a sword was pulled from this stone?

April 21, 2013April 21, 2013 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: bridge, city scene, love, love locks, love padlocks, panther hollow, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, relationship, Schenley Bridge, Schenley Park 26 Comments

Month: April 2013

Woke Up, It Was a Foggy Morning

Like this:

The Extraordinary Art of Bodhi Wind

Buddha became the enlightened one, under a Bodhi tree.

Like this:

Dinner, Sunday

Like this:

Peter Celebrates the Big Five O (+)

Like this:

Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture

Like this:

The Beerman Cometh

Like this:

Flowering Pear Blossoms Fall Like Snowflakes

Like this:

Sure Sign It’s Spring

Like this:

April Showers, Richie Havens and Here Comes the Sun

Like this:

Paris in Pittsburgh

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Buddha became the enlightened one, under a Bodhi tree.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: