Life and all in Redding California
David Gendron lives and shoots in our far Northern California region. His images often range from surreal to abstract and beyond.
Provocative, and evocative.
Visions well worth our view. Click on any of the thumbnails here to go to his online gallery.
Now living in Cottonwood, David is self described thus:
I’m on Earth for a photo assignment. Not sure where my next job will be.
Well, we’re glad you stopped in for a look around, and to show us what you saw, David. You are Really Redding.
Before Redding existed, Shasta was the queen city of Northern California. Shasta’s mostly fireproof main street now lies in ruin. But you can catch a glimpse life in the Gold Rush era and more at the Courthouse Museum.
The ruins are now Shasta State Historic Park. There are also live demonstrations of pioneer skills like blacksmithing that go on in the park. Here are a few images I captured of what the museum typically has on display.
Over the years I’ve been writing here, I discovered I love combining words with images.
John Koenig take it a step further by defining new words with images. Words that describe emotions we all have in common, but for which no word has yet been coined.
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.
This is one of those ideas that has to be shared to be understood. Here’s an example:
nodus tollens
n. the realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore-that although you thought you were following the arc of the story, you keep finding yourself immersed in passages you don’t understand, that don’t even seem to belong in the same genre-which requires you to go back and reread the chapters you had originally skimmed to get to the good parts, only to learn that all along you were supposed to choose your own adventure.
Another of my favorites:
avenoir
n. We take it for granted that life moves forward. But you move as a rower moves, facing backwards—you can see where you’ve been, but not where you’re going. And your boat is steered by a younger version of you. It’s hard not to wonder what life would be like facing the other way…
John publishes every other Sunday. I am curating this here not because I love sorrow so much, but because his work is so… what’s the word?
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: For Lack of a Better World.
Viva Downtown accomplishes great things for Redding. I saw these terrific looking upcoming banner designs in a FB post and thought I’d share them here. Nice style.
These should really dress up the streets in stylish art. I look forward to seeing them all unfurled.
We keep a link to Viva Downtown in the sidebar, or you can click the website image below. Always interesting to see what they have cooking.
Coming up: The Hops and Shops celebration event on February 19 looks like it will be bigger and better than ever.
Viva Downtown! It’s ReallyRedding.
I already posted the dog sculpture back in September, and I see it has now been joined by another interesting piece.
Go, triumphant wrench woman! Love it. That’s ReallyRedding.
Went to Saturday’s French Market at Redding’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed Pilgrim Congregational Church. Always an inspiring setting.
I manipulated this image of my grandson to resemble an impressionist painting. Click to enlarge a bit.
This art installation graced the McConnell Arboretum in Redding for a while, some time ago. Luckily, I captured this black and white image. I think about it whenever I stroll the grounds of our local arboretum.
In this way, even a temporary art installation lives on. Thanks McConnell Arboretum!
Ephemeral art installations. It’s Really Redding.
Well actually, suspended from the Sundial Bridge. Here is a brief video taken from my perspective among the large crowd gathered last night to enjoy these amazing performers. Be sure to watch in HD.
On the Summer Solstice in 2014, the flying dance troupe Bandaloop performed in the air to live music from The North State Symphony. They dance suspended from Redding’s famous Sundial Bridge in celebration of its 10th Anniversary. A grand time was had by all the many spectators, ourselves included. Thanks to the McConnell Foundation, Turtle Bay Museum, and the City of Redding.
Erin said, “It looks like something you’d see in the city.”
I say, “It is. The City of Redding.”
Thanks Bandaloop. You’re Really Redding.
Cannabis Gelato. Remember, you saw it here first, Redding.
Erin said this idea might take off in the U.S. like Starbucks. Maybe so. Afterall, we already have cannabis products like girl scout cookie weed, so why no icecream as well?
I’d rather see this comfort food, below. Paella and Sangria enjoyed at a sidewalk cafe. More like this please.
On the other hand, here’s an image Redding folks wouldn’t much care for. We would call it tight parking.
Here are a few more images of Barcelona from our recent journey. Click to enlarge, and click enlarged image to exit.
Spain feels very comfortable, indeed.
Some of you know I recently toured cities of the Mediterranean, accompanied by the lovely Karry. I like photography, so some of you have requested that I post my travel shots. Here are some (okay, 48) Vatican images, in no particular order. I hope you enjoy viewing as much as I did capturing them. Click on the image to expand, and then click on the expanded image to exit the slideshow.
It’s not Really Redding, but it is really beautiful.
