Category: California

Abstract, Art, California, Parks, Public Art, Public Spaces, Sculpture, Texture

Beautiful Sculpture

by jjfdesignsLeave a Comment on Beautiful Sculpture

Recently I had the pleasure to visit these magical willow houses. Actually it’s an art installation by Patrick Dougherty at the Palo Alto Art Center.

willow branch sculpture

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They are little huts of woven willow branches creating tunnels and arches, in and out of doorways. The art piece is called Double Take and here is a YouTube video about its installation. If you happen to be in the SF Bay Area Peninsula area, the Palo Alto Art Center is worth a visit. Patrick Dougherty’s sculptures have been there for a few years, and the sculpture will remain until the willow branches naturally decay.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mULmF6e2x0

Art, California, Craftsmanship, Eclectic, Public Art, Re-Purposed Objects, Reuse, Sculpture, Unique Places

Beautiful Sculpture

by jjfdesignsLeave a Comment on Beautiful Sculpture

Nestled in the hills just south of Napa, CA
is the fabulously fun Glashoff  sculpture gallery
and garden in Suisun City, CA. Be sure to check
it out if you are ever in Napa. Phillip Glashoff
continues the tradition of the lifestyle he was
born to on his northern California ranch.
His real passion is creating sculpture out of
scrap metal. The results dot the landscape
of the ranch; herds of steel sculpted cattle,
giant banjos, and archways made of street signs
just to name a few of which must be hundreds.

My favorite is the wind-up toy car that sits atop
a pole in the middle of the sculpture garden.
car

The kangaroo is made entirely of
recycled bolts.
bolts

Charming figure do the landscape including
a cowboy and his horse.
tonto

Candyland game sculpture made of
recycled metal and steel materials
candyland

This charming TP Lady holds all
your toilet needs and towels.
tp lady

Dancing Girl
dancing girl

Sculpture Garden – Great place to wander.
sculpture garden

Africa, Beautiful Places, California, Color, Flowers, Germany, Inspiring, Landscapes, Nature, Parks, Photography, Public Spaces, South America, Trees, Unique Places

Beautiful Nature

by jjfdesignsLeave a Comment on Beautiful Nature

How amazing can a tree be?
(or shrub, or vine or even a grass?)
Laying eyes upon these amazing, huge,
beautiful creations of by nature makes
me want to hug a tree and say thank you.
If there truly is a God, it’s nature. Enjoy!
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125+ year old Rhododendron in Canada
Read more about it here reddit

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144 year old Wisteria in Japan
At 1,990 sq. meters (about half acre), this huge
wisteria is the largest of its kind in Japan.
This gorgeous giant is located at Ashikaga Flower
Park. After looking at these photos I’m ready to
book the next flight to Japan!
Read more about it here

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Wind Swept Tress of Slope New Zealand
Slope Point is the most southern point of New
Zealand’s South Island. The region is consistently
lashed with fierce winds that blow up from
Antarctica. The wind here is so intense and
relentless, that the trees are twisted, warped and
forever bent along the direction the wind blows.
Read more about it here.

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Antarctic Beech Tree Draped in Hanging Moss
The antarctic beech tree is native to Chile and
Argentina but specimen is from the NW Pacific
region. Image by Drew Hopper

 BiKEz o-BONN-570 
Blooming Cherry Tree Explosion
Bonn, Germany
Waltz through a magical tunnel fo
pink in the lovely city of Bonn,
where the cherry blossoms go
positively bonkers for two to
three precious weeks per year.
Read more about it here

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Angel’s Oak on John’s Island, South Carolina
The Angel oak stands 66.5 ft (20 m) and is
estimated between 400-500 years old.
Read more about here

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Flamboyant Tree, Brazil
The flamboyant tree is native to Madagascar but
grows in tropical regions around the world.
Image by Salete T. Silva
Read more about it here

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Dragon blood Trees, Yemen
The Dragon blood tree earns its name from the
crimson red sap used as a dye, in violin varnish,
alchemical ingredient and folk remedy for
various ailments.
Read more about it here

amazing-trees-20
The President, the
Third Largest Giant
Sequoia in the World,
California
Located in Sequoia
National Park, CA,
it’s 241 ft (73 m) tall
and has ground
circumference 93 ft.
Photo by Michael Nichols
Read more about it here

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Maple Tree Tunnel, Oregon
Read more about it here

amazing-trees-19-1 Trunk-of-rainbow-eucalyptus-trees-growing-along-the-Hana-Highway Bark-from-a-rainbow-eucalyptus-...-possibly-one-of-the-coolest-trees-on-earth
Rainbow Eucalyptus, Kauai, Hawaii
Possibly one of the coolest trees on earth.
These eucalyptus trees grow along the
Hana Highway on Kauai. The tree is a huge
evergreen and can grow 8 feet a year,
reaching a height of 197 – 246 feet
(60 – 75 meters).
Read more about it here

amazing-trees-9
Jacarandas in Cullinan, South Africa
Beautiful Jacarandas with their violet
flowers, grow in South Africa.
Read more about here

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Avenue of Oaks at Dixie Plantation, South Carolina
Avenue of Oaks was planted around 1790
Read more about it here

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Baobab Trees, Madagascar
Water is stored in the trunks of these trees to use
during a drought. They can grow for up to 5000
years making them one of the oldest living things
on the planet.
Read more about it here

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The Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland
The Dark Hedges were planted in the 18th Century.
More recently, this stunning beech tree tunnel was
featured in the Game of Thrones.
Read more about it here

 

Beaches, Beautiful Places, California, Landscapes, Nature, Parks, Public Spaces, San Francisco, Travel, Views

Beautiful Hidden Beach

by jjfdesignsLeave a Comment on Beautiful Hidden Beach

A wonderful secret cove hidden across the bay
from my old stomping grounds. Now and again
I miss this place and I start think about the
hidden gems. Just west of the Golden Gate,
Kirby Cove is a secluded, beautiful beach,
with a spectacular view of the bridge, and
far away from the hustle of the city. If you
have the opportunity to enjoy it, do.
kirby-cove kirby cove

 

California, Design, Interior Design, Minimalist Design, Modern Design, Work space design

Beautiful Workplace Design

by jjfdesignsLeave a Comment on Beautiful Workplace Design

I admire the creative design work done by Studio O+A.
They just get it right every time. Their latest “Star Wars”
inspired office for Giant Pixel Corp. located in
Silicon Valley, echos a cross between the look of
Charles and Ray Eames’s workshop and The Jetsons.
To capture a 1960s-era, but still futuristic look,
Cherry and O+A designer Neil Bartley settled on a
spare office with a few marquee pieces, including a large
perforated-steel screen that makes up the entryway.
The screen reads the opening crawl from Star Wars:
“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”
Check out all the wonderful work by Studio O+A.
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Architecture, Art, California, Color, Desert, Design, Homes, Lighting Design

Beautiful Cabin in the Desert

by jjfdesignsLeave a Comment on Beautiful Cabin in the Desert

Lucid Stead, by artist Phillip K. Smith III, is a
70-year-old homesteader shack’s weathered
and worn is transformed into a remarkable
vision that makes viewers question whether they
are hallucinating. The artistic, reconstructive
project adds an element of intrigue and
optical illusion through the addition of reflective
panels that echo the surrounding landscape.

Smith says, “Lucid Stead is about tapping into
the quiet and the pace of change of the desert.
When you slow down and align yourself with the
desert, the project begins to unfold before you.
It reveals that it is about light and shadow,
reflected light, projected light, and change.”

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Located in Joshua Tree, California