Nifty Piks - Photos and Art

Today’s featured art gallery is StudioByTheSound by Kathy Johnson.

Colorful artwork with landscapes, gardens, flowers, and vegetables. Wonderful scenes from the area of Seattle, Washington, and the Pacific Northwest.

As a gardener… I really enjoy the pretty flowers and garden plants, plus the veggies from Pike Place Market are a perfect complement to spring and thoughts of getting the garden started.

Imagekind Gallery studiobythesound
Copyright (C) 2008
landscapes and gardens

Bicycling through the tulips



The tulip fields in Skagit Valley, north of Seattle, provide a colorful landscape for bike riding. This image was used as a wine label for NW Cellars 2006 Sauvignon Blanc as part of the bicycle wine series.

Lavender Farm



Lavender farms abound on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. Low rainfall, mild weather and broad expanses make it ideal for lavender....and bike riding!

Fauntleroy cove



Seattle view from the Fauntleroy neighborhood overlooking the water, park and ferry dock

Bird's View of Mt Rainier



A view anyone from the Pacific Northwest would recognize: Mt Rainier

Olympic View



Ferry boat on the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest

Market produce



Pike Place Market in Seattle offers colorful displays of fresh produce.

Fields of Lavender



On Washington state's Olympic Peninsula, the city of Sequim has become well known for lavender farms. In mid-July, the fields are awash in purple and pink lavender plants.

Pots of Lavender



Abundant displays of lavender are found at many of the lavender farms on the Olympic peninsula of Washington in mid-July.

Geraniums Galore image



An aerial view of geranium leaves - showing the infinite variety available.

Skagit Valley tulips



The tulip fields of Skagit Valley, north of Seattle, create vibrant patterns in spring.

Tulip Fields



Tulip fields of Skagit Valley, north of Seattle, form colorful, quilt-like patterns

Island Ferry



Here is a typically Pacific Northwest scene - a ferry transporting passengers to the many islands.

Sunflower Trio



A friend's garden yielded these beautiful, floppy sunflowers. Their size and briliance light up a summer afternoon.

Pioneer Square



Seattle's old district

Public Market



In downtown Seattle, Pike Place Market provides fresh fish, produce & other homemade items.

Lavender Rows



With the Olympic Mountains as a backdrop, the town of Sequim is well known for its lavender. This fragrant herb thrives in the rain shadow of the mountains and provides colorful vistas to all who visit.

Conservatory



The Conservatory at Volunteer Park in Seattle houses many exotic plants.

Anemones in a Bottle



A bouquet of bright anemones in an old fashioned bottle focus the viewer's attention on their simplicity & color contrast.

Provencal Blue



From the south of France in Provence comes this periwinkle blue door, the typical color for the shutters & doors of the region. This color harmonizes beautifully with the golden limestone that is the building material of this part of France.

Sequim Lavender



From the Purple Haze Farm in Sequim, this view of lavender fields interspersed with yarrow makes a stunning landscape.

Flower pastures



A very horizontal view of the pastures along side tulip fields of Skagit valley, Washington.

Orange & Coral Fields



La Conner and Mt Vernon, Washington, are known for vast tulip fields that draw visitors from around the world.

Red Fields



Farmhouses frame rows of tulips in the bulb-growing region of Skagit valley in the state of Washington.

Yellow fields



North of Seattle, Washington, bulb growers plant large fields of tulips - creating vivid landscapes for all to see.

Today’s featured art gallery is Oklahoma Gardens by Betty Mackey.

These photos of fruits, flowers, and garden decor show nature and gardens at their finest. The pictures nicely capture the spirit of a growing garden and it’s bounty.

Imagekind Gallery OklahomaGardens
Copyright (C) 2008
In early fall 2007 I went to Oklahoma to see gardens. It takes strong plants to thrive in Oklahoma sun, heat, and wind. The gardeners there combine art, horticulture, and whimsy in a wonderful way. Here are a few of the sights and gardens from my trip. Enjoy the charm of the West!

Angelic Trumpets



These Angel's trumpets (Brugmansia species) look so great against the blue wall in this fabulous Oklahoma garden. Photograph by Betty Mackey.

White Beauty Berry



Callicarpa berries line up on a branch, from mature white to still-green clusters, looking so trim and composed. Nature will do that sometimes. Photograph by Betty Mackey.

Remembering in Oklahoma City



An evocative layering of photos I took at the memorial for victims of the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing.

Precious Pumpkins



Summer ends and Autumn begins, so pumpkins appear to add a precious note to our homes and gardens. This photograph will print in all sizes up to ImageKind's "Grande" which in this case is 27 x 36 inches. These great pumpkins were featured in a decorator's garden in Oklahoma.

My Little Bug



Garden art, a metal sculpture photographed near Oklahoma City. So cute for a card or for a child's room.

Sunflower Bouquet, Oklahoma City



A bouquet for your wall, a rustic vase of sunflowers grown in Oklahoma's warm and sunny weather.

Thankful Pumpkin



This warty blue pumpkin adorning an Oklahoma garden would make a nifty fall harvest for your restaurant or kitchen wall.

Red Chair



Cool off a bit in this handmade metal chair painted wine red and surrounded by shade-loving plants.

Oklahoma Gunslinger



This is one super cowboy, stationed in front of the horses with a tin can for a hat and a bulletproof vest made of scrap metal. It's a handmade metal sculpture at the Stout ranch in Oklahoma. The horse is real.

Sweet Potato Pie



This sweet potato pie at the farmer's market in Oklahoma City looks good to me.

Wine Red Sunflower



In a country cutting garden, backlit with sunshine, this deep red Oklahoma sunflower glows from within.

Painted Sunflower



So colorful it appears to be painted, the red and yellow sunflower in this photograph struts its stuff in a cutting garden, with the great blue Oklahoma sky for a background.

Today’s featured art gallery is On The Farm by Bill Swartwout.

Pretty chrysanthemum flowers, orange pumpkins, colorful corn, and cute goats drew my attention to this gallery. I especially like the goats and pumpkins.

Imagekind Gallery On-the-Farm
Copyright (C) 2008
Fall is a beautiful season to travel Maryland's Eastern Shore and stop at any of the many small farm stores found there.

White Chrysathemums



White chrysanthemums are beautiful flowers...not big, not expensive...but abundant and pretty...and a sure sign of fall. These mums were found at a farm store on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Valley of the Mums



Valley of the Mums, chrysanthemums that is.

Mims the Word



Golden chrysanthemums rise against the clear blue sky of an autumn afternoon on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Pumpkins on a Diagonal



Pumpkins on a Diagonal

Amazing Maize



Amazing Maize or Indian Corn. Maize is a popular decoration for autumn holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Colorful and long lasting, Indian Corn is sold by farm markets all over. These ears of Maize were shot at a farm store along Rout 50 on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Got Your Goat



Got your goat? This young Billy Goat is keeping an eye on the photographer, but not because he is afraid of people. This Billy want to see if anyone is headed near the food dispenser, in hopes of getting a treat. He is a resident of an Eastern Shore farm in Maryland.

Billy Goats Gruff



This Billy Goat Gruff just might be giving you the eye from a rocky crag atop the high Sierras in the Wild West. Either that or he's watching for treats from a platform at a Maryland Eastern Shore farm. We'll have to go with the farm animal scene. But he did get a treat - and I got the shot.

Today’s featured art gallery is Gloria by luces_alegres.

The photographer has captures lovely flowers in this gallery. It makes me wish for spring with nature bringing to life the leaves, grass, and flowers after a winter’s blanket of snow.

Imagekind Gallery gloria
Copyright (C) 2008
The colors of vegetables and flowers are astonishing and
beautiful, all glory to God!
Many of these plants are from my own little garden and are nutrified with homemade mulch instead of manufactured fertilizer.
Each of us can have an impact on caring for our planet,
beginning with our own everyday efforts not to be wasteful of our
resources. All wildlife is sacred, and depends on humans to protect the earth's
habitats--you can make a difference!
*****************************************************************************
Artist's recommendations:
All photos in this gallery have been digitally enlarged. Premium Photo Luster paper, though economical, provides a glowing result......
Somerset Velvet is elegant, heavier weight, consistently beautiful and color-true.......
For further information, be sure to read ImageKind's media descriptions in the
Customer Service FAQ...
........... Please enjoy your stay in my gallery!

Inner Beauty



~for a special friend who shines with inner light~ Despite adverse conditions, this azalea brings us joy by blooming out of season.

Red Begonia



These heart-shaped leaves and petals give color to any garden.

Snow White



Azaleas and sunshine--this will make the perfect accent for your hallway.

Yellow Rose



The fragrance of a yellow rose is as delicate as its velvet petals. This photo will be beautiful with both contemporary and romantic decor.

Red Azaleas



In April this red azalea bush is a fiery mass of blooms from head to toe.

Yellow Hibiscus



This is like a splash of sunshine on the wall. That green speck on the petal is not a blemish--it's a tiny beetle trying to be invisible.

Shy Daisy



Shy, or still asleep? This gerbera has velvety petals as soft as a baby's skin.

Tommy Toes



Little bursts of garden sun for your mouth, these are lots of fun to eat. My granddad called cherry tomatoes "tommy toes". Perfect for your eat-in kitchen.

Pimiento Pepper



Some afternoons are so hot that the pepper plant allows its leaves to droop until, refreshed by the morning dew, it straightens back up. This pimiento looks great with or without a mat.

White Amaranth



White amaranth has a wonderful texture. They are striking against their deep green foliage. In this photo you can also see the tiny white blooms within the fuchsia flowers.

Wild Hibiscus



This was taken at dusk.

Fuchsia Amaranth



These cheerful flowers remind me of red clover.

Today’s featured art is Tendril Heart by JaNell Golden

Nature has done a fine job of creating half a heart with a cucumber tendril. It’s easy to imagine a complete heart when seeing the green cucumber tendril springing out from the main stem.

With Valentine’s day coming up, a tiny bit of imagination easily brings Hearts to mind. Red hearts are typical… But, why shouldn’t a growing green heart be a symbol of love? After all, green and growing are signs of freshness and nature. Isn’t that what love is about… growing and nurturing a relationship?

Tendril Heart by JaNell Golden — View Larger

New art featured regularly, courtesy of the artists at Imagekind.

Tags: JaNell Golden, Heart, Cucumber, Love, Valentine’s Day, Imagekind,

Today’s featured art is Colorful Gourds 843 by Kent Lorentzen

This photo with colorful gourds spilling out of a wash tub show fall in all it’s colors and shapes.

Gourds are such great autumn decorations for around the house or on the Thanksgiving table.

Colorful Gourds 843 by Kent Lorentzen

This attractive display at a farmers market captured my attention and I just had to take a picture of it.

New art featured regularly, courtesy of the artists at Imagekind.

Tags: Kent+Lorentzen,Gourds,Imagekind,Fall,Autumn