A Special Night in Suit and Tie

It’s not often that an event arises requiring me to make an appearance in suit and tie. Being a Florida artist, there’s really not a regular call for such formalities. However, for the privilege to “fraternize” with doctors and collectors, interested in fine art and great food…

Yes, I’ll dress up a bit

(…within reason).

For an artist and “foodie” like myself, yesterday evening was nothing short of a slice of heaven. Last fall, my good friend, Susan Kubes, introduced me to an annual exhibition, presented by the Clearwater Free Clinic. The event benefits the charitable functions of the Clinic, drawing thousands of dollars from the art bids of area doctors and professionals. All entries to the exhibition were juried, so my submission was made with some amount of anxiety. A glance at the list of yesteryear’s exhibitors revealed many of the area’s established masters… and my specialty, scenic photography, is still, in certain circles, regarded as less than fine art. So, it was a great thrill to be granted an exhibition space ...and, I believe, a benefit to my pursuits toward earning a permanent gallery space.

The party began at 7:00 PM with drinks (and cigars) in the courtyard. Dinner was catered by some of the best known restaurants in the area and included several courses - lobster bisque, tuna and avocado parfait, seared scallops with cauliflower and bacon, lobster macaroni and cheese, sirloin kabobs, shrimp and grits, crab cakes, Portobello mushroom ravioli with alfredo sauce and shrimp ceviche. Desert included a parfait of cookies and crème, peanut butter pudding, strawberry mousse, dark-chocolate-dipped- as well as white-chocolate-and-coconut-dipped-pretzels and gourmet coffees.

The artwork was bidded upon via raffle, with each ticket costing ten dollars. As you can see in the below photographs, by the end of the night, the martini glass beside my artwork contained several hundred dollars in raffle tickets… a very pleasant sight, for me at least. Ultimately my work was won my Misses Draheim and her husband. My thanks go out to them, to Susan Kubes, for making me aware of the event, and to the men and women of the Clearwater Free Clinic, who made the night possible.

Thank you to all!

L. Polyak

(2 C More art go to www.themindscapeartfoundry.com or www.artoflylepolyak.com)

Christmas Wishes to You

 

Well, I can’t say that I’d been dreaming of a white Christmas. It’s seventy degrees and sunny here in Clearwater, Florida. However, despite the lack of snowmen and icicles, the spirits have been high leading to this December 25^th. At this time of year, as we gather with family and friends around the Christmas tree or the glowing light of the Menorah, it’s easy to get preoccupied with the material things. While I rejoice at the shiny new camera lens that my family purchased for me, I am far more thankful for the immaterial gifts of time and memories that we share together. 2013, waning into its final few days, has been a year of lessons and surprises, none the least of which is how quickly that unperceivable thing we call luck can change. So I say that every new day of fine health and opportunities is a gift. As are the fine memories of we make with each Christmas carol we sing, every holiday movie we watch, every gift we open and every embrace we receive in the company of those dearest to us. The greatest gifts and treasures, the only treasures worth clutching near, are not hidden beneath wrapping paper or tied with bows. Rather, they are the friends and loved ones we hold dear. So I give thanks and wish a Merry Christmas to all those who read this Christmas message and I hope you will take a moment to pass on the same wish to someone dear to you.

Thank you and Happy Holidays

 

L. Polyak

PPAS Art Fair 2012 Photo Album

Please enjoy the below photos taken at the Pinellas Park Art Society's 2012 Art Fair.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Yours Truly, Lyle Polyak

(2 C More Art go to www.artoflylepolyak.com or www.themindscapeartfoundry.com)

On the job

11/17/2012 -

You know, I've never really bought into the concept of "superstition" ...No no, I'm not talking about broken mirrors or warding off bad juju with salt over the shoulder. The act I'm referring to is called "tempting fate." Actually, I'm sure my friends and readers have found themselves in similar situations... You hear a bit of good news, a rumor from a friend or a plan put forth at work which, at once, would change your daily routine for the better. You advertise it to all your friends and family and, lo and behold, it falls through the cracks?  Now, I'm not one to believe that the mere act of spreading potential good news makes the outcome that much less likely. Still, it's good not to invoke Murphy's Law by celebrating your good fortune until you know it's a sure thing. "Don't count your eggs until they hatch" is the sort of adage I'm referring to.

That said... I've been an employee of FASTSIGNS for the last four weeks. By all indicators, my new co-workers and new boss have accepted my "eccentricities" and they mean to keep me employed as a full time Graphic Artist. Sorry I kept the news from you all this long!

These past weeks, I've designed logos, I've laid out banner art, I've created graphics used for trade shows and consulted with customers. All the while I've noticed something about this job that I've yet to see in any of my previous careers. It's not tiring. It's not stressful. This is actually really fun and I look forward to it every day.

Since college, I've been in a number of careers to make ends meet as I gathered the resources and experience to make it here. I've answered call lines, I've worked in a mail room, I've drafted letters for a legal department, I've mailed letters for the FCRA. It's been a long path, but if it was preparation for this destination, well then, it was well worth it.

Thanks for reading!

Lyle Polyak.

(2 C more art go to www.artoflylepolyak.com or www.themindscapeartfoundry.com)

Island Times

9:00AM November 11th -

Salutations Blog Readers!

It’s a beautiful sunny morning. Seventy-some degrees with the constant comfort of a gentle seaward breeze, coming off the Gulf. I’m typing this letter to you from my HP Mini with a palm hammock to my back and the open Gulf ahead of me. Checking my map of the shipping lanes I see that I’m looking at the Straits of Tampa Bay. Somewhere in the distance a ship’s bell is tolling and to my side are the white washed bricks of a lighthouse.

Yes, I’m on an island. Egmont Key to be exact, enjoying the distinct comforts of a beachcomber with my Nikon D7000 at my side. A juvenile bald eagle flew overhead a moment ago and I know the island’s reputation as a haven haring for gopher tortoises, osprey and various sea birds. Before the day is out I hope to get a collection of new images for the website.

A union soldier was visiting the sales booths a moment ago. He’s talking with the light-keeper at the moment, two of the historical reenactors sharing this day with me. The occasion is Discover the Island Day, a history fair held here on Egmont Key to advertise the sprawling beaches and Historic Ruins of Fort Dade. For a history buff and nature lover like me it’s a great chance to get out, do what I do best and make some extra cash selling my wares.

11:00 AM -

The sun over the Egmont Key Lighthouse Station made a beautiful surreal image, and I found a means to reach the peak of the Macintosh Battery for a great shot of the Light Station over the tree line. I happened to take a walk earlier and sadly did not have my camera with me as I witnessed a hilarious sight. A gopher tortoise crept out of the brush and approached the children's area, then proceeded to methodically knock over each of the rungs of a children's croquet set. He would have continued his fun if a volunteer had not noticed him and scooted him away.

For those of you interested the Fair is scheduled to run every November. The ferry to the island leaves from Fort Desoto Beach from 9AM to 4PM. Come see the island, it’s open to the public and one of the last real deserted islands presenting a walk through Florida’s past.

Pictures to be uploaded later ...

Thanks for reading!

L. Polyak

(2 C more art go to www.themindscapeartfoundry.com or www.artoflylepolyak.com)

A Twist on Portraiture at the Zoo

When it comes to wildlife photography, nothing beats taking the camera and the telephoto lens out to a preserve and following your senses. Often bird-calls and a well-trained eye allow you to locate a scene worthy of framing. Other times luck guides you to a one in a million snapshot. However until it becomes economical to travel to Borneo or Australia, to capture what we would term "exotic" animals in their native habitat, the zoo is still the best bet to set your sights on those creatures.

Lowry Park Zoo is the closest environment in my area to go for candid photos of an exhausted meerkat or an awestruck crane. Confused by my adjectives? Wait until you see the pictures. It's like I said in my portfolio...

"Expressions are the lifeblood of portraiture. As mature human beings, we tend to hide our expressions from peers, however animals do not adhere to those norms and as a result, their expressions are genuine, unencumbered, and shine beautifully in photographs."

Seeing an orangutan with his hand on his chin, looking out at a certain onlooker in the crowd, with a stare that could be called contemplative, I can't help but ask "I wonder what he was thinking?" Or observing a sandhill crane suddenly go wide-eyed and drop its jaw when a camera beep is followed by the bright light of a flash, it's easy to call the expression awe or surprise. Even the gestures of some animals have their parallels with we humans. Glimpsing the meerkat, who has spent the past half hour digging in the dirt, suddenly stagger off and plop himself down wearily, we can empathize. "That's hard work."

Looking for a twist on the usual portrait? Try taking your camera to your nearest zoo or just observe the animals around you at work and among their own kind. What you see might just change your outlook on the world.

Thanks for reading.

Lyle Polyak

(to see more art go to www.artoflylepolyak.com or www.themindscapeartfoundry.com)

In the news again!

In early July, Pinellas County artists were invited by The County and The Florida Gulf Coast Center For Fishing to enter their creative works for selection as the official Pinellas County Centennial Poster. The winning image was fated to be used as official art for the September 14th Celebration of The County's hundred years of existence. Participants were invited to submit interpretations that serve to reflect the rich heritage and unique history of Pinellas County. It gives me great pleasure to announce that my own submission titled "Timeline Pinellas" will be used for this purpose and recently appeared on the front page of the Pinellas Park Beacon.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

(2 C More Art go to www.the mindscapeartfoundry.com or www.artoflylepolyak.com)

Pinellas County Centennial Poster

In early July, Pinellas County artists were invited by The County and The Florida Gulf Coast Center For Fishing to enter their creative works for selection as the official Pinellas County Centennial Poster. The winning image was fated to be used as official art for the September 14th Celebration of The County's hundred years of existence. Participants were invited to submit interpretations that serve to reflect the rich heritage and unique history of Pinellas County. It gives me great pleasure to announce that my own submission titled "Timeline Pinellas" will be used for this purpose.

With symbolic imagery, "Timeline" (featured above) expounds upon the historical events and peoples who have called Pinellas County "home." The color scheme of the poster is an allusion to the colors of the Pinellas Logo. At the bottom of the poster, a Native American, representing a member of Pinellas's Tocobaga Tribe (who called the area home in the 1500's to 1700's) looks out of the poster at the viewers. Above him a tall ship flies the Spanish Colonial Flag, representing the era of the Panfilode Narvaez Expedition and the Spanish Conquistadors who landed in the spring of 1528. Nearby, a period sailor looks through his telescope to the image of an orange, symbolic of the citrus industry which will later bring rail and commerce to our county. This same orange is playfully inserted as the sun icon, which is a component of the Pinellas Logo to the left. The logo overlooks a fisherman, alluding to the area's fishing rancheros of the 1700's, and his line dances across the sky carrying our eyes to the train, alluding to the rail industry of the 1800's and the vacationers alluding to the tourist boom of the 1900's. Modern day Saint Petersburg lies at the forefront of the poster.

I would like to express my gratitude and thank the judges for affording me this great success. I hope this may be serve as a gateway to many more wonderful projects.

Thank you all.

Lyle Polyak

(2 C more art go to www.themindscapeartfoundry.com or www.artoflylepolyak.com)

Homosassa Springs, A Great Road-trip for Photographers

As I type this blog entry I’m off of “Commercial Way” on my journey back toward Tampa, and Clearwater. Today, I ventured from my hometown an hour or two to The Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Without further explanation, you and the rest of my readers may envision a recreational park? A forest preserve perhaps? In fact, Homosassa Springs is a working zoo and a wildlife rehabilitation center.

I arrived at the visitors center this morning, a spacious building with children’s exhibits, baked goods, a gift shop and a sheltered boat dock. Passenger ferries arrive to and from the center on the half hour and take visitors on smooth ride down Pepper Creek to The State Park. The ferry captain entertained the youngsters with origami while we waited for boarding, then offered us a narrative of the local plants and wildlife we glimpsed on the short trip. Visitor's who prefer a quicker means of transit may board the trams to and from The Park. I assure you though, the boat trip is worth your time. I glimpsed gators, turtles and nesting osprey on the thirty minute transit.

We arrived at the State Park and disembarked in time for an introduction to Lu, the African hippopotamus. I understand he was retired as a mascot for Union Carbide and awarded honorary citizenship, in 1991, by Governor Lawton Chiles. This legal gesture assures that, though he is not a Florida native, he may live out his days peacefully, with the local wildlife of the zoo. The remainder of the park is a network of hiking paths that follow the Homosassa River, leading visitors to open-air enclosures for manatees, black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American alligators, American crocodiles, river otters, and a variety of native water birds and birds of prey.

Unlike our local zoo, The Park is not dense with vacationers so it offers a variety of fine opportunities for photographers, like myself, to get unobstructed shots of the wildlife. At the time I visited Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park the fees were $13 for adults, $5 for children. I recommend it to all of my artistic friends. The Park is located at 4150 S Suncoast Blvd, Homosassa Springs, Florida. Visit their website at http://www.floridastateparks.org/homosassasprings/default.cfm.

 Thanks for reading!

(2 C More art go to www.themindscapeartfoundry.com or www.artoflylepolyak.com)