Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Artisan, urban art and departure

One of my favorite posts from last July that seems worthy of a re-post. I love trains...

- This beautiful artisan ironwork that lines a part of Bolton Road in an old section of Atlanta, a largely forgotten area of town.

- Graffiti on the train car makes me think of a friend who did this sort of thing in the Bronx, New York as a teenager; a budding artist who turned that talent into something lasting.

- Goodbye. Something so lovely about departing train cars going about their business, especially when they think no one is watching...

18 comments:

Ileana said...

Nice photos! I love trains and one day I plan to ride one from Miami to NYC. Wanna join me??

desk49 said...

Works of art on handrails run
In a part of town forgotten
Graffiti done and art it become
By a teenager not forgotten
Trains that come and go and nobody knows
if no one is watching, but they’ve forgotten

Holland said...

I once tagged a train in Holland... almost got caught red handed (literally red... as the spray was red). It is fun and exciting to do and I saw the tag for months on that train.

Lynn said...

Ily -

I would love to do that - I could get on in Atlanta maybe! My niece lives in Manhattan and my sister and her husband take the train from Washington DC to New York all the time.

Ellis -

Forgotten or not. I like that! The teenager I referred to used to report to me when I supervised artists that created artwork for the yellow pages. He was just out of school. Now he is a husband and dad and an art director for a huge technology company - I am very proud of him.

Holland -

I'll bet that was exciting. And like the teenager, you became a respected artist.

TALON said...

There is something melancholy in a train whistle. And I love the rumble of the engine - always makes me want to go on a journey.

Louvregirl said...

Lovely first photo Lynn. I like the patina on the rail.
lg!

Granny Annie said...

I love everything about trains and every kind of train. I would love to graffiti a train someday but at age 64 that is probably not a realistic dream. I have never ridden on a train before so I guess I'll go with Ily.

Fireblossom said...

I love trains too. "She's gone everywhere but home."

I also love viaducts. I don't know why. They speak to me. We understand each other. Crazy, I know.

LL Cool Joe said...

I love trains as long as they aren't near the house, and then I hate them. I used to live in a house with my parents that was near quite a large station and the noise of trains went on all through the night. Even though we lived there several years I never got used to the noise.

Riot Kitty said...

Thanks for reposting! Nice photos and interesting post.

Lynn said...

Talon -

I had been meaning to get a photo of those iron rails for some time and the train came along. It made a lovely few minutes and especially when the mournful train whistle went off.

lg -

I love that, too. I hope someone doesn't come along and tear that out. That area of of northwest Atlanta has some beautiful stone buildings, too.

Granny Annie -

I rode the train as a Girl Scout - we rode on the Nancy Hanks passenger train to Savannah, Georgia to make a pilmigridge to Juliette Low's birthplace. I loved the dining car especially.

Shay -

I love that quote. What is it from? Loving viaducts is OK, too. :)

Joe -

One of my friends lives right beside railroad tracks because her husband loves trains so much. I am thinking that's a bit too close. :)

Riot Kitty -

Thank you!

Meredith said...

Lynn, last night I had to stay up a wee bit later than usual to meet a deadline, and I was standing at the kitchen sink, refilling my water glass, when the train passed through our valley. That soulful whistle, echoing all around, gave me that same almost mournful, melancholy, and yet peaceful feeling that I got from these lovely pictures.

Love the details of the old bridge railing and the trumpet vine crawling up the fence. :)

g-man said...

Hi Lynne...
Love your photo's.
It's like the Trumpet Vines were Heralding the Trains arrivals and departures..

Snaggle Tooth said...

I don't even rember this post- Then again. July is always tough for me here.
The Ironwork makes me miss old friend Zak the Blacksmith from decades ago. he could do that-
Graffetti skills too often go unpaid! The friend you send pics too, right?
Alot of trains here lately too- n "Day with Thomas" at Edaville is a good spot for the kids.
I used to ride the "T" trains to boston from Metro West while growing up- hate crowded trains-

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Lynn said...

Meredith -

That sounds like a lovely moment and I'm not surprised that you savored it. I can hear the train faintly from my place, but the sound of it has gotten absorbed to the point that I only notice now when I'm awake during the night when all is quiet.

Thank you for naming that vine - trumpet vine. And the flowers do look like trumpets.

G-man -

Ah - I didn't think of that. Great observation.

Snaggle -

Thomas the Train goes through Dillsboro, NC sometimes - I happened to be there one day to witness the Thomas stuff. We had lunch at a barbecue place that had posted a sign on the door, "NO train whistles." :)

Jannie Funster said...

I do remember this post!

I saw some YouTubes of grafitti artists in action, I was very impressed. A real art form.

Yes, nothing like a train going away. Or a train whistle in the distance. Or coffee in the morning. Speaking of which... :)

xoxo

Lynn said...

Jannie -

I wish I had been there with you for coffee break. :)

xo