The Best Summer Sunsets, Nightly Shows of Color

Summer is here, but it never seems to last for long. In fact, if you blink you might miss it.

What do you appreciate most about summer? Do you like the hot sun? Water activities? Outdoor outings with friends and family?

For some, the most magical part of summer is the setting sun. Summer sunsets are captivating. They seem to cast shades of radiant orange, purple and pink that aren’t visible in other seasons.

If you enjoy a good summer sunset, you are in good company. People travel all over the world chasing these nightly color shows.

According to National Geographic, there are 10 places you should travel to experience the most colorful sunsets.

10 – Australia

If you visit the “Land Down Under” be sure to stop by Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. The massive sandstone geography is said to turn radiant red as the sun falls behind the rock.

9 – Tahiti

Tahiti is made up of 118 islands, and you can probably see majestic sunsets from each one. However, the island with the best view of the sun meeting the horizon is Bora Bora. Have you been?

8 – Taiwan

Tropical plants and birds are known to habitat the Kenting National Park, but not many tourists visit this scenic location. Break away from the crowd. Stop by and take in the radiant nightfall.

7 – South Africa

Clifton beaches are home to some of Cape Town’s wealthiest residents. Even though they may have been drawn to the beautiful beaches and crystal clear water, the sunset is said to cast a “million dollar view.”

6 – Greece

At the northern most spot of Santorini is a village known for its Oia Castel. Go there to watch the sunset if you ever find yourself in Greece. Some call it breathtaking.

5 – Chile

Chili peppers are often red but Torres del Paine National Park in Chile glows pink at dusk. With granite mountaintops and lakes galore, there are many rosy sunset views.

4 – Florida

Key West is proud to be the southernmost point in the continental United States. But this title doesn’t hold a candle to the show that comes when the sun dives into the ocean at sunset.

3 – New York

Thanks to great architecture and a gift from France, New York Harbor is a beautiful place to watch the sunset. When the sun casts its beams off skyscrapers and falls behind Lady Liberty, an array of colors accompanies it setting.

2 – Utah

Utah is known for its Great Salt Lake, but residents might as well know the Great Salt Lake for its sunsets. At Antelope Island State Park the setting might as well be called, “picture perfect.”

1 – Hawaii

It’s hard to find a bad view in Hawaii. The tropical weather, crisp ocean air, soft sunlight and eclectic natives are captivating. But no sight can hold one’s attention like a Hawaiian sunset. Aloha ‘Oe.

Have you experienced any of these 10 sunsets? When was the last time you saw an immaculate sunset? Did you take a picture? If so, share it with us on our Facebook page or send it our way with a Tweet. We’d love to see what you consider to be the best sunset.

Read more Segmation blog posts about nature and art:

Colors of Cancun

Communicating with Color in the Animal Kingdom

Preserving the Art of Earth: Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty”

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Street Art Affects Major Cities Across the World

What do the art communities of Paris, New York and London have in common with those of Rio de Janiero, Bethlehem and Philadelphia? For starters, they all appear on the Huffington Post’s notable art cities. However, the art that is honored on this list does not hang in galleries. It covers city streets. Inspiring street art can be seen in critically acclaimed art cities as well as those that exist far from mainstream. But what makes street art good and how is its presence affecting major cities?

Graffiti No More

Street art is commonly referred to as graffiti. In many parts of the world the artists who are behind these works could be confronted by law officials. Illegal as it might be, artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey have become emblems of the street art community throughout the world. Their work is rarely seen as vandalism. More often, it is celebrated as public artwork that draws attention and notoriety to major cities.

An online publication from Brooklyn New York, BrooklynStreetArt.com claims to “…track the new creative spirit that runs in the streets… new hybrids, new techniques, and new mediums are expanding the definition of public art, street art, graffiti, and urban art; each vying for the attention of passers-by.” They stress that street art has contemporary allure that evokes emotion in citizens and tourists of cities all over the world.

Street Art is Creative and Sophisticated

The bar for street art, however, is being set at new heights. Tagging train cars with spray paint is not the type of graffiti that is being recognized in cities around the world. The murals that are being painted onto the sides of buildings have reached new levels of sophistication and creativity. They are often used to make a point, whether political or personal, and to remove them might take more than a simple pressure washer. Some of the art is larger than life, tracing the heights of multi-story buildings.

Years ago, before street art became socially acceptable, completing such a work would be impossible. Only able to produce art under the guise of night limited what graffiti artists could do. Today, even though it is illegal to vandalize public property in many parts of the world, street art is still tolerated. Building owners are giving permission for street artists to tag their walls, which is a good investment. Tourist and residents alike appreciate the flavor of street art and are often seen snapping photographs of the nontraditional artwork.

Read more Segmation blog posts about street art:

The Graffiti Artist and Street Vendor

Where Urban Life Meets Natural Art

Chalk Art Transforms the Sidewalk into a Canvas

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Colors of Cancun

What happens in Cancun doesn’t necessarily stay in Cancun. People love to share pictures of their Mexico vacations on their social networks. Throughout the blogosphere a common praise is repeated about Cancun: it is full of color.

• 

  © Aaron Rodriguez

  I have never experienced sunset in this way before. The colors are simply delightful.

–        Worth a Thousand Words

• This is how blue the water was, without help from photoshop…

–        Ever Lovely

• The best way to appreciate [the peculiar colors of Cancun] is to rest on the beach, enjoying the nature around you, letting it amaze you with the most incredible panoramas.

–        Hyatt Regency Cancun

Natural Colors

Why are the colors of Cancun so enchanting? Some say, aside from beautiful sunsets and white sandy beaches, that Cancun is mainly water and jungle. Even though many visitors only see the tips of textured greens that exist in the jungle, they note how the shade of the jungle is a sharp contrast from the brilliant exposure of the ocean.

Cultural Colors

Plush foliage surrounds the ancient Mayan ruins and brings the history of Cancun to life. People visit these artifacts and are fascinated by the stories locals and tribesmen tell. The distinct look of Mexico’s native people is also rooted in color. Their brown skin, dark eyes and black hair are very distinct. Most carry the stories of Mayan culture with pride and some boast the green, red and white of the Mexican flag as well.

Oceanic Colors

© cgt

Tourists tend to visit the ruins at certain times during their holiday but try to spend much of their time on the beach, too. The colors of Cancun’s water are rich blues. On Pink Shore’s blogger recently wrote, “…the blue water went on for days it was so beautiful!”

Even those who have yet to visit Cancun can attest to the fact that this destination is full of color. During springtime, social networks come alive with pictures posted from Cancun. It is one of the most popular spring break destinations for people in North America and other parts of the world. People seem drawn to Cancun for its warm weather and promise of relaxation, but those who truly experience the colors of Cancun are the ones who leave refreshed. Even though their holidays end, Cancun doesn’t easily leave them. The colors live on in their pictures and memories.

 

Read more Segmation blog posts about art, color and travel:

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Travel Like an Artist

The World’s Favorite Color

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Piero della Francesca – Early Renaissance Artist

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There are still mysteries to uncover about the Italian Renaissance artist, Piero della Francesca. In fact, scholars have not yet come to a unanimous conclusion about when Piero was born, nor do they agree on whether or not he had gone blind prior to his death in 1492. Though he was painting during the same time period as many other famous and well known painters, Piero’s work has not found its way to the spot light until recently.

The reason for the lack of information surrounding Piero’s work, as well as his recent popularity, is largely due to the fact that many of his paintings, and many of the buildings he painted in, have been destroyed. What is known about Piero della Francesca is that he was not only a talented painter, but a man deeply interested in mathematics. It is this love of mathematics and its influence on his painting that sets Piero apart as one of the greatest Early Renaissance artists.

Piero della Francesca was born in modern day Tuscany, then known as San Sepolcro. His father was a tradesman and his mother’s family was part of the Florentine and Tuscan Franceschi noble family. Throughout his life, Piero was always tied to San Sepolcro. However, much of his life was spent traveling and he spent time working in Rimini, Arezzo, Ferrara and Rome.

Around 1439 Piero traveled to Florence to assist Domenico Veneziano in painting the chapel of Santa Egidio. It was here that he most likely came in contact with other well known painters and it is also probable that Florence was responsible for his deep interest in achieving accurate perspective in his painting. Florence would have afforded Piero the opportunity to study light and color in the work of other painters; lessons that became foundational to Piero’s style of painting.

Florence might also have been responsible for Piero’s interest in mathematics as well as other forms of art such as, architecture and sculpting. Many scholars believe that Piero was deeply interested in how other fields of study might influence his painting. Whether or not Florence was where this interest was sparked, it appears that Piero spent his life studying mathematics, light, color, architecture and sculpture, all in the effort to bring the proper perspective to his painting. This love of learning for the sake of perspective in his work is evident in all of his paintings.

Piero mainly painted religious works that are noted for their tranquility and precision. His paintings are characteristically full of bright colors and light. In addition, Piero made a habit of painting both architecture and sculptures.

His most famous work is “Story of the True Cross” which is a series of frescos he painted for the Bacci Family in Arezzo around 1457. These frescos demonstrate that Piero was a master at manipulating light in his paintings. As in many of his other paintings, these frescos appear three- dimensional because Piero combined shadow and shade to create depth.

“The Flagellation of Christ,” painted during the 1460’s in Urbino, is evidence of Piero’s love of architecture, but is also another example of how he utilized light in his paintings. In this painting Christ is essentially in the background yet, Piero manages to draw the eye towards Christ by manipulating the light and colors within the painting.

The “Baptism of Christ” offers an excellent example of Piero’s love of geometry. Each figure in the painting serves to balance the whole. Here again, light and color are used to draw the eye, as well as balance the painting.
Piero also painted portraits that are marked by their realism and sophistication. The background scenes of these portraits are often intricately detailed. Yet, as with all of Piero’s work, these details serve to draw the eye to the subject of the piece rather than overshadow. His paintings are known for the detailed backgrounds; for the care he showed towards aspects of paintings that the eye might never be drawn to.

In 1492, Piero della Francesca died in his home in San Sepolcro. He left his mark on the world in the form of paintings full of light and color and work infused by his knowledge of mathematics. He also left behind a series of treatise that mathematicians still recognize today. For this, Piero della Francesca will remain one of the most appreciated Early Renaissance artists.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piero_della_Francesca

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Travel Like an Artist

Sansepolcro, Italy, will not likely be pursued as a travel destination for food lovers, architecture buffs, or history professors. It is not well-known for its topography or sought after for its museums. But for an artist, Sansepolcro might be considered heaven on earth. Why? Because it was the birthplace and hometown of Piero della Francesca, painter of the Resurrection. The Resurrection is located in Sansepolcro, making this small town a potentially big draw for artists searching for a travel destination.

The Resurrection is known as a “special masterpiece,” therefore it and its creator are mainly familiar to art historians. Still, Sansepolcro is a destination that would probably be very much appreciated by any artist, especially after he or she learned more about Piero della Francesca.

Born sometime near 1415, artist Piero della Francesca authored geometry and mathematics books. His did not leave a vast amount of artwork, but what he did leave is remarkable. Flagellation of Christ, Pregnant Madonna, Resurrection, and Legend of the True Cross were all crafted by Francesca. Each is captivating in its own way.

The Resurrection was probably painted by Piero della Francesca in the 1460s. Susan Spano, writer for the Los Angeles Times, explained the Resurrection in these words: “It depicts Christ climbing out of his tomb on Easter morning, eyes fixed on something beyond, still morbidly pallid but strong, in the very process of changing from mortal to god.” With a description like this, it is little wonder that the Resurrection is a jewel in Sansepolcro’s crown.

Every year in September, Sansepolcro’s citizens celebrate Piero della Francesca in elaborate festivals that feature flag-waving and medieval crossbows. (The flag and crossbow-bearing partakers wear costumes similar to clothing depicted in Francesca’s paintings.) These festivals draw tourists and are a nod to the legacy that Francesca left for his hometown.

Many creators of art glean untold inspiration and creative capacity from traveling. In fact, some individuals would argue that travel is not a privilege, but a necessity for artists. If you are an artist or even a lover of art, perhaps Sansepolcro would be an excellent travel destination for you.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-piero-20120610,0,3644415.story

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Why You Should Make Art When You Travel (www.segmation.com)

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When you’re traveling, one of the best ways to capture the energy of a place is to draw or paint it. While most tourists are glued to the viewfinders of their cameras, rushing from one attraction to the next, you’ll be calmly painting or sketching the scene before you, noticing all the wonderful details that normal tourists miss… from the delicate curvature of an architectural detail to the way the evening sunlight casts long shadows on the children playing in the town square.

Making art while traveling allows you to experience your new surroundings on a deeper level than most tourists ever will. By carefully viewing a scene, structure, object, person or people with the intense gaze of an artist and interpreting your vision on paper or canvas, you can freely observe the subtle nuances and hidden undercurrents that comprise the fabric of daily life in any given location.

Why do we travel? We embark on vacations to places we’ve never been before because we want get away from it all, to escape the routine of our daily lives and the familiarity of the place where we live. We yearn to explore something new, to embrace the unknown, and to learn something along the way. Art-making while traveling fosters an open mindset, encourages curiosity, and creates an easygoing attitude – 3 essential ingredients for making the most out of any travel holiday.

Plus, making art while seated in a café, sitting in a park, or standing in a town square is a great way to meet locals, thus deepening your travel experience. Curious bystanders will often look over your shoulder and make comments, but even if you don’t understand the language, you can still make a meaningful connection through the common language of visual art.

And the end result? Aside from a memorable experience, you’ll also wind up with a beautiful travel journal filled with your original images and insights – a truly unique reminder of your special trip.

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