PanoBlog

A good friend exhibited some of her watercolor and mixed media works at Lynchburg’s Academy of Fine Arts‘ “Up Front Gallery” the month of November.

Karen took time to arrange for me to shoot her exhibit this week and while there introduced me to Ted Batt, the Exhibition Curator of the Academy of Fine Arts (“AFA”). Ted and Karen led me on a tour of the AFA, pointing out the details of it’s ongoing resurrection and restoration. Their website has links to the process, showing the future of the theater and is well worth a look. It’s amazing to see the “internals” of this very historic site.

Karen is an educated and very accomplished artist with an abundance of talent, which I am very jealous of. I’m trying to coax her into getting back into teaching, by teaching me(!) the basics of producing the various medias she is fluent in. I envy those possessing artistic talents, it must be very satisfying to produce the works of art they do.  For more of Karen’s great work, please visit her website.

Enjoy.

TO “START” the PANO, CLICK IN THE RECTANGLE. AFTER PIC HAS LOADED, HOLD DOWN LEFT MOUSE BUTTON & “DRAG” the CURSOR AROUND (before or after the “auto pan” kicks in).

Here’s a pano of the Big Otter Mill, an old saw and grist mill, shot in late March of 2012.

This mill was first built and operated by Joseph Hardy, Sr., a veteran of the Revolutionary War who settled here in the late 1700s. In 1785 the county granted him permission to erect a mill at this site which became operational in the 18th century.

A fire destroyed this mill building around 1916, in 1917 a flood washed away the mill which was replaced 1920.

The mill produced its brand names of Golden Eagle Flour and Pioneer Corn Meal but ceased commercial operation about 1950.

Big Otter Mill is situated on the bank of the Big Otter River, a few miles north of the City of Bedford, VA on Route 122 North. A “Big Otter Mill Foundation” is active and it’s mission is to restore the mill for the purpose of historical preservation as a working mill. Tours of the mill are available at special events and by appointment.  Please call 1-540-537-4363 for more information.

Enjoy.

TO “START” the PANO, CLICK IN THE RECTANGLE. AFTER PIC  HAS LOADED, HOLD DOWN LEFT MOUSE BUTTON & “DRAG” the CURSOR AROUND (before or after the “auto pan” kicks in).

A panorama of the restaurant, Lodge and Sharp Top Mountain of the Peaks of Otter park on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Bedford, VA.

I elected to do this after discussions by Bedford residents (past, present and wannabes), on Facebook uncovered plans to close the Lodge & restaurant after breakfast on Nov 25, 2012, due to the National Park Services in-ability to contract with a new lessee.

This would be a terrible loss. A more beautiful, serene, laid back setting is hard to find. I have always found my way back to this place when I need a “clearing of my head”.

Enjoy

TO “START” the PANO, CLICK IN THE RECTANGLE. AFTER PIC  HAS LOADED, HOLD DOWN LEFT MOUSE BUTTON & “DRAG” the CURSOR AROUND (before or after the “auto pan” kicks in).