Kimball House

This house is definitely one of my favorites on Prairie Ave. I love the intricate carvings(click image to enlarge), turrets, the iron work, green window frames, and of course the wrought iron fence. Another thing adding to my love for this house is that it's currently occupied by the US Soccer Federation. Having played the sport for many years and being a fan of the US teams, it's really cool to know the base of operations is so close. (description as copied from US Soccer Fed.)

Kimball House, 1801 S. Prairie Ave.
Dating back to 1873, the Soccer House was built by William Wallace Kimball, founder of Kimball pianos and organs; Joseph Coleman, president of a hardware manufacturing firm; and Coleman’s wife, Leonora, who served on the board of the Women’s Christian Association in 1886. U.S. Soccer is currently leasing both buildings.

The Kimball House, built of Bedford limestone and topped with a slate roof, has an exterior consisting of numerous large and small turrets, gables, balconies and ornamental iron-railed galleries. The interior of Kimball House is as extravagant as its exterior, with wood abundant throughout. The ceilings are beamed in oak and mahogany, and fireplaces made of onyx warm the parlor.

Glessner Door

This door was next to impossible to get good pictures of, it's granite exterior was reflecting the light so much that most of my shots had a major amount of absolute white area. Also to me not the most attractive of the houses on Prairie Ave, so I moved on to the Kimball House across the street. Maybe in the spring, I will try shooting this house again. Partial description as copied from the Glessner House Museum website.

GLESSNER HOUSE

In 1885, John and Frances Glessner hired Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Over the next year, he adapted the couple's specifications for gracious living into the stately home that helped redefine American domestic architecture. A radical departure from traditional residential design, Glessner House created a furor among the denizens of its exclusive Prairie Avenue neighborhood, causing George Pullman to proclaim, "I do not know what I have ever done to have that thing staring me in the face every time I go out of my door."

Purdy Door

This weekend, while in the city with Hope, I went out for a walk in the Historical District. I've wanted to do this for a few weeks now and with fresh snow lending to the mood I had envisioned, I went for it. I took about 200 some shots while trying quite hard to understand MeRa Koh's definition of aperture, and not quite getting it(Tho, I think I was confused because my "Digital Photography for Dummies" book said the opposite.). In the end I was able to kind of understand it.(Bigger number in f-stop the brighter the shot, usually anyway. Still not too sure why this isn't true all the time, but maybe next weekend I'll try and figure it out again.)
So of the 200 trial and error shots, I kept maybe half. The one above was my first shot. The description of which, as found on the Glessner House Museum website, is below.

Purdy House: 213 E. Cullerton Street

Architect: Thomas & Rapp, Built: 1891

The original house on this site, built about 1870, would have matched the surviving Italianate rowhouse next door at 215. In 1891, Dr. Charles W. Purdy, house physician at the Auditorium Hotel, hired the firm of Thomas & Rapp to rebuild the house in the Renaissance Revival style. (The same firm was hired the following year to rebuild the third rowhouse at 217 E. Cullerton for John Clark). One of the most striking features of the four-story home is the large polygonal oriel, which occupies the center of the second story. A prominent overhanging cornice is embellished with brackets, egg-and-dart trim and dentils. The interior has been extensively restored by the current owner, and reflects the finely scaled detailing evident on the façade. An entry hall and service areas occupy the ground level, with the main public rooms located on the second story, providing privacy from people passing on the sidewalk

Update

Still really overwhelmed with school and work, so I'm not getting much time with my pictures. I have been posting from my more recent archives on my am3 site. So if you're missing my posts head on over there -hadassahintisar.aminus3.com

On My Way

I've noticed a lot of my photos lately are of pathways. Paths leading to buildings, or through parks or paths like this one which is just straight forward, leading somewhere, but no one's sure where. Basically that's the state of my life at the moment. I'm on a path moving forward, not positive where exactly I'll end up(tho I have a good idea),but knowing that sooner or later I'll reach my life dreams and goals.

I've been studying a lot lately and attempting to focus on school, which is the reason for my lack of posting. I've decided that it's time to stop worrying about my blogs and my art and just work on both when I have a break from school or on the weekends. As much as it pains me not to be out taking pictures, I know that after this year that is something I'll be doing FOR school, so I don't need to be too worried. It's taken me too long to realize this, but I guess life can only learned by experience.

A Clean Slate

A clean slate for 2008 - Wow, I didn't think I'd be one to come up with the new year's rhyme. I'm so my father's daughter- Ha!

Happy New Year!