Blog Archives
Art Planet
Big chunks of downtown Lubbock don’t have anything going on, but the north end is turning into a interesting arts center. It’s anchored by the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts and the Charles Adams Studio Project, and there is nearly always something interesting going on. Last winter I took letterpress classes down here, and the other night – when I made this image – I was taking part in a drink-and-draw event hosted by one of the CASP artists in residence.
I like to think about the “traditional” efforts at downtown revitalization in Lubbock, that haven’t always been successful, and compare them with how much the arts have transformed this area. Maybe there’s a lesson here?
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 2.10.2017
Corkscrew and a bird
Usually, cotton gins aren’t right there in the middle of town. But this one is. Who knows why.
But anyway, the auger makes an interesting, undulating corkscrew-shadow on the corrugated metal walls, while one bird looks on. (Trust me on this: there were a lot more birds. It was somewhere approaching horror-movie levels of birds. Good thing for me they are camera shy.)
Levelland, Texas
photographed 3.14.2012
Doing their job, whatever it is
First of all, this was taken on Main Street. MAIN STREET. Downtown. You know, like the heart of the city. It was taken on a Sunday afternoon, but still – it doesn’t look particularly vibrant or anything, does it?
Next, if you don’t mind, spend just a little bit of time looking at the way the afternoon sun reflected off one building and put those bright leopardy spots on the other one. That’s pretty cool.
But now: those two traffic cones, blocking off two not-in-high-demand parking spaces. Kudos to them for sticking with their job. No matter how silly it seems. Way to go, cones!
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 2.5.2017
The prevailing themes
In a certain part of town, most of the buildings have to do with agri-industrial uses. And while they are not lovely in a traditional sense, they do catch the light in a certain way late in the afternoon.
At least I think so.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 2.5.2017
All but one
This place. I have a strange fascination with it.
It used to be a fancy downtown hotel called (I think) the In Town Inn. It’s been mostly vacant since I can remember, but there are a few hints of its former grandeur. Ha! Ha! Of course there’s no such thing. It’s just another empty building. Its most recent reincarnation was a residential treatment center for people with substance abuse issues; that didn’t last, but the name it went by – the Jim Kimmel Center* – is still there.
But look at that wall of rooms. And lamps. Except for that one, lampless room.
Anyway, I really REALLY want to get in there and take a few (thousand) pictures. But I want to do it without breaking in or anything. I’m sort of legal, when it comes right down to it.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 2.5.2017
* I know, right?
