Barry A Parks
@barryaparks.bsky.social
Painter, Retired Architect and later Design & Construction Project Manager for a large college system.
I love to travel, and often attempt to recapture favorite moments in my paintings. Also some of my travel photos.
I love to travel, and often attempt to recapture favorite moments in my paintings. Also some of my travel photos.
I started posting on BlueSky to share my paintings. Again, I interrupt my recent series of Venice pics to show my newest work: a family-commissioned (imagined not documented) beach scene. I present "Red, White, (S)and, Blue." (Canvas, 48"x24"x1.5") #painting #acrylic #art #beach #art #beachscene
December 4, 2025 at 4:56 AM
The paving pattern in Venice's St. Mark's Square is widely familiar and this layout dates from 1723. Curiously, an inscription ("For the art of the shoemaker") is dated 1625. Perhaps that powerful guild had occupied this location or paid for the new pattern. #travel #tourism #venice #italy #sanmarco
December 3, 2025 at 12:26 AM
The paving pattern in Venice's St. Mark's Square is widely familiar and this layout dates from 1723. Curiously, an inscription ("For the art of the shoemaker") is dated 1625. Perhaps that powerful guild had occupied this location or paid for the new pattern. #travel #tourism #venice #italy #sanmarco
The winged lion of Venice adorns the top section of the clocktower beside St. Mark's Basilica. This Renaissance structure, revealed in 1499, contrasts with the Venetian Gothic architecture of St. Mark's Square. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #italy #clocktower #torredellorologio #renaissance
December 2, 2025 at 2:15 AM
The winged lion of Venice adorns the top section of the clocktower beside St. Mark's Basilica. This Renaissance structure, revealed in 1499, contrasts with the Venetian Gothic architecture of St. Mark's Square. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #italy #clocktower #torredellorologio #renaissance
This Venetian Lion sits atop the bronze gates to the Loggetta (1549) attached to the base of San Marco Campanili. The winged Lion of Venice holds a gospel of St. Mark in his paw. On the right the female represents Venice, the City of Canals. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #lion #italy #bronze
December 1, 2025 at 2:10 AM
This Venetian Lion sits atop the bronze gates to the Loggetta (1549) attached to the base of San Marco Campanili. The winged Lion of Venice holds a gospel of St. Mark in his paw. On the right the female represents Venice, the City of Canals. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #lion #italy #bronze
More Venetian Lions: Window grills of Harry's Bar in Venice bear a gilded & winged lion. The bar opened in 1931, the first of multiple locations. Famously, Hemmingway frequented it. Also, other writers, painters, artists, aristocrats and royalty. #travel #photography #tourism #venice #lion #italy
November 30, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Venice's Monument to Victor Emmanuel II (1887) features a very aggressive lion sculpture. Posted on the Riva degli Schiavoni, this lion tears up the treaty of Vienna of 1815 and stands on the independence vote tally (641,758 for vs 69 votes for no). #phtography #travel #tourism #venice #italy #lion
November 29, 2025 at 2:29 AM
The Lions of Venice (continued): This gondola features a gilded lion's head on the passenger bench crest. On either side of craft, the traditional "cavài" (seahorses) ornamental decorations add to the animal references. #travel #tourism #photography #venice #italy #gondola #lioninvenice
November 27, 2025 at 7:06 PM
The Lions of Venice (continued): This gondola features a gilded lion's head on the passenger bench crest. On either side of craft, the traditional "cavài" (seahorses) ornamental decorations add to the animal references. #travel #tourism #photography #venice #italy #gondola #lioninvenice
St. Mark, patron saint of Venice, is symbolized by the lion. They appear in every corner of the city. Here a particularly lovely example stands near the top of the Scuola Grande di San Marco (1495) facing Campo S.S. Giovanni e Paolo. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #italy #lion #sculpture
November 27, 2025 at 4:09 AM
St. Mark, patron saint of Venice, is symbolized by the lion. They appear in every corner of the city. Here a particularly lovely example stands near the top of the Scuola Grande di San Marco (1495) facing Campo S.S. Giovanni e Paolo. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #italy #lion #sculpture
Four stolen Greek lion sculptures stand in front of the entry to Venice's Arsenale. The most famous is the Lion of Piraeus (570 BC) which arrived here in 1657, delivered from Athens by a future Doge who had just destroyed the Parthenon. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #italy #arsenale #athens
November 26, 2025 at 4:23 AM
The Arsenale di Venezia is a huge shipyard and armory behind protective walls. This was the creation place for most of Venice's naval power beginning in 1104. By 1320, it was creating galleys on an assembly-line, turning out one new ship a day. #photography #travel #tourism #venice #arsenale #ships
November 25, 2025 at 4:17 AM
The heart of NYC's Central Park is Bethesda Terrace, wrapping around its Angel of the Waters fountain. Here the "Nature first, second, & third - architecture after a while" approach of the park's designer is reversed with formal design elements. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #centralpark #park
November 24, 2025 at 5:44 AM
The heart of NYC's Central Park is Bethesda Terrace, wrapping around its Angel of the Waters fountain. Here the "Nature first, second, & third - architecture after a while" approach of the park's designer is reversed with formal design elements. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #centralpark #park
NYC's Ed Sullivan Theater observes its 98th birthday soon. Arthur Hammerstein financed construction of this Neo-Gothic structure to honor his father. The Late Show has claimed this locale since 1993. Its post-Colbert fate has not been announced. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #theater #colbert
November 22, 2025 at 11:35 PM
In the late 1880s, as buildings climbed to more than 6 stories, codes required the addition of rooftop water tanks. To address insufficient water pressure, pumps feed the tanks which offer gravity-fed domestic and fire-suppression water. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #skyline #water #watertank
November 21, 2025 at 7:57 PM
In the late 1880s, as buildings climbed to more than 6 stories, codes required the addition of rooftop water tanks. To address insufficient water pressure, pumps feed the tanks which offer gravity-fed domestic and fire-suppression water. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #skyline #water #watertank
Facing NYC's Union Square, this public artwork named "Metronome" was created by Kristin Jones & Andrew Ginzel in 1999. Those brick concentric circles suggest waves of energy or perhaps time. Originally, puffs of smoke were emitted from the central hole. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #publicart
November 21, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Facing NYC's Union Square, this public artwork named "Metronome" was created by Kristin Jones & Andrew Ginzel in 1999. Those brick concentric circles suggest waves of energy or perhaps time. Originally, puffs of smoke were emitted from the central hole. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #publicart
Following multiple deadly fires in the 1860s, NYC laws required fire escapes be added to tenements. The code required them in 1867, but the 1901 Tenement House Act's stricter rules led to widespread installation. New ones have not be allowed since 1968. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #fireescape
November 19, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Following multiple deadly fires in the 1860s, NYC laws required fire escapes be added to tenements. The code required them in 1867, but the 1901 Tenement House Act's stricter rules led to widespread installation. New ones have not be allowed since 1968. #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #fireescape
This most famous delicatessen in the world opened its doors in 1888, making it also the first deli in NYC. Katz's is primarily known for their enormous pastrami on rye sandwiches and Meg Ryan's reaction to her meal in "When Harry Met Sally." #travel #tourism #photography #nyc #katzs #deli #pastrami
November 19, 2025 at 1:23 AM
This facade fronts the former Deutsches Dispensary Bldg. (now Stuyvesant Polyclinic Hospital) on 2nd Ave, East Village, Manhattan. It originally served 150,000 people of German decent who composed the world's third largest "German city." #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #german #Kleindeutschland
November 18, 2025 at 2:17 AM
This facade fronts the former Deutsches Dispensary Bldg. (now Stuyvesant Polyclinic Hospital) on 2nd Ave, East Village, Manhattan. It originally served 150,000 people of German decent who composed the world's third largest "German city." #photography #travel #tourism #nyc #german #Kleindeutschland
Another obelisk: The one fronting the Pantheon is Obelisco Macuteo. It carries cartouches of Pharaoh Ramses II (reigned 1279-1213 BC). Or it may be from the later Roman occupancy of Egypt. It moved to this site, topping the fountain, in 1711. #photography #travel #tourism #rome #italy #obelisk
November 17, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Another Roman Obelisk: The Flaminio Obelisk, carved around 1300 BC, was the first one brought from Egypt (in 10 BC) when it was raised in the center of the Circus Maximus. It was rediscovered and moved to the focus of Piazza del Popolo in 1589. #photography #travel #tourism #rome #italy #obelisk
November 16, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Another obelisk. This one is one of two carved over 3,000 years ago and originally standing by the entry to the Luxor Temple of Ramesses II. It arrived in Paris in the 1830s as a gift from Egypt. France reciprocated with a clock. #photography #travel #tourism #paris #france #concorde #obelisk #egypt
November 15, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Another obelisk. This one is one of two carved over 3,000 years ago and originally standing by the entry to the Luxor Temple of Ramesses II. It arrived in Paris in the 1830s as a gift from Egypt. France reciprocated with a clock. #photography #travel #tourism #paris #france #concorde #obelisk #egypt
Another Egypt-lite post: the Piramide di Calo Cestio (12 BC) rises next to Rome's Porta San Paolo and the Protestant Cemetery. Shelley described it as "one keen pyramid with wedge sublime" in his elegy for Keats. Both poets lie in the adjacent graveyard. #photography #travel #tourism #rome #pyramid
November 14, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Another Egypt-lite post: the Piramide di Calo Cestio (12 BC) rises next to Rome's Porta San Paolo and the Protestant Cemetery. Shelley described it as "one keen pyramid with wedge sublime" in his elegy for Keats. Both poets lie in the adjacent graveyard. #photography #travel #tourism #rome #pyramid
Continuing yesterday's obelisk theme, around the corner from Rome's Pantheon is Piazza della Minerva with this monument, a panache of an Egyptian (580 BC) obelisk sitting atop an elephant and base by the sculptor Lorenzo Bernini in 1667. #photography #travel #tourism #rome #italy #bernini #obelisk
November 11, 2025 at 11:28 PM
The Ballard & Ballard Co., established in Louisville, KY in 1880, built this Obelisk Flower Building in Memphis, TN between 1923-24. King Tut's tomb had been discovered in 1922, making this building as fresh as the latest news. #photography #travel #tourism #history #egyptian #kingtut #memphis #tn
November 11, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Rome's Janiculum Hill rises on the west side of the historic city. In Spring of 1849 it was also the front battle line of French forces and Roman Republic troops under Garibaldi. Heroes of the Republic are memorialized along the hilltop roadway. #travel #tourism #rome #photography #italy #history
November 10, 2025 at 12:14 AM
The Narrows is a very popular trail in Zion Nat'l Park. It follows and often is the Virgin River passing through a canyon that can rise up a thousand feet each side of the trail's tight channel. The full 16-mile trail opens out on Riverside Walk. #zionnationalpark #photography #travel #tourism #Utah
November 9, 2025 at 12:49 AM
The Narrows is a very popular trail in Zion Nat'l Park. It follows and often is the Virgin River passing through a canyon that can rise up a thousand feet each side of the trail's tight channel. The full 16-mile trail opens out on Riverside Walk. #zionnationalpark #photography #travel #tourism #Utah