I am presently reading A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin and the protagonist is a 70 some year old 'Professor of Aesthetics'. I am less than 80 pages in but basically, he describes himself as a teacher of the philosophy and study of beauty. Be it a gnarled tree or the Italian Alps or a well made pocket watch or freshly baked bread, he shows an appreciation for things that take time to be created.
I know what you're probably thinking right now and you're right - without doubt, the lead character will at some point start discussing the art work of Mike Miller
Four new paintings by Mike were added this weekend to the Art & Architecture section. They are the 18th at Pebble in the 1950s, and then modern day ones of the 11th at Olympic, the 16th at The Valley Club, and the 18th at The Valley Club.
What might this Professor say of these four? In part, he might appreciate that the 18th at Pebble is a refinement of an earlier painting with Mike now capturing the vibrant blue tone of the water unique to that area. He might appreciate the play of the light in the thinned out trees at Olympic as well as the shadow effect across the 16th fairway at The Valley Club. Finally, he might appreciate the enormous amount of time that the clubhouse and distant mountain range must surely have taken Mike in painting the view up the 18th at The Valley Club. The subtle shades and tones used within each painting are unique to that painting, making each a true original.
This site promotes Mike and his work because, just like in golf course architecture, who can fail but appreciate when an artist takes the time to do something right with a landscape? (Also, too, Mike is sooooooo miserably bad at ever saying anything decent about his own work that others must do it
).
Of the four, what features stand out? Certainly, the tree work and the shadows on 11 at Olympic and 16 at VC are bound to be tricky to do well. The mountain range behind the VC clubhouse could have been a never ending saga. And seeing no buildings down the right of 18 at Pebble until you get to the Lodge certainly makes the mind wonder why none of your ancestors ever bought property out there
Rather than being stuck above a garage in Southern Pines waiting for another pine cone to hit the roof, shouldn't GolfClubAtlas.com's world headquarters be down the 18th at Pebble??
Me thinks so!
Cheers,