Charles Cottle — In May 2018 I took a tour to Russia, the Baltic countries, and Poland. We were in Russia for over a week, during which time we toured Moscow and St. Petersburg. In such a short period of time one cannot see anything but the major tourist sites and only get a smattering of Russian culture. Nonetheless, I was impressed by the beautiful … Continue reading Churches of Moscow, Russia and Vicinity
Charles Cottle and James Cottle — In May 2017 my brother Jim and I traveled on a tour of central Europe. The major cities on the tour included Budapest, Vienna, Prague, and Berlin. The first city on the tour was Budapest, Hungary. Featured here are my brother’s photos of the major architectural sites that one can visit in only two days in Budapest. I have … Continue reading Forty-Eight Hours in Budapest: A Photographic Essay
Charles Cottle — I was recently invited to display several photographs of Oaxaca, Mexico at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater during the annual Latino Heritage Month celebration. The exhibit had to be put together quickly, so I chose seven photos that I had ready to go and worked up seven more for a total of fourteen. The first five of the show were participants in the … Continue reading Images of Oaxaca: A Photo Essay
Charles Cottle — Many of us who take pictures have traveled to beautiful places, taken photos, and returned home only to find that what we experienced at the picturesque site was nowhere to be found in the photos we took. I remember going up the California coast once from Santa Barbara to Monterey taking photos of some of the most beautiful coastline in the United … Continue reading Ten Simple Tips for Better Photos
Ron Berger — The critically acclaimed Hamilton: An American Musical, which opened off-Broadway in February 2015 and on-Broadway in August 2015, has been heralded as a cultural phenomenon that has rekindled interest in this important “founding father” of the United States. Based on the book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the musical has garnered numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The musical’s creator, … Continue reading In Hamilton’s Wake
Rick Hintze with Charles Cottle — This is the second in a series of videos in which Rick Hintze, an accomplished potter from Whitewater, Wisconsin, demonstrates the complete process of making a jar from clay to finished product. In the previous installment, Rick demonstrated the “throwing” of the jar on a wheel. He also made a top for the jar. In the present video, he … Continue reading From Clay to Jar – Part II: Preparing the Top
Ellin Jimmerson — Last Thursday, something unusual happened in America. In a country uncomfortable with both political discussions and art which is not decorative, we heatedly discussed a statue. You know the one I’m referencing – the nude statue of presidential hopeful Donald Trump – depicting him as a pompous dictator with no clothes and no testicles and a very, very small penis. Commissioned by the … Continue reading The Emperor Has No Balls: Are the Trump Statues Body Shaming or Legitimate Political Commentary?
Rick Hintze — My friend, Charlie Cottle, one of the Wise Guys founders, made this video a couple of years ago of me demonstrating the steps in making a small covered jar on the potter’s wheel. The jar itself is straightforward, with relatively straight sides and a slightly domed lid, a shape I have made many times and to which I have applied a few … Continue reading Making a Covered Jar
Ron Berger — When I retired last Spring, I was feeling nostalgic. I thought I’d put together a retrospective CD that was framed, metaphorically speaking, as musical material that resonated with my life and wisdom I’ve acquired along the way. I planned to have the CD prepared for my retirement dinner, but I did not complete it until a few months later (with the help … Continue reading Musical Memories
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