Inspirations — Architecture

Every time I go on a trip, I come home with more pictures of buildings then anything else. Don't get me wrong, there is the occasional picture of a family member or of my husband and I but mostly, it is the architectural elements of a city that really capture my attention. These buildings and the history of them are what make a city or town stand out to me. They are what I remember from my trips. As an artist, I have always been drawn to geometric shapes. Buildings and city-scapes are the epitome of that. The solid and clean lines of ultra modern architecture and the beautiful and whimsy flourishes of historic architecture draw me in and make me all warm and fuzzy! I wanted to share some pictures from my travels that inspire me. These inspirations don't necessarily come out in my jewelry designs but in my profound appreciation for art in all of its glorious forms.

My collection today comes to you from Denver, Colorado; Rome and Venice, Italy; London, England;  Paris, France and New York City, New York.

Hope you enjoy the architectural eye candy!

The Denver Art Museum in Colorado is an awesome example of modern architecture.
The gravity defying lines and sharp angles are what makes this building special.

Denver Public Library. I absolutely love all of the different shapes and color and "towers" that this building has. It reminds me of a drawing that I would do when I was younger of crazy shapes all overlapping each other while inserting rows of rectangles as windows, effectively making them buildings. What a fun place to go read!

Taken in Venice, Italy, this shot pretty much shouts Venice. I unfortunately haven't been to Venice, My father-in-law took this image, but just looking at it makes me want to go there. I love all of the buildings and how they are attached and look like one continuous entity if it weren't for the subtle differences of each building. I also love how warn the buildings are from the age and constant exposure to water.

This image was taken in Rome, Italy. Italian architecture is so magical to me. The antiquity of it mixed with how well preserved most of the buildings are is just astonishing to me, especially given how long ago they were built and the methods in which this was carried out. I find it very interesting that so many European buildings are attached to one another yet still maintain their individuality by their styling. The small flourishes and the detail is what makes Italian architecture something I could stare at for days. Guess I need to go back pronto!

Big Ben! Ok, not the greatest image in terms of detail but the Gothic styling is still evident. When I studied Gothic Art in one of my art history classes in college, I was always so impressed with the intensity of the details that went into the design of the buildings. So sharp and beautiful. I was in absolute awe of the architecture in London.

This image was also taken in London.  This building was such a contrast to Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham but London actually has a few very drastic modern primarily glass buildings. I haven't been able to find out what this building is but it is so pretty and unique, not to mention colorful. Stunning!

Pairs, France. Old. Weathered. Amazing. We only spent about 11 hours in Paris which of course is not enough time to appreciate such as place but I did see this beauty of a building. No idea if it is a residence (it strikes me as such) but I am just in love with the layers of this building. I would have loved to see the interior and seen how the buttresses look from the inside.

Pyramide du Louvre from the inside out. I personally love the harsh juxtaposition of the Louvre Pyramid and the Louvre itself. I can't really say why, I just think it is visually interesting. I love the pyramid, mostly because it is glass and because of its functionality. The Louvre's underground lobby is beneath the pyramid which allows for much larger crowds that the original entrance. Trust me, they need as much room as they can get, as amazing as the Louvre is (and I don't even know a 10th of its glory) man, is it crowded!

Another image of the exterior of the Louvre. Such amazing detail. So fancy and whimsical. I think I enjoyed the outside more than the inside but that is just because of the crowds, time restraints and the vast overwhelming feel of the place. Did you know the Louvre has approximately 652,300 square feet of exhibition space. Wow!

Paris, France. I just love all of the shapes happening here. Everything crammed together and piled on top of one another but somehow it still manages to look classy and elegant. I think I want to live in one of those flats!

NYC, NY! Where tall buildings are everywhere you turn! Lines and shapes, all sizes and heights! Love it!

NY. I love the detail here. It is just so beautiful.

The diversity from building to building in New York is awesome. I love the reflective quality of this one. So sleek!

What a perfect image to end on. Sky lines and the silhouette of them are part of what I love most about architecture. The different shapes and sizes all clumped together to make a memorable visual. Can't wait to see this view again. Love New York. It is so breathtaking.

I should mention, I have never formally studied architecture aside from the occasional piece in art history. My terminology may not have all been correct but I do have an appreciation for the artistic expression of man-made beauty of this particular craft and have so much respect for professional architects.

©2007-2011. All images property of Robert Moore, Allen Moore and Sara Moore.