William Sutherland's photos

Mamaroneck, NY

Larchmont, NY Note: Derivative created from a Christmas ornament and Christmas Card featuring a tree painted by Nicola Gregory (Courtesy of Image Source). The form and details of the Christmas tree in this derivative are materially dissimilar from the original. Last due to time constraints and the fact that two of my sisters, two nephews, a niece, and my sister-in-law recently tested positive thanks to Omicron within days of each other, the comment section is disabled. To all, have Merry, Blessed and Safe Christmas. Most importantly, stay well! Note: Because of this COVID situation above, I do not have the time or energy to respond to comments and therefore this feature is disabled for this photo. Please don't take it personally since it is nothing personal. The comment feature will be enabled for future photos. COVID-19 Stats - Worldometers: www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

Rye, NY Created from the natural pattern found on a leaf to celebrate Native American peoples and their rich, diverse cultures. It is fitting the prominent pattern that resembles a "running deer" comes from natural origins since everything in creation is interconnected. In Native American culture, deer represent food, shelter, prosperity, clothing, continuity and the cycle of life from the “Spirit world” to the Earth and then back to the “Spirit World.” Per Native Americans deer are considered “Guardians of the Forest” which should inspire us especially during this period of climate change to rediscover our role as being guardians of the environment. The wigwam at the bottom of this abstract creation symbolizes our temporary dwelling on this planet and its lands that have been offered to provide for our needs during our transient stay. The circle represents the rising sun for new beginnings as well as equality, family ties, closeness and safety. The flowing red represents the blood that courses through our veins, which is the essence of life as well as beauty and joy. The splotches of black represent strength and prosperity while the abundance of gray represents the wisdom of simplicity and the embrace of the spiritual over the material. Finally the green represents ecological healing as well the mending that is desperately needed between red, black, white, brown and yellow in the USA. As the “Thanksgiving” holiday approaches here in the USA – an opportunity to take pause in our lives and reflect on God’s providence, Americans must also recognize it is an intensely painful and disheartening day for many Native Americans. Aside from the Plymouth Rock narrative, many of the original colonists gave “thanks” to celebrate the horrific plague that decimated Indigenous communities with the depraved view that God had “cleared the lands” for them. At another time, some also held a “thanksgiving” ceremony to celebrate the success of the 1637 atrocity they committed in Mystic, CT when they slaughtered 400+ Pequot peoples (overwhelmingly women and children since most of the warriors had been away at the time) – America’s first act of genocide that left only a dozen or so survivors with many sold into slavery. Finally, may government leaders do the right thing and recognize the Eastern Pequots as a tribe since they are DNA descendants of these dozen or so survivors. Their continued failure perpetuates this first genocide and the pain felt in Indigenous communities. Also by coincidence, my timing could not have been better. Since 2009, November is observed as National Native American Heritage Month in the USA to celebrate the contributions and culture of our indigenous peoples. :)

Eugene & Agnes Meyer Nature Preserve, Armonk, NY

Betsy Sluder Nature Preserve, Armonk, NY

Wampus Brook Park, Armonk, NY

Marshlands Conservancy, Rye, NY

Wakiki Beach, Wakiki, Oahu, Hawai’i This digital composition was created from garbage and litter found on Wakiki Beach along with an untarnished Pua Melia blossom that had fallen from the branches above. The title Edena was selected because Hawai’i is a “paradise” on earth and delightful refuge from many of the world’s problems. The chosen colors are filled with symbolism. Green (Omao) represents compassion, refreshment, the abundance of lush plants that cover the Hawai’ian Islands and well as life and love since per the Hawai’ian proverb, “Hāʻawi ke aloha i ke ola i loko” – “Love gives life within.” The eight red (ula’ula) dots on the domino represent the eight Hawai’ian Islands and the lava from the volcanic activity that had created them as well as passion. The splotches of yellow (melemele) represent the refreshing wind that comes off the Pacific as well as the Island of Oahu. The pastel whites (keʻokeʻo) and browns (palaunu) represent the sands on Hawai’ia’s coasts while the splotches of black (eleʻele) represent lava rock and black sand newly created by the continuous and active volcanic activity of the islands. The tinge of blue (polu) in the capital letter “B” represents the nearby ocean as well as health. At the same time, the Pua Melia (Plumeria) on the left is the floral symbol of Hawai’I used to create leis, that represents new beginnings, beauty, forgiveness, and life. The peach coloration on the Pua Melia represent comfort, warmth, and joy – which are epitomized by the smiling face. Finally the Japanese characters on the discarded chop sticks and product label represent harmony and cultural diversity based on the Hawi'ian saying, "Aloha does not discriminate!" With that said, “Aloha i nā mea āpau āu e ʻike ai a mau a mau ke aloha” – “Love all that you see and may our love last forever.”

Mamaroneck, NY Mamaroneck, NY experienced its worst flooding in history 1-2 September 2021, just 10 days after Tropical Storm Henri caused minor flooding that impacted 50 homes and a church. It was also notably the Village's 100th flood event since records were kept. Consistent with past major floods (14-18 October 1955, 19 June 1972, 23-27 September 1975, and 15 April 2007) the damage is extensive and likely to exceed $100 million, no coincidence because of climate change and development, the latter creating conditions for greater and more intense runoff. In addition, this flood resulted in loss of life – a person returning from work who was swept away by the raging floodwaters along Mamaroneck Avenue near the I-95 entrance/exit ramps. Prior to this flood, the 2007 event had been the worst in Mamaroneck’s history with floodwaters of up to 6 feet deep. This flood smashed the record with waters reaching an incredible height of 14 feet – not surprising since just prior to the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake River’s breaching their banks, it had rained like never before. In fact the rain came down so hard, it was like a sheet you couldn’t see through. With the intense rain, my 6-story apartment building was transformed into a towering waterfall. I created, “Hope,” an abstract digital work of art from a photograph I took in a parking lot along Nostrand Avenue, in which the raging waters from the nearby Mamaroneck River tore out parking barriers and flooded nearby buildings and roads. The original photograph before digital editing captured the patterns and ripples left behind in silt that had been washed up from the river and covered the asphalt surface. The incomplete red-orange circle in the top left corner is intended to depict the returning sun and represent perseverance while the red, yellow, and pink splotches, depicting the reflection of sunlight from the returning sun in standing pockets of water are intended to depict the coming together of peoples out of love and compassion to help the victims, assist with the cleanup and ultimately the rebuilding. The scattered green splotches and aura around the incomplete circle are intended to represent survival and thus life! The water droplets represent the rains that had caused this great flood. The black linear ripples depict the scars left behind the raging waters that had covered the parking lot in silt, which is represented by the earthen tones and grays. The dated postmarks (bottom left and top right) indicate the date and location of this great flood. Last, the overall cheerful brightness of this abstract embodies hope for as long as there is life, there is hope and thus with people coming together, even the worst of moments can be transformed into things of beauty. Mamaroneck, NY: 36 Noteworthy Floods between 1877 and 2021 October 1877 – 1st Flood since Record Keeping began (4 October) September 1882 July 1889 October 1903 March 1936 July 1938 September 1938 July 1942 August 1942 September 1944 May 1946 March 1953 August 1955 October 1955 – Approx. 3 feet, 7 inches of water August 1960 April 1961 March 1962 August 1971 June 1972 – Approx. 4 feet of water September 1974 September 1975 – Approx. 4 feet, 2 inches of water November 1977 April 1980 April 1983 May 1990 April 1996 October 1996 September 1999 September 2004 October 2005 March 2007 April 2007 – Approx. 6 feet of water August 2011 May 2013 August 2014 September 2021 – 14 feet of water; Worst flood of all-time Based on information in the 2008 KW Furey Engineering Flood Mitigation Report , there have been 100 "flood events" in the Village of Mamaroneck between 1877 and 2021 translating into a "flood event" once every 1.44 years. Note: Coastal flooding from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 is not included in the above statistics since the storm did not cause the Mamaroneck/Sheldrake Rivers to flood. Additional Source: Hydroquest LWRP Report dated 20 March 2016. Bold – Worst Floods in Mamaroneck, NY history

Larchmont, NY

Created 1 August 2021 from photographs of the images on a Manga® Sake Junmai bottle and an attached label on a Haku® Vodka bottle to celebrate the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being held this year. Consequently, the young woman in the image has “2020” face paint under her right eye and the young man has “2021” face paint under his left eye. The “Tokyo” label was modified to include the Olympic logo, Japanese characters for Tokyo, and the five Olympic rings. The “0” in 2020 and 2021 are a solid red circle to resemble the Japanese flag on a white background. The latter year is included since the 2020 Olympics had been delayed a year because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. To further resemble the Japanese flag, all images are in black and white with the exception of red. As I watch the Olympics, to make it a more immersive experience I’ve tried a variety of Japanese drinks. :) Finally, to conclude, I wrote the following Haiku verses: Through Olympic Sport, All the world makes a bold stand – COVID will not win! Consequently the Samurai sword in the image on the right represents Humanity's final victory over the COVID-19 pandemic for ultimately we will WIN! May everyone stay safe and the sports competition bring out the best in all the participants and the world community – borders and everything aside, we are one – ONE HUMAN race. Note: None of the images in this collage are being used for trademark purposes and thus per U.S. copyright law its creation through digital editing and display is legally acceptable Update: The 2nd Circuit Court Decision, 26 March 2021 Andy Warhol Found. for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith, No. 19-2420- CV, 2021 WL 1148826 narrowed the “fair use” doctrine for appropriation works of art such that his “Prince” silk screens are no longer considered original works as a lower court had ruled. This decision doesn’t prohibit all appropriation art. For example in 2020 (21) Tokyo Olympics satisfies 17 U.S.C. § 107(4) that focuses on “the effect of use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work,” the basis for the decision in Andy Warhol Found. for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith (2021) since the collage created from the Sake bottle meets the criteria of establishing “a new distinct artistic purpose and be reasonably perceived as having a new meaning or message separate from the borrowed work a new distinct artistic purpose and be reasonably perceived as having a new meaning or message separate from the borrowed work.” This collage doesn’t compete with sales of the Sake, impact such sales or convey the original meaning and purpose of Manga®'s depiction. Instead as a distinct 2D collage from the 3D bottle (inset), its new purpose and meaning is to solely celebrate the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being held these two weeks.

New York, NY Freedom Tower: Completed 2013. Height with Spire: 1776 feet. Architect: David Childs. Oculus: Completed 2016. Architect: Santiago Calatrava. Note: Due to a member question about the bottom right portion of Freedom Tower, the differences between the rest of the building as well as the appearance of smudging in the sky are optical illusions caused by the thin clouds in the sky that were faintly reflected in the sun-exposed section of Freedom Tower. The second optical illusion is caused by the dark shadow of the adjacent building that obscures the visible interior beams in the sun-illuminated section and interior office views. As this is a negative image, the shadow-impacted section is the opposite color (white vs. black) and the white wispy clouds appear as black smudges. In reality every section of Freedom Tower is alike.

Boston, MA (Collage created 3 July 2021) Title is derived from the blending of 18th century historical sites fitting for 245th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence attributed to 4 July 1776 with 20th-21st century architectural modernism, which encompasses a significant part of Boston’s skyline and waterfront development, much of it constructed after 2000. (top left) Old North Church (photographed 15 June 2021) used by Paul Revere (“One if by land, two if by sea”) during his midnight ride on 18 April 1775 to warn the patriots the British were coming by land (one lantern was hung in its steeple for a minute. Built in 1723. The oldest standing church in Boston. Also a little known fact, Wentworth Cheswell, the first African-American man elected to public office (Town Constable, Newmarket, NH in 1768) also warned of the British approach along with William Dawes, Samuel Prescott and some dozen others. (top middle) George Washington Statue (photographed 15 June 2021), Boston Public Garden. Designed by Boston artist Thomas Ball. Unveiled 3 July 1869. (top right) Faneuil Hall (photographed 13 June 2021), site of the Boston Massacre (5 March 1770, in which British troops killed five) and several speeches by Samuel Adams, one of several “Founding Fathers” opened in 1743 after being erected using funds from the slave trade. It reopened in 1762 after being nearly completely destroyed by a fire and is rich in African American history. The first person killed during the Boston Massacre was 47 year-old African American Crispus Attucks. In August 1890 it was the site of African-American legislator Julius Caesar Chappelle’s speech calling for granting Black Americans the right to vote. (bottom) Eleanor, Boston Harbor (photographed 14 June 2021), site of the Boston Tea Party. The Eleanor , a replica of the original tall ship, was one of three ships boarded by a diverse predominantly young crowd on 16 December 1773 to protest the British tax on tea with the rallying cry, “No taxation without representation!” 340 chests consisting of 92,000 pounds of tea valued at approximately $1.7 million in today’s money were dumped into Boston Harbor during the protest, the key event that sparked the American Revolution (1775-1783) and subsequent American independence from Britain. Additional View of Old North Church (left) and Faneuil Hall (right)

Boston, MA Created from the spray painted word "Art" located in the financial district and various debris (a discarded face mask, cigarette butts, napkin, rubber spacer ring, wire caps, plastic piece and dried flora and granules of sand from nearby Boston Harbor) located in a sheltered corner of the bricked pier along "Harbor Walk." Yes, Boston is virtually COVID free! There were single digit cases on many of the days I was there and 0 deaths! It was a pleasure to feel free again and to be able to breathe in the refreshing air without a mask and feel safe doing so! :) This is definite reason to smile!!! The soft colors chosen are meant to portray the sea and its flora and to represent the freshness of the pleasant sea breeze since Boston Harbor is only feet away from this sheltered corner of the pier.

Mamaroneck, NY Abstract work created from various discarded objects – pieces of a broken incandescent light bulb, a microwave door with intact patterned glass, an electrical outlet cover and wires. The title denotes the color red from the French word rouge . The dominate red color in conjunction with the various circles represent enduring love (in fact according to the Urban dictionary, a rouge “is the sweetest person you will ever meet… a person who will always love you…” regardless of circumstances and individual flaws, someone whom should be cherished and something worth pursuing), lasting health, which is so relevant during these pandemic times, and eternal life. The abundance of red also represents passion, strength and fortitude. At the same time, the outlet cover represents a means of release since it is within each of us to unleash love, passion and good and in doing so, beautifying the planet in the same way cosmetics beautify the face. Also, considering rouge, is also a powder used to polish glass, metal and gems, the metal microwave oven door with its intact glass and the diamond pattern in the center of this work are fitting. At the same time, the splashes of earthen tones and green reinforce the concept of life and its preciousness. Last, the happy face represents the joy red represents through love, vitality, and good health.

Larchmont, NY Created using three discarded items – a rubber spacer ring, torn piece from a cardboard box, and discarded plastic sack and three colors – white, black and sepia to promote simplicity and minimalism. At the same time, despite the large minimalist swath, this image also consists of veins and pockets of maximalism, most notably sections that depict the textured pattern of the discarded plastic sack while retaining its minimalist nature to defy conventional order. The torn card board displays the name of this creation while the spacer ring represents timeless eternity, infinity and perfect that only a 360° circle can do justice. The smiling face represents the joy that can be found in simplicity and minimalism that consists of pristine, uncluttered space.

Mamaroneck, NY Created from discarded piping, hundreds of tiny pieces of broken glass, a discarded board, and metal hasp. The swirls represent the “perfect turbulence” often depicted by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) even if it goes unnoticed during bright summer days where different retreats (e.g. beaches, cafés, etc.) serve as safe spaces and oases of serenity, disconnected from the chaotic affairs of this 21st century world. The discarded plastic pipes with minimal paint splatter represent these oases of calm. Even the labeled 73°F mild temperature represents this comfortable calm. Likewise, as such turbulence can go unnoticed, one also cannot see the stars (except for the sun) nor distant celestial bodies (except for the moon) when peering into the bright summer sky. Yet they are there! The dark blue splotches serve as a reminder they will be visible when darkness sets in while the abundance of tiny white space represents the countless stars that will re-appear. Hence the title, “73F Starry Summer Day.” In addition, the various colors – reds, greens, purples, greens, and yellows represent the joy of summer, which is captured by the smiling face. Life is what we make of it, regardless of challenges, adversity and the turbulent world we live in. Thus Choose Joy! It is refreshing, a lot healthier and more comforting than the alternative.

Created from four merged images – a window display at a Port Chester, NY restaurant taken 18 April 2014, photograph of the Ten Commandments tablets that symbolizes the law of the Torah (New Rochelle, NY), scripture from a Torah taken 17 May 2021 (Larchmont, NY) and a free clipart image of the Star of David, the symbol of the Jewish people. Wishing every Jewish person a Happy Shavuot even if it’s a little late due to server downtime!