Alphabet Series: E - Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)

Atop Castle Rock in Edinburgh, Scotland sits Edinburgh Castle. Castle Rock is a volcanic plug that rose 350 million years ago and has been occupied by humans since the Iron Age. And what about the Scottish thistle? According to legend, sleeping Scots warriors were warned of Norse invaders when one stepped on a thistle and cried out - and the thistle became a national emblem.

Alphabet Series: U - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, has become a modern manufacturing city, but before 1778 it was a nomadic monastic center and changed location 28 times - each location chosen ceremonially. The yurt is a traditional nomadic Mongolian dwelling, and 30%-40% of Mongolians continue to live in yurts.

Alphabet Series: M - Mexico City, Mexico

When visiting Mexico City, take a trip to the ancient city of Teotihuacan and stroll down the Avenue of the Dead where you can see immense structures dating from 300 - 600 CE including the Pyramid of the Sun.

Alphabet Series: L - London, England (UK)

When in London, hop on a red double decker bus and take a ride to Big Ben.

Alphabet Series: K - Kathmandu, Nepal

In Kathmandu stop at the Boudhanath Stupa to see one of the largest domed stupas in the world.

Alphabet Series: I - Istanbul, Turkey

In Istanbul, visit the Hagia Sophia. It has been an Eastern Orthodox cathedral, a Roman Catholic Cathedral, an imperial mosque and now a museum. Originally constructed in 537 CE under orders of Emperor Justinian in the Byzantine Empire, it remained the largest cathedral in the world until 1520 CE and is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture.

Alphabet Series: J - Jerusalem, Israel

View the gold dome and mosaics of Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, Israel.

Alphabet Series: S - Sydney, Australia

When in the "Land Down Under" stop in Sydney to view the Opera House in the harbor and see kangaroos hopping across fields and sitting on hilltops.

Alphabet Series: H - Haarlem, Netherlands

The Netherlands are home to windmills and fields of tulips (among other things).

Alphabet Series: G - Giza, Egypt

Some colossal ancient architecture in Egypt.

Alphabet Series: F - Florence, Italy

The Florence Cathedral (officially The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, unofficially Il Duomo) was begun in 1246 CE according to the designs of Arnolfo de Cambio and completed in 1436 with Filippo Brunelleschi's dome. You can read more about the drama of engineering the dome in Ross King's Brunelleschi's Dome. (I had to read it in college.)

Alphabet Series: Q - Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America and the only city with remaining walls (ramparts).

Alphabet Series: P - Paris, France

How could I do a travel series and not include Paris?

Alphabet Series: C - Cuzco, Peru

Down to South America to go up into the mountains to Cuzco, Peru and the Inca city of Machu Picchu.

Alphabet Series: B - Bangkok, Thailand

In Bangkok, you can view a collection of wats, or temples. You can also take an elephant ride through the jungle. Elephants have been revered animals in Thailand, used in war and as beasts of burden. Unfortunately the tourist trade has wrecked havoc on the wild population of Asian elephants.

Alphabet Series: A - Agra, India

In Agra, India, you can find the Taj Mahal, a beautiful combination of Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles. And the beautiful peacock is the national bird of India.

Alphabet Series - Pt. 1

With the baby coming, I thought "Why buy art when I can make it?" (Though, I often think that and it doesn't usually happen that I actual make the said item I decide not to buy because I figure I can just make it.)  That is what I am doing (hopefully!). I was hesitant to create too much of a theme in the room, which means no mural on the wall, and I want whatever ends up in the room to look like it belongs. I decided on creating an alphabet series. Since Scott and I love to travel, and I would love to inspire the baby to explore and be interested in the world, I decided on a world travel theme for the series. I also think that this will pull in a variety of colors, shapes, animals, etc. that I can play off of throughout the room. I plan to create 8" x 8" mixed media collages - collage paper on the background and paint on top. The canvases have arrived, and so far I have completed sketches for almost half of the alphabet.

As I was sketching, I realized that in some ways, this is turning out to be a study of the development of the dome through out history and across cultures. I have done 12 letters and already have 5 different domes! Thanks to all my art history teachers, starting with Georgia McCalmon at Elkins HS for including architectural history.

Here is the alphabet list:

A - Agra, India (Taj Mahal and peacock)
B - Bangkok, Thailand (elephant and temple)
C - Cuzco, Peru (Machu Picchu and llama)
D - Dublin, Ireland (round tower, shamrock and celtic designs)
E - Edinburgh, Scotland (Edinburgh castle and thistle)
      ...okay, I know it is technically the UK, but they really want to be independent, so...
F - Florence, Italy (Duomo)
G - Giza, Egypt (pyramids and sphinx)
H - Haarlem, Netherlands (windmill and tulips)
I - Istanbul, Turkey (Hagia Sophia)
J - Jerusalem, Israel (Dome of the Rock)
K - Kathmandu, Nepal (Boudhanath Stupa)
L - London, England (red double decker bus and Big Ben)
M - Mexico City, Mexico (Teotihuacan temples)
N - Nairobi, Kenya (lion and giraffe)
O - Oslo, Norway (Viking ship)
P - Paris, France (Eiffel Tower)
Q - Quebec City, Canada (fortifications)
R - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Carnival)
S - Sydney, Australia (Sydney Opera House and kangaroo)
T - Tokyo, Japan (pagoda)
U - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (yak and yurt)
V - Venice, Italy (gondolier)
W - Warsaw, Poland (art deco designs and Marie Curie)
X - Xian, China (Terra Cotta Warrior and panda)
Y - Yangon, Myanmar or Yaounde, Cameroon (I have no idea yet.)
Z - Zurich, Switzerland (mountain and skier)