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Beach Waves Under Dramatic Skies by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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"I always like to say hello to the ocean, because no matter what, it will wave back to me." ~Unknown


Some have expressed that I have saltwater in my veins. That I have nervous shakes when I go inland for two long. These are obvious hyperbole that is only funny because of their juxta positioned veracity.

In reality, I have spent time inland. I have spent much more time on or near the water. There is a reason why I live near the beach. This is the place for comfort, thoughtfulness, and inspiration. And the ocean never fails to offer its welcome.

Beach Waves Under Dramatic Skies 

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Beach Waves Under Dramatic SkiesWaves rolling in at high tide under dramatic skies at Matunuck Beach, South Kingstown, Rhode Island




D

Walking East At Indian Run Reservoir by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - One of the greatest questions that I receive is how someone who has spent so much time on the water also is an avid hiker. The answer I usually give is that it is surprising that I have spent so much time on the water.

My time hiking is somewhat natural. My grandfather was a Swiss immigrant. They are almost born hiking where he came from (I still have his hiking staff). It is somewhat natural for me to appreciate a long walk (or a short one when a long walk cannot be had). My proclivity for this activity may not be cultural or genetic in its makeup, but it might as well be.

(Note: Select any photo to see in its portfolio in a larger format).

Walking East 1


Walking East 1A snowy trail walking in the woods surrounding Indian Run Reservoir in Wakefield, Rhode Island.




In wi

Hope Of Rhode Island by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - I am writing this on the eve of a day that changed us all. On March 13, 2020, we picked up our children from a school that they would never enter again and locked down. Our futures were uncertain. More uncertain than we knew.

But, we live in Rhode Island. The state motto is "Hope". A motto that traces its roots back to Rhode Island's founder, Roger Williams. We live in a place where Hope and its symbols are all around us. If the symbol and motto are not present, sometimes a creative soul makes it so. Hope endures. Hope lasts. Hope uplifts. Hope sees us through. Hope is what anchors our soul.

When there is nothing else, when all is uncertain as this year has been, we have had Hope. We are Rhode Islanders. Our desire is to share that Hope beyond our borders. It's our gif

Over Narragansett Bay by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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"Behind the clouds, the sun is still shining..."



Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,



"The Rainy Day", Stanza Three, Line Two


Awe Over Narragansett Bay (Select the photo to see in a larger format)


Awe Over Narragansett BaySpringtime clouds above Narragansett Bay refracting the sun




When photographing Narragansett Bay, I have made it a practice not to be operating a boat myself. This view is why. I love operating boats and I have a reputation as a seaman, but this is a different function. While photographing, I utilize the same powers of observation used in vessel operation. Then I allow myself to add in a sense of awe.

Here we have a couple of examples. I looked up. The weather was on the cusp of being beautiful or going completely upside down. The resu

Driftwood Tree And Waves At Matunuck by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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Driftwood Tree And Waves At MatunuckDriftwood tree ashore on Matunuck Beach as waves roll in off the sound




I once read that the waves are the voice of the tides. It's true. As the winds increase against the tide, the resistance will generate waves. The motion of the earth adds to the action with swells. This is a simplistic explanation but it piques our interest in the waves.

But what the wind and tide deposit on the beach attracts the beachcomber and beachgoer. Driftwood in this case. An entire driftwood tree. The bark stripped and every grain raised. Soaked with salt (it would pop with explosive crackles if burned). A fascination deposited on the beach.

Driftwood Tree And Raised Grain

Often Viewed Not Often Seen by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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Often Viewed Not Often SeenA transition point between the hiking area at Black Point and Scarborough Beach. The snow is highlighting the Carriage House remnant and beach houses.




A transition point between the hiking area at Black Point and Scarborough Beach. The snow is highlighting the Carriage House remnant and beach houses.

Sailing on excursion boats and ferries, I developed the habit of turning around from time to time. The concept was to find out what action was occurring around the vessel. It was a safety matter and good seamanship and ship handling. To be succinct, the habit developed and honed my awareness of my surroundings.

This development of awareness has made me more sensitive to transition points. These transition points are temporal and p

Turtle Hiding In Shell by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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Turtle Hiding In ShellA turtle hiding in his shell near the Great Swamp in South Kingstown, Rhode Island




A turtle hiding in his shell near the Great Swamp in South Kingstown, Rhode Island

One of the members of the animal kingdom that we have encountered more often in recent years is the turtle. What we have photographed is one of these retracted into their shell.

In reality, it is more precise to call this shelled creature a "Terrapin". Terrapins live on land and in water, usually in swamps, ponds, lakes, and rivers. This one is resting in the area of the Great Swamp Management Area of South Kingstown, Rhode Island.

© Keith R Wahl, Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery, 2021. Unauthorize

Charlestown Winter Sunset by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - "Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty." ~ John Ruskin

There are days where one needs to go out and find a sunset. Fortunately, we live in Rhode Island. We have sunsets in abundance. 

Charlestown Winter Sunset











A winter sunset as seen from the Breachway at Charlestown, Rhode Island.

© Keith R Wahl, Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Keith R Wahl and Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery (Brand names of Made From RI LLC of South Kingstown, Rhode

Ice Cream Folk Art American Flag by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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Ice Cream Folk Art American FlagA folk art or primitive art American Flag representation on the entry wall of a Block Island ice cream shop. The appearance is that leftover or scrap plastering lathing was used in its creation.




There is something about walking around Block Island in pre-summer. Pre-summer is when it's still spring but feels like summer. The air on Block Island still has a kiss of cool thirteen miles offshore.

In the "pre-summer" everything is fresh. The shopkeepers have cleaned their shops. Everyone shakes off the winter slumber. The greetings are robust. We can laugh with strangers who have become fast friends, united in our appreciation of the time.

As we notice that

Catboat From Astern by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - Seeing a classic Cape Cod style Catboat in Newport Harbor will always draw my eye. Especially a wooden "Cat".

This "Cat", while I do not know it has all the appearances of a Crosby design. The expressed tumblehome in the stern and "barn door" style rudder are giveaways. This would differ from, say, the designs of C. C. Hanley who had more of an upswept counter astern. Hanley's designs were more for alacrity where the Crosby has a high comfort ratio and able to work as well.

The Catboat, at one time, was common in Narragansett Bay. Many vintage photos will display this practical design of the boat. The term "Cape Cod" Cat is somewhat ironic, especially with this display in Newport. "The Catboat Book" by John M. Leavens alludes to the

Bay Morning Between Winter And Spring by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - There is a space in time where one season has not ended and the next has not yet begun. We see the changes occurring first in the air and water.

The textures in the clouds are the first elements indicating the seasonal change. The clouds become more full and start to show a rougher texture. The color of the water is the other element as it changes from a deep blue, almost black, to something lighter.

These seasonal changes happen in phases. The air and the water are the first heralds of what is coming. Soon, in a few weeks, birds will be chirping in the early morning and greenery will start filling in. But for now, the essence of both departing winter and arriving spring dance together.

(Note: Select photos to see in their portfolio in a larger format).
 

Lower West Bay

Morning Views On The Pawcatuck by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - Southerly Morning View On The Pawcatuck 

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Southerly Morning View On The PawcatuckEarly in the day on the Pawcatuck River




Mornings are quiet on the river. It is as if there is an old man alongside the banks telling everything to slow down. The current runs with deceptive alacrity, but the appearance is quiet and serene. Reflective. Look south. Look north. Relax to the quiet rhythm of the river.
 

Northerly Morning View On The Pawcatuck


Northerly Morning View On The PawcatuckEarly in the day on the Pawcatuck River




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© Keith R Wahl, Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and writte

Math And Science by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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"In the LABORATORY, let's have more of the first five letters and less of the last seven."

~Sign on the wall of my high school Physics lab.



Beakers On The Rack

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Beakers On The RackBeakers on a rack in the lab at the old East Providence High School




In high school, mathematics, science, and the lab is either the dread or the salvation of student. For me, it was salvation. This is where I excelled and found myself. Balancing equations in Chemistry was a joy; seeing their impact come to life in the lab was an elation.

Wandering the halls of the East Providence High School, these subjects came to life again. Beakers and flasks in the lab room. In another the equation declaring the "part divided by the wh

Snow Path By The Sound by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - There are times that one needs to go out and blaze a new trail. These are times to seek adventure and explore. The photographed situation was not one of those days.

This was a peaceful day walking in the late afternoon sun. The path placed before us led us along the shore in snow. Having something to follow helped us relax, unwind, and appreciate the views around us.

Sometimes, blazing a path is the way. Other times, it is settling into the comfort of the known but living the experience in a different way. Such was this afternoon.

(All photos are from our "Winter Scenes" Portfolio)

Snow Path By The Sound

A path to walk, by the ocean, in the snow. This is a perfect winter place. At Black Point, Narragansett, Rhode Island.


Snow Path By The SoundA path to walk, by the o

Allen Harbor Scallop Shell: A Waterfront Metaphor by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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Allen Harbor Scallop ShellScallop shell in bluestone




Scallop shell in bluestone

There is a reason why I make certain distinctions. I realize that the waterfront is on the shoreline. But, there is something distinctive about the waterfront. The connotation of waterfront, if not denotation, is something akin to a utility. Related to utility is work. The waterfront is where things happen.

This work and utility thoughts lead us to a scallop shell cast among bluestone or Belgian Stone. The stone is the edging brought in to stabilize the soil near docks and piers. The scallop shell is the remnant of work (and someone's tasty meal). It's not on the beach and it's not on the shoreline per se. No.

Orange Shadows Cast by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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Orange Shadows CastIn the late-day sun, highlights of light and shadows cast




Orange is a color that is often called "happy". So coming across a natural display of the color orange that is mysterious and moody is a find.

These orange flowers know that this is later spring and that summer is coming. They know that the rain is coming tonight. They know that brightness is around the corner. But the current climate leaves them unsure, shy, and introverted. They hide in the shadows and look forward to the bright light. Orange flowers are happiness cloaked in mystery and wisdom.

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Made From RI Gallery Weekly Roundup, February 26 to March 4, 2021, by Keith R Wahl

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ W.B. Yeats

What, exactly, are we trying to express here at Made From RI Gallery? We are attempting to show Rhode Island, its features, and its people in a positive light. We are trying to show some maritime or waterfront life in a positive light.

You will start hearing me express myself as a "Cultured Wharf Rat" or an "Educated Beach Bum". Other elevated self-deprecating terms will creep in as well. It's an attempt to elevate the beautiful things that we all take for granted. The crane on the waterfront. The shell on the beach forming an impromptu collage. The weather formation in the distance. These all have meaning in our lives. We are pulling that context

Hollow Of The Tree by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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https://www.madefromrigallery.com - When hiking, I always revel in finding a hollow in a tree. For one thing, a hollow in a tree signifies old woodland. That tree has been there for a while. Hollows form from tree stress, fungi, or animals or insects burrowing into the heartwood.

A tree hollow acts as a resource or habitat for many vertebrate and invertebrate animals. It's a sign of life and activity. When found in the snow, as this one was, it is also a potential for shelter from the cold.

Hollow Of The Tree


Hollow Of The Tree




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Hollow of a tree in the snow. Found along the trail surrounding Indian Run Reservoir, Wakefield, Rhode Island.

© Keith R Wahl, Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplicatio

Purple Fireworks by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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“Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.”

~Ralph Waldo Emmerson


Purple Fireworks

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Purple FireworksPunches of purple color decorate the landscape




Some wait for a celebration for fireworks to dot the sky with splashes of color. We need not wait if we slow down and look down at the ground. Nature often provides us with its own exciting but quiet splash of color too. We found these "fireworks" at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI. 

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Spring Beach Story by Keith R Wahl, Made From RI Gallery

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"My sense of direction leads me one way: to the beach."


Usually, there is some elaboration about a photo. I like to tell stories. No further explanation is necessary in this case. Springtime, the beach, two dogs, and resting against a driftwood log. The story is told. 

Spring Beach Story (Photo from our "Seascapes/Shoreline" Portfolio)


Spring Beach StoryThe very first full day of Spring at Moonstone Beach. A driftwood log to grab a seat in the late afternoon sun as the dogs play.




The very first full day of Spring at Moonstone Beach. A driftwood log to grab a seat in the late afternoon sun as the dogs play.

© Keith R Wahl, Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expres