Michael Ormsby
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michaelormsby.bsky.social
Michael Ormsby
@michaelormsby.bsky.social
Interests: Hiking, nordic skiing, bicycles, woodworking, photography, watercolor sketching, architecture, urbanism, classical music, vintage iPods, Alzheimer’s support.

@michaelormsby@mastodon.art
Sketch of the monastery of Saint John in Galicia, Spain.

#watercolor #watercolour #penAndInk #galiza
February 10, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
Now listening to Dutilleux's Symphony 1 recorded by Jan Pascal Tortelier. Although the Second Symphony is even finer, the First Symphony's luminosity, beauty and colour make it a marvellous contribution to the 20th century symphonic literature. Henri Dutilleux born on this day in 1916.
January 22, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Sketch, the Basilica di Sant’Andrea, Mantua, Italy. Designed by Leone Battista Alberti, over 300 years before completion. The buttressed dome is by architect and engraver Filippo Juvarra. To the left is preexisting bell tower

#RohrerUndKlingner #watercolor #watercolour #Italia #Mantova #UrbanDesign
January 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
So was Trump “targeted” by Pan Bondi when she was Florida’s AG and investigating Trump University (before getting a check for $25,000 to make it go away)?
January 15, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Sketches of Cathedral in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Layers of religions and architectural styles. Residence of wealthy Roman citizen w/ pagan floor mosaics, Romanesque church, Baroque partial facade, sculptor = architect.

#RohrerUndKlingner #watercolor #watercolour #Italia #ReggioEmilia #UrbanDesign
January 14, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
This famed English-language bookstore, located across from Notre Dame, is not to be missed. It oozes charm and boasts a fascinating story of its own.
Shakespeare and Company, by Bonnie Elliott.

www.theguardian.com/books/galler...
January 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Sketch of the Duomo in Reggio Emilia, Italy seen from the piazza in back. I’m going to finish this one and then try sketching the front facade.

#WorkInProgress #RohrerUndKlingner #watercolor #PenAndInk #Italia #ReggioEmilia #UrbanDesign
January 6, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Two Italian churches…

- The neoclassical San Simeone Piccolo in #Venezia

- The Baroque Chiesa di San Carlo in #Ferrara
January 2, 2025 at 2:39 PM
We celebrated New Year’s Eve Nordic Skiing on a freshly groomed trail near Mountain Dell Reservoir in Northern Utah. Later in the day I put some extra lights on our #CargoBike and we rode to a celebratory beverage or two.

Happy New Year!
January 2, 2025 at 1:49 PM
First #nordicskiing of the season. Not the greatest snow, but I’m not complaining. Halfway between Park City and Salt Lake City, Northern Utah.

Actually not a bad day at all. Rode the cargo bike to the supermarket in the morning, then skiing in the afternoon.
December 17, 2024 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
'Radausflug' #FotoVorschlag

"An Ihrem Ziel angekommen" :-)
May 9, 2024 at 7:33 AM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
Painting in progress … when painting landscapes it’s important to get the correct values between the darkest part of the clouds and dark of the horizon line. Nothing in the sky can be darker than the horizon. It’s really easy to make your clouds look too dark. #art #painting
April 11, 2024 at 1:11 PM
I use Affinity Photo + Designer and really like them.

Given the state of the industry it’s understandable that users view this transition with suspicion and alarm. Company says that they have no plans to change the subscription model so personally I’m willing to give them benefit of the doubt.
Oh for fucks sake...

Affinity products bought by freemium vendors Canva. Affinity Photo and Designer are really great alternatives to Photoshop and Illustrator (and one time payment) so it's disappointing to hear they may end up being subscription-based.
A message to our amazing Affinity community
Today marks a momentous new chapter in our journey together.
affinity.serif.com
March 26, 2024 at 12:48 PM
Final build on my semi-restored circa 1910-1918 Bailey No. 4 hand plane for woodworking. One of the previous owners etched their initials in the side, which may give it more character. Restoration took a _lot_ more time than I thought it would, but I learned a lot.
March 13, 2024 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
#art #illustration #blackandwhite #animalmarch #kleinekunstklasse #möwe #seagull
Möwe - Seagull

A bit late a seagull picture of me:
A giantess with reflective glasses and a sweeping brim of her hat sits next to an oversized seagull under a bridge. On the brim squat two cheerful craftsmen.
March 13, 2024 at 10:49 AM
Home baked whole wheat bread with orange peel, macadamias, and chopped almonds.

I started doing this a month or two ago and am getting to the point where I don’t feel like a total amateur. It seems like very subtle variations in water content and bake time can make a big difference.

#realbread
February 20, 2024 at 1:37 AM
#WIP I’m doing a partial restore of a vintage #bailey hand plane for #woodworking. Starting to repaint the base. Reglued, sanded & oiled the tote which had split about 1/3 way up. The blade is in bad shape and may not be original. My goal is a usable, interesting tool.

#handtools
February 16, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
Portrait sketch.
February 12, 2024 at 12:40 PM
Use laundry room as ski maintenance shop… doesn’t everyone?

Discovered Start™ Grip Tape, not to be confused with skateboard Grip Tape, leave it on for a dozen or more trips. It’s been around for a few years but I only just got the memo. Only thing I do is clean dirt from glide areas.

#nordicskiing
February 9, 2024 at 4:33 PM
“You get the drill...”

I took a break from emergency kitchen repairs to do a quick #watercolor #sketch of some powertools.

I had been attempting to repair a crack in the ceiling then I was horrified to realize that about 2/3 drywall had separated from the joists. Quick fix ensued.

#watercolour
February 6, 2024 at 7:15 PM
I recently acquired a vintage #woodworking handplane on eBay. Besides being a great model for a #watercolor #sketch it will be a useful tool. Don’t have time for a full restoration but I plan on stripping and repainting the base and flattening the bottom, and repairing the tote.

#watercolour #tool
February 2, 2024 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Michael Ormsby
Les mimosas dans l’atelier.
#gouache
January 29, 2024 at 9:14 PM
It started with #nordicskiing but the snow conditions were poor so we left the skis at the halfway point and walked up the rest of the way. It’s been unusually warm with infrequent wet, heavy snow. I didn’t bring my good camera so this is a phone snap.

Northern Utah, USA.

#climatechange
January 25, 2024 at 12:08 AM
#WIP Pencil and watercolor sketch of a woodworker’s plane. I bought some inexpensive sketching pads. Paper seems to be holding up to the watercolor OK. Pans are a mix of Schmincke and W&N.

Sorry for the chaos of our kitchen table. Everything seems to happen here.

#watercolor #watercolour #sketch
January 24, 2024 at 4:16 PM
I set up our breadmaking station… mill, dough machine, and a bag of wheat berries. Usually add about a cup of oat flower (supposed to be good for heart health). I make a batch, let it rise, and then bake a portion for my wife and I putting the rest in the fridge. #realbread #yeast #breadbaking
January 22, 2024 at 11:19 PM