Mural by Lila Gemellos (https://www.gemellosmurals.com/). That is herself painting her name under the red ribbon.
SLAC – Longest Linear Accelerator
Looking down the hall of the 2 mile long straight building at Stanford’s linear accelerator. Straight, not level. The guide said if it was level it would follow the Earth’s curve and at 2 miles long it would then be about 12 inches off of straight at the end. This building was designed to be straight because a couple of stories below ground, under this support equipment that the building is housing, is a long tube that is designed to accelerate particles very near the speed of light. And those particles go straight. You don’t get too many opportunities to look down so perfect an example of a diminishing perspective through distance.
This is the outside of the building, looking down the exact same stretch as seen in the inside photo above it. You can see highway 280 going over the linear accelerator as a bridge not too far ahead in the photo.
Our tour guide took us to a newer building added down the end of the accelerator where x-rays generated by the accelerated particles are used for modern research. The accelerator was running throughout this whole visit, and does so through most hours of most days of the year. And so, behind the tour guide in the above photo, here a few stories under ground, x-rays are flying through the labs in a horizontal tube that I pointed out with the added blue arrow. These x-rays are used in the various experiments going on in the numerous rooms of SLAC.
There is something wonderful about humans working together on huge ambitious projects to advance our understanding of the universe. And it is pretty great to get to look at these projects and to consider what they do and how they do it.
Coming back up to the surface, surrounded by California.
Live Painted Murals at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
These murals were painted live in front of the community while enjoying the 2023 County Fair.
By Hector Covarrubias (https://www.instagram.com/cova____/).
By Dee-meh (https://www.instagram.com/ladimeuna/), Priscilla Marquez (https://instagram.com/priscillasarte/reels/), and Yazmin Shi Shi Madriz (https://www.instagram.com/shishi.madriz/).
By Driftin (https://driftin.one/produce).
By Arsenio Baca (https://www.abacaart.com/).
By Jessica (https://www.instagram.com/jcaoart/).
By Eddie Ramirez (https://www.eddieramirezart.com/).
By Demetris BAMR Washington (https://www.bamrtheartist.com/).
By Ricardo Richey – APEXER (https://theapexer.com/).
By Robert Nexus-Nexx Ortiz (https://www.instagram.com/og_nexus_408/).
By Jesse Hernandez – Urban Aztec (http://www.jessehernandez.net/).
Norman Chuck – Vogue (https://www.voguesworld.com/).
By Raiz (https://www.pablosomething.com/) and Pancho Pescador (https://www.instagram.com/panchopescador/).
By Elba Raquel (https://www.elbaraquel.com/).
Cities of Santa Clara County Murals
At the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, there is a building with murals for its cities and towns.
San Jose by Mario Dimas (https://www.instagram.com/mariodimasart/).
Santa Clara by Kelly Detweiler (https://www.instagram.com/kdetweilerart/).
Gilroy by Sheryl Cathers (https://www.instagram.com/sheryl_cathers/).
Los Gatos by Bhavana Misra (https://bhavnamisra.com/).
Palo Alto by Megan Sara Stevens (https://www.artistmegansara.com/).
Mountain View by Scape Martinez (https://www.sm-artgroup.com/).
Sunnyvale by a collaboration of artists; Ketaki Adi, La Vonne Carrick, Angelo Lopez, Deepti Nanawati, Penny Nolan, Kanchan Paranjpe, Jayashree Sadasivan, Neela Shukla, Ishwarryah SR, Jenny Tang.
Los Altos by Morgan Bricca (https://morganmurals.com/).
Campbell by Pam Mossing (https://www.facebook.com/pammossingmurals/photos_by).
Milpitas by Francisco Ramirez (https://www.instagram.com/fco1980/).
Cupertino by Joseph Demaree (https://idiomism.wixsite.com/josephdemaree).
Saratoga by Greg Cheung.
Los Altos Hills by Tanya Fisher (https://www.tanyafisher.art/).
Morgan Hill by Paul J. Gonzalez (https://pauljgonzalezartstudios.com/).
Monte Sereno is at the end of the building and is five murals around a doorway that focus on painter Thomas Kinkade who had lived there. These murals above were by Kachan Paranjpe Khadikar and Ketaki Adi. The following ones were, in the order shown, by Joseph Demaree, Francisco Ramirez, and Lila Gemellos.
Cabbage at the Library
From the street of San Tomas Aquino Rd. I assumed I was looking at a simple, though attractive, vegetable sculpture. Then I got closer and saw there was more to it. Notice the roof of this library has a rain spout directed to the top of the sculpture. Then, looking closer I saw that the sculpture has curves that channel water and a drain near its base. It is a part of the rain water drain path! That is just neat. I found that the artist Elizabeth Conner (https://elizabethconner.com/section/348652-Public-Art.html) calls this work “Cabbage”.
From the top you can see how the water is channeled all around the grooves of the sculpture’s leaves as it flows down towards the drain.
Waterways work their away around it all and it has integrated lights to backlight the leaves at night.
I like looking at this and hope to be near it when it is raining some day.
Payphone at Berryessa San Jose BART Station
Murals at a Middle School
I recognize some of these artists from their work on other murals in San Jose. This mural put together by multiple artists was found at Hermann Intermediate School in San Jose.
Hugs and Kisses at the San Jose Airport
XO twelve foot tall sculpture with flying birds cut into it by Laura Kimpton (https://www.instagram.com/laurakimpton/) and Jeff Schomberg (https://www.jeffschombergarts.com/) is at the San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC).
Water Mural on Blossom Hill Road
Santa Clara Valley Water District Mural by Paul J. Gonzalez (http://www.pauljgonzalezartstudios.com/) on Blossom Hill Road.
Teamwork Mural at Fire Station 14
Mural by Bill Vujevich (https://www.melangestudios.com/) entitled “Teamwork” is on San Jose Fire Station 14. The muralist’s father retired from the SJFD.