People on the Taos, New Mexico reservation may not have a whole lot at their disposal, but their love of colors comes out in all sorts of places. This goes along with my "Reservation Door" pink picture.
It must have been raining there recently. From the look of it, they got a lot of rain all at once. When people speak of adobe huts, they think of those rock hard polished smooth and bone white buildings housing the likes of Fred Flintstone or Barney Rubble. The reality is that they are made of mud and straw formed into blocks and covered over with more mud and straw to seal any cracks. The wind and sun dry out the surface and make it rock hard. Heating on the inside causes it to dry out. Periodic brushing of the inside surface cuts off any straw which may be sticking out. The inside can actually be painted with an acrylic or latex paint. The outside continues to be exposed to the elements. Long periods of rain and lack of wind cause it to soften and crumble. Bright colors tend to lift the spirit and reduce the dreariness of the otherwise muddy surface! Nice shot!
Nice! Amazing contrast. What do they make the walls out of? It looks like mud and straw?
Artist Reply: it's a rough adobe: mud, clay, and of course straw. The straw slows erosiona and helps with insulation: without it, the houses would just melt away.
13 Comments
Olga van Dijk 12 Apr 2009
Please download this one in the artist group: DOORS AND WINDOWS! What a great color combo! Great eye, Angelina!Olga van Dijk 12 Apr 2009
Please download this one in the artist group: DOORS AND WINDOWS! What a great color combo! Great eye, Angelina!Regina Coeli deWinter 12 Apr 2009
Great image, Angela...love the way you captured the texture.jerry carlin 12 Apr 2009
Angelina, you have a good eye and sense of balance. Keep at it, this is "my pic of the day" jerryNikolay Semyonov 02 Apr 2007
wouldn't separate anything ...all is pure wonder.Mollie Moroz 28 Mar 2007
wow...dont know why but i like itStanley Layman 04 Feb 2007
It must have been raining there recently. From the look of it, they got a lot of rain all at once. When people speak of adobe huts, they think of those rock hard polished smooth and bone white buildings housing the likes of Fred Flintstone or Barney Rubble. The reality is that they are made of mud and straw formed into blocks and covered over with more mud and straw to seal any cracks. The wind and sun dry out the surface and make it rock hard. Heating on the inside causes it to dry out. Periodic brushing of the inside surface cuts off any straw which may be sticking out. The inside can actually be painted with an acrylic or latex paint. The outside continues to be exposed to the elements. Long periods of rain and lack of wind cause it to soften and crumble. Bright colors tend to lift the spirit and reduce the dreariness of the otherwise muddy surface! Nice shot!Gabriel Rizzo 04 Feb 2007
really cool photo.Michael Forbus 04 Feb 2007
Angel, this is a magnificent image. A lovely photograph. Makes me long for Old Mexico. Great shot. MiguelLauren Munger 03 Feb 2007
I love the colors and textures in this photo. Very real.Loredana 03 Feb 2007
LOVE THESE COLORS ANGELEmily Reed 03 Feb 2007
Really cool! Great!Victor Rolfe 03 Feb 2007
Nice! Amazing contrast. What do they make the walls out of? It looks like mud and straw?