Concrete Columns Light up to Create a Rainbow Hallway

If you happen to visit the Netherlands Architecture Institute, make sure to head to the colonnade under the institute to be immersed in a rainbow of light. Artist Peter Struycken has turned the over 550-feet long series of columns into a row of canvases where you'll never know which color combination you're going to witness next.

The columns are uniformly illuminated by a simple but ingenious system of only red, green and blue lamps. Using a computer system, both primary and as well as blended color combinations occur every ten minutes. Lucky for us, a handful of photographers have captured a few of these stunning displays, the ones that they've personally witnessed with their very own eyes.

Above photo by Ronald Bellekom

Photo by Peter Struycken

Photo by Quistnix

Photo by Pieter Musterd

Photo by Sjoerd van Oosten

Photo by Susana Serrato

Photo by Elvin

Photo by Peter Struycken

Photo by Jacqueline ter Haar

Chicago River Turns Green for St. Patrick's Day

While some cities may offer green beer or bagels to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Chicago takes it up a notch by transforming its river into an emerald stream each year. The Windy City resumed its annual tradition this weekend, which marked the 51st time the Chicago River was dyed green since the ritual's introduction in 1962.

Though the exact formula for the solution remains a Chicago secret, it is an orange dye used to turn the blue waterways into the magnificent green river that marks St. Paddy's Day each year. Native Chicagoans and out-of-city spectators alike gather to witness the ceremonious tradition. Even this year, hundreds of thousands of people braved the low temperatures for the festivities, which included a man dressed as a leprechaun riding a water propelled Flyboard. See the festive guy in action, below.

Shards of Turquoise Ice Jut Out of the World's Largest Lake

Lake Baikal, located in the southern part of eastern Siberia in Russia, is an incredible natural wonder of the world that one can only hope to visit at least once in their lifetime. It's not just the oldest freshwater lake on Earth, at 20 to 25 million years old, it's also one of the largest and deepest, holding an astounding one-fifth of the world's freshwater.

In the winter, for about five months or from January to May, the lake freezes over but the water is so clear that, from the surface, you can see an astounding 130 feet below you. A photographic worthy natural phenomenon occurs around a very specific time of year, March. Wind, temperature differences, frost and sun in the ice crust cause cracks and ice hummocks to form. Transparent and shining in a turquoise color, these masses of broken ice look like shards of glass rising into the sky. They are caused by the slow and unequal pressure in the main body of the packed ice as well as by the unequal structure and temperature. Now that's one for the bucket list.

Above photo by Alexey Trofimov

Photo by Valery Chernodedov

Photo via Baikal Nature

Photo via Valery Chernodedeov

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Photo by Mikki Fox

Photo via Jeffersons Opinion

Photo via Adventour

AIPAD Photography Show

Goodyear GZ-20A Blimp

When traveling, it's typical to see the sides, the front, even the tail of an airplane, but it's not often that you get to see the details of a plane's underbelly. American photographer Jeffrey Milstein gives us this opportunity in his project, entitled Aircraft: The Jet as Art. Each machine is perfectly centered within the composition, which results in a sense of graphic symmetry and precision that is unique to the perspective. By presenting them in this way, the artist encourages his viewers to examine the beauty and form of this modern technology.

When exhibiting the photographs, Milstein produces large prints so that his viewers can almost feel the rush of air from each plane as it zips past. When documenting each plane, Milstein says, "It’s like shooting a moving duck. The planes are moving so fast, and I have only a hundredth of a second to get my shot. I have to keep the camera moving with the plane and then fire the shot exactly at the top dead center. It took a lot of practice.”

If you are interested in this project, Milstein's work will be exhibited at the AIPAD Photography Show in New York from April 4-7, 2013.

Alaska Airlines "Disneyland" Boeing 737-400

Harrier Jump Jet

America West Airlines Airbus A320-200

Citabria 7GCBC

Southwest "Shamu" Boeing 737-700

Southwest Boeing 737-700

United Airlines Boeing 757-200

USAF Learjet C-21A

America West Express Bombardier CRJ900

Paintings of Hilarious Grumpy Cats

We are always seeing funny videos of cute cats playing the piano, baffling their dog companions, and wildly chasing light reflections on the wall, but it's not often that these fuzzy little creatures are portrayed as grumpy. Until now. Based in New York, artist Aja Apa-Soura works out of her home studio to produce these vibrant paintings with a palette knife and pure, undiluted oils.

For these Grumpy Cats, thick daubs of paint cover the canvas in vibrant, textured feline portraits, some of which are blended naturally into backgrounds reminiscent of famous paintings like Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh and The Scream by Edvard Munch. Even with such extremely disgruntled expressions, these cute cats will still make you laugh.

In addition to this project, Aja also explores a variety of subjects including an extensive collection of female nudes, as well as florals, urban cityscapes, abstracts, and landscapes, all of which you can check out at Sagittarius Gallery on Etsy.

Inside the Painter's Studio

Jackson Pollock

When we see an artist's work, it's incredible to think about all of the details that went into the creation process, from collecting the right materials to actual physical labor of production. So, what better way to get to know an artist than to see him or her inside their own personal studio. This was exactly the thought of Brooklyn-based artist Joe Fig, and so he developed a series of miniature dioramas, entitled Inside the Painter's Studio, that show artists at work in their own studios.

One review explains, "A desire for firsthand references led Fig to approach contemporary artists for access to their studios. Armed with a camera and a self-made 'Artist's Questionnaire,' Fig began a journey through the workspaces of some of today's most exciting contemporary artists." Based on photographs and his own eye-witness, he produced 24 mixed media pieces that range in size from just 4 inches to 60 inches. The tiny details portray the personalities and work of each person and, as a result, we get a rare and tiny glimpse into the world of many famous artists including people like Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, and Andy Warhol.

Henri Matisse

Willem de Kooning

Matthew Ritchie

Chuck Close

Ross Bleckner

Inka Essenhigh

Malcolm Morley

Brancusi

Jasper Johns

Andy Warhol

Jim Rosenquist

Will Cotton

Roy Lichtenstein

Self-Portrait