Blue Sky Art Show, theme 'Big'

photographyAug 1, 202651326,751

Today’s Blue Sky Art Show theme is Big, a weekly community prompt inviting works that emphasize scale. The gallery spotlights vast skies and oversized subjects, from Glacier National Park/Montana panoramas and the iconic Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach to Moonrise over Navajo Sandstone at Horseshoe Bend. Entries also include closeups of big leaves and harvest stacks, plus a running BirdOfTheDay thread titled OverTheRainbow that features skyward birds such as great blue herons and a northern cardinal. Look for Tisha Mark’s 30"x30" oil Finding a Kindred Spirit among the art for a studio-scale painting interpretation of the theme.

MJM Grand

@huntnfish8.bsky.social

This is why Montana is called #Big Sky country.. #Blueskyartshow #scape

This photograph captures the East Pioneer Mountains of southwest Montana in one of their most dramatic moods. The broad alpine skyline is still mantled in late-season snow, while rounded granite summits and sharp cirques stretch across the horizon. Above them, the sky becomes the true spectacle: long, wind-sculpted bands of lenticular clouds lie stacked over the range, while a higher veil of rippling cirrocumulus spreads across the upper atmosphere like finely combed silk. Together they reveal powerful winds flowing at different elevations, even though the landscape below appears calm. These cloud formations are common when strong air is forced over mountain barriers such as the Pioneers.

In the foreground, pale spring grasses cover the high benchlands, emphasizing the transition from open sage country to dark conifer forests that cloak the mountain slopes. The contrast between the muted earth, brilliant snowfields, and deep cobalt sky gives the range a sense of immense scale and quiet strength.

The Pioneer Mountains encompass roughly 2,000 square miles and are divided into the rugged East Pioneers, known for their glaciated peaks and alpine lakes, and the gentler, forested West Pioneers, separated by the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway. The highest summits, including Tweedy Mountain and Torrey Mountain, rise above 11,000 feet.

209345d ago

scubapopeye.bsky.social5

Lived in the Bitterroot Valley for years. Absolutely beautiful. 😊

Biblically Accurate Dad4

Grew up in Bozeman. Miss it every day.

Brian S. Laabs4

Is the sky this big all over?

Nate 'The Late' Carney4

Pictures, as gorgeous as they are, just don't do it justice. The sky really does seem bigger there. Like there's more sky somehow.

framplings.bsky.social3

Are those peaks the Crazies? Looks very familiar to us.

Marnie Erin,Ph.D.3

Great capture of #BigSkyCountry ! Here's one from my former life there...on the eastern side of the Rockies in the prairies. Nothing but sky. I miss Montana.

saintmaker.bsky.social

@saintmaker.bsky.social

“Big Sky Country” Glacier National Park/Montana #BlueSkyArtShow #Big #ECK

88545d ago

montanakatie.bsky.social2

Wild Goose Island on St. Mary Lake.

jazzrat2000 AKA Bonsai anonymous1

I don't know what they're going to call it when all the glaciers are gone. Glacierless National Park?

Paul Morgan Clarke

@pmorganclarke.bsky.social

#Big Sky in #Venice original watercolour #BlueSkyArtShow #Art paulmorganclarke.etsy.com

77345d ago

DB Maggi1

Gorgeous watercolour! It evokes the same meditative, poetic feelings as reading The Other Venice by the Bosnian author Predrag Matvejevic

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Morning. Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #OverTheRainbow, any bird looking skyward. Alt #HedgingYourBets, any bird in a hedge or bush. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT From Monday, @atlanticbirding.bsky.social and @helenbennett.bsky.social Will be joining us as cohosts. #birds #ECK #SmallBirdSaturday

A fluffy juvenile European robin stands upright in short green grass, its rounded body covered in mottled brown plumage before the familiar adult red breast develops. The young bird gazes upward with a large, dark eye and a slender pointed bill, while its long pink legs give it an alert, inquisitive stance. Tiny white clover flowers and scattered fallen leaves dot the softly blurred lawn, creating a natural garden setting that highlights the fledgling’s youthful appearance and curious expression.

44045d ago

Alan H72

Rob and I have known for a considerable time that BOTD was getting too big for just two hosts. Having AB and Helen join us is such a boost. We will be working a 4 day rotation. We wish them all the best and thank them so much for stepping up.

Atlantic Birding50

I’d just like to say thank you to @alan678.bsky.social and @robcrank68.bsky.social for asking me to join the #BirdOfTheDay team. I’m looking forward to working with them, and @helenbennett.bsky.social If we can keep up the great work, and fun, Alan and Rob have poured into it we’ll be doing great

Neil Cameron16

Thank you Alan and Rob for all the work as hosts you've done to date. I look forward to Atlantic Birding and Helen joining you in your endeavours. I shall attempt to make their lives miserab...oh wait, no, ummm.... fun. Yeh, that's it, fun!

Rob Crank Photography8

Beautiful capture Alan, off to check out the vault for anything worthwhile.

Justine Jones6

Such a lovely photo! Wonderful additions, @atlanticbirding.bsky.social and @helenbennett.bsky.social, this is going to be fantastic. Exciting times ahead, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come. 😀

Rosemarie6

that is an adorable photo! Love it Alan! I’m glad you and Rob are getting help. Such a success and you both must get overwhelmed. Welcome, @atlanticbirding.bsky.social and @helenbennett.bsky.social 💙

Graham Jones

@oldmanrambling.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #OverTheRainbow, any bird looking skyward. I'm going with these plus, of course, Roberto #Robin my lovely wife's favourite bird #ForJanet #SmallBirdSaturday #birds #ECK

From main picture, clockwise: A European Robin looks to the skies for inspiration while singing top note and sitting on a black metal arch support; a young Great Spotted Woodpecker eyes up the distance he needs to jump to another feeder while sitting on a batch of bird food; a Great Tit hangs on the back of a black metal pole and peers at the feeder that hangs above; a juvenile Robin, still without its red bib, gazes upwards at a bird feeder wondering how it can possibly get up there. One day.

41545d ago

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

Hello Graham, such a lovely photos and Roberto is a cutie 🤎have a fine day and weekend 😊

Jason1

Outstanding shots as always Graham my friend 🤩👌🏼 #ForJanet ❤️

BelleAB1

Beautiful set of photos, Graham!

fozziefotos.eurosky.social1

Lovely set graham 👌 😍

lucyannablues.bsky.social1

George, resident Blue Heron, watching the red winged blackbirds playing an arial game of tag over the pond

Laura-Elseplace1

Oh, that's possibly the best photo of Roberto that I've seen! What a gem...

Bill Montei

@billmontei.bsky.social

Notre-Dame de Strasbourg #Big #BlueSkyArtShow #photography

The majestic Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg in France, a masterwork of late Gothic architecture built with distinctive pink Vosges sandstone.

41445d ago

Heidi Martinez2

My husband and I have gone back 3 times to Strasbourg because of this cathedral! The last time we booked right in front and woke up to bells every day ✨

gandalfintheabyss.bsky.social2

And another. Was there in June. Beautiful.

The sovereign state of Robtoria1

I see your picture and raise you mine. What a beautiful church!

✮: 🎀 𝒥𝒶𝓃𝑒 🎀 :✮

@janesgallery.bsky.social

Another photo for @alan678.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay #OverTheRainbow Robin #BirdPhotography #Birds #Nature #ECK #𝒮𝓂𝒶𝓁𝓁𝐵𝒾𝓇𝒹𝒮𝒶𝓉𝓊𝓇𝒹𝒶𝓎

35545d ago

Amelia Clark - Lover of Flagons2

Cloud gazing! :) I love them!

wyotitania

@wyotitania.bsky.social

Big, beautiful rock. Forever mesmerized by Haystack Rock. #BlueSkyArtShow #Big

Haystack rock from afar, reflected in the water

35045d ago

Luther1

Lived in Portland in the 70s. Friends parents had beach house Cannon Beach. Many an incredibly gorgeous sunset there, enhanced by Oregons bountiful mushroom supply.

shademar1

It looks like it's floating, a fantasy manifest in reality. Thanks for sharing!

Sean A. Morgan1

I wanna go back. Visiting it was one of the best days of my life.

Mike Melton

@mikemelton.bsky.social

A completely invisible Pinnated Bittern at Medio Queso Wetlands #CostaRica for #overtherainbow #birdoftheday #birds #herons #bitterns

A long-necked brown bird standing upright among wetland grasses with its bill pointed toward the sky.

29645d ago

Barrie Cull4

Well done Mike 👏 A lovely photo. When I saw the theme for #BirdOfTheDay this morning was #Overtherainbow I hoped someone would post a photo of a Bittern with their distinctive pose looking upwards.

Marie Buhtz3

I see only grass. Definitely not a bird 😁

Jan Casavant2

Great shot Mike! It's so cool how Bitterns can make themselves look like plants! 😍

EveryHeron 𓅣2

Oooo. What a beauty even if near invisible! Not sure ever been able to repost one of those before.

Atlantic Birding1

Great Shot Mike, lovely bird

Paula1

Beautiful work and a new bird ❤️

Kort Duce

@kortduce.bsky.social

A great blue heron looks skyward at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #OverTheRainbow #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

29644d ago

Melinda B Hipple, author&artist1

That's stunning. So clean and classic.

Michael R Photography 🌿

@msriffle.bsky.social

Today's #BlueskyArtShow theme is #big. I think a milti-image #panorama of big sky with the #MilkyWay might work. This image was made in dark sky along the North Florida coast. #photography #landscape #ECK #astrophotography #nightphotography #NikonZ8 #astronomy #space #NightSky #DarkSky

29145d ago

Alice2

This artwork is fantastic www.artpal.com/msriffle Awesomeness ‼️👍

Sharon R.1

Stunning Milky Way capture, Michael! 🤩✨

Susan Gemmill1

Beautiful. This could be the poster advocating for the reduction of light pollution. ✨

pathdancer1

Beautiful work Michael. Always impressed.

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Stunning photo, Michael. Breathtaking. 👌🏼

robertpyper.bsky.social1

Beautiful shot! (It's been along time since I've seen the milkyway too much light pollution I'm sure)

Lisa K / Northwest Frame of Mind

@nwfom.bsky.social

The iconic Haystack Rock at Oregon’s Cannon Beach for today’s #big #BlueSkyArtShow. #photography #Oregon #PNW

Haystack rock rising from the water at Cannon Beach, Oregon. Gentle waves are approaching the shore and two people are walking in the distance.

28045d ago

Mick Pic with Mr. Calvin1

A moody and perfect capture.

Amy Gann

@amygann.bsky.social

A great blue heron stands at the water's edge and looks up as another heron flies by For the #birdoftheday theme of #overtherainbow #birds #heron #greatblueheron #protectnature #EastCoastKin

27045d ago

Keeper of the Flame1

"There she is again...Maybe if I ask really really nicely this time..."

Neil Cameron1

What a cool shot, Amy!

Bumblejack1

Ooh, blue herons are some of my favorites

Climb To The Clouds

@climbtotheclouds.bsky.social

Good morning. Happy Saturday. Our consciousness a universe, our figure brief and small, the joy given outlasts us, as we return to nature's all. #BlueskyArtShow #Big #photography #imageandverse #sky #clouds #nature #ECK #EastCoastKin #capecod