Mahonia Aquifolium

I recently came across these photographs that I took about 2 years ago, I am still quite pleased with them so I thought I would share them with you.

I was doing a little gentle gardening when I came across the remains of a Mahonia bush that I had dug out because it had grown very misshapen.  The roots caught my attention due to their lovely sinuous shapes and the texture of the bark.

After some cleaning up and trimming I took them into my ‘studio’ and set about trying to make something artistic of them.  I decided to use a very short depth of focus to produce a more dramatic effect and after several attempts I came up with these.

What a great boon digital photography is when you can see your results almost instantly on a large screen and make any desired corrections right away.

Fired Earth

Fired Earth 24" x 24"

Mixed media on canvas.

I recently finished this painting, which was a bit experimental and not entirely successful.  The texture, that is a bit difficult to see in this photo, was created by covering the canvas on the right hand side with Japanese paper well soaked in dilute PVA adhesive and then pushing it about into ridges and creases, all the time keeping it well doused with the PVA.

The left side was treated in the same way but using newspaper to create rather deeper ridges and creases.

Your critical comments would be appreciated

Wabi-Sabi 3

These three images seem to me to have a distinct Wabi-Sabi feel to them, they are definitely in a  state of deconstruction and show ample evidence of human use over a long period.

The photographs were taken at Landguard Fort which is on the River Orwell in Suffolk UK and was built to guard the entrance to Harwich harbour.

The first fortification on the site was built by Henry VIII in 1543 and has been rebuilt and modernised several times over the years, much of the current structure dates from 1871.

The fort was deemed to have no further military purpose in 1956 and was sealed up and left to disintegrate.  In the 1980s local interest was aroused and the fort was consolidated by English Heritage in 1997/8 in whose care it remains.

There is reputed to be paranormal activity at the fort from time to time!!

Found Abstracts

A recent posting by Nancy Neva Gagliano has motivated me to look through my collection of ‘found abstracts’ and to post a few of my favourites.  I get a special thrill when I find one of nature’s abstracts that really speaks to me, especially if it is of a minimalist nature.

                                         Untitled

This was part of an old door that was being thrown out of a house that my son was renovating; I find the colours very appealing and the sheer simplicity just perfect.  I feel that this photograph must have had some influence on my recently posted painting ‘No Title’.

                                       Untitled

At Wymondham station in Norfolk UK, there is a siding with one or two near derelict railway wagons parked in it, this image is a detail from one of these.  The colours and textures attracted me, and the bolt head is in just the right place.

                          Melegis

This is one of my special favourites; it was photographed in the small village of Melegis, which is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Andalusia, Spain.  To me it is the epitome of Abstract Minimalism.

                          Triangles

I found this little arrangement around the old fishermen’s huts at the tiny fishing port of Brancaster Staithe in North Norfolk UK, I thought it was a rather pleasing composition and it is exactly as I found it.