'Found' composition.

I love to find interesting compositions, where you'd least expect them. This image started life as an old school gym floor, that had been re-laid in another building (The Rag Factory in Brick Lane). The planks had been laid in random order, disregarding all the sports markings that had been painted on it. This resulted in an incredible pattern. So I spent some time photographing it and then importing it into Photoshop. The twigs? Mmmm- Dunwich heath!

Shiny new toys!

The digital art&design studio is looking fantastic - 20 shiny new manly computers, ready for the students to make some lush work on. It feels odd now walking around the new building without any students there, but I know they're gonna get lost! 

New beginings

just spent the day in the brand new college building.....

Feeling a little disorientated with a barrage of new information to digest.

..so I spent a bit of the day snapping close-ups of textures and patinas of some of the old stuff we carried over to the new building - they somehow appeared as little rarities amongst the vast newness of the place.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

Love my Digital Studio though....!!

Carpe Diem

Another blissful morning drawing in the garden. Accompanied by 'Riceboy Sleeps' and the wind in the trees. Need I say more? Am feeling drawn towards what feels like un-finished business, collage wise. But loving the meeting of lo-tech drawing / painting and digital manipulation.

Glorious Graphite

Sitting in the garden this morning, whilst Ruby (9 week old border terrier) slowly reduces the flower beds to something resembling the Somme after a bad day. Drawing like a crazed loon with total abandon! Need softer graphite sticks. It is quite exhilarating, and long overdue.

Cannot decide whether or not to bring this stuff into my digital collages, or just keep them as they were intended.....but are they intended for anything, other than my own amusement?

Whispering Stones

This current batch of work is one of several paths I tread, and a refreshing diversion from the long period spent making films and music visuals. In many respects, it goes back to my roots, and thus gives me some creative breathing space.

The premise is simple - bringing found or observed elements together from a walk or journey. I have long been fascinated with the minutiae of my immediate surroundings and have developed a keen eye over the years. I usually have a camera of one sort or another with me, and my wallet is often to be found with a little feather, or decomposed leaf in it!

The image above is made from photographs taken in Hali, Iceland, collaged over a background formed mostly from stained paper (Tea & Coffee) and decaying surfaces, also collected on my travels. The title alludes to some rather fascinating Icelandic folklore, which I'll go into at a later date.....

Unaccustomed as I am,,,,,,,,,

This slightly goes against my better judgement, but nothing ventured, etc. etc.

I am collecting visual ingredients at the moment. Spurred on, mostly by the purchase of a new scanner, and a healthy interest in obscure found textures. As a self confessed collage tart, I will gravitate swiftly towards this technique, however, I am now drawn towards looking even closer at the patina of long existence.