Shadows

Continuing with Essence of Identity one of the suggested activites was to go for a walk and take photos of shadows.  However since we hadn't any sun here for a few days I used photos I had taken some time ago for the photography group.  I put some of them together in a montage.

The second part of the activity was to right a poem or a story about your photos. I wrote a poem.

Shadows 

What hides in the shadows?
What lurks behind the lines?

Lines drawn by the sun
through metal fencing
Charcoal grey on pale grey tarmac.

Straight lines. Diagonal lines.
Sharp point on shadows
that have no sharpness.

Straight line fencing
along straight lined paths.
Yet, in amongst the shadow lines
Shadow plants linger,
soft and curling.

What hides in the shadows
of our minds?
What lurks behind the lines
drawn on our foreheads?

The inner critic.
The voice we know that lingers,
soft and curling
And lurks behind our creativity.

Pull down the thoughts
Take captive the voice that impedes our way
Let nothing hide in the shadows
Let nothing lurk behind the lines.

I'm really enjoying writing poems at the moment.  I don't know where it will lead - if anywhere!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Questions beget questions

Last time I showed you a variety of photos that showed elements of design.  Line, Shape & Texture.  I  have been looking at

As you probably know I am fond of using neutrals, duck egg blue, turquoise and shades of orange and rust in my work.  One suggestion on the course, Essence of Identity, was to look at what coulour your clothes are and what your home looks like.

Ignore the bright red splurge - a bit of an aberration!  But the rest!

 

Next, photos of the inside of our house next to photos of my recently finished map pieces.

 

 

 

And a reminder of textile pieces and a paper collage which are some of my favourite pieces.

 Next random photos from our canal walks and parts of the canal inspired wall hangings.

The canal pieces are very obviously green although there is rust and a pale blue.  Looking at the previous photos and then this last one raised a question.

Could I have done the canal hangings in my favourite colours?

My thinking continued with looking at favourite or influencing artists.  I also looked back to 2017 when I was asked the same question by Christine when I had a mentoring session with her.

2017
Cas Holmes
Hilary Beattie
Wendy Dolan
Angie Hughes
Christine Chester

2023
Mixed Media Artists
Deborah Danelley
Seth Apter
Roxanne Evans Stout

Textile Artists
Christine Chester
Eszter Bornemisza
Amanda Hislop

Quite a difference over 6 years.  These 6 artists use some if not all of the elements and principles of design that I recognise in my work.

Colour   Line   Geometric shape   Texture   Contrast

Here are a couple of A5 collage pieces I've made with magazine pages.

These are some of the questions I’m asking myself as a result

• Should I use colours I like or colours appropriate to the subject matter? 
• Do I need a theme for making a series of work? If so what? 
• What shall I do next now that I've finished all the pieces I need for Eclectica exhibitions in 2023?

 Answers on a postcard please!

Although comments in the comments box below would suffice!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Another course

Yes I know!  I do too many.  But this one with Fibre Arts Take Two is a Masterclass and is called Essence of Identity.  It's about finding out more about yourself so you can put  more of yourself in your work.  I feel it builds on the mentoring sessions I had with Christine Chester in 2017.  Can't believe it's that long ago.

One of the modules has been to look at elements and principles of design - which ones appeal to us and which ones we use.

I went through some of my photos and put them together to demonstrate LINE (see above) and SHAPE (below).

 TEXTURE

 And DECAY which is another form of texture.

And you can probably see - if you didn't already know - that I'm attracted to neutral COLOURS and pale blues.  Also rust and orange!

I've also looked at my own work and where the elements and principles are in that but I'll share that another day.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice