Lost Aussie on the loose

SoFoBoMo - A Photobook Project

SoFoBoMo is short for Solo Photo Book Month - a group event where a bunch of photographers all make solo photo books start to finish in 31 days - or to be precise, 31 days, 35 photographs and 1 pdf.

It's a project that I came across last year and was too late to join.  This year it is going to be a MUST, I have already registered and got  my thinking cap up as to what my book will be about. 

New York Street Art I think as with a bit of luck I will be able to include a piece of #2 son's work in it.  He is doing a visual art project at school in Australia which involves creating "paste ups" which can be added to the City landscape without being destructive in the way of sprayed graffiti and he hopes to add some to New York when he is here next!

So... yes, Street Art it will be.

Anyway, check out the SoFOoBoMo site - join up, spread the word!  There are very few rules, mostly about being honest with yourself... and that's always a good thing!

When Layers Count

I'm usually not that impressed when someone recounts an enormous number of layers that they have used to create a digital collage.
For some it seems to be a yardstick of "how good"  the piece is. ... Like is bigger better?
No, not always.

Truth is you can create stunning piece of art with a layer or three if you "make it work"!
And that is usually the way I do it.  Half a dozen well blended images and voila, you have created something that is pleasing to the eye.

Layers in digital collage do however have a place and function.  Each layer is editable and that is the key.  You can go and change them with the click of a mouse or the drag of your pen and therein lies the power!

It's particularly important when you are working on an image that has a lot of custom brush work, added textures and pattern fills and you want to be able to tweak and re-tweak at many stages of the process.

If you create a new layer for each tweak and dot, well yes, the process could end up being quite laborious.  But if you group "thoughts" into layers - just as you would with an oil or acrylic painting, then at least in the digital world, you have the ability to edit, adjust or eliminate as desired.

Quite fun really.......

- and yes, this piece has LOTS of layers.  Lots more than two or three, but if I told you how many, then It would seem like bragging, and that won't do :-)

Mind you, if you want a challenge, then have a go at guessing!  I'll be sure and let you know if you get it right!

For the Love of Books

There are many things that confound me these days,
not the least of which is the fate of the good old book,
Coffee spilled, dog eared and careworn ....
They are favoured friends in my home.

There is something tactile and immediate about a book in your hand.

I don't think it's replicated on your Kindle, Nook or other book reader that you may have.

And whilst that's a personal choice that you might make, it will not be one of mine.

I want the pages between my fingers.  I want to hunch over the tome with my specs perched on my nose and the glow of the bedside lamp at my shoulder.

I confess that I am a confirmed "techno geek" in that I want my software updated non-stop, as many megapixels on my camera as I can get, more RAM than you can imagine ...

But I will NOT read a book on a gadget.

Journeys Near and Far

It seemed like a good weekend for getting out and about, even if the thermometer was not terribly co-operative! 

So on Saturday DH and I dragged the O-mobile onto the highway and headed for the Poconos Mountains, osstensibly in search of a gallery that I wanted to visit, but really just to see what we could see.
 
Our first stop was in the town of Stroudsburg, PA, where we found this monster antique/junk store that you could really have spent days in, never mind just an hour or two.  I've had to wean myself off buying eclectic things for the house (we have to much stuff as it is) and content myself with using the eye candy for camera fodder.  I was NOT disappointed!

Next we drove through a town called Shawnee, which was rather pretty and even has a few Bunny slopes if you are a timid skier!  We settled for a brisk walk by the river before heading to the local brew pub for a beer and some nosh!  Very nice too!

We never ended up in the gallery but no matter, it was a fun trip (until we got back to the George Washington Bridge - talk about monster traffic snarl?) and another little spot that I'd be happy to revisit any day!

Sunday .... well, NYC of course.

The MOMA has an exhibition of German Expressionist work, which although could be deemed as depressing, was very inclusive and definitely interesting.  They also had a good display of contemporary abstract art and some eye catching work from South African illustrators AND if you were left wanting you could still enjoy some of Picasso's early collage work which I found to be quite illuminating.

Having been thoroughly MOMA-I-fied, the sunshine beckoned and a good brisk walk through Central Park was called for before grabbing a bite to eat and taking the train home.

I'll leave you with a few more of my favourite snaps of the day! 

And btw, if you have never seen the floral sculptures that decorate Park Avenue at the moment I highly suggest that you try to (if you can) they are nothing short of stunning!

Creativity

Beauty and Simplicity

Yesterday was Felt ... today I am back in my favoured place ....
and thoughts accordingly ... enjoy the quote and watch the next post for a video to inspire!

'Beautiful'
will come from color composition and combination,
depth and richness of color
as well as overall design.

'Simplicity'
will come from depth of colors and layers
and a minimally "cluttered" surface.
(Bela Fidel)

 

Pretty and Pink

I decided to embark on a little Spring Cleaning this week. This good and earnest thought was followed by a trip down to the basement where I started sifting through boxes, turning over this and that, and of course, finding NOTHING that could possibly be thrown away!

I also happened upon two large tote boxes of wool, roving and other colorful goodies that have lain dormant for many months ... needless to say, one thing lead to another and before you know it I was headed off to the kitchen and not too shortly after, knee deep in soap bubbles, bubble wrap and various other felting "must haves".

Initially I was not sure precisely what I had in mind to make - too late for wintery scarves, I took a pass on bags and purses, and bowls seemed rather blah!  A holder for those much dreamed and wished for Spring flowers seemed to be the perfect solution...

I'm not sure that I've created anything that will have water bearing capacity, but insert a small glass jar and these puppies will do as a vase, a tea light holder (of the electronic sort) - who knows?

There's a few other color and shape variations sitting drying on the counter that will no doubt meet the camera's eye in the next day or so.

It was a fun departure from my usual digital creations and made me feel a bit Spring like - even if I did wake to 2" of snow this morning!  .... and NO, we won't be talking about that!!

Flights of Fancy

This WAS a beautiful and crispy sweet photo that I took a couple of days ago as DH were wandering on the beach at Eaton's Neck the other day until I madly "ruined" it in Photoshop - as I am want to do - no surprises there!

Amazing what you can do with some texture, an offset filter and a few other adjustments here and there as I don't want a photo, I want an image that speaks to me and my camera is just the tool that gets me there!

I hate using the same "recipe" to tweak stuff in photoshop.  I don't tend to use actions very much either - unless you can edit the layers.  For me the key is in learning how the program tools work and how to apply them creatively in what you do so that your own voice speaks out.

I don't want my work to look like anyone else's and I don't want each picture of mine to look the same .... do you?

Push your boundaries and make something different and unique!  I dare you!

Vision in Training

As a footnote: It's been about 5 years now since the phone book disappeared from my sight and turned into a jumble of blurred print.

Since then I have laboured with readers and progressive lens glasses, always a source of frustration as nothing seemed to let me really "see" again and I have been forever foraging in a bag, pocket or through piles of paper to find the elusive set of "specs".

For the first time since my eyes reached "menopause" I can see!  I cannot tell you how over the moon I am.

I will even get over the poking myself in the eye routine to get these lenses IN!  I will, I will, I will!

I enjoyed 4 hours of blissful vision today - tomorrow I get 5 hours (and so on) until my eyes are quite used to the new gadgets .... Yeeee Ha!

This is FABULOUS - I CAN SEE!!!!!!!!!

Journal Page and Thoughts

The consequences of the disasters in Japan have left me feeling very contemplative and rather maudlin.  To what extent do we push our planet to keep us alive, at what cost to us, nevermind our future generations? 

I can't help but believe that for each and every dig we make in the Earth's crust there must be a repercussion somewhere.

Newton even tells us that LAW III: To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction: or the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal, and directed to contrary parts.

I console myself with the wisdom of a Japanese Priest who said on Friday:

"I'm very sad! But I can do nothing. Only I pray Buddha for many victims."

Regardless of who you talk to or pray to I took some solace in the words that were left at the end of the article that I read:

"Today is both a first experience and a last experience. May we never tire of it."

I WILL look forward to tomorrow!

(And thankyou to those of you who have purchase a "Lost Geisha" print!  Your generosity is appreciated by those who need it the most!)