Freakshow #3

A third set of images created in response to the Circus paintings of Toulouse-Lautrec. Exploring the explosions of light, colour and shapes that fill the walls and ceiling within the big top.

Freakshow #2

A second set of images created in response to the latest kick about over on Red’s Kingdom. There’s a collection of images kit bashed in each image produced, quite a few from previous kick about creations as well as various trips to theme parks and the swirly delights of long exposure light painting.

Cocoon

Something a bit random and rather eerie for this post. Doing a bit of landscaping around the house to empty the leaf litter into the bins I was perplexed when I opened up the otherwise untouched bin to first notice the hefty spiders scuttle away amongst the eroding leaves but shocked to notice the sparkling webs sitting above the leaves reflecting the trees from above in a pulpy oozy green. I’ve never seen a spider web like it – the webbing so thick like a slime or saliva from a much bigger creature. It’s as if the garbage juice residue amongst the bin caused some sort of condensation to attach and grow the web in size. I couldn’t help but snap some pictures – with the dangling cocoon framed and suspended in a silky diamond chamber, the funnel of web leading towards it. Nightmarish stuff!

Freakshow #1

This weeks kick about over on Red’s Kingdom is the circus themed paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Initially, I had the idea of loading up an old battered and broken blue iPhone that I didn’t expect to turn on, from which to rip some photographs from a circus I attended with friends, the circus standing tall on the iconic Rochester hill where I went to uni. Amazingly, the phone turned on with its red battery charging symbol loading through the cracked pixelated screen. The joy on my face when I held the tiny phone in my comically large hands… However in my many attempts to get all those photos off this ancient iPhone, technology somehow fucked me over and devastatingly wiped every single photo from the phone, including all the photos I wanted to use for this week’s prompt!

I ended up sitting and sulking on the idea for a while and contemplated coming up with something completely different, but stubbornly I didn’t want to, and I did find a handful of those very photos from that iPhone stored on my laptop that I never deleted. So instead of being a moody little shit, I decided to try and make something from them by duplicating the original photos and using previous creations and random photos laid on top to attempt to create some new compositions exploring the light, energy and disorientating weirdness of a circus. I guess with the recent anniversary of the Kick-About, in some ways it can seem poetic to use a bunch of outpourings from previous Kick-About’s to create something completely new.

Monochromatic Birch Trees

Some Birch Trees pictured from Roosters Rest Woods this past March. I always love the black and white flakey markings of birch trees, like a textured charcoal drawing smudged and etched into the scenery.

Roosters Rest Woods #4 – Spring (2022)

The final collection of photography from a visit to Roosters Rest this past March. It is always a joy exploring places like this throughout the seasons to notice how the palette continues to change.

Roosters Rest Woods #3 – Spring (2022)

A third collection of lush landscapes captured in the depths of the flora and fauna of the Irish countryside.

Roosters Rest Woods #2 – Spring (2022)

A second set of photography taken in Roosters Rest woods when the golden hour sun beamed the sitka spruces and lined the horizon in mellow yellows.

Roosters Rest Woods #1 – Spring (2022)

I was able to go back to the homeland this March to see some friends for a drink and a natter after 2 years, as well as return to the forestry that I never get tired of. It was a different atmosphere this time of year compared to the usual crispy frost written landscape with the weather calling for an unusual balmy trek with the sun shining throughout.

Empyrean #8

The final set of bubbling biospheres and twinkling nebulas all created within the confines of a bell jar and a generous heap of household ingredients. These images look impressive in comparison to the grotty unglamorous nature of which they were produced, but curiosity and experimentation proved to be the winning ingredients. I shall be sharing some behind the scenes shots of what went into the making of these cosmic liquids in due course.