As an art teacher I often find myself working in new mediums in order to expand my student's art experiences and help them find the way of working that they fall in love with. My work space at home is full of "projects to be finished - some day" as I move from one unit to the next. Falling water (below) will get finished......some day!
My constant passion in art has been photography, established way back when I received a Polaroid Instant Camera (black and white!) for my birthday. Because my roots are firmly planted in 35mm film and darkroom I do very little post- shoot editing, preferring to do all of the composition work before pressing the shutter. I love the work of Paul Strand and Henri Cartier-Bresson and maybe in a parallel life I would be a photographer for National Geographic.
One of my current projects which I am determined to finish before the start of the next school year! Fallingwater is my most favorite piece of architecture in the world and I was fortunate to visit it a few years ago (when I took the photo below). Scratchboard is challenging and this measures 12x18 inches!
Teaching IB forces me to become an "expert" in many different mediums but I had never really painted in oils soI painted this still life to teach myself. It's a challenge, particularly to anyone waiting impatiently for the paint to dry!
The sky in Scotland can be so dramatic! I am not sure if this is finished but I do know that great painters make it look easy.....it is not!
I'm not sure it is possible to take a bad photo at this site!
Walking past an office building. It took a few attempts to get the reflections in the water "just right".
This was taken at the Design Museum in London, as the people and the environment come together in symmetry.
The interaction of granite and lichen led to this beautiful abstract photo.
In Southern England there is an ancient forest created by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. As he took all of the land to establish a Hunting Ground for himself he allowed any "common man" grazing rights for animals. These rights remain today and driving in the forest has daily challenges - animals in the road. We came across this young calf as we were driving home. We had to stop anyway so i jumped out of the car to capture the moment.
One of my photography icons is Paul Strand and this is an homage to him and all of the other "Straight Photographers".
To notice the art in ordinary things. A visit to a lighthouse in Dungerness, East Kent led to the discovery of how beautiful the refraction lens really is.