Driving along the B1105 Wells Rd. from Fakenham, one comes across a group of cottages on the skyline. They stand out in the sunshine because they are painted pink with red roofs. They are situated on the crossroad with the Egmere Rd. which goes to Little Walsingham. I had to stop the car and photograph them. I have placed them on the horizon of some mudflats on the East Fleet river along from Wells Harbour. I have perversely put a lawnmower (sunk in the mud) which I saw on the bowling greens at Yarmouth. These are on Marine Parade, next to Britannia Pier. I added the blue sky and extended it vertically to give the composition more space. The title came at the end, as one could imagine someone’s exasperation at pursuing a nonsensical endeavour.
Bazookas And Boomerangs
Don’t ask….but somehow I came up with two words from different directions and unrelated thought processes. I think that they are distinctive and vibrant words; and in themselves, extraordinary objects. The two words seemed to fit together. I therefore set about designing the unique typography, that would describe their ‘personas’. Not much else to say about this picture. I enjoyed the project. The background is a Photoshop ‘off the shelf’ template.
Untitled No.67 Part 2
Part 2, because this is another photograph I took of the vaulted ceiling in Westminster Abbey. I have introduced the Portsmouth Spinnaker, the Great Yarmouth Observation Wheel and the gently graduated steps curving down from the War Memorial in Norwich. The first thing to point out is the disparity in sizes between these elements. The ceiling in the Abbey is 31 metres high. The Spinnaker is 170 metres, and the Ferris Wheel stands at 50 metres. An impossible fit. The Wheel was viewed side on, with the pods removed for winter storage. The curved steps that run down from the City Hall to the market, is of course a different size to the roof (and I’ve turned the image vertically). I fitted them into a blank wall above the divide between the Nave and the Apse/Altar at the other end. I collaged them in to accentuate the swirling effect, reflected in the Spinnaker.
Hook Line And Curve 3
Walking along the South Quay in Yarmouth, I noticed those two buildings, lit up in the sunshine and looking sculptural. They are part of Great Yarmouth Fire Station, as seen from Charles St. I think the tall tower is a facility for training purposes. I introduced the roof beams from inside a church I came across. It is the fourteenth century All Saints in Thurgarton in mid-Norfolk. It is an historic ‘barn like’ thatched church. I blurred the image of little to help define the foreground. Tieing the composition together (geddit?) was a collection of hooks and screw pin bow shackles. These were dangling from the jib of an onboard crane of a supply ship, moored on the quay. I turned the image forty five degrees to compliment the composition. I also turned the buildings around and added a few more square air vents. I saturated the colours of the chain against the near monochrome background.
On The Huh
‘On the Huh’ is a Norfolk expression to describe something which is not level, e.g. a badly erected shelf or an awkwardly hung picture. I had, and still have a wooden compartmentalised display tray. Into this I ‘carved’ the words that you see ( in the computer of course!), using different fonts and sizes. At the same time I was looking through a DIY box of various tools and bric-a-brac, and came across some spirit levels. I liked the clear oblong level particularly. To be perverse I thought I would relocate the bubbles to impossible positions – I had a lot of fun doing so. The two aspects came from different perceptions/ideas and naturally linked together after realising the potential narrative.
Pessimism
Here are seven different views of the topiary garden, which is in the grounds of Wiveton Hall. I have of course collaged them together and added the sky and tree line behind them. Then there is the window which I have ‘draped’ on the foliage, as if to dry. This was at S-21 Tuol Slang, which was a secondary school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was used by the Khymer Rouge as a jail/ torture centre before the unfortunate victims were driven to the infamous killing fields. Looking out from the schoolroom window (with bars) is Tom, my nephew. We visited the museum that it has now become. Ghastly. I placed some rusty metal chains behind Tom to accentuate the horror. Tom didn’t look too pleased either…I want to express natural beauty despite the human despair we witness.
White 3
Sometimes I will look through pictures I have done in the past, and might re-edit and alter them. This image was created nine years ago (at the time of writing) and was what one would call a still life. Consisting of rumpled sheets and pillows and a (collective noun?) of cotton buds. I have included the swan which I photographed a few weeks ago, looking down on it from the river bank. You can see that I made it seem to be nestled behind the cotton buds. I brightened picture from the original and applied a filter to make the image softer. I had to colour the swans beak. Number four denotes the transitions I went through to arrive at this stage.
Tight Cornering
I noticed this tractor on the slipway by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution building, on the Promenade at Cromer. The tractors are used to manoeuvre fishing boats in and out of the water. I was drawn to this vehicle because it was covered with protective tarpaulins (even the seat). I liked the white sand covering the tyres. I looked like an installation. I have of course, dragged and stretched the image like plasticine to give the impression of movement. The background is sympathetic. This is a photograph of tables and chairs stacked outside a restaurant, covered in a weather protecting tarpaulin. The pavement in the bottom left hand corner was part of the photo. I used a similar photo in a picture entitled ‘White And Grey’. The grille of the tractor had regular air holes – I have altered them to be perverse and for effect. I applied a filter to soften the image.
Under The Radar
This picture started with the two photographs from different angles, of the Bloodhound anti-aircraft missile which is on display in the grounds of RAF West Raynham. This is a museum devoted to the history of Radar. I then included a rear view of the tail plane, wing and exterior fuel tank of a Super Sabre fighter jet. The plane is exhibited at Flixton, Suffolk at the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. I was just going to add a blue sky background, but decided that was predictable and boring. A bit later in time I was walking around Yarmouth and was struck by the overhanging street decorations above and along Regent Rd. I have doubled the image and reduced the opacity. I kept the graduated blue sky. The title came without any forethought.
There Is Life On Mars 2
Whilst this picture was starting to come together (beginning with the curve), I could hear David Bowie singing; yes Dave, there IS life on Mars! The curve is Wave Rock in Western Australia, one of many photos I took (see Surreal category header). The tyre marks in the sand were at Lowestoft, where the council smoothed the beach by redistributing the sand. I was out walking one day and noticed a big pile of tree trunks that were stacked ready to be taken away. Draped on top of the logs were some large, linked, articulated metal ribs. I didn’t know what they were but looked quite surreal. After some research I discovered they are Caterpillar Tracks that are wrapped around and fastened to the big pneumatic tyres found on Heavy Plant, e.g. cranes and JCBs. This gives the vehicle better grip and was obviously used during the forestry work that was done. I turned the landscape red, with the pink sky, in keeping with planets obvious attribute.