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.
Fenced Off Tension 2
Walking along the Hunstanton beach front, I noticed the diminishing view of the Groynes that extend from the shore. They are wooden palisades that run for about a couple of hundred yards(?) out to sea. I took some photographs, naturally. Looking through my archives I noticed the pictures I took of some wire tensioners that secure the wire fence/barrier to each metal post. This is the safety barrier on Cromer Pier. I simply sized and arranged the tensioners to fit the composition. I desaturated the picture because it was generally monochrome anyway. I could have put this image in the Coastal category…..
Three King Lane (Redo) 2
I have just found the original collage that I did with Pritstick and end-prints onto card, back in 1992! I eventually photographed it on transparency and scanned it into the computer. I edited the electronic file in 2019, hence the (Redo) in the title. Now I have re re-edited the image and included it on the website. Three King Lane is a pedestrian alleyway that runs down from Pottergate to St. Margaret’s Church on St. Benedicts St. Back in 1992 the lane had be refurbished with brickwork and manhole covers (can I say MAN hole?, or should it be maintenance access covers?) – there were lots of them so I photographed and collaged the selected few. Not all the covers made it onto the final piece.
Untitled No.67
This is the Nave of Westminster Abbey, with its fabulous vaulted ceiling. I had to be blasphemous and introduce a car vacuum cleaner from a petrol station. At least I cut away the ribbed hose pipe and nozzle from the rest of the free standing facility. I was experimenting with a picture to put with it. I liked the combination. The colours and curves seemed to blend. I tilted the pipe to fit into the scenario, and you might notice where the pipe disappears into the recessed hole into what was the working component of the self service unit, but becomes an extension of the ceiling.
Mess Technology
This is another picture that I have re-edited. Originally completed in 2016, there was something about it that I didn’t like. Since I have ‘tweeked it’, think it has become much stronger visually. I gave that title because of the two technologies, i.e. the steam train wheel and the copper pipes, with the electric sockets and charger wires; it looked a mess! (not mass). The background is a view looking down into a tub of margarine/butter, with the distinctive knife mark indentations. I thought the image had ‘movement ‘ and was interesting and bold.
Looks Like Snow
This picture was originally created in 2018. The T.V. ariels came from another collage I was doing at the time called Antennae Roosting. That project was a monumental endeavour that took a very long time to assemble and compose, – ( I’ll show you it sometime). The clouds are real. I was out walking and got caught in a sleet storm(?) and photographed the clouds as they passed by. I don’t know why I placed the coloured, silhouetted ariels in the picture, but it struck me as a strong and interesting concept. I have lately revisited the image and edited it to my satisfaction, because the original looked so muddled and there were too many items. Why Graphic Art? Well it was the only category I could think to attribute it to.
Deluded
Very late one night, I put two photos together for no apparent reason; it looked very dramatic. The background is the south wing of Terminal 3 at Heathrow. As you can see, I have ‘swirled’ the image. The athletes in the foreground were participating in a Triathlon event in 2006. They were at Whitlingham Great Broad , looking at the swimming course set out on the water. I liked the way they were shielding their eyes, one guy is ‘cricking’ his neck! I put the picture through a couple of filters (as usual…zzz) to accentuate the vision. Why Deluded? …I don’t know, it was very late at night/early morning…..
Jon 2
This is Jon Page, who I have known for years, although I haven’t seen him for quite a while. Here he is mooring up his little boat at the Griffin Lane Marina at Thorpe St. Andrew. I took this photograph in 2007. As you can see it is a very basic motorboat, and we had great times. We used to go onto the River Yare for trips with friends, usually to the riverside pubs or for a picnic. I was looking for something to marry this photo with (minus the background) and eventually settled for the extraordinary terrace ‘garden’. I saw this on Riverside Road in Gorleston and took the picture without thinking anymore about it. I think it presents an unusual image. I applied a couple of filters (hence the number 2) to distinguish the overall effect.
Offshore Winds
These chalk cliffs are viewed from the (famous) coastguard cottages at Cuckmere Haven in Seaford, looking towards Beachy Head (eventually). I somehow hit upon the idea of putting giant electric fans on the cliff top. So, one can suggest this picture is contrived. Anyway it took a very long time to process and achieve. I photographed the two types of fans in different positions in my Mum’s back garden, replicating the same time and direction of the sun in the landscape photo. The first attempt proved problematic because the background was of mixed interference and was therefore difficult to cut through every tiny aperture of the safety grille. So I hung a yellow blanket on the washing line for the second attempt, which gave me a better view of where to cut. As a result it took a very LONG TIME. Then I struggled to make the fans look convincing placed in the landscape with credible shadows. The sky at the time was clear, so I introduced the dramatic storm clouds from Port Macquarie NSW, where else? I’m still not happy, but I have left it as you see it. One day I might re-edit, if I have any enthusiasm……..