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In the process of making my work much time is spent walking or sitting in wild places, for long durations, in order to deepen my perception. During these times of intentionally minimising my disturbance, I am often rewarded with close encounters with wild creatures.While sitting still it is almost impossible for me to record these events using a camera or other means of documentation.
Having given thought as to how to share these experiences, the most simple solution is to write notes in a small book, immediately afterwards. I have created this web log section to enable these notes to be shared and synchronised with the seasonal changes.
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I am currently focused on photographing all of my existing Carbon Light Life work using a very high quality digital camera. The images are to be taken in sections and stiched together digitally, thus enabling the maximum amount of detail to be recorded. Each work will be printed at actual size to the original. I am pleased with the results so far, as this system compares favourably (is actually better than) the large format film images I had taken of some of the work for the catalogue.
As a result of the digitisation, I will be able to offer the work as an exhibition of prints rather than have the full set-up of wall mounted light-boxes to have to hang.
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Here is an extract from diary/notebook made
during a 24 hour sit, at Sharpitor, Bovey Valley, Dartmoor, UK. (Monday
20 June 2005)
A steep sided wooded valley predominantly
oak and birch but with some hazel, holly and willow near to the river. I
sit on an outcrop of rock, high up on the ridge overlooking the tops of
all the trees lower in the valley.
9:06am Start silence. Took photo of view from sit spot.After
just 10 mins of motionless silent sitting, one’s vision seems more
focused. Started to notice more subtle things: How the wind moves
distant trees, each species moves differently
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10 - 11th April 2008
Spent a night out with several friends a colleagues, near
Blackingstone Rock, Dartmoor. We were visiting a private woodland that
we teach in during the summer and autumn months, with a view to making
sure it is safe, suitable for public visitors and generally checking
out what has happened over the winter.
A very large beech tree has snapped off in the recent high winds and
needed clearing from the main vehicular access. It also took the top
half of an ash tree with it in it's fall. We can certainly put the wood
to good use and so part of the day is spent sawing this up and sorting
the good timber from the firewood
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Walking today, I collected kindling, dry wood, some Jew’s Ear fungus from an elder tree and some wild thyme, which I added to some dried cous cous that I carried with me.
Found a good spot and lit a fire using friction. Sycamore drill and hearth-board and a hazel bow. Greater reedmace seeds as the fine tinder but was unsuccessful the first time. Adding some dried crampball did the trick. Fine twigs and dried leaves from a nearby birch made extremely good kindling. Also found some old punky oak branches that breathed life and heat into the small but very effective fire.
Notes to self: Start collecting well in advance. Adding up all of the collecting, preparation, fire-lighting and cooking time means a simple meal takes hours.
Collect as you walk and never pass on an opportunity. Something might be seen well before it is needed.
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Brighter Creative