Algeas

Tuesdays I try to keep free so I can volunteer at the School of Botany - University of Melbourne. For the last couple of weeks now, I have been concentrating on my old Herbarium fascination - Algeas. They always seem to bring out the painter in me - make me want to go and spent some time in my sun studio painting and dreaming of faraway lands & imagined worlds. I am currently finalising my 2010 calendar which is based on the variety of specimens I found in at the Herbarium.

Contemplations

When I was in Prague I came across some amazing museums and their sitters. I could not get enough of them and often got distracted by studying them and wondering what their relation ship to art was? What they were thinking? Where they would rather be? They inspired a lot of questions, just by sitting in a museum, watching over art. Most of the times they did not seem to be interested in the exhibition at all, so when I came across Andy Freeberg's "Guardians of Russian Art Museums" series I found myself studying them again.

Magic in the making

Wow, sometimes I am still uncertain if I am looking at photographs or paintings. I found Paolo Venture via Lost At E Minor.

Hidden treasure

Today I downloaded a great image by Ben Roberts from his blog. I have been to his website a couple of times before, but I do not think I had noticed his "Superpit" series before. Some days I guess we see different things or they seem to effect us differently. The machinery used for mining is just massive, so I wonder how long the set up would have taken for these amazing images. I do have to confess that they do make me feel rather small... and I do remember those Hotels, we stumbled in there one night hungry and thirsty and were rather surprised.
From Ben's website: "These are troubled times for man – increasingly we are being forced to be introspective about our role in the world and it’s ecosystems. Global warming is becoming a real threat. The boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour by corporations and individuals are the source of much discussion and rhetoric. However, beyond the politics of Australia’s mining industry there are a myriad of human stories – a workforce (predominantly male) that in many ways preserves the traditional “Aussie Bloke” (industrious, forthright, loves a cold beer) making a living in a harsh environment often thousands of miles from home. Dwarfed by the vast hole in the ground they have created, they work long hours throughout the year in searing heat, supporting their families who reside in the nations coastal cities. To these men, mining is a way of life that has often been passed on through generations. As the lifetime of mineral resources becomes shorter, the need to find an alternative, sustainable form of employment for the huge mining workforce will become of increasing importance."

Stunning

You don't come across reindeer very often. This series "Hoh" is by Christian Weber. His portfolio is filled with a wide range of amazing projects.

Isolation

I am absolutely delighted with the work of finnish artist Ville Varumo's calm images. I am drawn to the soft colurs and absence of people.

Specks of colour

Today I found these lovely snow images by Yosigo. I find it fascinating how we all look for completely different things in a similar environment. I know snow and snow and snow is never the same, but sometimes I cant help but wonder what would happen if you take say ten photographers and give them an identical object?

White silence

I am definitely a summer girl, but every so often I wish I would have the opportunity to go and loose myself in whiteness. I love the silence and softness, snow leaves behind. These gorgeous & almost invisible images are by Nicolai Howalt.

Metal plates

Today instead of continuing to work on my online journal, I got side tracked by a few amazing websites and could not wait to share this one. I think Naomi Vanderkindren is my absolute favourite today. These images are from her series "Tintypes: Early". She says on her website: “Tintype” refers to a photograph made through a direct positive process on a blackened metal plate. The highlight areas represent exposed silver, while the shadow areas reveal the blackened background (this is opposite of conventional black & white photography, where the shadows are made up of silver against a white background).
All of my plates are hand cut and prepared and thus each plate reveals unique differences and artifacts within the under-coating and emulsion. My earliest tintypes, as on this page, were made with an inter-positive, while my later tintypes are exposed directly in camera." Now I wish I could do a workshop to learn how to do these.

Taking time

When I first saw Allison Grant's work, it took me a while to realise the illusions she created for us, and then I could not get enough. I am drawn to her work because it is so simple & beautiful and yet you have to take a moment to look deeper and see her play. Make sure you read her statements.