.
A winter branch for December! Even though we hardly ever get snow down here, I still can’t help but imagine it. It’s been ages since I’ve sat and worked on things like this, so I’m feeling a little rusty..! This is one of about 7 versions that I’m toying with.
This branch has last year and next in its branch and seeds, so it seemed right for now!
Wishing you warmth, friendship and love, through December and on.
.
.
.
Sleep just didn’t want to happen in this wild and windy night tonight, so I distracted myself and made this collage.
Layer upon layer of golden fossilised fish..
(this is taken from a scan of a Mene rhombeus, which, according to Bristol University (take a look at their brilliant cabinet of curiosities), is a beautifully-preserved fossil fish from the famous Monte Bolca (or Pesciara) site, in Verona, Italy, from some 50 million years ago!)
.
.
.
This past two weeks, I was excited to collaborate with the fantastic visual artist, Elena Caravela. Both of us exchanged work, for the other to add to and manipulate, creating something new.
Part 1: Adolescence and Thorn.
A few of Elena’s Bird-Children figures flew from her hands to mine..
In this piece I have combined Elena’s wonderful watercolour figure and birds from her Adolescence work, with photographic work from my Threads photographs. On viewing the bird’s inquisitive beaks, these thorns came immediately to mind. There is a huge sense of both vulnerability and defiant strength that sings out from the figure, which I have tried to engage with. Here we have caught her at a defining moment, in which anything may turn..
It was a great learning experience for me to work in this way! Travel over to Elena’s blog to see the work that she has undertaken in this project!
.
© C.E. Rennie/Elena Caravela, 2013
.
.
Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? 🙂
(Lots of noise on this one, but I kind of don’t mind..what do you think?)
.
.
.
A tale within the making of a thing.
.
Outside, it rained and rained.
And rained.
Photographs weren’t coming.
Inspiration was dry.
Desperate to make something by hand,
I sat and stared at papers, words, pens, paints.
I stuck some bits together, drew some lines…but nothing worked.
My hands felt grubby with glue and annoyed with the itch and no scratch.
But still nothing came.
A blank page.
Day followed Day.
.
I grew
<SCARED OF THE PAGE>
and
<ANGRY AT THE PAGE>
.
I’ve got very used to the impermanence of digital work.
Easy to rub out mistakes, go back to an old version.
I realised it was actually quite frightening to make something that I could potentially ruin.
Something worthless?!
Particularly as I was using ancient letraset and some beautifully printed, but torn, page-lost and tattered, old books.
.
I decided to just pick something that interested me from one of those lovely books.
As I looked through the pages, I found some really intriguing passages.
Some of these parts-of-books were from the 30’s, the 40’s, one from 1857!
I loved how each paragraph I leaned into threw seeds of a story to me, a time.
Crumbs of some unknown language, somebody else’s long dead thoughts..
.
I lost some time reading them.
.
I started to get interested
in what I could do with these things
make them live again
in new form.
I kept on ripping
Tear, Tease, Tear
I layed things out
paired intriguing chapter beginnings
with
some rubbed on letters
some scratched on lines..
and
before I knew it,
I had made something.
A beginning.
Relief.
.
.
.
.
.
An image and a song, both of the same title, with slightly different interpretations. I feel like there’s something hopeful about this collage, made from a collection of old photographs..there’s something in there of my feelings, my impressions of the world when I was small – vast, vulnerable, unknowable and yet accepted, going with what odd things come, the sense of wide possibility and somehow always believing in the goodness of things…( I’m not explaining this very well…these things don’t have words, they are felt I think)
Not many have heard this song – it’s yet to make it onto any recording as it just doesn’t quite get on with my others (it’s sniffy like that). Hope you like it!
.
.
p.s. if you like my music, you can hear more of it here.
Have a great weekend!
.
.
.
One more piece that I have been working on.
I have made collages since I was first making artwork – I began with magazine papers and other found materials, but over the years I think I’ve used just about everything in a collage at some point; dried beans, bike chains, coffee granules, sandpaper and mud! Now, I often combine digital imagery with the handmade. Really, I’d like to try and make as much of the work off screen as I can, and am trying to make sure that my photographs are made as much in camera as possible..this one required a fair amount of computer work to assemble however..
This is made from film photographs, scanned illustrations, and found digital images.The black and white photograph was taken years ago, during my first film experiments.
I am endlessly intrigued by layers, lights and colour combinations..here I’ve tried all three at once…
I don’t like calling work “Untitled” but nothing is springing to mind..so for now it is this..recently I seem to have lost all capacity for words..
.
.
.
One dubious benefit about having a rubbish Summer weather wise is that I do more work!
I’ve been working on layered and digitally collaged images again over the past few months.
This is made almost entirely of photographs, some from my earlier work with shadows, some from photographs taken throughout the year.
I am pleased with how it looks somehow like a painting. Sadly I am terrible at painting, this is the closest I will ever get, painting with light and capture..
.
.
.
Taking part in my postcard exchange with Stephen MacInnis the other week really reminded me how much I love to make work by hand, away from a screen. There are many things that I enjoy about working digitally – lack of mess, and the ability to undo mistakes are two big bonuses! But there is something so real and immediate about working with your hands, and I am always very happy to be drawn back.
I was lucky enough to be given a whole collection of books recently that belonged to my Gran and Grandad. Some feel special, and nice to remember, and I have kept them safely. Others are old and disintegrated and not really of use now as actual books, but I really wanted to do something with them. I felt that the elements of them would work fantastically in collage work. The print for a start is so beautiful, and the pages have aged in a wonderful way that imbues something earthy and real to the printed words. I love the connection to their owners that I feel with these books too, it makes me want to slow down and make something carefully that honours them as precious possessions.
As always, scanning these takes something away from them, but I thought I’d show you something of the work I am making. Here is one that I finished today..
.
.
.
.
I was thrilled this morning to receive this beautiful handmade postcard from visual artist Stephen MacInnis.
A few weeks ago we agreed on an exchange, and now we both have a little piece of each others artwork in our homes!
I’ve been a huge fan of Stephen’s work since finding his blog here on WordPress, so it was a real joy to do this swap with him.
.
This is the one that I sent in exchange – I wanted to make something handmade, and had great fun with this, both in the making and in the wrapping up, knowing that it was going on a long journey!
(clicking on the image should bring up a clearer one)
.
.
Stephen’s card was wrapped and folded, making it really intriguing to open..
.
.
It opened out to a great design and little handwritten note inside. I love to see handwriting!
.
.
And on the other side – this!!
It is oh so beautiful and full of life, and has all the elements of movement, colour, precision and energy that I really admire in Stephen’s work. I can’t stop smiling to look at it, and I will treasure it.
If you haven’t already, visit Stephen’s fantastic blog Painter’s Progress. You can read his post on receiving my card here.
I highly recommend exchanging work in this way – whether it is a piece of art, writing, or a photograph, it’s great to make something in this spirit. It’s also rare to receive something interesting through the post these days! You just can’t beat the real thing.
.
Settle and Chase 