http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/tags/landart/ Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:01 -0800 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:01 -0800 http://www.flickr.com/ http://farm1.staticflickr.com/21/buddyicons/96002770@N00.jpg?1301257590#96002770@N00 http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/tags/landart/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292718713/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292718713/" title="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunset"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5087/5292718713_c9fa9902d4_m.jpg" width="213" height="240" alt="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunset" /></a></p> <p>If you came straight to this picture then --you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> Despite its collapse and the hope of seeing it properly for sunset, the most intense part was still to be experienced. As I stood and watched the sun sink down below the frosty horizon, I was overcome with a feeling of vertigo, of tipping backwards, spinning and falling. I know it is obvious to us all that the sun does not rise or set in reality but appears to, as our planet spins. But in this moment instead of knowing that truth, I felt it, deep within the whole of my body.<br /> <br /> As the sun disappeared I felt the earth tipping backwards, turning away from the stationary sun. The overpowering vertigo made me feel the rotation of the earth so much more vividly than I have ever before. It was quite strange and intense.<br /> <br /> Land art is all these things. It isn't just using nature's materials to create something. It uses natures's cycles and patterns and flows to cast its magic touch on whatever you try to create. Without a week of temperatures constantly below zero, it wouldn't have been possible. Made across the winter solstice, it connected one year of seasons with the next. Early evening moonrise meant that it had time to freeze before dawn so that its lean would not mean its demise, at least not until the sun had melted it slightly. And combination of all these things allowed me to feel something I already knew. As to feel something is so much more powerful than to know it. <br /> <br /> And now I feel the rotation of the earth and how I am connected to it a little more than I did before.</p> Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:01 -0800 2010-12-26T13:49:01-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5292718713 54.018561 -2.704868 54.018561 -2.704868 27541 Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunset <p>If you came straight to this picture then --you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> Despite its collapse and the hope of seeing it properly for sunset, the most intense part was still to be experienced. As I stood and watched the sun sink down below the frosty horizon, I was overcome with a feeling of vertigo, of tipping backwards, spinning and falling. I know it is obvious to us all that the sun does not rise or set in reality but appears to, as our planet spins. But in this moment instead of knowing that truth, I felt it, deep within the whole of my body.<br /> <br /> As the sun disappeared I felt the earth tipping backwards, turning away from the stationary sun. The overpowering vertigo made me feel the rotation of the earth so much more vividly than I have ever before. It was quite strange and intense.<br /> <br /> Land art is all these things. It isn't just using nature's materials to create something. It uses natures's cycles and patterns and flows to cast its magic touch on whatever you try to create. Without a week of temperatures constantly below zero, it wouldn't have been possible. Made across the winter solstice, it connected one year of seasons with the next. Early evening moonrise meant that it had time to freeze before dawn so that its lean would not mean its demise, at least not until the sun had melted it slightly. And combination of all these things allowed me to feel something I already knew. As to feel something is so much more powerful than to know it. <br /> <br /> And now I feel the rotation of the earth and how I am connected to it a little more than I did before.</p> escher is still alive winter sunset sculpture snow ice sunrise december time lancashire moonrise cycle icicle ephemeral discs landart naturalart 2010 sentinel enviro bowland pastpresentfuture forestofbowland clougha earthrotation enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage landartconnections richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292720013/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292720013/" title="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Moonrise"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5125/5292720013_efbe2872be_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Moonrise" /></a></p> <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> So where am I going with all this? Boy, you do ask some difficult questions.<br /> <br /> Our perceptions certainly change over time, as we get older, as we age, change and develop. Christmas now arrives at lightning speed, without the nailbitingly slow anticipation but then without much of the magic either. Although that lost magic has been replaced ten fold by everything I see around me outside in the world. Well not replaced exactly. Maintained from when I started to walk.<br /> <br /> I've come to realise, and perhaps this is the same for us all, that the things I do for fun become anchor points for my life. <br /> <br /> I have a pretty large record collection as I used to DJ at raves, clubs and parties in the '90's and just recently I've been recording my vinyl onto my computer and relistening to a whole load I've not listended to for twenty years. It's brought back many memories of when I first heard or played a particular record. Anchor points aplenty.<br /> <br /> After my DJ'ing exploits I got into the outdoors: walking, exploring, trekking and climbing with lots of trips to mountain ranges the world over. There were many sublime, intense and unforgettable experiences. Yet more anchor points.<br /> <br /> And now it is land art. When I think back to what I have created, I can remember each day, each sculpture, how the day felt, what I saw, experience and learnt. Anchor points amore.<br /> <br /> And yet the stuff in between? The working, the snoozing, the watching TV. The driving from A to B, the time on the internet, the dreaming of being and doing something else. These all fade soon after the event. These things are not my life, not me, not remembered. And yet? They probably make up the majority of my time alive.<br /> <br /> How many questions does this raise? So many, so many...<br /> <br /> Can you experience those anchor points without the drudge in between? Can your whole life be anchors, or is it just too much hard work for every one of us who isn't a maverick or an extreme character. The trouble is real life is the thing that is happening while you try and work out these answers. There are no rehearsals.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719665/">Next----</a></p> Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:37 -0800 2010-12-26T13:49:37-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5292720013 54.018561 -2.704868 54.018561 -2.704868 27541 Winter Solstice Sentinel - Moonrise <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> So where am I going with all this? Boy, you do ask some difficult questions.<br /> <br /> Our perceptions certainly change over time, as we get older, as we age, change and develop. Christmas now arrives at lightning speed, without the nailbitingly slow anticipation but then without much of the magic either. Although that lost magic has been replaced ten fold by everything I see around me outside in the world. Well not replaced exactly. Maintained from when I started to walk.<br /> <br /> I've come to realise, and perhaps this is the same for us all, that the things I do for fun become anchor points for my life. <br /> <br /> I have a pretty large record collection as I used to DJ at raves, clubs and parties in the '90's and just recently I've been recording my vinyl onto my computer and relistening to a whole load I've not listended to for twenty years. It's brought back many memories of when I first heard or played a particular record. Anchor points aplenty.<br /> <br /> After my DJ'ing exploits I got into the outdoors: walking, exploring, trekking and climbing with lots of trips to mountain ranges the world over. There were many sublime, intense and unforgettable experiences. Yet more anchor points.<br /> <br /> And now it is land art. When I think back to what I have created, I can remember each day, each sculpture, how the day felt, what I saw, experience and learnt. Anchor points amore.<br /> <br /> And yet the stuff in between? The working, the snoozing, the watching TV. The driving from A to B, the time on the internet, the dreaming of being and doing something else. These all fade soon after the event. These things are not my life, not me, not remembered. And yet? They probably make up the majority of my time alive.<br /> <br /> How many questions does this raise? So many, so many...<br /> <br /> Can you experience those anchor points without the drudge in between? Can your whole life be anchors, or is it just too much hard work for every one of us who isn't a maverick or an extreme character. The trouble is real life is the thing that is happening while you try and work out these answers. There are no rehearsals.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719665/">Next----</a></p> escher is still alive winter sunset sculpture snow ice sunrise december time lancashire moonrise cycle icicle ephemeral discs landart naturalart 2010 sentinel enviro bowland pastpresentfuture forestofbowland clougha earthrotation enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage landartconnections richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719457/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719457/" title="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunrise"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5126/5292719457_e6f79c66e9_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunrise" /></a></p> <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> I am discovering that when I create something I am as much the audience as I am the artist. Only after I have created something do I look back and see what meaning is there, it is not with conscious effort that I put the meaning into it and yet I find it after the fact. Does that mean there is actually any meaning if I don't put it in with conscious effort? Gawd only knows, but it fascinates me nonetheless.<br /> <br /> And there was more meaning in this to be discovered yet.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293317048/">Next----</a></p> Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:21 -0800 2010-12-26T13:49:21-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5292719457 54.018561 -2.704868 54.018561 -2.704868 27541 Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunrise <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> I am discovering that when I create something I am as much the audience as I am the artist. Only after I have created something do I look back and see what meaning is there, it is not with conscious effort that I put the meaning into it and yet I find it after the fact. Does that mean there is actually any meaning if I don't put it in with conscious effort? Gawd only knows, but it fascinates me nonetheless.<br /> <br /> And there was more meaning in this to be discovered yet.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293317048/">Next----</a></p> escher is still alive winter sunset sculpture snow ice sunrise december time lancashire moonrise cycle icicle ephemeral discs landart naturalart 2010 sentinel enviro bowland pastpresentfuture forestofbowland clougha earthrotation enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage landartconnections richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/" title="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Moonrise"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5208/5293318114_5fd072b615_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Moonrise" /></a></p> <p>Allow me, before I start, to ask you to look at each photo in this sequence and to read each accompanying part of the story. Each of the following photos are not different angles or context shots of the same sculpture, as I might usually post, but are in fact all separate moments of the sculpture's life that brought together make the full artwork and must be viewed all together to appreciate everything that it portrays. Without doing so it is like reading half a book, seeing the first act in a play or looking at only the frame of a painting.<br /> <br /> Here's the past week condensed. Just add water (preferably ice), leave to stand for a minute, stir and serve.<br /> <br /> So the cold snap continues, although it is due to end in the next 24 hours and it has allowed me to do more with ice than I have before. <br /> <br /> Apart from last year, the last ten winters have been mild with only a couple of cold ones in the previous twenty. Before that we supposedly had proper winters, those that we like to trot out whenever someone, who wasn't old enough to remember them, comments on how cold it is. &quot;Cold? This isn't cold lad, I remember when winters were winters, and we only had one pair of shoes between the whole street. We had to break the ice in the loo when we needed the toilet. Etc etc etc.&quot;<br /> <br /> Well, that deal is off. This winter is a proper one and seems to be breaking records all over this country and elsewhere too.<br /> <br /> How I remember those winters, though, may not be entirely accurate. I remember the snow being deeper than we get now. And I remember the snow being around for months with no gaps. But then again I remember Christmas day taking 9 months, like a full gestation period of extreme tension to arrive, after breaking up from school for the holidays. And I guess the snow was deeper then as my wellies were only half the height of what I have today. It's the same with the mystery of the ever decreasing Wagon Wheel. Have they really got smaller? Or did they seem bigger thirty years ago because my head was smaller?<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292720013/">Next----</a></p> Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:43 -0800 2010-12-26T13:49:43-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5293318114 54.018561 -2.704868 54.018561 -2.704868 27541 Winter Solstice Sentinel - Moonrise <p>Allow me, before I start, to ask you to look at each photo in this sequence and to read each accompanying part of the story. Each of the following photos are not different angles or context shots of the same sculpture, as I might usually post, but are in fact all separate moments of the sculpture's life that brought together make the full artwork and must be viewed all together to appreciate everything that it portrays. Without doing so it is like reading half a book, seeing the first act in a play or looking at only the frame of a painting.<br /> <br /> Here's the past week condensed. Just add water (preferably ice), leave to stand for a minute, stir and serve.<br /> <br /> So the cold snap continues, although it is due to end in the next 24 hours and it has allowed me to do more with ice than I have before. <br /> <br /> Apart from last year, the last ten winters have been mild with only a couple of cold ones in the previous twenty. Before that we supposedly had proper winters, those that we like to trot out whenever someone, who wasn't old enough to remember them, comments on how cold it is. &quot;Cold? This isn't cold lad, I remember when winters were winters, and we only had one pair of shoes between the whole street. We had to break the ice in the loo when we needed the toilet. Etc etc etc.&quot;<br /> <br /> Well, that deal is off. This winter is a proper one and seems to be breaking records all over this country and elsewhere too.<br /> <br /> How I remember those winters, though, may not be entirely accurate. I remember the snow being deeper than we get now. And I remember the snow being around for months with no gaps. But then again I remember Christmas day taking 9 months, like a full gestation period of extreme tension to arrive, after breaking up from school for the holidays. And I guess the snow was deeper then as my wellies were only half the height of what I have today. It's the same with the mystery of the ever decreasing Wagon Wheel. Have they really got smaller? Or did they seem bigger thirty years ago because my head was smaller?<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292720013/">Next----</a></p> escher is still alive winter sunset sculpture snow ice sunrise december time lancashire moonrise cycle icicle ephemeral discs landart naturalart 2010 sentinel enviro bowland pastpresentfuture forestofbowland clougha earthrotation enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage landartconnections richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293317048/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293317048/" title="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Collapsed"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5210/5293317048_5e7b899940_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Collapsed" /></a></p> <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> I took the five barrels of snow and ice to a frozen tarn high up on a moor and stacked them up until it was about six foot tall. Lastly I place the final disc with its unicorn horn on top. The moon was once again rising, first very large and foreshortened as it breached the horizon, gradually lessening as it tracked across the sky. The sentinel stood tall and the sharp icicle pointed directly towards the moon as though connected to the heavenly body. I took pictures before pouring water over it, in the hope it might freeze more solidly overnight. I set off home and a Little Owl spooked from the road perhaps looking for moisture from the gritted road surface.<br /> <br /> Before dawn I returned to witness the sunrise after the moonrise hours before. Like a series of interconnected lights, each disc lit up orange one by one as the first of the sun's rays pierced each disc in turn, until finally it was illuminated from top to bottom. It was quite a sight to see. It had developed a quirky lean, much like the tower of Pisa but still remained frozen in place. I was surprised but very pleased that I got to witness it again at sunrise. I left it again hoping to see it intact once more for the sunset.<br /> <br /> With trepidation I returned at 3pm to find it had collapsed. The sun had melted its icy bonds and Pisa could lean no more. I stacked up what was left so that I could see the light play across the discs, as the sun dropped behind the horizon. I have to say the hastily erected sculpture, made from the remains, did not have an appealing look. I toyed with entitling it &quot;Christmas Phallus&quot; but I don't think I could avoid accusations of schoolboy humour, even if I pretended that I was trying to remark on both Christian and Pagan symbology! <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292718713/">Next----</a></p> Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:13 -0800 2010-12-26T13:49:13-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5293317048 54.018561 -2.704868 54.018561 -2.704868 27541 Winter Solstice Sentinel - Collapsed <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> I took the five barrels of snow and ice to a frozen tarn high up on a moor and stacked them up until it was about six foot tall. Lastly I place the final disc with its unicorn horn on top. The moon was once again rising, first very large and foreshortened as it breached the horizon, gradually lessening as it tracked across the sky. The sentinel stood tall and the sharp icicle pointed directly towards the moon as though connected to the heavenly body. I took pictures before pouring water over it, in the hope it might freeze more solidly overnight. I set off home and a Little Owl spooked from the road perhaps looking for moisture from the gritted road surface.<br /> <br /> Before dawn I returned to witness the sunrise after the moonrise hours before. Like a series of interconnected lights, each disc lit up orange one by one as the first of the sun's rays pierced each disc in turn, until finally it was illuminated from top to bottom. It was quite a sight to see. It had developed a quirky lean, much like the tower of Pisa but still remained frozen in place. I was surprised but very pleased that I got to witness it again at sunrise. I left it again hoping to see it intact once more for the sunset.<br /> <br /> With trepidation I returned at 3pm to find it had collapsed. The sun had melted its icy bonds and Pisa could lean no more. I stacked up what was left so that I could see the light play across the discs, as the sun dropped behind the horizon. I have to say the hastily erected sculpture, made from the remains, did not have an appealing look. I toyed with entitling it &quot;Christmas Phallus&quot; but I don't think I could avoid accusations of schoolboy humour, even if I pretended that I was trying to remark on both Christian and Pagan symbology! <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292718713/">Next----</a></p> escher is still alive winter sunset sculpture snow ice sunrise december time lancashire moonrise cycle icicle ephemeral discs landart naturalart 2010 sentinel enviro bowland pastpresentfuture forestofbowland clougha earthrotation enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage landartconnections richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719665/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719665/" title="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunrise"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5090/5292719665_d8c6ce103f_m.jpg" width="240" height="72" alt="Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunrise" /></a></p> <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> And so this past week I have been anchored. <br /> <br /> I made this sculpture on the day before Christmas Eve and it took a week to prepare. Each night I created six ice discs and in the morning stacked them with layers of snow in between. I would leave each stack to freeze and begin on the next set of six discs. Over the next five nights I ended up with thirty discs made into five ice/snow stacks. One lunchtime I walked to a favourite spot of mine where I knew large icicles grew. In fact the place where I got the icicles for <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4260268390/in/set-72157614076873857/">this</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3174027065/">this</a>.<br /> <br /> After this long cold snap, the icicles were more plentiful and larger than I have seen them before, so I took one of the longest, finest and most elegant and set about cementing it to a disc with slush for glue.<br /> <br /> Each night that I was outside doing this, the air was cold and clear. The sky was a deep, navy blue with pin pricks of sparkling light, the planets and stars perfectly positioned as if never changing and from behind the bank of trees in front of me, the moon would rise turning the navy blue to royal.<br /> <br /> I had in mind the Land Art Connections theme for December - Past, Present and Future, or, at least in hindsight I realised that what I was making spanned the winter solstice and how it connected this season to the next. As the shortest day is reached the days begin to lengthen once again and spring seems not so far away.<br /> <br /> The more land art I do the more entranced and enchanted with change, cycles and the interconnectedness of all things, I become. Everything seems to be a wave. As daylight hits the bottom of the curve it bounces back up again to life and colour aplenty, until the top of the wave sends it back down again. These things can be seen everywhere in nature. This cold snap is to do with another cycle, a cycle of the movement of the air over the North Atlantic.<br /> <br /> If it wasn't for this cold air and this regular cycle I couldn't have made this sculpture. It wouldn't have been below freezing all day and my discs would have melted. It wouldn't have been cold enough at night to completely freeze the discs and to stick ice to ice in time for the morning. If the cold snap wasn't consistent and long lasting I wouldn't have managed to make thirty discs and it wouldn't be as tall.<br /> <br /> I've long wondered whether artists are aware of the concept they are trying to convey before they embark on creating something. I cannot speak for others but for me it comes out after the fact as though the simple act of creation opens the mind. I am fully prepared to learn something and have something deep within revealed, when I stand in front of another artist's work. That, to me, seems to be the formula:<br /> <br /> - Artist comes up with idea<br /> - Artist creates something with meaning <br /> - Audience views art<br /> - Mind is stimulated <br /> - Meaning is revealed<br /> <br /> But it seems it is much, much more complex than that. <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719457/">Next----</a></p> Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:49:27 -0800 2010-12-26T13:49:27-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5292719665 54.018561 -2.704868 54.018561 -2.704868 27541 Winter Solstice Sentinel - Sunrise <p>--If you came straight to this picture then you are in the middle of a sequence that must be read in order. Please start <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5293318114/">here</a>--<br /> <br /> And so this past week I have been anchored. <br /> <br /> I made this sculpture on the day before Christmas Eve and it took a week to prepare. Each night I created six ice discs and in the morning stacked them with layers of snow in between. I would leave each stack to freeze and begin on the next set of six discs. Over the next five nights I ended up with thirty discs made into five ice/snow stacks. One lunchtime I walked to a favourite spot of mine where I knew large icicles grew. In fact the place where I got the icicles for <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4260268390/in/set-72157614076873857/">this</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3174027065/">this</a>.<br /> <br /> After this long cold snap, the icicles were more plentiful and larger than I have seen them before, so I took one of the longest, finest and most elegant and set about cementing it to a disc with slush for glue.<br /> <br /> Each night that I was outside doing this, the air was cold and clear. The sky was a deep, navy blue with pin pricks of sparkling light, the planets and stars perfectly positioned as if never changing and from behind the bank of trees in front of me, the moon would rise turning the navy blue to royal.<br /> <br /> I had in mind the Land Art Connections theme for December - Past, Present and Future, or, at least in hindsight I realised that what I was making spanned the winter solstice and how it connected this season to the next. As the shortest day is reached the days begin to lengthen once again and spring seems not so far away.<br /> <br /> The more land art I do the more entranced and enchanted with change, cycles and the interconnectedness of all things, I become. Everything seems to be a wave. As daylight hits the bottom of the curve it bounces back up again to life and colour aplenty, until the top of the wave sends it back down again. These things can be seen everywhere in nature. This cold snap is to do with another cycle, a cycle of the movement of the air over the North Atlantic.<br /> <br /> If it wasn't for this cold air and this regular cycle I couldn't have made this sculpture. It wouldn't have been below freezing all day and my discs would have melted. It wouldn't have been cold enough at night to completely freeze the discs and to stick ice to ice in time for the morning. If the cold snap wasn't consistent and long lasting I wouldn't have managed to make thirty discs and it wouldn't be as tall.<br /> <br /> I've long wondered whether artists are aware of the concept they are trying to convey before they embark on creating something. I cannot speak for others but for me it comes out after the fact as though the simple act of creation opens the mind. I am fully prepared to learn something and have something deep within revealed, when I stand in front of another artist's work. That, to me, seems to be the formula:<br /> <br /> - Artist comes up with idea<br /> - Artist creates something with meaning <br /> - Audience views art<br /> - Mind is stimulated <br /> - Meaning is revealed<br /> <br /> But it seems it is much, much more complex than that. <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/5292719457/">Next----</a></p> escher is still alive winter sunset sculpture snow ice sunrise december time lancashire moonrise cycle icicle ephemeral discs landart naturalart 2010 sentinel enviro bowland pastpresentfuture forestofbowland clougha earthrotation enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage landartconnections richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4885553021/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4885553021/" title="Chase the Setting Sun Wheel"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4096/4885553021_bf359e259f_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Chase the Setting Sun Wheel" /></a></p> <p>For those short on time (or attention spans!) here's the short version. I chased the sun for two days to get this. I hope it was worth it! The hover fly landed on each circle enticed by the colours. I thought that was pretty cool.<br /> <br /> For those with too much time on their hands here's the 12&quot; director's cut:-<br /> <br /> This sculpture has brought a more - close-up - detailed examination of patterns of the weather than I really would have liked. I love to learn things about nature when I make something - that really is quite a lot of the point - but I do have to fit my life around these lessons so there has to be a limit!<br /> <br /> I had a couple of days off this week. The first day I did the penultimate work to my commissioned sculpture ready for its completion and yesterday we had an extended mooch and then made this in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> The day started fair and leaves and light felt enticing but by lunchtime the ever-present cloud was back. Ho-hum.<br /> <br /> A few momentary gaps appeared allowing the sun to pierce through later in the afternoon and so I thought I might manage a picture or too.<br /> <br /> I guess I started to feel like a leaf myself or perhaps a lizard or a snake. Perched on the earth my upper surfaces craving for the sunlight to strike me and fill me with its delicious warmth, bringing life and energy where there was none. Waiting desperately for the sun to find my square inch of the world. <br /> <br /> Watching the clouds scud without expectation can be relaxing, meditative and induce a dreamlike state. But when you are waiting time slows to a stop and their movement seems incredibly ponderous. You really start to feel the time in between the ticks of the clock, tick and tock, moving ever forward.<br /> <br /> On the local news the other night they said there was a chance that the Aurora Borealis could be seen in Northern England. So after dusk we went to sit up in the hills and we watched yet more cloud drift and the odd twinkling star appear in a rip in the patchwork but alas no northern lights. Yet more silent witnessing of the passage of our atmosphere.<br /> <br /> The sun was still shining as I headed off to an interesting spot to capture the leaf circles in the sun but as I set it up I had time for a couple of shots before it was shrouded again. By the time it revealed itself again it had moved and I had to re-set up the shot as I wasn't happy with the fine sculptural details, the shape of the stalk holding up the frame, the postion of the circles and the background frame were just not right.<br /> <br /> I expect some people may think I have the patience of a saint but that isn't the case at all. It's more that the little details annoy me and I have to perservere until they are right or I just can't rest. My eyes are drawn to the mistakes or anything that is uneven and so is everyone elses if I point them out to them. It just has to be right to my eye or I feel I have failed and it bugs me.<br /> <br /> So I repositioned it and this next spot was even better. I just needed the sun that was revealing the colours as I was setting up to remain long enough for me to get back to my camera. Alas she was gone within seconds.<br /> <br /> And so the long wait began.<br /> <br /> I paced and paced and studied the sky. The patches of blue went nowhere near the sun and I became more impatient. A raptor squealed continuously in the tree canopy and passers by gawped at me until I stared back and they pretended they were pointing at something and not at all interested in the bloke hiding in the bush looking for the sun. I waited two hours and there was no sign and I had to be home for dinner. So I gave up. That has only happened a couple of times before.<br /> <br /> The pictures came out okay and some of you had a sneak preview when I loaded them up last night and forgot to make the private (thanks for the comments ketztx4me and grand duchess) but I wasn't happy. Without the sunlight I craved they weren't right and I was going to have to try again.<br /> <br /> But despite these frustrations this is what land art is all about. I have no desire to control nature or make her bend to my will (although if you could that would be pretty cool! But would result in your own destruction in a dark sorceror stylee pretty soon!). You get what you get. The materials that you find, the elements, the different seasons. This is what is so enticing.<br /> <br /> So I kept the sculpture overnight. Made it wet to try and keep it from shrivelling, drying out and shedding all its thorns and went to bed praying for sunshine. But it wasn't over yet by a long shot.<br /> <br /> This morning the sun shone and the sky was blue and I was much more hopeful. I thought my normal good luck had returned and I would soon have it in the bag.<br /> <br /> I went back to the same spot of yesterday, before breakfast, but of course the sun would be at a different angle. I knew it would be but as the sun hadn't shone all day for ages I tried anyway. But of course I could not position the sun where I wanted. So I took some more pictures and they were nice too but they were not what I wanted.<br /> <br /> I went back for breakfast and started work and sat looking out the window as the sun shone and shone and the intermittent clouds did not diminish her warmth.<br /> <br /> I tried again at lunchtime but now the sun was too high. But I knew this and tried anyway but the lessons were having a hard time sinking in.<br /> <br /> Finally the end of the working day was approaching and my excitement and trepidation grew. The sky was still blue and the sun still shining and I knew I would finally finish. I'd rebuilt the sculpture a couple times and replaced a wilted leaf or two and removed and reapplied some snapped brittle thorns. Surely now I could put this to bed.<br /> <br /> As I stepped out the front door a huge black cloud hung ominuosly over the city to my right. Heavy with rain and towering miles up my heart sank as the blackness stretched from horizon to horizon.<br /> <br /> Now I don't want to control nature as I said but this was really taking the pee! Did I need more lessons in clouds and atmospheric conditions? Perhaps I did.<br /> <br /> I set off anyway and parked myself up in the hills overlooking the city as the lightning struck the ground, the ground rumbled with thunder and the blackness streaked to the ground in sheets of rain. <br /> <br /> As it passed slowly southwards I could start to see the sun hitting the mountains across into Cumbria and the line of sunshine heading towards the county border crept slowly closer.<br /> <br /> Each time the second hand clicked another fraction towards a new minute, time stopped as I willed the storm to pass. The more I tried the more slowly time passed but I could not distract myself from its painful passing.<br /> <br /> After another couple of hours a shaft of light cut through the cloud and it was on and I dashed back to that spot once again.<br /> <br /> As I approached I found a film crew filming a costume drama right next to where I wanted to be but too much waiting had instilled in me 100% determination. The place was right and the light was right and I was done.<br /> <br /> I am reminded of the phrase 'be careful what you wish for' as I tried to instill some meaning into this sculpture. Following on from the # <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4872440970/">sun sculpture</a> I made at the weeked I wanted to expand the idea and show more phases of the sun's passage. <br /> <br /> In my efforts to depict the sun and incorporate its light into my sculpture I had chased it for two days. And above all it left me with a strong sense of insignificance in the face of the universe. My place within it is just like anyone elses: fleeting and a single cog amongst and infinity of others joined and turning together in a constant ever changing interconnected whole.</p> Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:12:38 -0700 2010-08-12T20:12:38-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/4885553021 54.047005 -2.782223 54.047005 -2.782223 25701 Chase the Setting Sun Wheel <p>For those short on time (or attention spans!) here's the short version. I chased the sun for two days to get this. I hope it was worth it! The hover fly landed on each circle enticed by the colours. I thought that was pretty cool.<br /> <br /> For those with too much time on their hands here's the 12&quot; director's cut:-<br /> <br /> This sculpture has brought a more - close-up - detailed examination of patterns of the weather than I really would have liked. I love to learn things about nature when I make something - that really is quite a lot of the point - but I do have to fit my life around these lessons so there has to be a limit!<br /> <br /> I had a couple of days off this week. The first day I did the penultimate work to my commissioned sculpture ready for its completion and yesterday we had an extended mooch and then made this in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> The day started fair and leaves and light felt enticing but by lunchtime the ever-present cloud was back. Ho-hum.<br /> <br /> A few momentary gaps appeared allowing the sun to pierce through later in the afternoon and so I thought I might manage a picture or too.<br /> <br /> I guess I started to feel like a leaf myself or perhaps a lizard or a snake. Perched on the earth my upper surfaces craving for the sunlight to strike me and fill me with its delicious warmth, bringing life and energy where there was none. Waiting desperately for the sun to find my square inch of the world. <br /> <br /> Watching the clouds scud without expectation can be relaxing, meditative and induce a dreamlike state. But when you are waiting time slows to a stop and their movement seems incredibly ponderous. You really start to feel the time in between the ticks of the clock, tick and tock, moving ever forward.<br /> <br /> On the local news the other night they said there was a chance that the Aurora Borealis could be seen in Northern England. So after dusk we went to sit up in the hills and we watched yet more cloud drift and the odd twinkling star appear in a rip in the patchwork but alas no northern lights. Yet more silent witnessing of the passage of our atmosphere.<br /> <br /> The sun was still shining as I headed off to an interesting spot to capture the leaf circles in the sun but as I set it up I had time for a couple of shots before it was shrouded again. By the time it revealed itself again it had moved and I had to re-set up the shot as I wasn't happy with the fine sculptural details, the shape of the stalk holding up the frame, the postion of the circles and the background frame were just not right.<br /> <br /> I expect some people may think I have the patience of a saint but that isn't the case at all. It's more that the little details annoy me and I have to perservere until they are right or I just can't rest. My eyes are drawn to the mistakes or anything that is uneven and so is everyone elses if I point them out to them. It just has to be right to my eye or I feel I have failed and it bugs me.<br /> <br /> So I repositioned it and this next spot was even better. I just needed the sun that was revealing the colours as I was setting up to remain long enough for me to get back to my camera. Alas she was gone within seconds.<br /> <br /> And so the long wait began.<br /> <br /> I paced and paced and studied the sky. The patches of blue went nowhere near the sun and I became more impatient. A raptor squealed continuously in the tree canopy and passers by gawped at me until I stared back and they pretended they were pointing at something and not at all interested in the bloke hiding in the bush looking for the sun. I waited two hours and there was no sign and I had to be home for dinner. So I gave up. That has only happened a couple of times before.<br /> <br /> The pictures came out okay and some of you had a sneak preview when I loaded them up last night and forgot to make the private (thanks for the comments ketztx4me and grand duchess) but I wasn't happy. Without the sunlight I craved they weren't right and I was going to have to try again.<br /> <br /> But despite these frustrations this is what land art is all about. I have no desire to control nature or make her bend to my will (although if you could that would be pretty cool! But would result in your own destruction in a dark sorceror stylee pretty soon!). You get what you get. The materials that you find, the elements, the different seasons. This is what is so enticing.<br /> <br /> So I kept the sculpture overnight. Made it wet to try and keep it from shrivelling, drying out and shedding all its thorns and went to bed praying for sunshine. But it wasn't over yet by a long shot.<br /> <br /> This morning the sun shone and the sky was blue and I was much more hopeful. I thought my normal good luck had returned and I would soon have it in the bag.<br /> <br /> I went back to the same spot of yesterday, before breakfast, but of course the sun would be at a different angle. I knew it would be but as the sun hadn't shone all day for ages I tried anyway. But of course I could not position the sun where I wanted. So I took some more pictures and they were nice too but they were not what I wanted.<br /> <br /> I went back for breakfast and started work and sat looking out the window as the sun shone and shone and the intermittent clouds did not diminish her warmth.<br /> <br /> I tried again at lunchtime but now the sun was too high. But I knew this and tried anyway but the lessons were having a hard time sinking in.<br /> <br /> Finally the end of the working day was approaching and my excitement and trepidation grew. The sky was still blue and the sun still shining and I knew I would finally finish. I'd rebuilt the sculpture a couple times and replaced a wilted leaf or two and removed and reapplied some snapped brittle thorns. Surely now I could put this to bed.<br /> <br /> As I stepped out the front door a huge black cloud hung ominuosly over the city to my right. Heavy with rain and towering miles up my heart sank as the blackness stretched from horizon to horizon.<br /> <br /> Now I don't want to control nature as I said but this was really taking the pee! Did I need more lessons in clouds and atmospheric conditions? Perhaps I did.<br /> <br /> I set off anyway and parked myself up in the hills overlooking the city as the lightning struck the ground, the ground rumbled with thunder and the blackness streaked to the ground in sheets of rain. <br /> <br /> As it passed slowly southwards I could start to see the sun hitting the mountains across into Cumbria and the line of sunshine heading towards the county border crept slowly closer.<br /> <br /> Each time the second hand clicked another fraction towards a new minute, time stopped as I willed the storm to pass. The more I tried the more slowly time passed but I could not distract myself from its painful passing.<br /> <br /> After another couple of hours a shaft of light cut through the cloud and it was on and I dashed back to that spot once again.<br /> <br /> As I approached I found a film crew filming a costume drama right next to where I wanted to be but too much waiting had instilled in me 100% determination. The place was right and the light was right and I was done.<br /> <br /> I am reminded of the phrase 'be careful what you wish for' as I tried to instill some meaning into this sculpture. Following on from the # <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4872440970/">sun sculpture</a> I made at the weeked I wanted to expand the idea and show more phases of the sun's passage. <br /> <br /> In my efforts to depict the sun and incorporate its light into my sculpture I had chased it for two days. And above all it left me with a strong sense of insignificance in the face of the universe. My place within it is just like anyone elses: fleeting and a single cog amongst and infinity of others joined and turning together in a constant ever changing interconnected whole.</p> escher is still alive park red summer sculpture orange brown sun white colour leaves wheel yellow leaf maple august lancashire chase lancaster dogwood williamson thorn ephemeral landart naturalart 2010 enviro enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4779723007/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4779723007/" title="Got To Get From A To B (After All The Grass Is Always Greener)"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4079/4779723007_40188d6539_m.jpg" width="139" height="240" alt="Got To Get From A To B (After All The Grass Is Always Greener)" /></a></p> <p>Commentary Project: Leaf Neons<br /> <br /> July 10th 2010: Bridge over the M6 Motorway, Lancaster.</p> Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:00:48 -0700 2010-07-10T17:00:48-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/4779723007 54.025091 -2.782394 54.025091 -2.782394 25701 Got To Get From A To B (After All The Grass Is Always Greener) <p>Commentary Project: Leaf Neons<br /> <br /> July 10th 2010: Bridge over the M6 Motorway, Lancaster.</p> escher is still alive red sculpture green grass leaves yellow project leaf neon july lancashire lancaster thorns ephemeral landart naturalart commentary 2010 enviro atob grassisalwaysgreener enviroart richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4780355738/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4780355738/" title="Got To Get From A To B (After All The Grass Is Always Greener)"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/4780355738_7796424eda_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Got To Get From A To B (After All The Grass Is Always Greener)" /></a></p> <p>Commentary Project: Leaf Neons<br /> <br /> July 10th 2010: Bridge over the M6 Motorway, Lancaster.</p> Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:00:40 -0700 2010-07-10T17:00:40-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/4780355738 54.025154 -2.782394 54.025154 -2.782394 25701 Got To Get From A To B (After All The Grass Is Always Greener) <p>Commentary Project: Leaf Neons<br /> <br /> July 10th 2010: Bridge over the M6 Motorway, Lancaster.</p> escher is still alive red sculpture green grass leaves yellow project leaf neon july lancashire lancaster thorns ephemeral landart naturalart commentary 2010 enviro atob grassisalwaysgreener enviroart richardshilling leafneons commentaryproject http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3868509348/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3868509348/" title="5 Colour Drops"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2521/3868509348_a575b48d19_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="5 Colour Drops" /></a></p> <p>Part 2<br /> <br /> If you are a bit of a perfectionist then the word's &quot;that'll do&quot; are a false economy. I've been out and finished this sculpture once already, written the notes, processed the photos and been ready to upload. Unfortunately what I ended up with was rubbish and I knew it but I carried on regardless. Well it saved me no time at all saying that'll do as I had to go back (to fortunately find it all still there) and put it together properly (I wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight if I hadn't). Finally I am happy with the result. I won't settle for second best again! Not being able to do it is one thing but not trying hard enough is another entirely. I am exhausted now and not feeling very funny or entertaining so I will just leave you with what I had written for the first attempt and go and crack myself open a beer. Happy Saturday evening all...<br /> <br /> Part 1<br /> <br /> After spilling a glass of water on my laptop last night (that will teach me not to drink - it should have been wine or beer) and rendering it operational but severely tempremental I wasn't in the mood to make anything today. Which is ironic as what I ended up with looks like balloons released from a kids party. It doesn't best describe my current demeanour but perhaps my subconcious is trying to tell me something.<br /> <br /> I set off to a secret location this morning (one where grouse are not shot for fun) with the intention of building a new cairn. There is loads of suitable stone there and it is quite a good spot for one (although not as good as the previous place) and I thought with three days spare over the bank holiday weekend then I would have plenty of time to get it a fair way towards finished. The hardest part of constructing a cairn is carrying all the stone. I wish I could rope in some helpers but as usual I would have to do all the work myself. As I carried the tenth load I remembered my knackered foot, which is just beginning to heal, and thought that three days shifting stone wasn't really a good idea. <br /> <br /> So I came home and went to see what colours my favourite cherry trees are producing. There were a few more coloured leaves but the most striking I found were vibrant red horse chestnut leaves. They are quite old and tattered by the time they produce this colour but they are striking nonetheless.<br /> <br /> My obsession with leaves is undiminished so I just followed my nose without a plan or a preconceived idea of what was to follow.<br /> <br /> The white leaves are poplar, the yellow/orange are cherry, the yellow/green is from an unidentified shrub, the green is hazel and lastly the red is horse chestnut.<br /> <br /> I am not sure if the result is too childish but as I say I go about things without preconceptions. What comes out comes out and it either works or it doesn't. I am not sure whether this has worked or not. (In fact there is no doubt - it is rubbish!)<br /> <br /> I am struggling a little with my land art at the moment and it seems that the funny stories have dried up too... These posts have always been real and from the heart, warts and all. I hope normal service will be resumed soon. We are complicated creatures and the more I learn the more I realise that I know nothing.<br /> <br /> (And what's more I had my camera set up wrong - wrong ISO, wrong exposure comp - and had to take the pictures all over again twice. Just seemed I was running on 50% today).<br /> <br /> <a href="http://richardshilling.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Land Art Site</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:09:23 -0700 2009-08-29T20:09:23-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3868509348 54.046174 -2.784776 54.046174 -2.784776 25701 5 Colour Drops <p>Part 2<br /> <br /> If you are a bit of a perfectionist then the word's &quot;that'll do&quot; are a false economy. I've been out and finished this sculpture once already, written the notes, processed the photos and been ready to upload. Unfortunately what I ended up with was rubbish and I knew it but I carried on regardless. Well it saved me no time at all saying that'll do as I had to go back (to fortunately find it all still there) and put it together properly (I wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight if I hadn't). Finally I am happy with the result. I won't settle for second best again! Not being able to do it is one thing but not trying hard enough is another entirely. I am exhausted now and not feeling very funny or entertaining so I will just leave you with what I had written for the first attempt and go and crack myself open a beer. Happy Saturday evening all...<br /> <br /> Part 1<br /> <br /> After spilling a glass of water on my laptop last night (that will teach me not to drink - it should have been wine or beer) and rendering it operational but severely tempremental I wasn't in the mood to make anything today. Which is ironic as what I ended up with looks like balloons released from a kids party. It doesn't best describe my current demeanour but perhaps my subconcious is trying to tell me something.<br /> <br /> I set off to a secret location this morning (one where grouse are not shot for fun) with the intention of building a new cairn. There is loads of suitable stone there and it is quite a good spot for one (although not as good as the previous place) and I thought with three days spare over the bank holiday weekend then I would have plenty of time to get it a fair way towards finished. The hardest part of constructing a cairn is carrying all the stone. I wish I could rope in some helpers but as usual I would have to do all the work myself. As I carried the tenth load I remembered my knackered foot, which is just beginning to heal, and thought that three days shifting stone wasn't really a good idea. <br /> <br /> So I came home and went to see what colours my favourite cherry trees are producing. There were a few more coloured leaves but the most striking I found were vibrant red horse chestnut leaves. They are quite old and tattered by the time they produce this colour but they are striking nonetheless.<br /> <br /> My obsession with leaves is undiminished so I just followed my nose without a plan or a preconceived idea of what was to follow.<br /> <br /> The white leaves are poplar, the yellow/orange are cherry, the yellow/green is from an unidentified shrub, the green is hazel and lastly the red is horse chestnut.<br /> <br /> I am not sure if the result is too childish but as I say I go about things without preconceptions. What comes out comes out and it either works or it doesn't. I am not sure whether this has worked or not. (In fact there is no doubt - it is rubbish!)<br /> <br /> I am struggling a little with my land art at the moment and it seems that the funny stories have dried up too... These posts have always been real and from the heart, warts and all. I hope normal service will be resumed soon. We are complicated creatures and the more I learn the more I realise that I know nothing.<br /> <br /> (And what's more I had my camera set up wrong - wrong ISO, wrong exposure comp - and had to take the pictures all over again twice. Just seemed I was running on 50% today).<br /> <br /> <a href="http://richardshilling.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Land Art Site</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive park autumn sculpture orange white colour green leaves yellow cherry leaf moss sandstone poplar august drop lancashire hazel lancaster thorns teardrop shrub 2009 ephemeral horsechestnut landart naturalart enviro williamsonpark enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3867727457/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3867727457/" title="5 Colour Drops"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2597/3867727457_f1f9013b9a_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="5 Colour Drops" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://richardshilling.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Land Art Site</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:09:02 -0700 2009-08-29T20:09:02-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3867727457 54.046174 -2.784776 54.046174 -2.784776 25701 5 Colour Drops <p><a href="http://richardshilling.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Land Art Site</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive park autumn sculpture orange white colour green leaves yellow cherry leaf moss sandstone poplar august drop lancashire hazel lancaster thorns teardrop shrub 2009 ephemeral horsechestnut landart naturalart enviro williamsonpark enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675521646/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675521646/" title="Equilibrium Stack"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2597/3675521646_b2b47776c8_m.jpg" width="159" height="240" alt="Equilibrium Stack" /></a></p> <p>Enhanced version of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675521646/in/set-72157613787406683/">this</a>.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3675521646&amp;size=large" rel="nofollow">View Large On Black</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:33:36 -0700 2009-06-30T15:33:36-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3675521646 53.976379 -2.615722 53.976379 -2.615722 28416 Equilibrium Stack <p>Enhanced version of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675521646/in/set-72157613787406683/">this</a>.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3675521646&amp;size=large" rel="nofollow">View Large On Black</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive sculpture spring sandstone stack lancashire diamond hills fells april balance homage 2009 ephemeral landart naturalart enviro gritstone millstonegrit rockbalancing andygoldsworthy pebblebalancing enviroart richardshilling somewhereonthefells http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675522060/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675522060/" title="Karma Stones"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2435/3675522060_416d85af14_m.jpg" width="142" height="240" alt="Karma Stones" /></a></p> <p>Now the title of this isn't really about eastern spirituality or philosophy or an attempt to come up with a cool sounding name but more to do with making a bit of an a*** of yourself.<br /> <br /> I have few days off work so I headed to a favourite spot of mine, one where I did some of my first rock balances and where I built <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3116158060/in/set-72157613787355537/">this</a>. Now it had collapsed I wanted to use the stones to make something else.<br /> <br /> I've spent a few days out rock balancing recently since I did <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3514843655/in/set-72157613787355537/">this</a> this but I didn't manage to get anything to stay upright long enough to get any pictures. I don't think my heart was really in it and I couldn't be bothered to rebuild any of them more than a couple of times once they had toppled over. It is fun to do though and it isn't all about getting a picture so it wasn't wasted time.<br /> <br /> I felt a bit more focussed today on getting it right. A lot of it is in the preparation and making sure you pick the right stones and arrange them carefully and the rest is in patience and persistence and an added dose of luck. So I began by trying to do an <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675521646/in/set-72157613787406683/">enhanced version</a> of that stack done on Heysham beach.<br /> <br /> After a while it started to rain but other than getting my camera wet it didn't matter too much as it is so warm and muggy.<br /> <br /> I had the video camera running most of the time and the one time it was switched off I got my welly wedged under a rock and when I attempted to walk I fell straight over. £250 from You've Been Framed would have been handy but karma dictated that it wasn't to be. Karma hadn't finished with me just yet though.<br /> <br /> The paddle out to the boulder the balance was on was just about the same height as my wellies, somehow I managed to stop them being breached but the trouble with constructing something on a rock in a few feet of water is if you don't balance a rock properly then &quot;plop!&quot; it is gone in microseconds and you have to wade back to the bank to search for another one. Just how many crossings was I going to get away with? Well Lady Karma allowed me enough to get it done, and she smiled on me enough to get it built first go. <br /> <br /> The first sculpture had an insane wobble. The third from bottom layer had a pebble that rolled every time a new layer was added, several times I had to hold the whole thing upright and put it back into equilibrium. I am interested to see the video footage to see whether it's wobble is clear to see.<br /> <br /> The second was more robust but surprisingly so. The lower round pebbles that increased the height of the left hand slab were held on with friction and should they move it would all go. It was quite tall so I worried that I would get flattened if it did fall. Either that or very wet as any evasive action would end up as a swim.<br /> <br /> Anyway I got away with it and packed up and headed back to my car.<br /> <br /> As I clambered up the hill to the parking area I saw someone else was parked there. Two old ladies were sat in fold-up chairs looking out over the river, each clutching a glass of red wine and smoking a cigarette. They weren't best pleased having their drunken picnic interrupted. But still I smiled and said hello.<br /> <br /> This was met with a scowl. Obviously one that they had both spent a lifetime perfecting. I was sorry to interrupt their lunchtime drinkie-poos but you run the risk of being disturbed by a strange bloke in wellies if you insist on having your soiree in a car park. <br /> <br /> Anyway, being too long away from food, irritable, tired and grumpy I muttered to myself &quot;manners cost nothing&quot; - grumble - grumble - &quot;parking here and drinking cheap wine and smoking fags&quot; - mutter - mutter - &quot;I didn't want to say hello anyway!&quot;<br /> <br /> I packed up my tripods and and put my camera gear into the boot while the elderly grumpy twins laughed uproariously as their cheap plonk kicked in.<br /> <br /> I slapped the gear stick into reverse and manoeuvred onto the road and drove away still grumbling under my breath.<br /> <br /> I looked at them in the rear view mirror and suddenly there was a black flash in the mirror. &quot;What the hell was that?!&quot;<br /> <br /> Doh! I'd left my reflector on the roof. I saw it land in the road so I parked up at the next layby and sprinted up the road. It was nowhere to be seen and each side of the road was thick with bracken.<br /> <br /> *********!<br /> <br /> I looked and looked and looked and couldn't see it anywhere. Oh no, I am not going to have to ask those two old dears do I? No, anything but that please.<br /> <br /> And so, tail between my legs with my best - mum brought me up properly - polite voice I siddled up to them.<br /> <br /> &quot;'Scuse me?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Yes?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Did you see a black circular thing come flying off the back of my car?&quot; The ground opening up beneath would be nice timing should it happen.<br /> <br /> &quot;No?!?&quot; The quizzical look I got was far worse than that earlier scowl.<br /> <br /> I walked back along the road and sure enough there it was under a bush. Seemed Lady Karma wanted me to talk to those ladies, they wouldn't know where I had lost it but it would appear once I had and I am sure that their side of the story would be quite different to mine. <br /> <br /> All I can hope for when they recount what happened that someone will ask them &quot;how much did you have to drink?&quot;<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3675522060&amp;size=large" rel="nofollow">View Large On Black</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:33:46 -0700 2009-06-30T15:33:46-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3675522060 53.976379 -2.615722 53.976379 -2.615722 28416 Karma Stones <p>Now the title of this isn't really about eastern spirituality or philosophy or an attempt to come up with a cool sounding name but more to do with making a bit of an a*** of yourself.<br /> <br /> I have few days off work so I headed to a favourite spot of mine, one where I did some of my first rock balances and where I built <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3116158060/in/set-72157613787355537/">this</a>. Now it had collapsed I wanted to use the stones to make something else.<br /> <br /> I've spent a few days out rock balancing recently since I did <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3514843655/in/set-72157613787355537/">this</a> this but I didn't manage to get anything to stay upright long enough to get any pictures. I don't think my heart was really in it and I couldn't be bothered to rebuild any of them more than a couple of times once they had toppled over. It is fun to do though and it isn't all about getting a picture so it wasn't wasted time.<br /> <br /> I felt a bit more focussed today on getting it right. A lot of it is in the preparation and making sure you pick the right stones and arrange them carefully and the rest is in patience and persistence and an added dose of luck. So I began by trying to do an <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3675521646/in/set-72157613787406683/">enhanced version</a> of that stack done on Heysham beach.<br /> <br /> After a while it started to rain but other than getting my camera wet it didn't matter too much as it is so warm and muggy.<br /> <br /> I had the video camera running most of the time and the one time it was switched off I got my welly wedged under a rock and when I attempted to walk I fell straight over. £250 from You've Been Framed would have been handy but karma dictated that it wasn't to be. Karma hadn't finished with me just yet though.<br /> <br /> The paddle out to the boulder the balance was on was just about the same height as my wellies, somehow I managed to stop them being breached but the trouble with constructing something on a rock in a few feet of water is if you don't balance a rock properly then &quot;plop!&quot; it is gone in microseconds and you have to wade back to the bank to search for another one. Just how many crossings was I going to get away with? Well Lady Karma allowed me enough to get it done, and she smiled on me enough to get it built first go. <br /> <br /> The first sculpture had an insane wobble. The third from bottom layer had a pebble that rolled every time a new layer was added, several times I had to hold the whole thing upright and put it back into equilibrium. I am interested to see the video footage to see whether it's wobble is clear to see.<br /> <br /> The second was more robust but surprisingly so. The lower round pebbles that increased the height of the left hand slab were held on with friction and should they move it would all go. It was quite tall so I worried that I would get flattened if it did fall. Either that or very wet as any evasive action would end up as a swim.<br /> <br /> Anyway I got away with it and packed up and headed back to my car.<br /> <br /> As I clambered up the hill to the parking area I saw someone else was parked there. Two old ladies were sat in fold-up chairs looking out over the river, each clutching a glass of red wine and smoking a cigarette. They weren't best pleased having their drunken picnic interrupted. But still I smiled and said hello.<br /> <br /> This was met with a scowl. Obviously one that they had both spent a lifetime perfecting. I was sorry to interrupt their lunchtime drinkie-poos but you run the risk of being disturbed by a strange bloke in wellies if you insist on having your soiree in a car park. <br /> <br /> Anyway, being too long away from food, irritable, tired and grumpy I muttered to myself &quot;manners cost nothing&quot; - grumble - grumble - &quot;parking here and drinking cheap wine and smoking fags&quot; - mutter - mutter - &quot;I didn't want to say hello anyway!&quot;<br /> <br /> I packed up my tripods and and put my camera gear into the boot while the elderly grumpy twins laughed uproariously as their cheap plonk kicked in.<br /> <br /> I slapped the gear stick into reverse and manoeuvred onto the road and drove away still grumbling under my breath.<br /> <br /> I looked at them in the rear view mirror and suddenly there was a black flash in the mirror. &quot;What the hell was that?!&quot;<br /> <br /> Doh! I'd left my reflector on the roof. I saw it land in the road so I parked up at the next layby and sprinted up the road. It was nowhere to be seen and each side of the road was thick with bracken.<br /> <br /> *********!<br /> <br /> I looked and looked and looked and couldn't see it anywhere. Oh no, I am not going to have to ask those two old dears do I? No, anything but that please.<br /> <br /> And so, tail between my legs with my best - mum brought me up properly - polite voice I siddled up to them.<br /> <br /> &quot;'Scuse me?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Yes?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Did you see a black circular thing come flying off the back of my car?&quot; The ground opening up beneath would be nice timing should it happen.<br /> <br /> &quot;No?!?&quot; The quizzical look I got was far worse than that earlier scowl.<br /> <br /> I walked back along the road and sure enough there it was under a bush. Seemed Lady Karma wanted me to talk to those ladies, they wouldn't know where I had lost it but it would appear once I had and I am sure that their side of the story would be quite different to mine. <br /> <br /> All I can hope for when they recount what happened that someone will ask them &quot;how much did you have to drink?&quot;<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3675522060&amp;size=large" rel="nofollow">View Large On Black</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive sculpture spring sandstone stack lancashire diamond hills fells april balance homage 2009 ephemeral landart naturalart enviro gritstone millstonegrit rockbalancing andygoldsworthy pebblebalancing enviroart richardshilling somewhereonthefells http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3674711495/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3674711495/" title="Equilibrium Stack"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2551/3674711495_b3eb8d4325_m.jpg" width="240" height="152" alt="Equilibrium Stack" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3674711495&amp;size=large" rel="nofollow">View Large On Black</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:33:27 -0700 2009-06-30T15:33:27-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3674711495 53.976379 -2.615722 53.976379 -2.615722 28416 Equilibrium Stack <p><a href="http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3674711495&amp;size=large" rel="nofollow">View Large On Black</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive sculpture spring sandstone stack lancashire diamond hills fells april balance homage 2009 ephemeral landart naturalart enviro gritstone millstonegrit rockbalancing andygoldsworthy pebblebalancing enviroart richardshilling somewhereonthefells http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3508327918/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3508327918/" title="Hazel Spheres on Water"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3635/3508327918_ba09c95434_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Hazel Spheres on Water" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> Wed, 06 May 2009 11:33:21 -0700 2009-05-06T19:33:21-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3508327918 54.019847 -2.793188 54.019847 -2.793188 11610 Hazel Spheres on Water <p><a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive sculpture water ball square three spring stream may fresh lancashire growth sphere hazel lancaster 2009 ephemeral landart naturalart enviro sculpure enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling burrowbeck http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3508328452/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3508328452/" title="Hazel Spheres on Water"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3407/3508328452_0830cbda8f_m.jpg" width="240" height="163" alt="Hazel Spheres on Water" /></a></p> <p>Well I have a confession to make. I am not a land artist at all, I am a dinner artist. Here is a picture of three of the brussel sprouts I had for my dinner. And I would have got away with it if it wasn't for those pesky kids!<br /> <br /> It's been grey and wet for days and since all this weekend's shenanigans I've been feeling a little overwhelmed and not in the right frame of mind to make anything. I've been replying to all the mails I have had and thanking everyone for their kind words. I joked that it might be ironic that after being put on the Flickr blog that my creative inspiration would dry up. Fortunately that hasn't happened yet and as the weather has finally dried up instead, I headed out after work.<br /> <br /> When I was out collecting leaves at the weekend I visited a hazel tree and I loved how it's leaves were new and fresh and curled around into a little bowl. I am sure they flatten out as the develop so I made a mental note to make something that shows off the curve of the leaves. The obvious idea was a sphere. I have been trying to make things that reflect the time of year. The circles I make from hazel won't be possible later in the season as the wood will be too stiff to shape and I suspect the hazel leaves won't be curved enough later on to make spheres so easily.<br /> <br /> A few weeks ago I made three hazel balls but those were tiny. I don't think anyone could tell the size of them from the picture but the leaves were very small and delicate. Now the leaves had grown so the balls would need to be larger.<br /> <br /> I collected some leaves and headed down to the stream near where I live.<br /> <br /> As this was an after work excursion I didn't have much time to get it finished but everything was going well and my idea was taking shape in a sprightly fashion. I was starting to get excited as it was coming together well and I aws going to get a photo (must be an obsessive land artist's thing).<br /> <br /> <br /> &quot;Plop!&quot;<br /> <br /> Just as I had nearly completed the third ball the middle one dropped into the water. <br /> <br /> &quot;*&amp;%$£%^%$!!&quot;<br /> <br /> Often I tell myself that preparation is all important. If you don't get the early stages right it generally means that you need to go back and start over. Despite knowing this, my normal way is just to crack on and see what happens. Not a wise strategy.<br /> <br /> I finished off the third one and then started on the middle one again. All the while the first one was happy on its perch. A couple more leaves and I'll be done.<br /> <br /> &quot;Plop!&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;£$%£&amp;*&amp;%£$£&amp;*$^$%£&amp;*$&amp;^%$!!!!&quot;<br /> <br /> The little ******** seemed to be doing this on purpose! Each time I would get near finishing them all another one would decide to go for a swim! Arrgghh!<br /> <br /> I thoroughly scolded them and they promised to behave so I set about remaking the first one. They were good to their word and stayed dry this time.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> Wed, 06 May 2009 11:33:33 -0700 2009-05-06T19:33:33-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3508328452 54.019847 -2.793188 54.019847 -2.793188 11610 Hazel Spheres on Water <p>Well I have a confession to make. I am not a land artist at all, I am a dinner artist. Here is a picture of three of the brussel sprouts I had for my dinner. And I would have got away with it if it wasn't for those pesky kids!<br /> <br /> It's been grey and wet for days and since all this weekend's shenanigans I've been feeling a little overwhelmed and not in the right frame of mind to make anything. I've been replying to all the mails I have had and thanking everyone for their kind words. I joked that it might be ironic that after being put on the Flickr blog that my creative inspiration would dry up. Fortunately that hasn't happened yet and as the weather has finally dried up instead, I headed out after work.<br /> <br /> When I was out collecting leaves at the weekend I visited a hazel tree and I loved how it's leaves were new and fresh and curled around into a little bowl. I am sure they flatten out as the develop so I made a mental note to make something that shows off the curve of the leaves. The obvious idea was a sphere. I have been trying to make things that reflect the time of year. The circles I make from hazel won't be possible later in the season as the wood will be too stiff to shape and I suspect the hazel leaves won't be curved enough later on to make spheres so easily.<br /> <br /> A few weeks ago I made three hazel balls but those were tiny. I don't think anyone could tell the size of them from the picture but the leaves were very small and delicate. Now the leaves had grown so the balls would need to be larger.<br /> <br /> I collected some leaves and headed down to the stream near where I live.<br /> <br /> As this was an after work excursion I didn't have much time to get it finished but everything was going well and my idea was taking shape in a sprightly fashion. I was starting to get excited as it was coming together well and I aws going to get a photo (must be an obsessive land artist's thing).<br /> <br /> <br /> &quot;Plop!&quot;<br /> <br /> Just as I had nearly completed the third ball the middle one dropped into the water. <br /> <br /> &quot;*&amp;%$£%^%$!!&quot;<br /> <br /> Often I tell myself that preparation is all important. If you don't get the early stages right it generally means that you need to go back and start over. Despite knowing this, my normal way is just to crack on and see what happens. Not a wise strategy.<br /> <br /> I finished off the third one and then started on the middle one again. All the while the first one was happy on its perch. A couple more leaves and I'll be done.<br /> <br /> &quot;Plop!&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;£$%£&amp;*&amp;%£$£&amp;*$^$%£&amp;*$&amp;^%$!!!!&quot;<br /> <br /> The little ******** seemed to be doing this on purpose! Each time I would get near finishing them all another one would decide to go for a swim! Arrgghh!<br /> <br /> I thoroughly scolded them and they promised to behave so I set about remaking the first one. They were good to their word and stayed dry this time.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive sculpture water ball square three spring stream may fresh lancashire growth sphere hazel lancaster 2009 ephemeral landart naturalart enviro sculpure enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling burrowbeck http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3494860562/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3494860562/" title="3 Leaf Colour Flags"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3629/3494860562_95d0d47482_m.jpg" width="240" height="158" alt="3 Leaf Colour Flags" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> Sat, 02 May 2009 11:20:22 -0700 2009-05-02T19:20:22-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3494860562 54.047295 -2.782373 54.047295 -2.782373 25701 3 Leaf Colour Flags <p><a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive life pink red sculpture sun colour leaves yellow leaf spring maple flag may fresh lancashire growth rhododendron lancaster rectangle 2009 ephemeral beech landart naturalart enviro copperbeech sculpure oblong williamsonpark enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3494043649/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3494043649/" title="3 Leaf Colour Flags"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3302/3494043649_db40786e09_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="3 Leaf Colour Flags" /></a></p> <p>I had some left over leaves from this morning and I didn't want to waste them. The red is copper beech leaves (I am quite amazed how very red they look), the middle flag has two pink maple leaves in it and the yellow flag is dying rhododendron leaves. <br /> <br /> It was windy so I wanted to make something more robust this time. I constructed the frames from hazel and peeled off the bark. I split them so that the leaves would be held inside then I pinned them together with thorns.<br /> <br /> What I didn't consider was how they would twist when I pushed both ends together in the ground. As I did so each frame came apart and the leaves came out from being held between the split stick. Doh! So as usual I had to do much fiddling about to get the leaves straight.<br /> <br /> As I was setting it up an American lady came over and said &quot;can I ask what you are doing?&quot; We told her about land art and she said &quot;how is it held together - do you use white glue?&quot; I explained that I use only natural materials. I pointed her to the position where the sun was shining through and she happily snapped away with her camera. I hope she got some good pictures! <br /> <br /> I don't know how long this will last but I left it in situ next to the mosaic dinosaur/dragon thing at the bottom entrance to Williamson Park.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> Sat, 02 May 2009 11:20:34 -0700 2009-05-02T19:20:34-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3494043649 54.047295 -2.782373 54.047295 -2.782373 25701 3 Leaf Colour Flags <p>I had some left over leaves from this morning and I didn't want to waste them. The red is copper beech leaves (I am quite amazed how very red they look), the middle flag has two pink maple leaves in it and the yellow flag is dying rhododendron leaves. <br /> <br /> It was windy so I wanted to make something more robust this time. I constructed the frames from hazel and peeled off the bark. I split them so that the leaves would be held inside then I pinned them together with thorns.<br /> <br /> What I didn't consider was how they would twist when I pushed both ends together in the ground. As I did so each frame came apart and the leaves came out from being held between the split stick. Doh! So as usual I had to do much fiddling about to get the leaves straight.<br /> <br /> As I was setting it up an American lady came over and said &quot;can I ask what you are doing?&quot; We told her about land art and she said &quot;how is it held together - do you use white glue?&quot; I explained that I use only natural materials. I pointed her to the position where the sun was shining through and she happily snapped away with her camera. I hope she got some good pictures! <br /> <br /> I don't know how long this will last but I left it in situ next to the mosaic dinosaur/dragon thing at the bottom entrance to Williamson Park.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive life pink red sculpture sun colour leaves yellow leaf spring maple flag may fresh lancashire growth rhododendron lancaster rectangle 2009 ephemeral beech landart naturalart enviro copperbeech sculpure oblong williamsonpark enviroart andygoldsworthyhomage richardshilling http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3493133063/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/3493133063/" title="47 Leaves"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3354/3493133063_415f33f2b6_m.jpg" width="240" height="158" alt="47 Leaves" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> Sat, 02 May 2009 04:22:05 -0700 2009-05-02T12:22:05-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/3493133063 54.047245 -2.780914 54.047245 -2.780914 25701 47 Leaves <p><a href="http://jrlandart.blogspot.com">Land Art Blog</a></p> escher is still alive landart sculpure richardshilling dockdandelionplantainrhododendronoakhazellaurelstingingnettlewillowsilverbirchrowan landartnaturalartlandartenviroartenviroephemeralandygoldsworthyhomagelancashirelancasterfenhamcarrwilliamsonparkgrowthleaves47liferhododendronyellowredgreencoloursunleavesleaffreshgrowthspringmay2009sculpturerichardshi http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4779723719/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/escher1/">escher is still alive</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/escher1/4779723719/" title="Pick Up After Your Dog (Or I Will And Post It Through Your Letter Box)"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4143/4779723719_63a3b84abf_m.jpg" width="156" height="240" alt="Pick Up After Your Dog (Or I Will And Post It Through Your Letter Box)" /></a></p> <p>Commentary Project: Leaf Neons<br /> <br /> July 10th 2010: Burrow Beck, Lancaster.</p> Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:01:05 -0700 2010-07-10T17:01:05-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (escher is still alive) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/4779723719 54.022803 -2.790618 54.022803 -2.790618 25701 Pick Up After Your Dog (Or I Will And Post It Through Your Letter Box) <p>Commentary Project: Leaf Neons<br /> <br /> July 10th 2010: Burrow Beck, Lancaster.</p> escher is still alive red sculpture dog green grass leaves yellow project leaf neon path july lancashire shit lancaster thorns ephemeral landart naturalart commentary 2010 enviro enviroart richardshilling leafneons commentaryproject