now playing: elliott smith - punch and judy
the ship tavern
now playing: nick cave and the bad seeds - the ship song
lloyd's of london, the gherkin, and holborn
now playing: INXS - old world new world
you're cactus
now playing: bruce springsteen - i'm goin' down
rear window
now playing: fleetwood mac - dreams
there is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy
there is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy
- friedrich nietzsche.
The latest instalment of my project with Sarah Mercer is now up on weaving words into light.
now playing: amy winehouse - cupid
ealing
now playing: nina simone - brown eyed handsome man
szabadság szobor
now playing: david bowie - i can't explain
bouquet
now playing: john zorn - kol nidre
woman withdrawing into herself
now playing: ani difranco - untouchable face
shifting relationships
now playing: elvis costello and the attractions - you'll never be a man
take a seat
now playing: tony bennett and k.d. lang - you can't lose a broken heart
light of day
now playing: marvin gaye - i heard it through the grapevine
ealing studios
now playing: polly scattergood - bunny club
please don't touch
please don't touch
please don't stop and stare
yes, i thank you for your kindness
but there's sadness in the air
please don't touch
'cause it makes me jitter, and
although i lost my mind, sir,
i think you lost yours quicker
please don't touch
- polly scattergood
now playing: polly scattergood - please don't touch
blue and green should never be seen...
...without another colour in between.
now playing: david bowie - fashion
headshot
In case you're wondering, I'm catching up on posting some old work.
My hair is much longer at the moment.
now playing: veruca salt - get back
it's not easy being green...
now playing: young werther - cornish green
weaving words into light
I've been collaborating with Brisbane writer, Simon Groth, on i see a pattern forming since May 2011. Though our posts have been minimal lately, this is still a work in progress, and the concentration of late has been more about how to make this collaboration come to life in a place other than the internet.
A recent collaboration with McKenzie Johnson, an American photographer currently based in China, is much less formal, and taking place as a sort of dialogue, loosely titled 'Alone Together'. We are currently posting the first tentative responses to each other via Flickr, but may take the conversation to a place more consolidated in the future. I will keep you updated on that.
Slightly more recently, myself and Canadian photographer, Sarah Mercer, have taken to collaborating one on one after being involved in the Divine Diptych Project. We both enjoyed that experience, which often took a second place to life for many members of the Divine Sisterhood, so we thought we'd branch out on our own.
The work we are producing for this project is based on themes coming from song or movie titles and quotes, weaving words into light. Some images, like the first, will be diptychs, but that is not a requirement of the project. We're both excited about where this might lead.
now playing: pj harvey - you come through
the old chapel
I'm generally not one for 'Hallmark' holidays. I can often be heard to 'bah humbug' (or the seasonal equivalent) at Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day.
Being an atheist, Christmas and Easter don't mean much to me except 8 parts family + 2 parts gifts (Christmas), and 8 parts chocolate + 2 parts hot cross buns (Easter). Similarly, the origins of St Valentine's Day, beyond poetic romanticism, don't capture my heart, as it were.
The fact that I don't 'believe' in St Valentine's Day doesn't mean I'm not a hopeless romantic when I want to be.
This time last year, Kyle and I stayed in a gorgeous little cottage: a converted chapel in Baldersdale, County Durham, I found on the cottages.com website. It has everything going for it apart from an internet connection, though that in itself was probably a good thing most of the time.
Located on a country lane, mostly isolated apart from a few nearby farmhouses that have also been converted into holiday accommodation, it was the perfect location from which to explore not only County Durham, but the Yorkshire Dales and Moors, and York itself; the Lake District; and Scarborough and the northeast coast. Arriving when the snow was still on the ground, it was extremely picturesque.
Totally self-contained, it provided us with the perfect place to return to of an evening after full days of sightseeing, picture-taking, pub lunches (and dinners) and, in some instances, pub quizzes. Being that way inclined, we'd often return from the cold outdoors after a long day to indulge in a game of Monopoly (or three) in the warmth with wine or cider and cheeses, and Guinness and baked goods, respectively.
On St Valentine's Day last year, we explored Rievaulx Abbey, Helmsley Castle (I might have photographed a pigeon carcass, which wasn't particularly romantic to most people's perception!), and Egglestone Abbey at sunset. Our days before and after were filled with picturesque and historic villages, snow, grand homes, abbeys, churches, graveyards, beaches, parsonages, and such-like. A veritable feast for our eyes, cameras and imaginations.
This year, unfortunately, we once more spend this time of year apart. Kyle has just moved house to settle in Brisbane until he finishes his degree and readies himself to head over here. Though I spent a month in Australia with him over Christmas and New Year's, I missed sharing the thrill of snow with him again this year, which he experienced for the first time last year.
However, all going to plan, he will be here to enjoy the snow and St Valentine's Day with me next year. If I knew the exact date, you bet I would be counting down the days.
now playing: victoria williams - my funny valentine