Thursday Challenge: Garden -

"Brand New Garden Coat"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

"... cultivate the garden for the nose
and the eyes will take care of themselves ..."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

From the Cube, a bowl -

"Paper Bowl"
digital photograph by Mick Mather
- click image to view full size -

After making my paper from the remains of "Erosion Cube", I decided to add some yellow daffodil petals and some leaves to the remaining pulp to make a bit more paper and this paper bowl. A thin sheet was laid out, pressed and then layered over a form - in this case a light bulb. I forgot to oil the bulb for an easy release and ended up having to wet the dry pulp and then pry the bowl off carefully with my thumbnail. It worked out okay and I may do this again soon.

Papermaking -

"Making Some Paper"
photomontage by Mick Mather
- click image to view full size -

Using my "Erosion Cube" and some household items such as the blender, 5-gallon tub, a plastic container (that brought leftovers home from the diner) and a mesh onion bag, I made some paper. See the full story and the final, fully dried result of the cube at MickMathersARTblog.

Who knew?

"Double Exposure"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

I had no idea that a digital camera could produce a double exposure. I don't have a clue to what caused this accident (low battery power perhaps) but here's a most strange and disconcerting photograph of my youngest granddaughter, Leighlund. A manipulated version can be seen here at MickMathersARTblog.

Adrift, again -

"Adrift (Alternate Version)"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

Although I like this version better, I found it a bit too cold as compared to this version posted at Illustration Friday on February 12th, 2010. As you'll see, the windmill isn't evident in the other image and I thought some of you might enjoy seeing it.

Jane -

"Rediscovering Jane (Before & After Version)"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather
- original photograph by John Mora -

- click on image to view full size -

On the left is the initial cropping of John Mora's photograph and on the right is the end result seen here at MickMathersARTblog.

From a 1994 sketchbook -

"Lamp & Glasses (Original Sketch)"
drawing by Mick Mather

When I was making attempts to gain competent drawing skills during the 1990's, I carried a sketchbook and ink drawing pens everywhere. A favorite pastime was to do a drawing of whatever was on the table at the restaurant-of-the-week either before or after dinner. These early sketches, resolved quickly in public places, went a long way toward teaching me the difference between a sketch, a study and a finished drawing. It also helped to eliminate feelings of shyness about sharing my work and allowed the warts of inadequacy to become a strong desire to constantly do better by drawing, drawing and drawing. Anyway, this is the original of the manipulated piece now showing at at MickMathersARTblog.

"COLD STREETS": The Movie -

"'COLD STREETS' - The Movie"
digital collage by Mick Mather
- click on image to view full size -

After getting a delightful comment from hpy for this post at MickMathersARTblog, I decided to go forward and create a movie poster. Get your popcorn and candy, Hélène, the first reel is about to begin!

More BIG sky -

"So Big the Sky I"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
- click on image to view full size -

Here's the first manipulated version of the piece posted to Thursday Challenge for this week's theme, big. The other version is posted at MickMathersARTblog if you aren't already aware. I really like both although the pea soup clouds of the storm seem very foreboding and give it a slight edge as regards which one is my favorite, if forced to choose. :)

Stimulus Package II -

"Stimulus Package II (Original Photograph #1)"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

There's a sequel to Seth Apter's project, Disintegration Collaboration, that's due on August 1st. I have plenty of time to come up with something as explained here when I posted the before and after composite of my part of DisCo. As mentioned, one way for me to go is with a series of digital prints based upon photographs of the only bit that was left of Stimulus Package I, this bit of string. I'll be posting a few of the prints at MickMathersARTblog with the first going up on Saturday, May 9th. I took a series of photographs of the string, arranging it in different shapes each time, and I'll post each original here to cross-reference the manipulations as they come out.

Disintegration Admiration Project: Final -

"Stimulus Package I (Final Documentation View)"
digital photograph by Mick Mather
- click on image to view full size -

Seth Apter's Disintegration Collaboration calls for final documentations today and here's mine. Sometime between installation and March 31st the project achieved it's objective, maybe. I suspect that the piece was pulled down by human hands and thrown away as opposed to being blown down and set upon the wind. You can see some of the early documentations here as well as "Disintegration Admiration - The Movie" a short scroll below. I'll be posting more about this tomorrow at MickMathersARTblog.

The orginal photograph -

"Red Shift (Original Photograph)"
photograph by Mick Mather
- click image to view full size -

Alright Lisa, this one's for you. As promised, the original, untouched photo with absolutely no manipulation beyond sizing.

Disintegration Admiration: The Movie -

"Disintegration Admiration: The Movie"
digital video by Mick Mather

I installed "Stimulus Package I", for Seth's project, Disintegration Admiration, this afternoon during a bit of a lull as a cold front blew fiercely through the BIG Back Yard. I took a number of documentation photos and then, as the thing moved vigorously in the wind, I decided to shoot a short movie in the event that it was immediately carried away. So far, so good. I'll continue the documentation over the course of the next 6 weeks or so and post the results here.

The Orginal -

"The Secret Shed - Original Photo"
photograph by Mick Mather

Here's the original of "The Secret Shed" that can be found here at MickMathersARTblog. Once again, Blogger software automatically scales and resizes an image that's larger than the available pixel width in this frame of the weblog. Click on image to see it full size.

NEW from The Trinity Series -

"Trinity #15, The Readymade"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

Here's the original photograph I promised to show that resulted in this manipulation. Full details about the piece can be found at MICKMATHERSARTBLOG.

From the BIG back yard -

"West to East - Original Photograph"

digital photograph by Mick Mather

Here's another original photograph taken in the BIG back yard after a fog bank had worked it's magic on the flora and fauna. I wonder, are spiders, more at - spider webs, fauna? Anyway, the manipulated version of this photo can be seen here at MICKMATHERSARTBLOG.

Land Art Project -

"Sky Box I - Collapsed"
land art sculpture by Mick Mather

As mentioned, I was fairly certain that the wind would take this piece apart sooner than later and that's exactly what happened. Even as I believe that wind damage is a certainty, my instinct tells me that some bird quite likely attempted to take a look, perhaps even shelter, in Sky Box I. Also, as mentioned, Sky Box II is in the planning stages while this documentation continues.

Land Art Project -

"Sky Box I, Plate 4"
land art sculpture by Mick Mather

While perfect weather was available I went ahead with construction using the foundation shown and documented yesterday. Just as I thought I might, I moved to larger twigs and branches to create this shoulder high, 1-foot square box. With the extra weight, it began to tilt, one corner came undone and more tying, using long grass, was necessary. A twig, as a support between said corner and a lower branch of the huckleberry bush, was also added. It's relatively stable and decidedly complete, but I do expect that the first strong wind will take it apart and that's okay. I actually prefer the original plan, to build Sky Box with wild grain stalks, and I may harvest a basket full before the snow flies and work on a proper weaving of Sky Box II that can be carried out and installed on any fair day that arrives thereafter. I'll be posting other views of Sky Box I at MICKMATHERSARTBLOG as time goes by ... also, some digital studies and manipulations of the original sketch - like this one - will be posted there from time to time. Enjoy.

Land Art Project -

"Sky Box Test I"
land art sculpture by Mick Mather

I began testing the construction of my next land art project, Sky Box, today. It will be placed in a Huckleberry Bush no more than a good spit away from Kings Court Cube. This foundation has been created from the straw-like stalks of wild grain amid just enough wind for me to realize that securing the base is going to be a requirement that will still leave a proper weaving technique severely tested once the winds of November begin to pick up. Too, as I compare this little box with the larger cube, I can see that the scale of these stalks would be nice to have but less than likely to accomplish before the snow flies. So, larger twigs and such may be used when I begin again ... wait for it. :)

Land Art Project -

"Kings Court Cube - Aerial Site View"
Live Search Maps, Birds Eye Satellite View

It occurred to me the other day that I ought to have some finality to this series of posts that document the Kings Court Cube land art sculpture project. As promised, I posted a completed documentation photograph at MICKMATHERSARTBLOG so drop in over there and have a peek if you haven't already. This little bit of documentation in the form of a birds eye view, courtesy of my favorite satellite view site, Live Search Maps, is a little bonus that I'd forgotten about. Well, it doesn't really show the work, just the site until these coordinates are updated.