Where Wildflowers Bloom

50 shades of GREEN!!! A quick task of applying the Crystallize smart-filter to different images in Photoshop.  Being the novice , I can woefully admit that I was yet to try  Photoshop filters before this task. I have since experimented with the other effects but Crystallize is a favourite.  Photo 1 - Outside my front door: By expanding the pixels in the photograph it highlights the prominent colours present in the landscape. I have always been a big fan of the baby Fagus but look at him now!!! A pixelated powerhouse in the urban scene.  The other images I experimented with include two local parks, a hospital garden and the Cotswolds countryside. 

 

The term weed has most commonly been used to describe wild,  unwanted plants or plants where they shouldn't be. I took a short walk around town and snapped some pictures of weeds that are visually improving their concrete surroundings. I think this is ingenious. The occupiers have left an unpaved edge, allowing weeds to grow abundantly and relatively kempt. A simple, inexpensive and low maintenance addition to their cosy front porch... and a kind welcome to the uninvited.  Some charming corner features. All of the above are all considered aggressive and invasive species,  (Aegopodium podagraria, Parietaria judaica, Campanula portenschlagiana).      An icon.  Weeds are wonderful, they provide nectar for our pollinators, sequester carbon and add life to our concrete streets. My attitudes towards wildflowers and weeds has changed. Yes, they can look messy and evoke negative emotions, but that's often due to the mistreated spaces and alley ways they adorn...

The Cotswold is undeniably beautiful. It's rolling fields, woodlands and limestone, toy town villages are what distinguish the landscape character. Though despite the quaint curiosity, fresher air and nearby nature I still miss the city.  Having limited time in this part of the world has encouraged me to make the most of what's on my doorstep. When I can and the rainy weather allows, I appreciate the green spaces and visit the places on the brown signs that furnish the country roads.  Here are a few of my favourite spots: Pittville Park Westbury Court Garden - the last remaining Dutch water garden in the UK. May Hill - Interesting to see mushrooms growing outside of damp, darker habitats.         Winston Churchill Gardens.                                                  Sanford Park.      ...

I had two attempts at this activity, exploring transformations of form with 7 identical 3D objects. It is interesting to explore the differences in depth, shadows, light, texture and colour along with their shape, and spacial composition.  When exploring the form of a cashew nut I considered the beauty of its design. The smooth, untouched interior and organic curves. The natural symmetry of the identical halves and the variety in their shapes and sizes. They composed some curious transformations, though identical objects they are not.  I experimented again with seasonal clementines 👍 Transformation poem: Kaju I can’t quite believe my luck admiring your curves and voluptuous butt   But a poisonous sister and a toxic past I’m questioning now, how long could this last?   All was forgotten when I started nibbling,  swallowing, gasping, dribbling.   Grinding with haste. Eager to taste your sticky nut paste. I love you naked, nice and naughty,  Hot and spic...

  I played around with this picture for longer than I wanted to.  Too much time was spent searching for an image that matched the perspective of the sculpture, so I persisted until I was defeated by the shadow. It puzzled me that I couldn't find shadows to reference in the background, so a shadow is there, but inaccurate in this experiment.  Despite the stormy skies, I thought that the street paving had a brightness that indicated sunlight. This showcases the impact of material choice in the landscape. The rustic, terracotta townscape feels vibrant even on the darkest days.  The Chosen Ones: I have experimented at human scale and landscape panoramic scale.

Thailand has a breathtaking and diverse natural landscape, from forested mountains and tea plantations in the North, to plateaus, coastal plains and islands of the south. These pictures were taken in January 2022 and display the range of urban areas, island landscapes and the beautiful National Park at the top of Doi Inthanon (tallest mountain in Thailand, Chiang Mai province).