This is a wonderful piece of architecture - an insertion into the old harbour buildings of Stromness. The original building now converted once used by the Hudson Bay Company. Takes me back to Barbara Rae work from the arctic following in the footsteps of the Orcadian John Rae and his search for the North West passage. The collections is a wonderful modernist palette connecting two ancient cultures.
Lighthouses
Been having a bit of a journey around lighthouses recently. This one is Fladda Lighthouse with late autumn sun. The latest have been on Orkney and I will be posting new images about a recent trip soon.
Journey
Looking back to late summer and a journey to Coll where I captured the relentless driving force of a river on its journey to recycle itself into the waves
Armeria maritima in October
One of those strange late flowerings in autumn that makes you question climate change even more. The Sea Thrift or Pink is a summer flowerer and has has a second flush on a cold October day.
Geopoetry 2020
I was absolutely delighted to be asked to read as this years Geopoetry event that was due to be held at Dynamic Earth and ended up as a day long online fizzing explorative and collaborative event between scientists, artists and lovers of all things about Scotland’s geology - the founding backbone of its amazingly rich and diverse landscapes. I am please to be able to share my presentation.
Reading the Grain
Autumn is coming and perhaps I am feeling my age with this poem inspired by tree rings.
New Forest Tales - 5 Poems
Final version of an epic of 5 poems about growing up in the New Forest
New Forest Tales
I am developing a graphic that will link all five poems in the New Forest Tales sequence ( memories of childhood to young adult years) I’m not quite sure how it will work on completion - a video with link to each of the poems perhaps? The last is a play on Janis Ian’s song ‘Seventeen’ -an intensely depressing piece and highly suitable for teens with confidence issues.
Tiree Transition
The Isle of Tiree has the equivalent magical effect on me as the River Add Estuary. After a visit, which I was lucky enough to do in early August this year, I cant stop writing, painting and creating video content about this Island whose land lies beneath the waves. Roll on next years Tiree Music Festival!
Poetry, Maps and Art
This one has been a long time in the making. I am fascinated by the River Add Estuary in Argyll as it journeys its winding course to the Crinan Bay and the Atlantic. The sense of freedom that comes with un-containment of the water and the contrast of the contained nature of its neighbour the Crinan Canal. The history and geology of the place are as always what inspires me. After initial sketches I decided to opt for an artistic interpretation of the OS Map which enabled me to reference some of the features I mention in the two poems.
Geopoetry 2020
I am so pleased to be invited to speak at this years Geopoetry 2020 event which will take place on line. The free registration website is now open: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/geopoetry20 if you want to join us. Here are my submissions based on human connection with landscape.
A Scene with White
I made this video poem when I realised how three dimensional anything white in the landscape can seem when faced with a wall of west coast of Scotland July grey.
Landscapes of the Mind
I am delighted to be taking part in a collaborative research project with Queen Margaret University and the British Geological Survey using participatory art to develop new ways of thinking about landscape more holistically that can contribute to policy decision making for the protection and stewardship of our landscapes. The forums theme is coast and waters and these were my contributions.
The Sgurr of Eigg
Wild freedom of sailing the seas makes me realise how important the ocean is to me for all inspiration in art, poetry and photography. Here the clouds curl over the top of Eigg’s famous rocky Sgurr, a dramatic stump of pitchstone, sheer on three sides rising 393 metres above sea level. It is the youngest volcanic rock in Scotland at 58 million years old. Shadows billow out across the velvet bracken and fern covered slopes. The seas a rushing, living entity caught in pastel
Beyond
A video poem based on the foggy view across the Sound of Jura where I have to imagine whats on the other side of the blank face of fog
Read MoreSea Mist
I anthropomorphise the physicality of weather which can affect us in so many ways. Written after watching sea mist rise over the mountains of Gran Canaria sweeping over the blossoming almond groves.
New Forest Tales - Wootton Stream
I am writing a series of childhood memories about the New Forest where I was fortunate to grow up. Wootton Stream was a magical place, almost Narnian, where we were not route marched about by parents for healthy exercise - it was a place to play and run wild with our imaginations. The photograph is by my dear friend Tig who loved this stream too and who shared some of her memories with me to help make this poem.
Skin
The bark of trees of different species, age and locations is as varied as our own skin and I wrote this poem presented as a short video piece to celebrate this.
Now there is time - with bird song
Proximity
Behind the wave in Scotland - but next week we will be allowed to enjoy friends and family company outside. During this period of no contact I was drawn to how much the trees in woodlands support each other.
