Expanding horizons -

"The Secret Shed"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

- click on image to view full size -

Today's post is rooted in an old photograph of a farm shed that's been almost completely overgrown by weeds and second growth. After running it through the usual array of plug-ins to add a little bit of mood and darkness I used what is called the stitch tool in another photo editor to add volume. I'm not sure how well I'm going to like this since the blog automatically resizes large images and what you see here is a scaled version - click on the image to see it full size.

Illustration Friday: Flawed -

"The Bearded Lady"
digital collage by Mick Mather

"... twelve times a day
the call and the bally
where shills and their marks applaud,
twelve times a day
the flash and her body
'make the nut' though features are flawed ..."

Thursday Challenge: Container -

"Candy Dish Angel"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

Container is the weekly theme at Thursday Challenge and I just happened to have recently scanned an old photograph of a candy dish. It's filled with holiday wrapped goodies with a beautiful glass angel guarding the gate. Chocolate kisses anyone?

It's late -

"Runway Drapes"
digital collage by Mick Mather

We have a little storm on the way and it's getting late. Not that you'd notice, since you're seeing this morning what I posted last night. Huh? Anyway, about 6" overnight with an accumulation of 10" of snow by tomorrow morning. Gotta run, I may need the snow shovel.

Thrills for the heart -

"A Going Far Back to Coals"
digital collage by Mick Mather

First of all, the title of today's post comes from Pony Credo at Herbert Pfostle's Blind Pony Books blog. To be fair, the tugging at my insides, of which Mr. Pfostle is but one important part, truly hails from much time spent with my brand new favorite, Woolgathersome. There's a genius of image and word at these places (other links at each blog offer even more fruit) that I've never stumbled into before. I'm torn, turned, a little afraid, lured and skewered by the dark and the dim of it even as lights go on for me in deep recesses that offer a safe path ... if I can only get to it. So far, I'm not certain that I want to. Then, I read again from his credo: "A going far back to coals and cruelties and sobbing like songs in whiskey and blood." Hey! Bartender!

Thinking back -

"Ayres Rock: A Dream Walk (Revisited)"
digitally manipulated monotype & collage by Mick Mather

You can go back to this post of August 11th, 2007 for further details about this piece. As I bring it forward to the present day, the image arrived as I was doing my 2008 year end review and some file back-up. At the same time I've recently been immersed in a series of site specific land art sculpture installations along with further study, preparation and development of a series of "walking art projects". As you can see, this image is currently one documentation for a virtual walking project that is still a seed buried inside my fertile, if disturbed, mind. By the way, a dedication this time goes out to my very good friend, Mary Stebbins Taitt.

Off the map -

"Checking Her Compass"
digital collage by Mick Mather

What to do when you find that you've lost the path? Check your compass! I've been working away on the walking art documentations, scanning old photographs of previous walks and feeling a bit bogged down for a few days. So, checking my own compass, I've gone back to some old methods of working that include losing the path there as well. Just having fun you see, for a little while.

Sawing wood -

"Her Map to Dreamland"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I was relaxing in the Secret Visual Laboratory this morning, tearing things apart and having a bit of fun when out popped this piece. I don't have a lot to say about it beyond the introductory sentence since, as I say, I was just playing around, having a good time!

Illustration Friday: Climbing -

"Climbing"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

"... slumbering creekbed
climbing a hill,
water flows backward,
over the spill ..."

Thursday Challenge: Experimental -

"Experimental"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

Here it is, the Thursday Challenge post for the weekly theme, experimental. The photo has been cropped, resized and given a bit more color than it had originally. As I so often say, Dale Hudjik does what few, if any, other meme sites do when he offers a multiple of sub-themes. For this piece we qualify under failed/strange photos, blurry and overexposed. I should say!

Something out of nothing #2 -

"Burning the Great Plains"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

It's time to execute a "Crazy Ivan" with this second in the series of work based on a very bad photograph that will appear tomorrow here as well as at Thursday Challenge ... wait for it!

Something out of nothing #1-

"Covert Coders Midnight Dream"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

Today's post is the result of an afternoon's worth of effort using a single, failed photograph as the starting point. This week at Thursday Challenge the theme is going to be experimental and I was able to come up with quite a few worthwhile pieces. What you see here is the first of about a half dozen and I'll post another version on Wednesday. The original, barely touched photograph will go up on Thursday. Stand by!

The BIG back yard and then some -

"Kings Court Walk I"
digital collage by Mick Mather

One of the things that struck me while running a set of topographic maps and satellite views of "the BIG back yard" through the super secret array here at the Secret Visual Laboratory is the way it all began to resemble walking trails. It also prompted me to take further notice of a walk to plan, in early spring, around that bright, green shape at the top. In reality, this is a small pond nestled into an area bounded by a commercial development site, I-695 and railroad tracks operated by the Finger Lakes Railway. I'd do it today if I had a pair of snowshoes but, no matter, you may be able to see documentation of the Milton Slough Walk in 3 or 4 months.

NEW from Greymoor Walk -

"Head North"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

It occurs to me that I might take a little more care with posting so many of the images from my walking art projects. At the same time, if the work is to get done, I need to focus my efforts and actually do the work. I'm not so sure that all of the pieces that I work on will make appearances in the individual coffee table books that are planned so I'm not completely torn. I suppose if I keep alternate versions in mind, along with some new things that haven't even been thought of yet, things will be just fine.

Breaking trail -

"Deep Woods Walk Book Cover #1"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

After doing a bit of investigation as regards moving forward to publish some of my Walking Art Projects as coffee table books, a little bit of cover design seemed a good thing to do this morning. I now have two covers designed, including this one, and will likely post the other one sometime soon. All of this comes smack dab in the middle of scanning my old photographic records of old walks (as I believe I just mentioned recently) and it's becoming quite a revelation to realize just how many walks I've accomplished. Well, back to work ... lots to do!

Illustration Friday: Pale -

"Study #2 for Ice Cube"
digitally manipulated drawing by Mick Mather

Sorry, again, to breeze in and right back out. Today's post for Illustration Friday is another study for a winter project that I might finally be able to realize. Whether it gets constructed or not, it does fit the theme of pale I think ... keep your eyes peeled for an update sometime in the next 6 weeks or so.

Thursday Challenge: Many -

"Many"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

Something quick and easy for Thursday Challenge while I'm out having a glass of wine and some hors d'oeuvres at the Kianga Ford: Landscapes and Interiors opening at The Warehouse Gallery. Party on!

NEW from Greymoor Walk

"Said the Man in a Hat, This Way"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

As I so often say, it's fascinating what we see in an image. The title of today's post points to what it is that my own mind has conjured up. I must admit that, through the majority of my walks, I always wore a bush hat. It was fabulous for inhibiting most attacks by black flies and mosquitoes during that part of each spring season when those flying critters could be particularly nasty. Some fond memories have been evoked by this piece.

NEW from Fog Walk 2008 -

"A Walk in the Fog IV"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

I'm working away on documentations of at least half a dozen of my walking art projects. Today's post carries me another step further in the Fog Walk 2008 series of digital prints and I must admit, this body of work appears to be a gold mine of images. The goal for this year is to begin releasing a series of coffee table books as well as developing a series of guided community walks that will include using the arts so that participants can interpret and document each walk for themselves. Get your map and compass ready!

Over sleepy garden walls -

"Tear to the Shadows"
digital collage by Mick Mather

There's a deep, purple funk hanging over my head ... you guessed it, the NY Giants lost to the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday, ending our season and our aspirations for a shot at another Superbowl Ring. Oh well, if I must be stuck in the shadows, a little company would be nice. :)

No time to talk now, the playoffs are on!

"Boonville Switch (Alternate Version)"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

Three's a charm they say and I've always liked this version of "Boonville Switch". I was torn between this and the other treatment that was posted only this past Tuesday. Well, the NFL Championship Playoffs are upon us and I'm already glued to the set to see if the NY Giants can manhandle the Philadelphia Eagles. It's likely to be an interesting game.

While I was out walking, again -

"All That I Survey"
manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

I've set myself to the task of scanning all of my old photographs that were taken with film using my trusty, old and beloved cameras: a Petrie 35mm fixed lens beauty purchased in the late 1960's and a rather modern (at the time) Canon Z115 with automatic zoom and lots of bells and whistles. While pleasantly occupied I came across some of the documentation of Greymoor Walk along with a number of other treks, that I was never certain how to apply to that task beyond matted and framed prints. With all of the technology that I have at my fingertips today, the process of creative interpretation is now as simple as the decision to press on. It's funny though, as I run things through the super secret array here at the Secret Visual Laboratory, I find myself dwelling on drawings and block-relief printmaking for some of the work. Who knew?

Illustration Friday: Contained -

"Within Shadows Contained"
digital collage by Mick Mather

The word of the week at Illustration Friday is contained and anyone who's ever been caught out at night when a fog bank rolls in will probably connect with today's post. Just what is our dark lady doing anyway? Beckoning us forth? Warning us away? It's a mystery left for anyone who would like to have a crack at it.

Thursday Challenge: Night -

"Night"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

"...ere the night came a'dusking,
its bedraggled coal, black sky
marked with diamonds a'shining,
portentous of the ancients, burial geography..."

Put the kettle on -

"The Silver Tea Service"
digital collage by Mick Mather

A simple series of layers give a somewhat washed out look to this simple still life. Then, as I pressed on through multiple rounds of filtering, the background began to look like an old tea bag to me. That aside, the service set by itself has a certain elegance that drew me into the image initially. Sugar? Or lemon?

NEW from Gandy Dancers Walk -

"Boonville Switch"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Here's a new work from my walking art series, Gandy Dancers Walk, and you may recall this companion piece from a few weeks back. It's quite similar but not matching. Little by little I'm beginning to get all of my ducks in a row with the idea that soon, there'll be a coffee table book available for a pound price ... something easy to read and fun to hold.

Naturally speaking -

"As Nature Intended"
digital collage by Mick Mather

There isn't much attached to this post by way of a particular meaning. It seems to fit with what I've been doing visually for the past few weeks, at least in regards to the handful posted recently. I find something comforting about this individual piece. In addition, I seem to be drifting in the direction of darker work and think I'll leave further discussion until more information comes my way.

Neither harsh or agreeable -

"A Fluttering Sound"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Today's post continues along a path of quiet reflection, patience and listening. In this instance, it's the anticipation of an answered prayer, I think. At the same time, it's partly the abstract stirrings of ideas as they begin to form, take shape and work their way out of the creative crevices of the mind. It happens often for me, this fluttering, and I'm not certain how well I've illustrated that here ... we do what we can, don't we?

NEW from Fog Walk 2008 -

"A Walk in the Fog III"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

As I make moves toward publishing documentations of the land art and walking art projects I completed in 2008, I revisited this file and rediscovered this piece. The direction I'm taking, or that I seem to be thinking about taking, is complicated and maze-like with the walking as art being the driving wheel for me at this point in time. Since all of my site specific works have begun with walks anyway, this is a perfectly comfortable fit and I'm looking forward to a few weekends with no obligations so I can get outside and do just that ... walk!

It's so lonely being free -

"The Price of Freedom"
digital collage by Mick Mather

As we prepare to move into our normal routines as these holidays slip away, it occurs to me to ask the question, "what price must we pay to free ourselves from the old and step boldly forward into something new?" At the same time I wonder if the uncertainty of this particular time, given the current recession, will be any different than any other year. Have our resolve and our annual resolutions been affected or afflicted? If now is not the time to break away, when? I sit quietly, listening to the soughing of the wind, and wonder yet again, what price is to be paid?

Auld Lang Syne -

"... and never brought to mind ..."
digital collage by Mick Mather

HAPPY NEW YEAR