Seashell Colour Squares

Seashell Colour Squares, originally uploaded by escher...(back).

And so the Zen master said to his pupil "ah Locust, now that your brother Grasshopper has left us it is time for you to now prove yourself."

"So that you can be put onto the path of righteousness I am going to set you a task. Now mark my words young Daddy-long-legs this task is no ordinary task. You will be tested well beyond your limits and should you fail, well, it might be the end. But do not fret Ladybird! If you give this your all you will become all that you are. Such potential there is within, you must release it Earwig! You must release it!"

"But Master I am not ready, how can I take on such a challenge?"

"Bedbug! Desist with your talk, what you need is to act! Do not hesisate in what you must do, it is your destiny!"

"You aren't my father!"

"Master, what is it that I must do? What is this task that you are setting me?"

"Pin back your lug holes, Woodlouse, I will tell you this only once."

"Your journey will begin inland and you will walk until you reach the shore. At this place you will find colours three - purple, pink and white. Now take these colours and create three squares."

"To be blunt Master that sounds like a piece of cake, where's the challenge in that? You're having a laugh! I've seen the Karate Kid and he had to catch flies with chopsticks, now that's what you call a challenge!"

"Bluebottle, desist with your idle talk! Let me tell you the name of this task!"

"It is called the 'move one piece of shell and five around it will move out of place, replace them until you go nuts!'"

And so it was. Like little jigsaws first I had to find the corner pieces but as I filled in the gaps the smallest touch on its neighbours would shift the mosaic out of place. It would need the most delicate touch and enough patience to redo each square over and over again.

I don't find the beach to be a very inspiring place to create anymore. I am obsessed with colours and organic growth and I have researched the colours on the local beaches many times now. And although there is much geological change there is little organic growth and change and the seasons do not have a great affect on what it is you find there. At the beginning of my land art journey I used to spend a lot of time on the beach but now I crave being inland and search out new plants and new colours. Today certainly showed me that I either need to try harder in these places, visit beaches in different places for refreshed inspiration or indeed leave the beach sculptures to JRTpickle as her effort was much finer than mine. Hers contains a much better form and organic feeling. Mine was simply an exercise in pernickertyness, attention to detail and patience. All good practice for the next session inland but lacking in learning anything new about nature and as such it is a craftwork rather than an artwork. And because of that I think it is lacking something.