Saturday, May 16, 2009
Robin Hood's Bay Stack Film
Robin Hood's Bay Stack Film, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.
Normal blurb. Click play then pause, let it all download then watch.
I tried several things this morning but I didn't finish anything to the point where I wanted to take a photograph. I tried working with some new materials with some success so I hope to make something along those lines soon. It's the first Saturday I haven't managed to make anything for ages (well I did make something but it will adorn the mantelshelf rather than Flickr for now) and it is probably down to having a stressful week and having to travel for work the next two weeks. As we all know absence makes the heart grow fonder, I hope that is true when it comes to land art.
This is a film we made at Robin Hood's bay on the Yorkshire Coast. When we arrrived the weather was fine but as you can see it deteriorated. The wind strengenthed and I thought the stack would topple quite soon. I was extremely surprised to still see it there the next day.
The story about building it is here.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Blogged
After my good fortune of being on the Flickr Blog I have had quite a few blog entries. I wanted to record them somewhere.
johnoconnorphoto.blogspot.com
http://www.urbanpreschool.com
chanhda.wordpress.com
viktoryja.tumblr.com
friendfeed.com/estragon
antaldaniel.blogspot.com
pic4day.blogspot.com
users.livejournal.com/_nezemnaya
sanityandpaint.blogspot.com
jibb.livejournal.com
devincastro.tumblr.com
creatingoursanctuary.blogspot.com
photoholic.tumblr.com
http://www.l3ak.com/news/spore-on-flickr-photo-sharing-4/
kylesherman.tumblr.com
kenmat.tumblr.com
http://www.richardsnotes.org/archives/2009/05/04/richard-shillings-land-art/
redfishcircle.blogspot.com
psameer.blogspot.com
blog.virgule.info
http://www.blogger.com/www.educared.org.ar/comunidades/tamtam/
lindzmukd.blogspot.com
cheirar.blogspot.com
http://www.educared.org.ar/comunidades/tamtam/?p=3025
kickitupanotch.wordpress.com
kidmade.typepad.com
alvinwoon.com
michellebythec.tumblr.com
hsxtt.com
karlismiles.tumblr.com
http://www.funstuffandprettythings.com/web/flickr/land-art/
michellebythec.tumblr.com
billdan.blogspot.com
loveliketruth.tumblr.com
myshelfandi.blogspot.com
photoholic.tumblr.com
avant-garden.blogspot.com
visuallyfixated.blogspot.com
avant-garden.blogspot.com/2009/05/diamond-cairn
delicious.com/kjhealy
homecoming.tumblr.com/page/3
ffffound.com/image/d55d2705ec1c375e7f7c60ccec91b4cf5d2f29a3?c=3041377
twitter.com/preetalina
anoukboobouk.blogspot.com
chloedietz.tumblr.com
noodlboy.livejournal.com/friends
oneshouldreadeverything.tumblr.com
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00e54fc19bef8833011570a605e2970b
restoreyournature.blogspot.com
resurrectionfern.typepad.com
subversive-lace.blogspot.com
quinquabelle2008.blogspot.com
sarabellae.livejournal.com
sarabellae.livejournal.com
toshiharu.tumblr.com
friendfeed.com/aquietmind
digg.com/arts_culture/Amazing_Beach_Rock_Sculpture_Survives_Windy_Harsh_Night
preetalina.tumblr.com
muibrog.tumblr.com
http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/shpongolina/favorites/
blog.fazai38.com
blugoogirl.com/blog/
ffffound.com/home/fustian/post
http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/marty-party/tag/drawing/
http://bigfun.tumblr.com/page/106
http://albumdefigurinhas.tumblr.com/post/106088111/rowan-berries-via-e-s-c-h-e-r
http://marycontrarysplants.blogspot.com/2009/06/fenham-carr-orchid.html
http://sq-ratatosk.livejournal.com/272258.html
http://spinxpress.com/getmedia_searchwords=programmer_type=0
http://asceticmonk.com/heart/
Some of these may not work, some may be duplicates! I didn't check that hard...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Colour Leaf Sun Star
This was super hard to get a picture of.
It is still very windy here but the sunshine is strong too. I had to be really careful when making it to shelter it from the wind as it is (was) very fragile. I tried several times to make a new circle but the sticks are starting to change and thicken up and it was incredibly difficult to get it curve and to stay in place held with thorns. And the thorns I used were new and not strong and they snapped over and over again. It was very, very frustrating. Even when I had it completely assembled they still kept snapping and even while I was shooting it I kept having to replace the thorns holding the leaves on numerous times. And then the little circles kept falling off too!
I searched for a spot near home to set up the picture so that I could work out what to do ahead of time as it wasn't go to survive very long in the wind. I picked a place and dashed home to get my camera. We put a box over it to protect it from the wind but when we arrived where I had just been the sun had moved. Doh! Quickly I looked for another place - anywhere would do now!
Barking out orders and in a slight panic I asked my good-humoured (fortunately) partner to help me protect it while I got everything ready. It wasn't over yet! Many more times I replaced the thorns again and twisted it and tweaked it to get it right and then the sun moved again! Arrggghh I am going to miss the boat!
But finally everything was right and the shutter clicked away as I got the picture I wanted. Phew! Why did I try this on such a windy day! I must be mad!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sandstone Stack Timelapse Movie
Sandstone Stack Timelapse Movie, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.
This is the time lapse movie I made of the rock sculpture I did yesterday. You're probably getting bored of me saying it but click play then pause to download the video then once downloaded you view it with stuttering. And you'll need to play it twice. The first time it plays an AVI it seems to go at 4 times the speed it should. The second time should be fine. I have no idea why.
It was interesting to see that the rainbow arches I made yestreday weren't very popular despite getting a few views. That is very useful feedback for me so thank you. I hope that it means that the comments I do get are genuinely because you like something and if you don't like something as much then you don't favourite or leave comments. I really hope my assumption is correct because it should mean what you are writing are genuine, useful comments rather than just being nice!
There were a lot of people around yesterday in the park and I felt rushed and a bit pressured and didn't put enough effort into all the things I normally would. I think it shows and it seems so do you. Resting on my laurels (as opposed to making something out them!) is not good and constructive feedback will keep me focussed on doing what I do to the best of my ability.
Also please know that I do read every single one of your comments with great interest and I really appreciate the time that everyone gives to write comments on my pictures. I may not answer everyone individually (but I would like to) but I take a lot of notice of what every single person writes. I appreciate it a great deal.
I had many 100's of new contacts made last weekend and it will take me a good while to be able to look at everyones photos as I like to do. So please don't think I am ignoring anyone or not grateful for the kind words you all have left me, its just that I am a bit swamped at the mo and have too many projects on the go at once. A lot of my effort is going into two books I am compiling at the moment, I hope to have them finished soon.
It is also quite challenging to keep coming up with new and different ideas whenever I make something so it may be time to step back for a little while and refresh my inspiration. (However I am always saying that as I expect my ideas to dry up any moment as I don't know where they come from but the ideas do seem to keep coming)! So I hope everyone sticks around if I do take a short break, I still want to share what I do with everyone if you want me to.
A few hours sat at my desk at work will soon put me in the right frame of mind though. It only takes a little pointless shuffling of papers to help me come up with some fresh ideas to carry out! Who would work a job with so little creative content? Me and countless millions of others I am sure.
Have a nice rest of the weekend whatever you are up to.
Richard.
Ps. Apologies for the lack of humour but my comedy writer has gone on holiday!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Rainbow Arches
The weather did indeed make a turn for the worse and at lunchtime it absolutely lashed it down.
But after the storm came the calm. The wind was gradually dropping and the sun bright and strong. There was only one thing for it. To the leaf mobile!
The three arches are made from hazel twigs stripped of their bark. The leaves:- red: copper beech, yellow/pink: maple and yellow/green: oak.
I sat on a bench under a tree and enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine as I threaded the leaves onto the sticks.
An Eastern European couple wandered by enjoying their holiday and day in the park. They seemed to be expecting especially bad weather as they were dressed up to the nines in heavy jackets and woolly hats.
They stopped by a curiously bent tree and pointed at it for a good ten minutes. Then the lady took off her hat and produced a mirror and a brush from her bag. She then spent the next five minutes brushing her hair. Then she draped herself around the tree while her partner took her photo. This went on for another ten minutes (this was much more interesting than what I was doing). Then they swapped places. He brushed his hair and then she took hold of the camera and directed him into different poses as she took his picture. Several minutes more passed and then they put back on the hats and set off again along the path only for them to come across an interesting rock 10 metres further on. I'll bet you can guess what happened next.
Sandstone Stack
Well it is still bloomin' windy and there is still no chance for leaves so what to do instead? Head to the beach and build a delicate rock balance and dare it to defy the wind?
The forecast was set to deteriorate by lunchtime so I headed to the coast. The wind was very strong there and my optimism dwindled. I had in mind something like the stack I built at Robin Hood's Bay. That one withstood the wind perhaps this one will?
The tide was due in by lunch so I set to work collecting flat stones and pebbles. I set the camera up first in the vain hope that I might get a picture and started on the construction.
The first effort had a horrendous wobble three-quarter built, the lower few layers were rolling on their pebbles and it soon fell. I tried again and dismantled the next two tries in order to concentrate on stopping it wobbling so much although it was impossible to eliminate entirely.
Always expecting it to topple I added each new layer one at a time until I finally got it done. I thought it might need another layer (I still do looking back at the pictures) but sometimes you can't push it any further. The proverbial last straw.
Now, a bit panicky, as it swayed quite a lot to and fro, I waited for the sun to come out. It needed to be front lit or else the contrast was too strong. As it seems to be with recent luck it there was blue sky either side of where the sun was with a strip of grey cloud right through the middle. It didn't look like there would be any decent light anytime soon.
But despite the nerve jangling wobbling it stayed upright and within half an hour I got all the pictures I wanted. Quite perplexed how it was still standing I thought I would try and capture a time lapse of the incoming tide. I set everything up and sat back and waited.
I looked at my watch - it was 11.30 and the tide would be fully in in 3/4 of an hour. The wind was really cold but I thought I could handle the shivering until the tide arrived. I am not so sure about the sculpture.
What seemed like an age had passed and the tide was still not in. I looked at my watch again and it said 11.30! What? I must have read it as 11.30 when it was 10.30!
Glutton for punishment that I am I couldn't stop the time lapse capture as the sculpture still stood. Sat in my 9 coats and 4 hats I practiced my powers of telekinesis. "Fall over! Fall over! Fall over! That way I can go and get warm!"
It wasn't working.
Still the tide marched in and still the stones wobbled and rocked. Didn't seem like anything could topple it.
As the hypothermia took hold I whispered to myself "just hold on, don't fall asleep, someone will rescue me soon." I took my emergency chocolate bar from my pocket and split it into quarters. "I will have to ration it" I thought "it might be a long time before anyone finds me."
"I am so very cold mummy."
And then it happened. A series of quite violent wobbles lead to its final demise. It sacrificed itself so that I might live.
PS. the lit up look of this photo was done with a reflector not in photoshop.
Friday, May 08, 2009
3 Coloured Pebble Lines
3 Coloured Pebble Lines, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.
This is a video of the 3 coloured pebble lines I made last year.
(As with all videos on Flickr they work best if you click play then pause - let it all download - then watch it).
It's been very, very windy the last few days which has prevented me from making the sculptures I want to as the wind would destroy them in seconds. I hope it calms down this weekend as I am itching to get something done.
My partner and I tried out something yesterday, it didn't quite work, which is unfortunate as I thought the associcated antics were quite amusing.
The Land Art Connections project theme for this month is "Air" and I had collected some blossom and I went looking for a place where the wind was whirling round so I could create a blossom storm. with the cameras running I started to release the petals and apparently this looked quite funny. (I don't know why it did but my partner is as childish as me and finds the most benign things hilarious).
She was laughing so hard she nearly wet herself (she told me later) at least she was until she got a huge mouthful of blossom (the amount of blossom was large rather than her mouth ;-)). Then I nearly wet myself instead! I wasn't popular. But who wouldn't laugh at someone coughing up pink petals? It's not something you see every day is it?!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Hazel Spheres on Water
Well I have a confession to make. I am not a land artist at all, I am a dinner artist. Here is a picture of three of the brussel sprouts I had for my dinner. And I would have got away with it if it wasn't for those pesky kids!
It's been grey and wet for days and since all this weekend's shenanigans I've been feeling a little overwhelmed and not in the right frame of mind to make anything. I've been replying to all the mails I have had and thanking everyone for their kind words. I joked that it might be ironic that after being put on the Flickr blog that my creative inspiration would dry up. Fortunately that hasn't happened yet and as the weather has finally dried up instead, I headed out after work.
When I was out collecting leaves at the weekend I visited a hazel tree and I loved how it's leaves were new and fresh and curled around into a little bowl. I am sure they flatten out as the develop so I made a mental note to make something that shows off the curve of the leaves. The obvious idea was a sphere. I have been trying to make things that reflect the time of year. The circles I make from hazel won't be possible later in the season as the wood will be too stiff to shape and I suspect the hazel leaves won't be curved enough later on to make spheres so easily.
A few weeks ago I made three hazel balls but those were tiny. I don't think anyone could tell the size of them from the picture but the leaves were very small and delicate. Now the leaves had grown so the balls would need to be larger.
I collected some leaves and headed down to the stream near where I live.
As this was an after work excursion I didn't have much time to get it finished but everything was going well and my idea was taking shape in a sprightly fashion. I was starting to get excited as it was coming together well and I aws going to get a photo (must be an obsessive land artist's thing).
"Plop!"
Just as I had nearly completed the third ball the middle one dropped into the water.
"*&%$£%^%$!!"
Often I tell myself that preparation is all important. If you don't get the early stages right it generally means that you need to go back and start over. Despite knowing this, my normal way is just to crack on and see what happens. Not a wise strategy.
I finished off the third one and then started on the middle one again. All the while the first one was happy on its perch. A couple more leaves and I'll be done.
"Plop!"
"£$%£&*&%£$£&*$^$%£&*$&^%$!!!!"
The little ******** seemed to be doing this on purpose! Each time I would get near finishing them all another one would decide to go for a swim! Arrgghh!
I thoroughly scolded them and they promised to behave so I set about remaking the first one. They were good to their word and stayed dry this time.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Blogged on Flickr!
Everything has gone completely mad! On Saturday the Flickr blog did a post about rock balancing and amongst the linked searches were some of my pictures and I got a load more hits on my photos and blog, more than I had had ever before - at least twice or three times the number of hits. I was very chuffed.
BUt then yesterday afternoon I was on Flickr again and noticed another increase in activity. I thought it was strange as things has calmed down a little after the rock balancing blog post. Then I noticed one of my pictures on the Flickr homepage. I clicked on it and found Heather had done a Flickr blog post about me and my land art. I nearly fell off my chair! Currently one of my photos is on the home page of everyones Flickr!
Since then things have gone completely mental! I have so many hits its untrue - at the moment I am getting 30-40 times the most I have ever had before. I can't believe it!
I am getting exposure that I could have only dreamed about. What have I done to be so lucky!
Thanks to everyone for their kind comments, I really can't tell you how much they mean to me.
Richard
More later....
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Autumn in Spring
Autumn in Spring, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.
I've been mulling over some new ideas and I have been pondering how to capture movement, air and the wind in a still picture.
NB. As an experiment I think this piece worked but as a finished article it does not. It taught me lots so that I can improve it the next time and but I normally like to post something that I am happy with. I am not happy with the result but I also put up everything I do so that I have a record. Added to that this video took 10 tries to upload!
We toured quickly around the park to find a few leaves, checking out the two sculptures I did yesterday. They are both still there but looking a little tatty. I wonder if anyone has noticed them?
In a clearing I looked for a patch of sunlight and ably assisted by my camera assistant who took the photos (she probably prefers another title) and trying to ignore the gawping dog walkers I tried to carry off a good impression of a tree in Autumn.
"Are you ready?" I said.
"Yes I am ready, just say when."
"Go" I said.
"You didn't say when" she said.
"Ready?" I repeated, then she fired off another volley of shots.
"I haven't dropped them yet, I thought you wanted me to say when?"
"Say when then."
"Right now - go."
"You didn't say when!!"
So folks the lesson is communication is as important as an artistic bent. Otherwise pictures of the forest floor just don't cut it.
The sun moved away from the spot we were working on and hopeful we had got at least something, we headed back to the car.
I chucked camera and tripod in the back and then went to pick up some lovely red leaves that were adorning the pavement. Bent over and looking at the ground a voice said "are you Escher?"
"Errm, yes I said" a little taken aback and really perplexed how he knew who I was.
"Noone else would be picking up red leaves like that" he told me.
So hello to Litrate another Flickrite, it was very nice to meet you. He was off to go and photo that stripey field I saw the other day. We discussed the idea of a Flickr meet on Clougha. I think August 12th may be an auspicious date. Anyone agree?!
I am still a bit amazed that anyone would work out who I was, but Litrate is obviously very astute! ;-) I guess I don't know that my behaviour singles me out into a group of one. That would certainly explain the thoroughly rude stares we were getting this afternoon. If you want to know what I am doing just come and ask, simply staring just puts me off!
It's been quite an interesting Flickr day for me. What with meeting another Flickrite and for rock balancing and land art to have featured in the Flickr Blog. My views/faves/comments have sky-rocketed and lots of new contacts have been made. Thank you Flickr.
This was made for the Land Art Connections project May theme - AIR - using new tree leaves, air, gravity and sunlight! At Fenham Carr, Williamson Park, Lancaster, Lancashire, England on 3rd May 2009.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
3 Leaf Colour Flags
I had some left over leaves from this morning and I didn't want to waste them. The red is copper beech leaves (I am quite amazed how very red they look), the middle flag has two pink maple leaves in it and the yellow flag is dying rhododendron leaves.
It was windy so I wanted to make something more robust this time. I constructed the frames from hazel and peeled off the bark. I split them so that the leaves would be held inside then I pinned them together with thorns.
What I didn't consider was how they would twist when I pushed both ends together in the ground. As I did so each frame came apart and the leaves came out from being held between the split stick. Doh! So as usual I had to do much fiddling about to get the leaves straight.
As I was setting it up an American lady came over and said "can I ask what you are doing?" We told her about land art and she said "how is it held together - do you use white glue?" I explained that I use only natural materials. I pointed her to the position where the sun was shining through and she happily snapped away with her camera. I hope she got some good pictures!
I don't know how long this will last but I left it in situ next to the mosaic dinosaur/dragon thing at the bottom entrance to Williamson Park.
47 Leaves
Well what a surprise - leaves and sunlight again.
I collected 1 leaf each from 47 different plants and trees. What was interesting was the fact still not all the trees and shrubs had fully developed leaves. Where the maples had large broad leaves, flowers and seeds developing. The oak, beech and sweet chestnut have only just started to sprout and are covered with buds. There is also a lot more variation in colour than you might expect. Finally as I waited for the sun to emerge from the clouds it became clear how different leaves wilt faster than others. Some have a strong structure and lose water slowly some less so. Even within the maples the strength and water retaining abilities varied quite a bit. Ideally I would have liked to have been able to get the photos as soon as it was constructed but the sun had gone in. By the time I managed to get a picture many of the leaves had wilted and it was nearing being past its best.
I cannot name all 47 leaves but these are the ones I do know: beech, copper beech, sycamore, 4 different maples, apple, cherry, bramble, dock, dandelion, plantain, rhododendron, 2 types of oak, hazel, laurel, stinging nettle, willow, silver birch, rowan.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Raining on Colour Leaves
For some reason this week my mind turned to rain. It has rained a lot this week but everything is fresh and green and the sun has now come out just in time for the weekend. But the rain lasted long enough to bring some ideas to fruition.
I've been thinking about other aspects of nature and our environment and I wanted to find new ways of revealing these things through my art.
After so much sun and the wonderful green growth of spring I racked my brain for new inspiration to stop things becoming stale.
Gabrielle's May theme for the Land Art Connections project - AIR - has also got me thinking. I hope to explore these new ideas over the coming weeks. But now the sun has come out I expect I will be sticking leaves on sticks and carrying on with the same old stuff. What a surprise!
Raining on Colour Leaves Time Lapse, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.
Raining on Colour Leaves Time Lapse, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.
Time Lapse Movie
