Environments

Some credit for the pieces I create must be attributed to Nature. I draw inspiration from the erosions, stains, etchings and crumblings on walls - serendipity and pareidolia at work.
Pareidolia is deeply rooted in art history and is recorded from the Renaissance period onward to the present day. For example many artists have intentionally painted hidden faces within their compositions, often in clouds. For my part I flip this order whereby my starting point is an existing hidden form. By overlaying multiple images the original observation is developed until the narrative is fully exposed. 
Environmental and social issues often surface within these images highlighting the needed mindfulness to return balance and harmony to our planet sending maybe a not so quiet call for change.

ESCAPE   'Sitting between two chairs' is a poor choice as rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure worldwide due to melting ice and warming oceans. A surreal image depicting a man escaping by floating up and away from a large wave about to break over his sofa, he is transported aloft by a yellow balloon. The base image including the man is a crumbling paint spattered cement rendered wall. On the sofa is a games controller and by the side a glass with a bottle of beer. To the right a flying saucer is suggested by way of a distressed hole in the cement. The narrative is about oblivion to global warming.
ESCAPE   'Sitting between two chairs' is a poor choice as rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure worldwide due to melting ice and warming oceans.
NORTH STAR   We should navigate away from the alarming decline of global biodiversity due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activities. Animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects, plants are all affected. Photograph of two toned textured wall in earth colours, below pinkish and white above with a blue arrow graffiti pointing out of centre to the right. Centre top of image is a star shaped piercing in the wall, starlike. At the horizontal halfway point and just beneath is a mother and baby monkey huddled, looking to camera. The metaphor of hope for nature, and wildlife suggested by the metaphorical star.
NORTH STAR   We should navigate away from the alarming decline of global biodiversity due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activities. Animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects, plants are all affected.
WHALE & ICEBERGS​​​​​​​   Melting polar ice caps threaten whale habitats by disrupting food chains and migration routes. Artificial cloud cover, a form of geo-engineering, could help mitigate climate change by reflecting sunlight and reducing global temperatures, but it carries significant risks and uncertainties about its effects on weather patterns and ecosystems. A solo cloud hovers over 4 shapes. The cloud is restrained in this position by four concrete slabs and yellow rope. The lead shape on the left hand side represents a whale head appearing out of the ocean, the other three shapes could be translated as icebergs. The whole image is monotoned in greys and the original photograph is from building cladding with damaged by some kind of collision. The image a surreal abstract construction with a suggesting environmental issues and sticking plaster solutions.
WHALE & ICEBERGS​​​​​​​   Melting polar ice caps threaten whale habitats by disrupting food chains and migration routes. Artificial cloud cover, a form of geo-engineering, could help mitigate climate change by reflecting sunlight and reducing global temperatures, but it carries significant risks and uncertainties about its effects on weather patterns and ecosystems.
DES RES   Urban centres expand into rural areas and green field sights; only some animals adapt well. The base background of the photograph is a monotoned heavily distressed wall which resembles a small cliff edge with sky above and a suggested large tree in the background. Burning rubbish and broken bottles have been added at the base with a foraging urban fox. Added above the cliff edge is a small copse of pine trees and telegraph poles.
DES RES   Urban centres expand into rural areas and green field sights; only some animals adapt well.
HoOPoE   Rising temperatures and prolonged drought conditions create environments more susceptible to wildfires; a familiar current trend worldwide. Peeling paper on a wall shows a burnt forest, the rest of the distressed wall has feint images of the same burnt tree trunks with a hoopoe bird at the bottom looking on. The environment challenged by forest fire. Subtle shades of orange and grey of the scene compliment the colour of the hoopoe bird.
HoOPoE   Rising temperatures and prolonged drought conditions create environments more susceptible to wildfires; a familiar current trend worldwide.
THRUSH & TEN CRANES   We watch but do little about the loss of natural untouched land and habitat. Composite photograph of textured wall with some peeling paper. Poking from the peeling are exotic lush green plants, overlooked by the form of a man made from the dripped paint. The main part of the wall has industrial factory buildings with spouting smoke. The image evokes the need to balance industry with nature, the man walking towards the lush planted area to escape or realising the need to change.
THRUSH & TEN CRANES   We watch but do little about the loss of natural untouched land and habitat.
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL 02 in series  10 soccer fields of forest disappear every minute. Electrical conduit is screwed to a pink and beige stone block wall. Green mosses and growths thriving on the wall resemble a wooded scene. To this landscape some real trees and a metal signpost have been added. A thought about nature and human impact on it.
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL 02 in series  10 soccer fields of forest disappear every minute. 
ROOTED  Can nature and cities co exist? An ancient stone block wall with a disintegrating rusty rain down-pipe sets the background, at the pavement level, to a third the way up. green lichen and mosses grow over black staining. The pipe is like a tree trunk the green area a forest. Tree roots have been added growing out of the the paving, and densely populated real trees to complete the suggested forest.
ROOTED  Can nature and cities co-exist?
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL 07 in series   The major polluters of waterways release chemicals, nutrients, plastics, and waste that harm ecosystems and contaminate water supplies.​​​​​​​ A stone block wall with city pollution black stains and mossy deposits is the original photographed background resembling a river scene with a hill and sky above. Rushes, a flock of flying birds, an industrial scene with tall chimneys have been composited to the middle and top. In the foreground three dead fish float towards a grill in the wall which has water pouring out onto the pavement; industrial pollution at work.
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL 07 in series   The major polluters of waterways release chemicals, nutrients, plastics, and waste that harm ecosystems and contaminate water supplies.​​​​​​​
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL 08 in series    Rising sea levels ironically contrast sharply with growing freshwater shortages, as seawater is undrinkable and climate change depletes vital water sources. The background is an old crumbling rendered wall. The wall has an electrical box and plastic electrical conduit to the left hand side. The dark staining looks like ocean waves. By adding real waves, overhead swooping seagulls and a dripping tap the imminent danger of rising sea levels message is completed.
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL 08 in series    Rising sea levels ironically contrast sharply with growing freshwater shortages, as seawater is undrinkable and climate change depletes vital water sources.
BREXIT O2 in series Cliffs & Islands   Brexit has impacted trade, migration, and political relations, creating challenges and opportunities for the UK and the EU. Solitary small island in an ocean with a ramshackle roofless stone building, a horned antelope looks to camera.
BREXIT O2 in series Cliffs & Islands   Brexit has impacted trade, migration, and political relations, creating challenges and opportunities for the UK and the EU.
BREXIT O1 in series Cliffs & Islands  Solitary small solitary fantasy island (actually a hand sized smooth rock) emerges in an ocean. Atop is a stone bench on which a parrot sits warding off a circling predatory hawk.
BREXIT O1 in series Cliffs & Islands 
RESTORATION​​​​​​​   By restoring ecosystems and embracing clean energy, we can create a more resilient and hopeful future for our planet. A mottled stained and algae covered wall resembled an impressionist countryside scene with trees a lake and sky. Adding photographs of a tree ,a small flock of birds and seven butterflies aloft from the hands of a carved statue of a kind of ‘god’ figure with a golden crown the ecological and perhaps Buddhist message is complete.
RESTORATION​​​​​​​   By restoring ecosystems and embracing clean energy, we can create a more resilient and hopeful future for our planet.
FIELD OF FLOWERS   Wildflower fields support biodiversity and combat climate change by improving soil health, capturing carbon, and providing essential habitats for pollinators. The background is a stained wall which when colour enhanced looked like a field of flowers with a mountain scene on the horizon. The foreground focus is on an Asian featured head and shoulders sculpture, the representation suggest a kind of ‘god’ with a bouquet of flowers on the head. Around the neck six butterflies flutter.
FIELD OF FLOWERS   Wildflower fields support biodiversity and combat climate change by improving soil health, capturing carbon, and providing essential habitats for pollinators.
RETURN   Reforestation is a key step in returning to sustainability, restoring ecosystems, absorbing carbon, and promoting long-term environmental balance. The background is a distressed wall with lichen and a patch of moss looking like a hedgerow. ‘Growing’ out of the hedgerow a tree has been added and to the wall surface below a crocodile fossil texture. On the right hand side and at the bottom an old metal ring door handle appears ixed to the wall with four rusty bolts. The right hand third of the original photograph had a ruby coloured metal door, this has been replaced with a lush green mossy forest scene, a blue butterfly floats in the foreground. The overall feeling of the image is hoped to convey an environmental message where if the door handle were used we could return from an ecological abyss.
RETURN   Reforestation is a key step in returning to sustainability, restoring ecosystems, absorbing carbon, and promoting long-term environmental balance.
CONCRETE MOUNTAINS​​​​​​​   Concrete is a major contributor to climate change due to its carbon-intensive production process, but innovations in sustainable alternatives, such as low-carbon concrete and recycled materials, offer hope for reducing its environmental impact. An unclad, unpainted construction concrete wall in its raw state forms the background of distant hills and ploughed fields foreground by way of stains and markings. Three real trees and pale clouds complete the landscape. A small crumbling section revealing aggregate looks like a flock of birds in the sky.
CONCRETE MOUNTAINS​​​​​​​   Concrete is a major contributor to climate change due to its carbon-intensive production process, but innovations in sustainable alternatives, such as low-carbon concrete and recycled materials, offer hope for reducing its environmental impact.
FOREST 01 in series  The “Wood Wide Web” refers to the underground network of roots and fungi that connect trees in a symbiotic relationship allowing them to communicate, share nutrients, and support each other, fostering a cooperative ecosystem.​​​​​​​ We could learn from this.​​​​​​​ Wood fungus entwined over pine planks with three pine tree photographs added to left hand side. together an illusion of a forest is created. Red and orange coloured fungus gives an impression of fire at the bottom of the image.
FOREST 01 in series  The “Wood Wide Web” refers to the underground network of roots and fungi that connect trees in a symbiotic relationship allowing them to communicate, share nutrients, and support each other, fostering a cooperative ecosystem.​​​​​​​ We could learn from this.​​​​​​​
FOREST 02 in series Wood fungus entwined over pine planks, with thirteen pine trees overlaid to complete the illusion of a wooded copse on a hillside with a red sunset sky behind.
FOREST 02 in series
FOREST 05 in series​​​​​​​. Wood fungus frames a small clomp of cemrytally placed pond grasses. the background a pine plank
FOREST 05 in series
TWO ISLANDS in series Cliffs & Islands A composite photograph of two small rocks, one pine tree, sea and sky. The final image is a of as seascape with two small islands in the middle of a vast ocean, the colours are hues of neutral greens and blues.
TWO ISLANDS in series Cliffs & Islands
ONE ISLAND in series Cliffs & Islands A composite photograph of a rock, a tree and sea. The effect is of a small island in an ocean, the colours are hues of neutral greens and blues.
ONE ISLAND in series Cliffs & Islands
MISTY LAKE 02​​​​​​​ in series   Wild places untouched by humans serve as vital sanctuaries for biodiversity and offer a glimpse into the planet’s natural state. A distressed wall with tinted with hues of green and blue and covered in algae and lichen forms the ‘watery’ background to this image. Added concentric circles of ripples above a surfacing fish complete the illusion.
MISTY LAKE 02​​​​​​​ in series   Wild places untouched by humans serve as vital sanctuaries for biodiversity and offer a glimpse into the planet’s natural state.
MISTY LAKE 01​​​​​​​ in series. A distressed wall tinted with hues of green and blue and covered in algae and lichen also black stains forms the ‘watery’ background to this image. Added water ripples and a refection over which tall foreground grasses silhouette complete the lake.
MISTY LAKE 01​​​​​​​ in series

COOKIES Accept Decline