I love the serendipity of a found collage – images that have been created by random poster-stickers, graffiti artists, a scattering of pebbles in a pleasingly random way, a mosaic, bark peeling off the trunk of a tree, a whirl of fallen leaves or scattered flower petals.
These are some of the photos I’ve taken of posters in France
in response to the Daily Post
Some years ago we visited a sound installation, called “Harmonic Fields” in Dorset. If/when the wind blew the various “instruments” suspended on wires were supposed to reverberate or make a sound. Unfortunately on the day we visited there was very little wind, but it was still beautiful to look at.
In Myanmar we saw one the largest bells ever cast, I can’t imagine what it might have sound like when struck. As you can see, most people feel the urge to bend down and creep inside the bell and then stand up and touch its interior. I love the girl standing behind my husband, just peeking out with a cheeky grin on her face.
These smaller bells, hung around the eaves of a temple in Thailand, were much easier to hear.
This is a print by a friend of mine entitled “bouche à l’oreille” which could be loosely translated as “gossip”
Find out what “sound” means to Ailsa and co.
This extraordinary sculpture is in the grounds of Hauser & Wirth’s gallery in Somerset, UK.
Taken with an iphone 6+ and edited in Filterstorm Neu and DistressedFX.
The foliage is made from saucepans and kitchen implements. Not only do they have an art gallery – with a truly awful exhibition the day we went there, but an excellent restaurant and a perennial meadow garden, designed by the renowned landscape artist Piet Oudolf
You will find other inspirational black and white photos on Sally’s blog.
There is something intensely appealing to me about abandoned buildings. Apart from the fact that I find beauty in decay there are always unanswerable questions – who lived there, what were their lives like, what inspired them to build the building and why in this particular place?
The original photo was converted to a watercolour image
the same original photo was converted to a pencil sketch
the two resulting images were then combined
and given a different colour cast
This was the original photo
this is a larger view of the same building – unifinished – I suspect it was going to be a hotel and the owners simply ran out of money to complete the project
Which one do you prefer?
Inspired by Sally Donatello
Nicosia or Lefkoşa (depending on whether you are a Greek or a Turkish Cypriot) is the capital of the island of Cyprus. Unfortunately it is a divided capital and has been since 1963. A narrow band of no-man’s land, known as the “green line” separates the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sections of the city. The same “green line” extends east and west from the city forming a boundary buffer zone patrolled by the UN between the northern and southern parts of the island.
The old city is surrounded by walls, built by the Venetians, with the gates into the city at strategic points. This shot was taken near the Costanza gate.
much of the northern part of the city is in a bad state of repair
house backs
small old mosque
interior courtyard of the büyük han, formerly the main trading and staging post and now a cultural centre
the forbidden zone – it is hoped that at some point in the future this area can be restored, repopulated and rejuvenated
sculpture, south of the Ledra Street crossing point
shade sails provide welcome shade in the heat of the summer
the Phanorameni church in the south part of the walled city
fountain in the more affluent South, outside the walled part of the city
in the south
stencilled logo
graffiti
5th century sculpture of lions attacking a bull
female figurine found in one of the ancient sites
modern reproduction of a bronze age ceramic vessel
If you are interested in learning more about Nicosia, Wikipedia has a fascinating article
Discover more history with Ailsa and followers
An entrance is always followed by an exit. This week no-one can be unaware of the unprecedented exit by the UK from the European Union, prompting Ailsa’s choice of the theme of EXIT this week.
the exit (and entrance) to the inner chamber of the great pyramid in Giza. It’s a difficult climb/descent as you have to bend nearly double and it’s a couple of hundred metres
painting depicting the flight of the holy family from Egypt, in the Coptic Church in Cairo
making our exit from Cairo via one of the tunnels in rush hour
sunset in Luxor
migratory flight of birds in search of more hospitable climes
Partners and partnerships come in many forms:
the twin towers of Hangar 7, Salzburg
a street musician in Salzburg
a man and his bicycle in Salzburg
the most sublime partnership – chocolate cake and coffee in the Café Sacher, Salzburg
Sometimes, this is how I feel in the morning
ready to take on the world
all set for a journey
ready for mischief
hungry
a little light music in the garden
or quiet contemplation
blinded by the light
at the end of the day, a bit ragged around the edges
ready for bed
although I don’t think I would choose to sleep in Vincent Van Gogh’s bed …..
The question is not what you look at, but what you see - Thoreau 