Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Squaring the circle, three collages out of one.






The benign, enigmatic little face tucked above the capital in the ruins gave me a giddy lurch, of something like covetousness. Or was it nostalgia, or the inkling of creativity?  Whatever, I wanted it.

I remember wanting things this way when I was young. It was quite unimportant whether I bought a trinket, tried to make one out of something, or drew or painted it.  Acquisition or making, the having of something in the hand was what mattered.  Now that feeling, like so many others is questioned, doubted, compromised, held at a distance.

A lovely trip, stacks of photos, most of the duties and distractions, more and less pleasant, confronting me on my return hopefully ironed out, I need to shake off this mild reluctant paralysis.  I'll try to put something here every day for a bit.


14 comments:

marja-leena said...

Oooh, fabulous images all! My favourties are the second and third. You really do have an artist's eye, Lucy, these would make great prints. Glad the holiday was a good one.

We're just back from a week away on some islands where I was able to find numerous great things to photograph. Now at home, I'm busy catching up but hope to find time to put up some good blog posts soon.

Catalyst said...

Fantastic work, Lucy. I mean FANTASTIC WORK! I so admire your artistic eye.

Anonymous said...

Amazing photos, amazing eye for what to photograph. The title alone, "Squaring the Circle," makes me want to write a book. . . thank you.
- Alison

herhimnbryn said...

Ooooooh Lucy!

Beautiful work. So much to peer at, so much to inspire.

Anne said...

What interesting collages. Makes me want to try it.

Unknown said...

Bit by bit is the best way to unravel. The phrase also neatly describes your collages so far. A fruitful few days judging by them alone.

Lucy said...

Playing around with collages on Picasa is perhaps my equivalent, being quite without any logical or numerical facility, of doing sudoku, or those funny little tile puzzles with one empty space that one had to shuffle about to make up and down words or sequences of numbers: a useful and enjoyable bit of displacement activity to forestall getting down to more constructive things I need to do! I saw so many interesting round things while we were away, and found myself collecting them, as well as some grids to offset them, with a view to something like this. Then I couldn't resist mucking about and reducing the grid and putting backgrunds and overlays and generally gilding the lily.

I always find getting back from hols a bit difficult, not getting home, I like that these days, but just all the sorting out and catching up.

HHB - the stone face reminded me rather of the little clay ones you use in some of your mosaics, which always give me itchy fingers too!

Fire Bird said...

you do these things so well - sudokus don't leave you with anything nice to look at. In fact once finished they lose all meaning...

Nimble said...

Your picture sorting and collage making reminds me of the joy of sorting beads or buttons. It's pleasing to arrange and rearrange things.

Sabine said...

Very very good!

marja-leena said...

I think my comment was chewed up and spit into the ether by Blogger (as several have mentioned problems) so here goes again: I LOVE these images, you have a real artist's eye. I think they'd make fantastic prints, Lucy.

herhimnbryn said...

My comment went too!
Gorgeous images Lucy, inspiring too.

Lucy said...

Hi Sabine.

Thanks for coming back and recommenting, ML and HHB, I got you the first time, and was prepared to settle for just getting the post back!

marly youmans said...

Like these and the little face as well: reminds me of Thoreau, where he talks against ownership and about carrying home the best part of the landscape in his thoughts and words.