Author: SG

Deptford X & other buses

photography

Since Lockdown work has been like buses, nothing for ages and then 3 projects at once. I always love Deptford X Festival as it interacts with my local community, but it was a lot of work this year because all work had to be outdoors. Artists had to find their own outdoor spaces, and I was walking down Deptford High Street in the pouring rain one day, and knocked on the door of a new bar (many places were still closed at this stage of lockdown). The venue (Badger Badger) were very hospitable and have allowed me to hang my work outside , and in the windows, and on the roof !

Now more than ever I see the value of physical art in a physical space like a street, and one that isn’t just a ticketed ‘art prison’.

My “Day 59” exhibition includes images from my Lockdown Diary in Cyanotype (book still in production!) and more responses to my thoughts on historic plagues. My work will come down at about 10pm on Sunday 18th July.

The opening event I held was online due to restrictions but it was quite a happening ! I gave a talk and demo but I then wanted to discuss pandemics in general , and we looked at the historic Plague Doctor. Having engaged the services of actor Ian Crosson, I was able to get a real Plague Doctor to join the Zoom and read my script that was based on my historic and scientific research.

I have my 1st in-person Cyanotype Workshop of the year planned on Friday 23rd July in Woolwich. Only £15 and a great opportunity to make some lovely blueprints in the midday sunlight. I am also planning a Process-A-Film Workshop for Fri 13 August – I am not sure if there will be interest in that but it can certainly save you a lot of money in the lab !

The other new project I am working on involves more mermaids – watch this space !

Encroaching on Wildlife

eco photography, Environment

Last week I had a few brushes with other species that got me thinking. Firstly – this time last year we were in the middle of the “anthropause”. The skies were bluer, the air was cleaner, pollution vanished from satellite photos and wildlife seemed to be edging back en masse. We’d encroached on wildlife and a virus had hopped across the species divide and ‘punished’ us.

Spoon-feeding a bee

Last May was the sunniest month on record. All that UV was hopefully killing some Coronavirus, but it was also stimulating what the ‘birds and bees’ do best – reproduce. While humans weren’t allowed to meet, let alone hug, the other species were making up for lost years. Instead of constant aeroplanes, we heard the tweeting of baby birds and the buzzing of bees as we spent more time in Nature.

I did find lots of dying bees, and ones that could not fly. I revived this one with raspberry and sugar water. I noticed he had deformed wings.

I’ve lived in inner London for over 30yrs. In 2020 we had bees and wasps returning to our garden to nest, 3 new bird species moving in, 6 fox cubs,…… In 2021 this lot are still around along with their offspring. There are daily fights for territory, every species is crowded-in and fighting for space and food. We are all fighting new housing developments that concrete the ground, throw land into shade , and strip away mature trees and the creatures that live around them. A few miles away my heart breaks for mature trees felled for flats in Deptford.

So what has this to do with photography? Well last week I was walking to the darkroom and came across a man talking to a baby crow that was perched on a wall in scorching sunshine. Needless to say I never made it to the darkoom as the crow needed help. The man was a scrap metal merchant and had attended to the crow several times that day and was dripping some water into its beak. The baby crow seemed to have no parents around. I went to the shop and came back with some ham. I ripped the ham into strips (not pleasant as I am vegetarian) and the grateful baby crow gobbled it up. Wildlife Rescue said that if we left it there it would die, a cat could catch it, and we were right beside a busy main road. So I put the crow in a cardboard box and hopped inside the van of the metal merchant who drove me home. I shut my cats away and put the crow in a pop-up cat run tent in the shade. I fed him cat food and warded off magpies and foxes. He revived, but was exhausted. He snuggled up beside me and napped. The Wildlife lady texted me “You are his moma now” . I felt so sorry for this poor displaced crow and we had a bond. I cried for this baby. They are such clever creatures, he recognised my voice and perhaps my face and started trusting me.

In the evening I drove the crow to a lady who took him on the train to London Bridge where she rendezvoused with ‘the Crow Man’ who had collected many crows that day. The next day I was told the crow was doing well in a sanctuary in Ealing.

Then there are the foxes at the bottom of our garden. 5 beautiful fluffy cubs soon became four. City foxes are so tame, they have a symbiotic or even parisitic relationship with man. They raid our bins and happily live off the vast amount of food that we waste. I ordered mange medicine and infection medicine as one has a limp and one has a cough. I put the medicine in jam sandwiches as instructed by the Fox Project. The foxes eat the slugs that feed off the vegetables I have planted, so that is a bonus. However as soon as the strawberries and tomatoes hit peak ripeness the foxes scoff the lot. They also ate one of the young doves who are newly resident since lockdown.

Ironically , the next day I was rescuing a handsome Stag Beetle from the beak of a crow. Stag Beetles are endagered (extinct in many countries) but I have lots of rotting decking in my garden specifically for them as it can take 7 years for their larvae to pupate. I put some card in front of him , he walked onto it, I took a photo, and then put the card under a shady bush where a crow wouldnt see him. I wince when I see photos of people holding stag beetles, on Instagram you really should not touch them they are very delicate. Of course people don’t know that. I grew up on a smallholding and had experience of all manners of creatures. But some Londoners aren’t so lucky. I think it’s vital to maintain an understanding of our fellow creatures and our connection to Nature.

Another new visitor I am not so welcoming of is this False Widow that was sunbathing within inches of me. I’d never seen one of these before, except in newspaper articles talking about their venomous bite and East London schools being closed because of them. I cant even bring myself to kill a spider, but this one was scary indeed.

Meanwhile, in the garage was a zombie spider! Covered in fungus but half alive !

As humans, we are still very much a part of the food chain, but there is a feeling that we could in future rise above even that. As we integrate ourselves more with machines and technology we eject other species from the planet. As we take over their habitats we run the risk of more animal-bourne viruses, but right now even science is combatting those.

“The Last Bees” Photogram I made in the darkroom from the wings of dead bees – lith print

Blossom In the New Normal

Environment, photography

The cherry blossom took on a huge significance this year, a sign of optimism that things are returning to normal after the nightmare of the pandemic.

A previous darkroom print that I painted

Every year I walk through the avenue of blossom trees in Greenwich Park to breathe in the sights and smells of the spring blooms, which scientifically are a great boost for wellness. Just like insects, we still respond to the power of plants and flowers. It’s easy to forget our connection to Nature after a winter of quarantine with a connection to computers.

This year the blossom avenue was full of photographers , mainly Instagrammers making use of the delightful backdrop of pink. Every professional influencer wants that shot in front of the beautiful blossom.

It was impossible to have my relaxing stroll because you had to dodge camera tripods and lighting stands at a safe 2m distance. I hung around quite happily to wait for them to finish so I could have a turn walking on the path. But each of the 7 photographers there (on a quiet rainy Tuesday), stayed for at least 2hrs. One photographer had models with different outfits in suitcases and was there a whole day with a picnic laid out.

It was interesting to observe the “selfishness” of these people. They were behind the cameras as if they were not part of reality, it’s not like they didn’t care. I wondered if this was an effect of quarantine, social Media, or what? I’ve never seen anything like it. I heard that people were snapping off twigs of blossom to pose with. Many times, in daffodil season, I have repremanded people for trampling the flowers whilst posing for photos.

But Why?

  • some city dwellers are unaware that they are destroying Nature because they have barely experienced plants
  • tourists sometimes don’t understand that these are cultivated and not wild plants
  • Children expect flowers to spring up again like rubber toys
  • this new phenomenon where people seem to be looking at life through a screen , and aren’t in the ‘reality’ (if there is a ‘reality’)
  • a small minority just don’t care and willfully toss litter, and destroy plants which they believe are there to serve them

I must look more into the Japanese tradition of Hanami. This is possibly what was going on, people spending a whole day under the blossom in groups is a tradition that I was not aware of.

Its is also interesting that in Buddhist tradition each blossom represents a fallen Samuri, it reminded me of my Leaf Project in which I am making each leaf represent a Londoner. In China the flowers signify hope and feminine power.

This photo shows how I managed to find a lone tree by the gate to photograph. There is always a way to get the shot!

As a photographer I feel dutybound to convey that picturesque Nature is not just a convenient backdrop, its the very fabric of our life, and future generations depend on it.

my photo from a quieter year

Just Me and a Lonely Weed in the Darkroom

photography
…. and 4000+ likes on Instagram!

This week I found myself with a short time slot in the darkroom. I’d been held up by my Tax Return, and by the time I arrived at the darkroom there just wasn’t time to get all my leaves and negatives ready for another demanding printing session. We are restricted to solo-use slots in our shared darkroom now, and since Covid there is lots of cleaning and airing to be done between users.

On my walk in, I’d brushed into a little weed growing out of the payment. The ‘daily walks’ have made me hyper-vigilant of Nature, and I know every crack in the pavement and every new weed in my area.

an honour to have my prints shown on the Ilford website

All week I had been thinking about Mirror Universes. I set up some small trays of chemicals and put on a Podcast about Charge Parity Violation. It was all about how, if there was a mirrored universe, there would not be exact symmetry. It was an absolute shocker! And while my brain was wrestling with the details, my hands were freed to dance with this weed and with the light coming from the enlarger, and finally to slosh in and out of the chemical trays.

Often I work the other way around. I have music on and I focus my brain on the maths of exposure times, temperatures and grades etc.

I was thinking about Matter and Anti-Matter, about Positive and Negative. It came out.

From the isolation of the darkroom, just me and that little weed made a post that Ilford shared and around 4K peope ‘liked’. What an uplifting way to reach out from the darkness.

When I get time, I will frame one of these photograms and additional to my newfangled sales section.

Green Light for Thamesmead Photo Mission

photography

After the success of my online workshops last year, I had the idea to create a bigger project and involve local residents. I’m delighted to have received grant-funding for ‘Thamesmead Photo Mission’ which launched today with the registration link and details here.

We are all isolated right now – and more than anything this is going to be a great opportunity to connect with other people who have an interest in photography. And what better time that during the dull winter months. I believe that expensive cameras aren’t important, phone cameras are welcome here – this project will be about seeing as much as taking photos in your homes or on your walks.

Its quite a challenge to devise art that can work during lockdown, but I’m very excited with my plans for this. Each week will be themed, and we’ll be discussing examples of photography and learning tricks and tips. The Brutalist architecture and the Natural wildlife in Thamesmead provides rich pickings for photography. And its always about looking that bit deeper, to see things in the everyday that other people don’t notice.

Experimentation

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I had the urge to look closely at light today. Photons (particles of light) are the main ingredient of photography. It is mind-boggling that the quantum particles can exist in 2 places at once. I do a lot of reading on this subject. One possible explanation is that the particle in question is existing in both the past and the future at once. The observer makes a difference to the final result.

Like a crazy scientist, I set up a double-slit experiment of my own and managed to record interference on a light-sensitive sheet of my cyanotype paper. I am not sure where this will lead, but it had to be done. An Artist looks for answers just like a scientist does.

Leaf Science

Environment, photography

This week I was asked to give a presentation to the Thamesmead Nature Forum. They were very interested to see my my Leaf Project (in progress) and other ways that I collaborate with Nature in my work. I had some great feedback “spectacular presentation” and “beautiful work”. I even managed to pull off a live cyanotype demo with an Honesty plant (left) that came out rather well.

Meanwhile, the printing on leaves is laborious. From drying, pressing and coating the leaves to printing them in the darkroom. Only a few make the final cut. These are some of the technical difficulties that I have had to resolve through experiments:

  • Leaves vary in size, pattern and colour, so its like starting with a new material each time
  • Leaves change colour. I have to predict, or preserve the base colour prior to printing
  • Spotting signs of leaf mould.
  • Leaves become fragile. I embrace this for this project, but it makes printing very challenging.
  • Leaves curl at all stages. They must be flat under the enlarger for uniform exposure and focus.
  • I was excited for this banana leaf, but it did not conform.
  • Leaves float! I’ve had to find new ways of agitating them in the darkroom trays.
  • The texture can enhance or disturb my image. I have to be careful with placement.
  • Leaves are waterproof. Every coating I apply slides off unless I scuff up the surface which adds to the fragility problem.
  • Many leaves release chemicals that react with the silver emulsion and fog it.
  • There is literally too much choice for leaves. Its infinite. I will never test them all.
  • Classifying and recording my findings.

In fact this whole process makes me appreciate a pristine uniform pack of photographic paper in a whole new light !

I coat the leaves in liquid silver emulsion and store them in a large light tight metal box that I cart around wrapped in coats under darkness! At one point I lost my car keys and house keys with this cumbersome cargo and had to change all my locks! One plus was the amazing tabacco-like aroma from the soaked lilly pads. I have yet to get a good print on one of these magical lily pads.

My search for appropriate leaves has led to me examining leaves in great detail, the variety is immense. The patterns in Nature, the veins , the leaf shapes, the infinite fractals. For sometime I have been engrossed with the pattern of branching, branching that could be echoed in a branching multiverse.

Equally fascinating are the distorted leaves I find, those which grow differently due to disease, or those from roadside trees that are tarnished with black pollution.

Some of the leaves have been collected from specific sites, such as Tidemill Gardens before the trees were ripped up to make way for new flats. These are large and frail and have a different quality (persona if you like) to the fresher leaves. It becomes an interesting exercise to match the faces with their leaves. I have a bunch of tiny leaves that I use as test strips. The fact that I am going through about 25 leaves to get 1 print I am happy with, makes them even more special and precious to me. “Exquisite” was a word someone used to describe them, and that’s definitelty what I am aiming for.

I am very grateful for a grant from the Richard & Siobhan Coward Foundation that has enabled me to buy materials for this work.

Anthoypes – My Garden Darkroom

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Exploring the Anthotype process was one of the best things to come out of Lockdown for me. This process was ‘invented’ by John Herschel around 1841 as he was trying to pave the way for colour photography, it even pre-dates Cyanotype. Up until then the only photos were rusty-coloured black & white . Over a century later, I am branching out from my own rusty-looking black & white to try some colour! In summer, when the darkroom was closed, my little city garden became my darkroom.

Herschel used natural dyes from flowers and vegetables. I mainly used extracts from plants I had grown. Some plants work better than others, and many plants I tested do not work well at all. But its a Eureka moment when they do !

I will run a workshop on Anthotype in summer 2021. Its great to bring people closer to plants with a 100% eco process using plants and sunlight alone.

New – Online Shop!

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UPDATE : My online art sales are now closed as work was sold out, and galleries are re-opening. I am working towards 3 real life exhibitions. Get in touch for commissions.

With exhibitions cancelled this year, I am listing some recent works for sale online. These would make unique Christmas presents. There seems to be a move towards buying local and from small businesses, which is great to see.

I can deliver next day to SE London postcodes, and many items will fine for posting.

I am sometimes commissioned to make artwork that matches interior decor, or to a specific theme. If that is of interest, get in touch for a quote.

Summer Online

photography

I am proud to present this gallery showing some of the fabulous creations made by students at my various summer online workshops.

click to view and see credits:

My online workshops really took off this summer. Every single one sold out. I enjoyed meeting people from all over the UK and Jerusalem, America and France! Its been an isolating time and there is nothing like joining together over a creative activity.

I am teaching sessions from Beginner to Advanced levels, and some people attended several sessions and made excellent progress. The niche stuff (such as toning cyanotype) is where it gets really interesting. It was a learning curve to run entire workshops on Zoom, but I got the hang of it, my past career in TV has helped.

Lots of online workshops I’d seen were impersonal webinars, or pre-recorded videos or demos. I tried to do something different , by mailing out kits that I put together from hand-made ingredients and recycled packaging. I think it is important to make a real and interactive experience.

Sunprinting and lockdown have been great bedfellows. The sunny season is nearly over now so I just have one Cyanotype Card Making workshop remaining on Fri 6th Nov. I’m planning a special winter Photo Walk too. And the very popular 1-to-1 sessions will continue. In the meantime I have made headway with some of my own important projects : The Leaf Project and my Lockdown Cyanotypes (working titles).