Jim Kelso Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 It's been rather quiet around here(including myself). I'm in the last hours of the owl piece I started in January. I came to a point with it where I was uncomfortable posting photos. I think because I was in unexplored territory which felt a little tentative. Anyway I'll put up some photos next week when it (hopefully) will be done. In the meantime here is a sculpture(not carving, but interesting nonetheless) of a Blackfly from the Adamant village Blackfly Festival from 2 weeks ago. People come from miles around to share in the misery of not being able to freely walk around outdoors in the glories of Spring time due to the ubiquitous, dreaded BLACKFLY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Great photo Jim. I don't have photos of my versions of fly veils. I've made a couple over the years. We have black flies, circle flies, gnats and no-see-ums. The smaller they get the worse the bite. We live near a small river, thus the spring and summer are "blessed" with a variety of winged beasties. One technique for getting rid of a present swarm is to go to one door, for us the back door of the house, and emerge from the front to return to the project site. It works for a little while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsterling Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 We don't have any blackflies, but this set of blacktails came by this afternoon. It's sort of late for them, but we thought we weren't going to have any fawns this spring. Notch came through again! (Check out mom's left ear - hence the name). A little gray this afternoon, with light drizzle. At least everything is nice and green - except my carving ideas. Need a few of those! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest katfen Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie Biggs Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Wasn't so quiet when I sat down to carve earlier! Not my usual view!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kelso Posted June 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Yow!! A real close encounter for nature study. What is that? Something about the head shape looks dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 It looks like in might be a garter snake, with the stripes...maybe? Or a striped corn snake? Whad'ja do with it? PS Nice view out of the window! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest katfen Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie Biggs Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 The snake is a yellow rat snake.The only danger is when I flail my arms backing up!! After telling her/him that I would be much happier if she/he stayed outside, I relocated it back to the garden. No more leaving the back door open if I step out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Hi everyone! All photos were very amazing and I decided to add mine! Here is too hot about +31!!! I found a wonderful photography, the dragonfly, fully dressed with the dew! I think this insect feels so waited coolness! I can only envy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Beautiful! You must have our extra heat, we are having mild summer days here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kelso Posted August 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Still pretty quiet. I'm just about finished with a new piece which I'll put up in a few days. I've been out in the streams a lot combating the hot weather. Here's an interesting totally natural arrangement I found yesterday. Just perhaps to stir some dialogue, I'll go out on a limb and say(without mentioning the name of an artist who has many books), I don't appreciate "art" that rearranges nature to a human taste and aesthetic. There are so many mysteries and miracles to be seen without mucking it up with our conceptual overlayment. There now, I feel better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 oooo- there's a sticky subject I'm not sure what Mr. A. G. has to say about his un/natural arrangements. I prefer to think of them versus nature as apples and oranges. Still, I think his works point to something within us all about re-arrangeing our natural environments. I remember pleasant childhood afternoons dam-ing up creeks, making pine-needle chains and piling rocks. Must have been a nice surprise to come across the arrangement you photographed. I can feel the coolness of the woods and creeks by looking at it. The stone socket and driftwood limb were made for each other...and that curious little stone tucked in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnus homestead Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Can we humans get "outside" of nature? We seem to be well in the middle of it, and in a very real sense "we" and all we do is natural. Perhaps the thing has to do with where we place our attention and intentions? Magnus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Magnus, In philosophy, the difference between humans and all else in Nature is considered to be only in the area of choice; and, as you say, "intent". The stone, wood, water, etc in Jim's photograph had no choice in their arrangement; but Jim had a choice of being in that spot or not, in photographing it or not, and in posting it to the list or not. But that power of choice certainly does not place humans outside of Nature, humans do not have any choice about that. Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnus homestead Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Hi Malcolm, You are right that we humans have sort of a unique spot in Nature that seems to revolve around choice. On the day to day basis most people tend to seperate mankind from the natural world and our choices are generally egocentric and mostly disfunctional. Humans tend to place their concepts above pure perceiving and tend to immediately label, compare and judge what they observe. In the "Art World" this can be seen often with arguments as to what makes art versus craft, etc. etc. I know artists who feel that a piece must make a social statement to be worthy of the term art. It has been my experience that if we can fully sense the energy silently present in the rocks, wood and river stones (as I'm quite sure Jim did when he was taking that photo) we reach a sacred point of merging where our being is one with Nature and our concepts fall away as mere thought forms. It seems to me this awarness and presence can inform our choices with wisdom. I myself must agree that Nature needs no intellectual seasoning. I will just add that words are tricky things that at best can only point to a reality and can be mistaken easily. Also, this is quite new to me, this discussing such pithy things with others. Best Wishes to All, Magnus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 "Also, this is quite new to me, this discussing such pithy things with others." Magnus, hone your skills here! You've got a good start, and a good group to think with written words..with... uh... where are the grammar and vocabulary skills when I need them Well, you get the idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Magnus, In my own experience, one of the most useful things about online forums has been the need to clarify and develop my ideas on various subjects through the process of trying to explain my thinking to others. I look forward to reading any further thoughts you have on these things. Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ford hallam Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Hi Jim, It's been a while but I'll throw my spices into the pot... I don't appreciate "art" that rearranges nature to a human taste and aesthetic. Is'nt that exactly what all art does though? Are humans capable of representing anything at all without some subjective projection? Is it possible to create without one's own taste, aesthetic sensibilities, prejudices even ...informing and colouring the final product? I take it that Japanese gardens are also not to your taste then, I actually quite enjoy Andy Goldsworthy's work. regards, Ford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kelso Posted August 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 I don't appreciate "art" that rearranges nature to a human taste and aesthetic. Hi Ford. Glad to see you here. This quote taken on it's own, I agree, is far too general. I should have specified the particular practice of taking found natural objects and fabricating sculpture or installations from them. Natural objects found in place have a power and magic all their own and I feel don't require human comment or cleverness to be profound. In fact, to me, AG's work approaches the level of desecration. I know it's quite popular and in it's own way well done and appealing, but to me it represents how far we have come in our separation from the power and beauty of the natural world. I can go out into the woods on any given day and see miracles of beauty. It's easy to imagine those seeing AG's work going out and scouring for materials and disrupting the sublime order of things. I appreciate Doug's comment on our need to play, and I would agree certainly. I guess it's partly the scale of his work that I find troubling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ford hallam Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Hey Jim, glad for the clarification. You did preface your earlier post with the disclaimer that you were perhaps going out on a limb maybe it was on one of Mr Goldsworthys precarious twig sculptures! I think I understand what you are getting at though. On the other hand I've always felt that AG's work was of necessity very temporary, fleeting even. In this I feel it to be a fitting expression of a less invasive and more delicate interaction with the natural world. Something that we may need to make something of a priority sometime soon. So you do like Japanese gardens after all. cheers, Ford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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