Found objects

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing".

Camille Pissarro

My creative forage through blogland this year has opened up so many new and interesting artforms. Last summer's 'Wreck this Journal' experience in particular taught and encouraged so many new techniques, not least of which was incorporating the stuff you find lying around into your art.

I find something rather magical in those two words - 'found objects'. What wonderful stories are waiting to be told? What were the circumstances that led the artist to find that watch strap? Whose was it? Why was it lost? What an amazing story prompt a piece of art can be.

This week the challenge at Inspiration Avenue is combining found objects into your art. Well, I have to confess that I'm a bit of a hoarder. I collect interesting things I find on my travels with a view to making something... someday.... and naturally, I rarely do! So today I went to my stash and pulled out this rusty piece of metal I found in the road by an industrial estate, some intriguing twigs that I picked up from a beach in Skiathos and a packet of sequins that had fallen on the floor someplace and a charm that once belonged on a keyring but fell off into the bottomless pit that is my handbag. I took them outside for a photo session and what do you think I found waiting for me on the garden table? A ladybird! I very politely asked her if she would mind joining the composition. After she explained very patiently that not all 'lady'birds are in fact female - nor are they indeed birds - Cedric, as he preferred to be known was only to happy to pose. He wasn't very good at standing still mind, so I don't expect him to be forging a new career as a male model.

Once I had my shots, I retreated out of the early morning fog (which does seem to promising to lift any second) and got to work in Photoshop. I found some wonderful textures in my files, the first of which had me jumping with excitement - a book! For was not the point of this post about the stories that came with the objects! Source for the book background is playing with brushes.

Not content, we played some more... Source for this background here. Now all that remains is to think up some stories!

One of the original photographs from the shoot!