Friday 3 September 2010

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!

19 comments:

  1. I love this- and Cedric is a natural born model! He adds the perfect touch of color to all your lovely found objects! Thanks for including the original image, I love being able to compare them.

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  2. Really nice work so far but I'm looking forward to the story that you create because I love your stories!

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  3. Super cool! I love the energy i feel from this ..like an acnient adornment abandoned yet full of life! very cool! Love this! The photo so magnificent too! yay..that was fun..great read too by the way..
    Victoria~

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  4. What a fun project, and lovely piece of diggie art. Love the story of Cedric too; he was just meant to be part of your photos. Wishing you a fabulous weekend!

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  5. Love it!!! I love how you bring the characters in your stories to life.(the ladybug)You really are a writer.

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  6. Very cool, I love that Cedric agreed to model for you, he does add that perfect touch.

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  7. Lisa, thanks for the comment on my blog.
    I love your found objects and the quote at the beginning of the post is just beautiful.

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  8. How very cool......what creative genius to pull these odds and ends together to make this amazing collage. Have a happy weekend!

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  9. this is so awesome my fren!! love cedric! he's such a poser LOL!! we must introduce llara and him and they can pose together :D jokes apart, the digital collage came out stunning! totally different from the original atmosphere ... it's like magic!

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  10. wonderful photos, wonderful story. Quite magical. I love the quote too.

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  11. my biggest treasures are two boxes of "found objects"
    wonderful Lisa!!!!
    hugs!

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  12. Lisa,
    I just made a link to this post at www.tatteredpast.blogspot.com. I want to share your magic.
    Thank you.
    rita

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  13. What a wonderful collection of found objects! Those twigs are like nothing I've ever seen before! I love the way you have put them together, and Cedric is the crowning glory! I love ladybirds, or ladybugs as we call them over here. They're very lucky, and they eat aphids off your plants like nobody's business!

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  14. Hello,

    Wow! This is very cool and I love your description of your process. Also thank you for you comment on my post. Not sure yet if there is a way to reply to that post but this works I guess. Learning something new everyday. Love your skectches too. Beautiful..

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  15. Cedric the ladybug is like the lipstick you smear on just before you dash out the door. You really have an artful eye...and tongue. You just have a way with words.

    PS Thanks again for picking up the pieces at IA.

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  16. As always Lisa this is wonderful - your art and words combine magically! Amazing finds and you even "found" Cedric to put the final touch to your piece!

    I adore that quote too - may borrow that if you don't mind!

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  17. how amazing the transformation from the found pieces to the end result! And your stash sounds like it is just a lovely playground for your imagiantion.

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  18. Great finds. Isn't it fun to do something arty with them?

    Darla

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  19. I've seen your comments on so many of the same blogs I visit, but I don't think I've ever been here before. What a beautiful example of found objects, and what thought provoking questions and comments you posed. How serendipitous that the ladybug decided to join your found object photo shoot. I loved the photoshop photos, but also liked the original that you included, too.

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Thank you for your comments - I always love to hear what you think :)

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