View over Belper

This is the same view over Belper as the blue based painting done earlier, but I thought I would challenge myself by using a different pallete. I usually stick to purples and blues so changing the colours I work with was challenging and fun.  I enjoyed doing this painting, elements of it really work for me.

It feels more traditional in style and colour so is a new departure for me, I'm not sure its a route I want to take, I enjoy the abstract element of painting so this is a bit too representative.  I am still enjoying this experimental process of finding my own style and voice using paint.  It feels good to be returning to it and I still feel inspired by the John Piper exhibition I saw during the summer, a quick dip into the book I bought and the inspiration and thrill of looking at his work returns.

Derby Makers at The Silk Mill Museum

Our Sunrise Pinhole Camera - Beer Tins and Gaffa Tape!

Last night, I took myself and my daughter off to the Silk Museum to play at making pinhole camera's with the Derby Makers.

It was a really good experience, we were given our (empty) cans of beer to gaffer tape, put a hole in, and insert a piece of photographic paper in.  Between us we made three camera's and now have to decide where we will put them.  The plan is to make it a sunrise pinhole camera.  Facing south it will track the progress of the sun across the sky for the next 6 months.  We intend to put ours out on the Winter Solstice and bring it in on the Summer Solstice.  We haven't actually decided the exact spot for each camera, but will be posting the results in 6 months.  I'm also hoping to do this with a class of year 3 & 4, so hopefully will get good results there.
This is all very experimental, I've seen images taken by Sunrise Camera's but its all a bit tricky, subject to rain, wind and if placed in a public place, cleaners, drunks and the curious.