Rust n stone

Fiona's photo of me by a standing stone at the Steness circle of standing stones.

Fiona and I have been wandering the main island of Orkney. We have experienced may magnificent Neolithic sites - many stone circles, tombs, villages and single stones. It is too hard to share that beauty. Instead I thought I would simply share some of the rust and stone from more recent times that we have seen as we walked and drove the roads.

Grinding stones at an old working mill on Orkney

Rust and wood in the streets of Stromness

The remnants of war - rust on an abandoned ambulance and an abandoned car fro WW2.

About the light

We have only been in Scotland for a short time but long enough to understand the importance and differences of light.

A couple of days ago this was reinforced by a Scottish photographic artist who said she did not fully appreciate big light until she visited Australia. However I think everywhere we experience small passing expressions of light. This post shares a few experiences of light ...

Light accentuating corners of buildings.

Flooding through windows.

Highlighting tombs and crumbling structures.

Reflecting on water.

Filling the landscape.

Stone marks

Scotland seems to be a place of water and stone - there is such history around waves of people reaching its shores. But there is also such history in the marks folk have made on stone; or how they used stone to create safe and sacred places.

Fiona and I have experienced many such places over the last week - of course we seek them out. Whilst I could share many photos of standing stones and stone circles such as the Callanish stones below; it can be the carving that gives meaning; or just the particular type of stone; or placing of stones that give meaning.

Callanish stones

Marked - carved stone - Iona

Stone chosen for its texture and inclusions - Callanish and Lochbuie stone

Handheld stone

All this stone is of nature but given meaning and purpose by folk.

The colour and texture of old boats

Fiona and I have been on the island of Mull for a couple of days. It is a place of water - sea, streams and lochs. So not surprising boats play a very important role. 

They sit at anchor in small bays.

They are stranded out of water by the tide.

They are left to rot in piles.

And in their decay there is such beauty.

One has to love they weathering and aging of the paint, the copper nails and rivets and of course the rust. 

Birthday earrings and preparing wood

Just a tiny post on a couple of small tasks I did during the week.

First was to make Fiona a set of up cycled aluminium earrings for her birthday - well two pair - we all need a choice.

©2016 Barry Smith - Light earrings - recycled anodised and brushed aluminium - biggest disk is about 25mm

©2016 Barry Smith - Light earrings - recycled anodised and brushed aluminium

©2016 Barry Smith - Recycled anodised and brushed aluminium

And I have been ripping more wood on the band saw again  - preparation for making a few cheese boards out of salvaged Hairy Oak for and artist friend.

©2016 Barry Smith - Stack of Hairy Oak squares

©2016 Barry Smith - End grain

I thought cutting the timber would give it a few weeks to dry out; including the glue I need to put into cracks to stop the timber from breaking.