The polar vortex that chilled much of the Northern Hemisphere to the bone also had a psychological effect on many of us living in the more affected areas. My usual penchant for outdoor adventures and spontaneous photowalks were reduced to calculated supply missions to the corner store and brief reprieves to warm coffee shops.
This winter has been taxing on creative minds, as others can well attest. But we're all sick of hearing about it, as a friend remarks:
"If I hear anyone else say it's been a loooooong winter..."
So we try to keep ourselves occupied until we can roast in the burning sun again.
If you follow me on Instagram or Tumblr, you may already know what I'm getting at. In my restlessness I retreat to the afternoons of my youth, inspired by Mr. Dressup, Art Attack, the Big Book of Science Experiments, and the baby sitter who kept me occupied with afternoon crafting projects. I look to the objects around me. What entertainment can be had with the items at my disposal?
It was this mental state that lead me to create a series of images of liquid & colour, movement & stillness.
How they were made was supposed to be my secret, until my partner, Melissa spilled the beans.
Yes, that graceful ballet of colour is actually just food colouring in a toilet bowl.
But I'm not ashamed. I didn't plan on detailing the process of how the images were captures. I'm sometimes fascinated with the act of removing finished images from the context of their creation. But sometimes it's humourous to see peoples reaction to what is really going on.