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| Colour study of Shipley Glen |
I recently revisited Saltaire, where the outcome from the 'Habitat' project mentioned in my previous post is to be displayed. My first visit had focussed on the town and I had subsequently spent time playing with maps, street layouts and building patterns but none of the results really felt like they connected with the project brief. On my return visit I had a bit more time and I walked along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, up Shipley Glen through the woods and back along the River Aire.
Walking up through Shipley Glen, I found it interesting how the landscape shows the signs of past activity - bits of metal protrude from the rocks on the top of the glen where the fun fair was in the late 1800s. There is a small pool/reservoir lower down in the woods surrounded by railings, now partly crushed and twisted by a fallen tree.
I collected birch twigs in the woods in the Glen, not sure what to do with them but liking their delicacy and flexibility. The woods were lovely despite the weak late January light and the dampness and the colours of the soft green lichens on the rocks, the dark purple of the birch twigs and the golden browns of the fallen leaves started to suggest some more inspiring colour ideas.
Once back home, observing the human involvement amongst the woodland triggered thoughts about how an environment re-establishes itself after disruption and interference. In severely damaged environments there is a slow, gradual process of succession growth to re-establish what has been lost or to adapt to what has changed. Plant growth gradually reclaims undisturbed areas and wildlife starts to move back in. This process of rewilding struck a chord and provided a theme for me to explore and develop further for the project. |
| Fallen tree and twisted railings, Shipley Glen |
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