13 SEPT 2023 – Lighthouse Arts, Nobbys Lighthouse, Nobbys-Whibayganba Headland, Newcastle
Today is cloudless when I arrive. Warmer than last week, it feels good to be up here. My desk faces the main yard area, my view framed by the lighthouse, signal station, cottages and picnic tables. I can see Stockton Bridge from my window, a perfect arch through the parapets.
I’ve been crafty today. Somehow, I fit a glass frame, bull clips, watercolour paper and photographic negatives into my very-packed backpack. With this, I’ve been processing images in the sun, the chemically prepped paper quickly turning from green to blue to brown, ready for rinsing. Concrete laundry tubs in the kitchen have served as developing basins, an aged silver tap delivered the watery goods. I’ve processed images captured on site and now, developed here too. I like the provenance.
It’s catching, this cyanotype fun. Another resident artist Jill created a silhouette of gathered flowers on an oval-prepped surface. It reminds me of an antique brooch; pretty and ready to frame. She paints in the whiteness and creates something entirely new. Watching other artists work is fascinating and inspiring in equal measure.
My own photographs aren’t quite so charming. I’ve captured signs around the area: danger, restricted, warning, no admittance, no entry. This site was created by (explosively) carving the landscape & it’s clearly safer to stay within the confines of the built footprint – but for a place so luxuriously open to the sky, sea and views, they’re a jarring presence. They are stark and obvious against the whiteness of these buildings.
There are clouds in the distance as I write. White and purple-grey, they are insignificant against the big blue, but still beautiful.
