Sunday 29 April 2012

Growing into my mess

Well, I did warn you that I was up to something... Behold the plant life growing from the spine of my book...


Yes, I felt it might be necessary to spice things up a bit, but as I didn't have any cumin seeds to hand, cress was the next best thing. What an experiment! I'm not sure about how I might later use this in my creative endeavours - but it was fun! I've had to leave the book aside all week though, so as not to disturb my tender shoots.

It has been interesting to follow the experiences of the messers through the Facebook Group. Some are reaching a wall of tolerance - where they just don't feel comfortable while others are becoming dangerously addicted. Everyone has their own limits. What this book seems to do is help us discover ours.

I think sometimes that we are worrying that our work is too pretty, but that's not the case. If you create something beautiful while throwing paint (or even food) about, then that's just perfect. What we are doing here is pushing boundaries and seeing both where they take us and what we find when we get there.

I've been playing with macro shots of cress shoots in PhotoShop. Certainly something I would never have thought of doing had I not grown them in the spine of my book!

If the thought of smearing egg over your book really makes you nauseous, then break a few rules. Do something entirely different with that page. Rip it out and make some origami. These rules are definitely made to be broken - so go smash a few with wild abandon!





7 comments:

  1. never in a million years would I have come up with that one! what fun.

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  2. I got as far as smearing food over my book. I definately don't have hold ups about mess. I would like to accidently produce something pretty though! Love the cress idea. was that your own or prompted by the instructions. I love how the book is about trying to put ourselves into a place of improvisation where the unexpected results. its very life enhancing.

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  3. Lisa, how on earth did you think of that one! I don't think anybody else could have got us going as we do. When you write your book it's going to be something quite different from any other books. I shall definitely be first on the list to buy one - but I want a signed copy!

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  4. I love your idea! Looks pretty cool in the book. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next with them. Also like the Photoshop pics. :)

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  5. Cress... I am having palpitations and flashbacks to the great cress incident of last year where they grew and grew then went disgusting and mouldy after a couple of hot days and stank so bad we considered moving out rather getting close enough to throw the container.... please keep your book in the fridge, or maybe it just never gets that hot and humid for it to be a problem... you are spinning out of control fearless leader...Phantom is going to faint when I show her!!!!

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  6. Wow... imcressive!
    I love seeing the evolution of the cress :)

    xo
    Kristin

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  7. I am pretty sure some things grew in my Wreck This Journal after my Vietnamese lunch display...but this is a step further Congrats.
    Maybe some Chia seeds....would work LOL.

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