Collaborative Practice Day 1

Today is the beginning of a short period of collaborative practice with Katie Potapoff, a fellow PhD student also in her final year.  As a starting point, we spend the day exploring locations very familiar to me but new to Katie.  In the process we walk over 15000 steps.  The weather is good, and I am pleased to show Katie the Island at its best.  The forecast as usual is a mixture of sunshine and showers but we are lucky that while it is overcast and a little chilly at times, we do have a good dose of sunshine.  We explore Loch Cill Chriosd and walk along the eastern shore to the lone silver birch I visit regularly.

While I do not take many images, I cannot pass up the chance to capture a few images of the reeds as we investigate the small beach at the start of our journey along the loch’s fringes.  As Katie collects what she later labels “talismans of place”, I become fascinated by the ever-changing reflections in the loch.

After lunch at Loch Slapin, the weather turns overcast and chilly.  We end the day with a visit to Loch Dubha where the sun returns for another reflection shot taken with my iPhone.

It is an interesting day, getting to know each other and our respective practices.  While there are many similarities in our creative work including the inspiration provided by Nan Shepherd, our practice is very different – Katie working in various mediums including drawing, painting, and video, as well as sculpture, whereas I work almost exclusively with the camera.  While I use walking and writing as tools for reflection, primarily through my blog, Katie uses drawing to encourage connections and insights to emerge.  It has been a learning experience for both of us, and after a long day outdoors we are looking forward to more practice and conversations over the course of the week.