Surreal Clouds

I was initially inspired to create this surreal cloud series of work by Alfred Stieglitz’, who produced a body of work photographing clouds and in this, included his feelings in an abstract form.  This took me back to when I was a child laying out on the field, looking up at the sky, seeing different forms and using my imagination to create surrealistic worlds. 

Surrealism is above all a reawakening of the poetic idea in art, the reintroduction of the subject but in a very particular sense, that of the strange and illogical.  (Paul Delvaux)

Reflections Art

The series of work 'Reflections' combines photography with digital painting and techniques to create this body of artwork. The music was created using samples from GarageBand.

It is when you lose sight of yourself, that you lose your way. To keep your truth in sight you must keep yourself in sight and the world to you should be a mirror to reflect to you your image; the world should be a mirror that you reflect upon (C Joybell)

Essence of Structure

As I lay me down and close my eyes

You appear without invitation

I bid you goodbye, 'begone'

You're not welcome in my thoughts
But still you come.

You challenge me, I challenge you
I've grown, I learn, I live, I'm free
You're conquered and cease to exist
Until you next visit
I no longer fear you. 


Dawn Howden

Winter Videoart/Slideshow

I've composed a few pieces of my still work that I made during the winter period into a videoart/slideshow. The music is Bach's Mass in B minor that I feel fits perfectly with the mood and tone of the piece.

Spoof Intro (Experimental)

I made this video intro a few months ago. It was a spoof, not to be taken seriously, for experimental purposes. No !! I didn't think I was a vampire at all. You know when people play a part in a film, for me, it's the same principles in art.

Winter Tree Series

'Alone with myself the trees bend to caress me, the shade hugs my heart' (Candy Polgar)

I always feel at my happiest and at peace when engrossed in the midst of nature. If only we could think like nature, to destruct only to create something more beautiful. However we humans destroy, obliterate and cause devastation to anyone or anything that stands in our way.  If you're the target of  any form of obliteration why not think as in nature and emerge from the destruction to be something better in terms of beauty as in spirit and human qualities. If all humans inhibited those qualities that make us decent humans, to nourish, protect, look after each other just like nature looks after its own. Then we will continue to flourish and grow just like trees and stand tall and proud in all we have strived to achieve.

'I willingly confess to so great a partiality for trees as tempts me to respect a man in exact proportion  to his respect for them' (James Russell Lowell)

Trees are very interesting to photograph due to their remarkable form and structure. No two trees are alike forming their own unique properties and qualities just like humans. In this series of work I have tried to capture the intricacies and natural artform. Below are some of the examples from the winter trees series of work that I have created during this period and each piece evokes a different emotion and response from me.  Over the next week I'm planning to create a video art/slideshow of these work's with music, to compliment and to be viewed alongside the still series.

Winter Trees (i)

Winter Trees (iii)

Winter Trees (v)

Winter Trees (vi)

Winter Trees (x)

Winter Trees (xi)

Winter Trees (xii)

Self Portraits

This series of work focuses on my self portraits that have been merged with images of water,  essential for life itself . The reason I chose water is that the human adult body is made up of around 60% water and the brain of around 70%. Obviously this can vary from person to person. Water also looks very beautiful when photographed.

The original photograph with slight colour enhancement.

This was then merged with my portrait and I experimented for hours to produce the following outcomes.



Angel Amidst the Trees (Video Art)

I created this piece of video art a couple of months ago amongst a time of disarray and disorder in my life. It is an eerie piece, and does it have some significance to my feelings at the time? It started off as an experimental piece of work and I will discuss the processes that enabled me to produce the eventual outcome.

I took a photograph on a sunny, crisp day in January at Cusworth Hall in the grounds.

 My thoughts were 'how would this tree appear upon a late evening in an eerie setting?', I watch too many horror films I reckon, or could it be the horrors in life's ventures. I then experimented digitally using Photoshop combining a range of tools and techniques, engrossed in music to inspire and heighten my creative senses and also for enjoyment purposes.

I was absolutely thrilled when I reached this outcome, it was perfect, spot on.  My next procedure was to use Final Cut to layer up, duplicate, resize, zoom, colour balance and obviously have it moving along a time frame. When completed I was amazed at some of the shapes that appeared and quiet a few people, including myself, could visibly see an angel in the middle (can you?).

There needed to be music to suit, so accessed GarageBand and experimented with a variety of samples and selected some that were best fit to keep with the atmosphere and mood of the visuals and added them to the timeline. The music when added heightened the intensity making it more disconcerting and spooky. Hope you like it.