For years now I have been adding accents of gold and silver to my work. When I worked as a glass blower we would very often use gold and silver leaf to decorate art glass, bowls and goblets and although I no longer blow glass I still adore using gold and silver to adorn my work. It’s become a staple of much of the composite and abstract photography I create, I love the tones, textures and contrasts that using it creates.
This weekend I had a flurry of creativity, inspired by a walk along the Purbeck cliffs, seeing the wind swept trees, umbellifer seed heads and the blue sea glinting below the cliffs, I created the images in this post. Some new, some older works revisited with fresh eyes after a walk in the sea air. The first time in nearly a year I had been to the coast due to the lockdown restrictions.
The lure of visiting the first of the early spider orchids on the cliffs above Swanage was hard to contain and I made the trip. Having found the orchids and spent time with them, what caught my eye and captured my imagination were the wind blown trees, silhouetted against a shimmering deep blue, how I have missed that blue, sea. The colours and shapes inspired a dozen images created in the next 24 hours.
Having started making the images I had seen in my minds eye on the coast I gathered silhouettes of jackdaws and seed heads from around the village and lost playing with layers of texture and colour and gold. It was good to revist old images with fresh eyes and it was amazing how a short trip to the coast has revitalised my creativity.
These images and more can be viewed in the Landscapes in Silver and Gold gallery on this site and I will be available as cards and prints in the near future.
Jo Stephen Photography 
Great set of images❤️❤️
I think we need to visit the coast soon too, perhaps next week after the schools return!!
On Monday, April 12, 2021, Jo Stephen Photography wrote:
> jostephen posted: ” Gold & Silver For years now I have been adding accents > of gold and silver to my work. When I worked as a glass blower we would > very often use gold and silver leaf to decorate art glass, bowls and > goblets and although I no longer blow glass I still” >
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Thanks! Have a wonderful trip, I was surprised at how quiet it was, I wouldn’t normally visit at the weekend.
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Lovely creations!
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Thanks so much 🙂
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These are beautiful images Jo, and the addition of the gold really heightens their beauty. I’m so glad you enjoyed your cliff walk and it’s made me realise I need to get back there again – for the peregrine falcons and the blossom. Perhaps I’ll even come across the spider orchids! What beautiful photos they would make. Please keep sharing your work with us. It provides me with a lot of inspiration.
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Thank you so very much, Jane. I hadn’t realised until I visited again what a positive effect the sea has. I’ve never gone so long without a glimpse of it. I really hope you might see the early spider orchids, they are only just coming into flower and the green winged won’t be far behind! X
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This is all beautiful! I love the style and the gold adds to it. I would love to know what you use to add the gold leaf to the images? Do you hand paint in PS, is it a texture?
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Hi Jo
I received a press release about womad yesterday. It seems that they are using uk based bands, which is sensible, seems all systems are go, but I think there must be a lot of uncertainty over whether or not it happens. Cornbury, wychwood and lamer tree have been scrubbed due to insurance issues (I think) and Cheltenham jazz, which I also photograph at, will be streamed only. Hard to see how a busy Siam tent could work, for example, and a socially distanced one would kill any atmosphere. I guess only time will tell.
Cheers
Paul
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Thanks for the news, I can’t see how they still go ahead with all the guidance and retain the atmosphere and serendipity. I saw a few more had cancelled this week, and I imagine more will follow. I’m hoping a few smaller local festivals may still take place but have written off investing in attending any of the larger ones, I’m living on a knfes edge as it is after the last year. Cheers, Jo
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Beautiful images! I’d also love to know more about your process for integrating gold and silver. Are they textures in photoshop?
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Thank you. I may write about that in the future.
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Please do. Your work takes my breathe away. I would be interested to know if you create your own textures and if not which are your favourites to purchase
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