I like the rhythm created through the layering. My eye has a hard time settling on the actual landscape photo, the smallest central layer. I recognize the layers on the outermost edges, but my brain keeps being tricked into thinking the first four layers or so are the actual image. I have to look carefully to find the true image, prior to any iterations.
Is the desk on the right from school? home? university? I like the idea of juxtaposing it with the landscape, but I wonder if visually it should have more of the layering process. I notice that you included one small picture of the landscape near the seat of the chair and that the only diagonal line crosses at the picture. Is there a reason you placed them there?
I keep looking at the two images and wondering about the relationship. What if the landscape was on the computer screen? It makes me think of all the nature closeups and scenic landscapes that people choose as their computer desktops. (No judgment here—mine is still the stock photo bamboo that came on the machine when I got it almost three years ago! Speaking of which, I think I should change it as soon as I’m finished with this comment…) How ironic, sitting staring at a screen instead of enjoying the outdoors, wherever we may be.
James,
while looking at your postcard, it made me think that of a daydream while sitting at a desk. We’ve all done it, where we wish we were somewhere else at a particular time. I assume that the desk/office is that of your classroom. And perhaps the picture of the landscape is that of a favorite place or interest of yours. Since the landscape picture took up more of the space I was drawn to that as more of a focal point. Like as if that was more tempting than the office chair area. Or maybe it was just the opposite.
Steph,
This was my old desk at my old school which I often equated to being in a prison. Was I the prisoner? Or was I teaching them?
The landscape on the chair is my memory leading to various memories that often were my salvation while being at my wit’s end at this former job. I could travel in my head from the torment of the school and return to past places that were far more pleasant. These memories made this year of teaching bearable.
Steve,
You are on the right track. This was something like a daydream. This photo is from the mountains near Lake Arrowhead. It’s from an amazing trip to Los Angeles I took one summer. When teaching at this school was at its worst, I could escape to this place in my head.
The layering does spell out much repetition of thought, dreams, building blocks to a manifested thought from a tiny space. Interesting layout! I like that the “green” creates a bigger spread than it’s man-made box.
This gave me the feeling of the outside/nature being brought into a confined interior room, but also the feeling of being confined/trapped in a confined space and escaping to a wide open area. I like how the image is able to both of those at once, although the feeling is a little jarring (for lack of a better word).
Art in my pocket 
I like the rhythm created through the layering. My eye has a hard time settling on the actual landscape photo, the smallest central layer. I recognize the layers on the outermost edges, but my brain keeps being tricked into thinking the first four layers or so are the actual image. I have to look carefully to find the true image, prior to any iterations.
Is the desk on the right from school? home? university? I like the idea of juxtaposing it with the landscape, but I wonder if visually it should have more of the layering process. I notice that you included one small picture of the landscape near the seat of the chair and that the only diagonal line crosses at the picture. Is there a reason you placed them there?
I keep looking at the two images and wondering about the relationship. What if the landscape was on the computer screen? It makes me think of all the nature closeups and scenic landscapes that people choose as their computer desktops. (No judgment here—mine is still the stock photo bamboo that came on the machine when I got it almost three years ago! Speaking of which, I think I should change it as soon as I’m finished with this comment…) How ironic, sitting staring at a screen instead of enjoying the outdoors, wherever we may be.
The postcard seems to visually reference the work of Hockney. Here are two of his photo collages that have a similar aesthetic, though they layer multiple photos, not the same photo.
http://www.hockneypictures.com/photos/photos_collages_02.php
http://www.hockneypictures.com/terms.php
James,
while looking at your postcard, it made me think that of a daydream while sitting at a desk. We’ve all done it, where we wish we were somewhere else at a particular time. I assume that the desk/office is that of your classroom. And perhaps the picture of the landscape is that of a favorite place or interest of yours. Since the landscape picture took up more of the space I was drawn to that as more of a focal point. Like as if that was more tempting than the office chair area. Or maybe it was just the opposite.
Steph,
This was my old desk at my old school which I often equated to being in a prison. Was I the prisoner? Or was I teaching them?
The landscape on the chair is my memory leading to various memories that often were my salvation while being at my wit’s end at this former job. I could travel in my head from the torment of the school and return to past places that were far more pleasant. These memories made this year of teaching bearable.
Steve,
You are on the right track. This was something like a daydream. This photo is from the mountains near Lake Arrowhead. It’s from an amazing trip to Los Angeles I took one summer. When teaching at this school was at its worst, I could escape to this place in my head.
The layering does spell out much repetition of thought, dreams, building blocks to a manifested thought from a tiny space. Interesting layout! I like that the “green” creates a bigger spread than it’s man-made box.
This gave me the feeling of the outside/nature being brought into a confined interior room, but also the feeling of being confined/trapped in a confined space and escaping to a wide open area. I like how the image is able to both of those at once, although the feeling is a little jarring (for lack of a better word).