I think it’s finally safe to say that we’ve seen the last of the snow for the season here in the Northeast. And that has allowed me to get out and dig around and familiarize myself with the many fossils surrounding my studio.
So today I have some fresh new fossil images intertwined with a handful of images from my recent infatuation with some interesting paperweights.
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Thanks for the visit.
Today’s first and last images are colorful bookends to the latest group of fossil images. This strange, lyrical image (above) is the result of playing with a glass paperweight. Contained within are various stringy objects that act as design elements. The fun in creating an image like this is in the use of various color reflectors and lights of varying color temperatures. A simple desk object now suggests other worlds – something that I plan to explore further.
In the meantime, enjoy the mix of marine invertebrates from 387 million years ago.
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This other bookend – a dragonfly’s wings – heavily infused with color!
Thanks for the visit.
A new project has had me busy lately – a little mixing and matching of work that I have shown in the past – just presented a bit differently.
Some rocks and some fossils in the rocks.
More info on this project to come. In the meantime, here are the selected images.
All these images were taken in New York, Vermont, and Maine – a nice sampling of geologic and paleontological eye candy from the Northeast United States!
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Thanks for the visit.
Since I began working on a series of trilobite inspired drawings I decided to revisit my photo library to put this grouping together. I don’t find them around here too often. And when I do they are seldom more that parts – sometimes the eyes, but mostly the hind end or pygidium. These first four images come from other, well established collections.
The first three are from the collection of the Paleontological Research Institute / Museum of the Earth. They are located in Trumansburg NY, just outside Ithaca.
And the fourth one (below) is from Chazy Reef on Isle La Motte in Vermont.
The remainder of images are taken from the surrounding area here in Catskill, all of which I have found while digging.
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These last two trilobite images have a slightly different story. I came across this box full of Moroccan trilobites at the wonderful outdoor market in Florence, Sant Ambrogio, a few years ago. It was the only time I ever purchased a fossil.
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I’ll leave you today with a seasonal note – Autumn is definitely upon us.
Thanks for the visit.
It’s a cool breezy day here in Catskill today. The recent heat has given way to what appears to be a perfect early Autumn day. And a brief trip to the farm stand at Story Farms confirms the seasonal changes that we are in the midst of. Gourds, pumpkins, apples and late corn fill the bins. It all seems to move quickly so enjoy this season while its here. “Tempus fugit” as my old Latin teacher would exhort!
I finally managed to get out the other day and explore a new fossil site (new to me, that is). It was a small limestone quarry just outside of town. Not much to find, it turns out, but just good to be out in the field again. These are a few of my discoveries: Above is a trilobite pygidium (always fun to find around here).
Next is a type of brachiopod named Leptaena. I generally don’t find to many of these so any time I find one I think it’s a pretty good day!
Here are a few brachiopods. Upon closer view, in the center of the image, there are small circular objects – crinoid ossicles, small segments of the stem of a crinoid.
These next three images show different views of a coral, Syringopora, that snake through the limestone. It’s pretty common around here. In this case, though, the definition and delineation is particularly noteworthy.
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And here are a few more fossils (not from that quarry trip) that caught my eye starting with this impression of another coral type in sandstone.
Two brachiopods with what I believe to be the impression of a another trilobite pygidium.
And last, a group of various brachiopods sharing a very small space together
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I’ll close out today with more Sci Fi art – covers from 1950s pulp magazines. All the recent events surrounding the Cassini Mission and its descent into the Saturn atmosphere has had me mesmerized! And seeing Saturn in the sky in the above image reminded me of it all the more. Enjoy!
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Thanks for the visit!
Today’s opener is one of my very first fossil images, shot way before I ever considered any possibilities of obsession! I had just finished my previous project, the black and white urban landscapes that appeared here a few weeks ago. That one was shot with a 4×5 view camera. So I thought it only made sense that the fossils would be dealt with similarly.
Was I ever wrong! It was such a painstakingly slow, deliberate, and cumbersome process. Had I continued that way, I can assure you, my fossil obsession would never had occurred.
And that would have been a shame. These fascinating, ancient objects have become vehicles for many wonderful experiences. It’s been more that ten years since I took that first picture.
During that time, the images have been shown in galleries and museums here and abroad. Cindy and I have met some of the nicest and most interesting people imaginable. And our opportunities to learn and grow have been deeply enhanced.
All thanks to these remnants of life from hundreds of millions of years ago!
The rest of today’s images are some of my earliest work, all shot digitally and reworked this past week.
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Thanks for the visit.
A surprise, last minute trip to Cape Cod pulled me away from the blog last week. Between that and my last two bw posts of NYC I found myself missing my fossils! So I decided to return today with a full body of fossil images. They seem to be gaining more drama lately.
For those of you unfamiliar with these 387 million year old former denizens of my neighborhood I’ll attempt to provide identification (as best I can). Above are several types of coral accompanied by an impression of a trilobite pygidium (center left).
Not exactly sure what this is. The pattern suggests to me some form of coral.
Coral.
Cephalopods. I count at least four in this cluster.
One lone cephalopod.
An interesting mix – resting atop a brachiopod is part of the head (cephalon) and eye of a trilobite. That long dark cylinder I believe might be a small crinoid stem.
I can only think this is a slice of a brachiopod.
Sitting atop a bed of coral is a small rock loaded with crinoid ossicles (the round things). They essentially stacked to form the stem of the crinoid.
Brachiopods
Another brachiopod with some coral in the upper left.
Yet another brachiopod! Actually, there were some 12,000 or more various types.
And these (yes, brachiopods also) are different – they are the only fossils in this post not from the Catskill area. I dug them up several years ago while on a trip to Nashville.
A mess of fossils sitting out on an old table.
And, last but certainly not least, are a group of tentaculites, something I seldom find around here. I came across these along Kaaterskill Creek. I particularly love this one as it reminds me of an old retro sci-fi rocket ship! Fossils and rocket ships put a smile on my face!!
Thanks for the visit.
