Forest and Fear

Part of an ongoing practice of engaging with process to explore the nature of the forest and self, and associations.

A process of overcoming fear.

I walked the mile to the forest entrance and found the oldest yew at dusk.
I set my camera firmly into the soil
I set my aim
I lay my underwear on the forest floor and thought of Daphne, the huntress and the hunted
I gathered my torches
I flicked biting insects off my irritated skin and waited for the darkness
With each click open of the camera a long exposure, a stare,
I ran with my torch and drew each surface of a story until I heard the click shut.
I ran back and forth in this darkness revealing characters whilst the fear I avoided started to grow
When I felt I had enough of the story and enough of the fear I wrapped the camera quickly into it’s bag,
piled everything into the trolley pack
and whistled the mile walk back to the car park.
At home I lay one image upon the other stacking them up and up until a story emerged

 

She wore red and white spotted knickers, drawing with torchlight multiple exposures
‘She wore red and white spotted knickers’