A Happy 2014 to all my friends and relatives

Times passing faster than I can imagine and now is the end of 2013. I am ready to receive 2014 with both my arms wide open. I can't imagine what I had done in 2013. I did write my travel dairy but unfortunately, I didn't have the time to put them all into my blogger with all the places which I had visited in 2013 due to I have start my new life by going to college to further my education.  Hopefully I am able to go into a university in 2014.

A Happy New Year to all my friends and relatives for following my bloggers. I thanks to all of you for your comments and supports. Let 2014 bring you and all your family prosperous and happiness.

 When I went for my walk in Autumn at Cannock the beautiful woodland lighted up with beautiful colours.  Sometimes the woodlands appeared in gold colour then it change into different colours whenever the sun shone on the trees.

 I have always enjoy this time of the year walking in the woodland but unfortunately due to my studies in college which meant I can't travel to North Wales to enjoy the beautiful scenery in there.

 It was amazing to be in this woodland at this special time of the year.

 When the sun shone on the fern it look like fire on the fern which create a different rich texture to the fern.

 I love these tree trunks which covered with colorful leaves to create a wall paper.

 The rolling fields surrounded the Chase Park.

 This is park for riding and trekking.

I love these rolling fields with new planted seedling ready for new life. it seem to represent a new start in 2014.  Let's embrace the 2014 and wish all my friends and relatives a Happy and prosperous New Year.

Photos: by Catherine Suen

Place: Chase Park, Cannock

Dated: 31.12.2013

Walking in the Autumn

I love my walk into the woodland especially this time of the year the woodland is full of different types of mushrooms which I have not seen before. Not only the mushrooms I can find in the woodland but the different colours of the trees created by the sun was amazing beautiful.

Some of the wild mushrooms grown were found in the gardens of my neighbours and some were from the woodland in Chase Park, Cannock.

 These were found in the garden of my neighbour.

I have no idea the name of the mushrooms but just love taking photos of them and keep a record of them.

 When I went to college and saw these lot of mushroom grew on the bottom of the tree trunk but it disappeared after I took the photo of them.

This different type of wild mushroom found in the garden of the neighbour. It was not a good experience as I had been told of for not asking permission to take photos in their gardens. I also been asked what happened to me when someone drove passed and saw I am lying on the ground and thought something happened to me.

 This is Fly Agric which is poisonous. This mushroom was found in the woodland.

 I had no idea what is this mushroom but I love the way it shaped. Found this in the woodland.

 I think this will be a Pink Waxcap but I am not sure as I have not seen one of this before.

These lot were the common type which I am able to find in most gardens.

I love these broken mushroom as when the sun shone on it, it look like a duck.

Another of the Fly Agric mushroom which found in the woodland.

For my this post it will be all mushrooms and the colourful woodland will be post in another post.  Wish all my friends and relatives a Happy 2014 New year and have a prosperous 2014.

Photos: by Catherine Suen and Robert Suen
Place: Gardens and woodland in Chase Park.

Visual Communication - on 7.11.13

My first lesson of Visual Communication. I have no idea what is Visual Communication. Our lecturer, Claire told us to draw a mind map of our theme "contrast" will be our theme project for our final project. I have no ideas what my visual contrast will be but will add more as the ideas come into my mind.

Contrast --- shapes >lines > colours>patterns
              --- visual >presentation>advertising

              --- emotion>signs>signals>symbols
and so on... but will add more into my mind map.

After our session we been taught to use the photoshop to add text and using font to create message on the photo and try to communicate this media to public to get our message through.


I love how the way that by using photoshop  tool that can made the photo even more beautiful and using of text and font can illustrate the message that I want to communicate with the public.
Claire taught me how to use the tools and function of the photoshop to illustrate more of my photos so that I able to do more further works with my photos than using other artist pictures or photos and converted into my work.This media using the photoshop to cut and paste, it is harder than by adding text and font but due to time limit and have no chance to do  more of this work which I would love to further explore and learn this technique and skill. I am still unable to this media without my lecturer help.

Merging two photos together and adding different defusing on the photo to create a total distorted look. A total utopia look in the photo which create a harsh outlook but in another way still remain it beauty of the certain portion with this media to create a mix look.

I will love to explore further  this media  with  my exploration stage. At the end of this lesson, I still have no idea what is visual communication and been told to research for at least two artists’

Works and compare what I like and dislike of their works.

Photo by: Catherine Suen

Date: 7th November 2013

Subject: Visual Communication

My still life drawing

I have decided to go back to school to further my education. Tried to register for photography course but unfortunate Sutton Coldfield College does not conduct this course. So been advised to take Foundation Arts and Design.  As I have not taken any art course before so I am confused  and blurred for the first 3 weeks then from then on I started to understand and picking up as I go along with the courses.


The courses are intense  and every 6 weeks we have 6 different topics such as contexture  art, drawing. fine art, photography, textile and photoshop. I enjoyed and love all the subjects as we are been teach at the foundation level.  I love my drawing as from I can't draw to I can to draw.

Today, we are been told to drawing still life by using Artist David Tress method of drawing.  By using different media to make into a artwork. David's painting is landscape but he used different media  in his work.

The above painting is David Tress painting. Today the media for still life were leaf, hand made mushroom and shell which is opened in the middle.

I used a A1 white drawing paper then glued it with different types of papers  such as black and white tissue papers, brown wrapping paper, tracing paper, black drawing paper, plain brown paper.   Some portion of the paper covered with one layer or more layers of different papers while other is just plain without any layer.

I used the willow charcoal to draw the outline of the still life then used the charcoal to paint on it. But unfortunately the charcoal and pastels which I used to paint on the image look very flat and uninteresting.  So I concentrate painting on the tissue paper which represent my leaf with acrylic paints.

I applied 1st layer of  orange acrylic paint on it first then added another layer of dark brown on it and highlight with white acrylic paint.

This portion is make out of 2 layer of tissue papers. I change the brown/red mushroom by adding another layer of white tissue paper on it. Paint with brown acrylic paint and red then white as highlight. It does look better and not so flat.  As for the shell I change the pastel color with acrylic paints then darken with black to give the depth.

Finally, I used the charcoal to shaded the background and use tissue to drip with water and go over the charcoal.  As for the table, I used the white chalk to go over the charcoal  and the negative spaces.  The mushroom needed  to darken with brown a bit but unfortunately our half day lesson is over and the paint is still too wet to add another layer on top of it.

I am quite happy with this drawing as it create different depth with the layers with different texture. It give this painting a  3-D effect.  Also my friend, Mandy, she is painting the same media as mine but her painting/drawing is totally different from mine.

 Mandy's drawing from the same still life display.

I love and enjoy this drawing lesson as every student produce different image from the same still life. It is quite fun and interesting as when we finished our works and look at each other paintings. We gain a lot from our tutor and our  drawing sessions.

Photos Supplied : by Catherine Suen
Date: 11.11.13
Drawing: Still Life

Trekking at Aber Falls, Abergwyngregyn, North Wales - 27.8.13

Our trekking trip to Abergwyngregyn, North Wales. We started our journey at 8.30 a.m. and it took us to reached the small valley of Abergwyngregyn at 11.30 a.m. Follow the A55 and exit at junction 13 by follow the signs to Abergwyngregyn. We left our car  in the car park which is free and not far away there is a disabled toilet and on the right there is a small path leading to a small gate.  Follow the lane alongside the river, Afon Rhaeadr-fawr is about half a mile.

Cross the old stone bridge, Bont Newyxd, and go through the gate. We follow the National Nature Reserve information boards. On the way there are markers for the North Wales Path  into the valley. Along the way there are display board explains the management of the Alder trees and their part in the making of charcoal. Just keep follow the path and it will lead to the falls

Before reaching the falls there is another board explaining the pile of stones at the side of the trail  are the remains of an iron age round house probably dating from 2000 -2700 years ago. The remains dated at 2000 B.C.

Passing the ancient site and a short walk up to the bank is one of Wales most beautiful waterfalls and the surrounding hills of Moel Whion, Gym, Bera Mawr, Bera Bach, and Drosgi.  The beautiful waterfalls and bridges to cross to the other side. There are big rocks stack at the bottom of the waterfalls to let you walk over the other side.  Easy access to the bottom of the pools to enjoy the cool water or right top of the pool where its falls from the top but it is slippery and it is better  to tie the string on the rock before venture into the top pool.

From here we carry on with the full walk across the river to the west bank of Afon Rhaeadr-fawr and follow the markers to North Wales Path. We can see the falls from the grassy bank on the right of the falls.

The trail  continues west across over the river, Afon Rhaeadr-bach, with more beautiful views and a smaller falls. Follow the path and we can see the grand view of the valley. The trail continues north through sheep filled pastureland and the outlook changes as the Irish Sea comes into view.  A panorama view that includes the Menai Strait, Lavan Sands, the south west tip of Anglesey, Beaumaris, the Penmon Lighthouse and Puffin island. From here there the trail is going downward the right is more steeply and short but the right is longer trail which both also lead to the small village of Abergwyngregyn,  to our car park.

The total times spent on trekking and taking photos took about 4 hours and covered about 4.5 miles. Amazing beautiful sights of the mountains which normally covered by the mist  and only can be view when the weather is hotter and after the walk can enjoy the beautiful milky water from the falls.

We went back by A55 to the look for food and then head home and it took us another three and half hours to travel back home. A beautiful end of the great day and would recommend this place as it worth an visit.

Place: Aber Falls, Abergwyngregyn, North Wales
Dated:  27.8.13
Photos by: Catherine Suen
Scored for the Place: 8 stars