The door that sees you into my guerrilla pot garden is such a significant part of the boat, and it takes me back to so many various views I have seen through it while being a river vagabond. I use to live in the middle of nowhere in Fens, Cambridgeshire, where I was fortunate to have had land to cultivate. One of the best times of my life and, for a passionate gardener and even more ardent DIY bellwether, it was a dream come true. Currently recreating it on a smaller, however, still satisfying scale, growing herbs, fruit, and a surprising amount of vegetables.
The narrowboat means so much to me as it fulfills so many of my aims and aspirations.
Consequently, the project overflows with a variety of takes on the subject of my narrowboat ”Thistle”, what it represents, and what it gives me.
I picked up a camera, and yet again, without changing any settings, I took a shot. I did not know whether it will be overexposed, too dark, or just right, and that was the point. I also thought of an altered composition, trying to push myself to do something different, break the rules, purely to try things out with no judgment (not easy). I was pleased with the results – geometrical shapes, the darkness, slight grainy contours of a plant, and books. It taught me to push my limits and be open to anything.
I am starting to understand the purpose and the influence of this unorthodox practice.
Ela Skorska 