Donald Diddams
The Art of Digital Art
What the Sea Dragged In
Rusty Tank -- 2010
Even when storms pass hundreds of miles away they can send large waves that leave surprises on the beach. The rusty tank above was most likely a fuel tank from a boat, washed away from one shore, and deposited here in front of the red fort in Frederiksted. The bold geometric blocks of color seemed to call attention to what the sea had left behind.
Rocks also seem to shape-shift and come and go from the shoreline, although in many cases they have not moved at all. It is the sand that is brought in by the waves for a while, and then carried away again, revealing the rocky remains underneath. The constant change is the only thing that really stays the same.
Living Rocks -- 2010
Donald Diddams 
Great images!
I wonder how much sand is removed from beaches in the cracks of people’s asses. I must have shifted a few tonnes by now. hee hee!
Planetross, I never thought of that! And here all along I figured it was the action of the waves!
“Rusty Tank” is brilliant. You’ve done with photography what Mark Rothko did with paint. The colors vibrate and shift in the same wonderful way for me. If I could stand on the beach and observe this tank, feel the ocean air, squint in the bright light reflected off of the sand, I can imagine this kind of moment and feel transported.
Very funny comment about sand shifting from Planetross!
your rusty tank looks like a pastel ! The colors are so vivid.
Those living rocks look a little too alive to me. They are a bit scary.
Thanks Melinda! Lovely comment. I tried to make these glow from within! Plenty of motion for a static scene?
Hi Carol! Thanks! The colors are what this was about, even in real life. You think those rocks look too alive? Maybe too much time in the city… They may be alive, but they move slow, so no worry.
The first one looks just like an abstract oil or pastel.
The second one, you didn’t manipulate it too much, right? Hard to improve upon natural beauty…
Nice shapes,color and great division of space in “Rusty Tanks”…”Living Rocks” and “Rhythm of Rocks” both classic landscape beauties!
Thanks, Jala! When I saw that old tank by the red walls of the fort, abstract blocks of color is exactly what I saw… just some of the detail needed to go (and some to stay) to give it power. The “Living Rocks”? Well, there was a little straightening, twisting and work with values to give it more “life”! But the real beauty was there to begin with.
Thanks, Robin! I really enjoyed working on that rusty tank. And the other two as well. Nature never ceases to provide inspiration. When I start to get a little lost or off track, I can always return to her for direction.
I hope you have a Merry Christmas!
It’s almost here … here.
Hey thanks, planetross! … It’s gone now, except for the remaining 11 days, which are celebrated here with considerable enthusiasm and intensity!
Some fantastic images here.
The rusty tanks have a very interesting perspective about them.
And the colours, wow
Thanks for visiting, Arts Web Show! That tank looked just like that as I stood there!! Thanks.
Oooo…. lovely colours in the first shot. The composition makes the whole image just perfect.
Hi razzbuffnik! Thanks so much. One of the things about the light and colors here in the Caribbean is that they seem to just vibrate. Hope you are not flooded out down there!