Originally from Northern England, Alan Norsworthy has been a photographer since the late 1960's.

He moved to Canada in 1973 and has made Guelph Ontario his home for the last 24 years.

" I remember visiting the CN Tower in the early 70's and the guide said that as far as you could see in any direction is the best farmland in Canada. That comment echoes down the years as I watch subdivisions eat up the landscape."

The area around Guelph offers up a plethora of rural images which Alan captures with his artistic vision. His work covers everything from macro photographs of flowers, sweeping landscapes, historic buildings and old abandoned farms in both colour and Black and White.

"This is where I find my inspiration, I have a need to show people the beauty I see as I walk the woods and fields of Southern Ontario"


Sunday, June 29, 2014


















https://secure.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/14346203980/

Yesterday I went to Goldie Mill Park here in Guelph.

“Nothing too unusual about that, Alan out for a walk on a Saturday morning” they say.
But this one was different in a couple of ways, firstly I was alone, the normal 'motley cew' scattered to the ends of the Earth well if you call Tobermory the ends of the earth and Helvetica (Confoederatio Helvetica) which is a bit further.

Non-the-less I was inspired by Patrick's sketches sent to tease us as he literally 'wanders abroad', old towns rendered with a loving hand no not with a tourists view and a camera but with an artists view and a pad of paper and a pen.

Where can I find such a place, close to home to scratch the itch implanted by these sketches?

I thought about it for quite a while and as sleep came on Friday evening “Goldie Mill” popped into my head.
So bright and early off I went.

The car parked, the bag recovered from the trunk like so many other times, but this time it was different. This time the bag contained pens, pencils and sketch books.
I went in search of the scene …

In a shady spot I unfolded my ridiculously expensive seat and made myself comfortable for what would be the first of three drawings worked up over the next couple of hours.

People came and went, some stopped to chat briefly one asked if she could look at what I was drawing.
A totally different experience than hiding behind a lens.
As the sun rose higher and the day warmed my hands did as they were bidden and the pen moved more gracefully.

The focus narrowed.
Time passed quickly as it always does in these instances.

But in the end a quiet satisfaction and a smile...
Time to pack up and head home..

This was so different than my usual outing and looking back I can still hear the birds, the cheery “morning” from passers by, the breeze in the tree's and feel the sun on my back.

“The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep”. ~Paul Strand

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