Great art can be made out of great ugliness - just think of all the art inspired by war and other atrocities. Your beautiful moss is like appreciating the beauty in microscopic views of a dread disease.

I find that everything is dependent on my own state of mind, my degree of serenity, apprehension or downright fear colours or shades the world around me...

and yes, I agree with Olga, some of the most beautiful images are of microbes and viruses

Thanks Olga and Mouse - I agree!

Where there's muck there's art, to paraphrase an old Yorkshire saying. I'm not sure about this series, Marja-Leena. I know you are playing with ideas, so I'll wait and see how it develops.

Great old saying that, Anna! Yes, I'm still playing. At the moment, these are just some of my favourite photos on the urban theme. If I use some of them, I will likely add more work over them, either with another layer or a collagraph or drypoint print.

To me, this would be beautiful no matter which hat I wore. Then again, I'm not likely to be featured in Good Housekeeping magazine anytime soon.

You are funny, Dave! I'm not up for any best housekeeper awards, but I think I'd be bothered if my house looked like this. :-)

But isolating, abstracting an element from something which overall might seem depressing or ugly - the whole building, you can find a beauty in that.

Lucy, that's a good point, absolutely right! It's taken out of its context. Isn't that what art does - make us look at something or some detail with new eyes?!