Sketching Stones
Sketching the stones on the way to Lough Fada, Dereenacappera, Argroom, Co. Cork.
I have been meaning to upload this work for a while. Other projects took priority but I have finally made time to sort through all the images from this project and bring them together here. Aah what a good feeling to complete a project!
My last two weeks in Ireland October 2020 were spent in Dereenacappera, Ardgroom and Gortgariff on the West coast of Ireland. The government insisted on a county lock down so my travelling was restricted to Co. Cork. In some way maybe it was a blessing as I explored the most magnificent and breathtaking landscape and made lovely connections with Frieda and Hans from Dereenacappera and Anne from Gortgariff.
I spent the first week in Dereenacappera exploring the landscape, sketching and photographing the quartz stones on the commonage land that Frieda had collected from the local beach. The photographs were then brought together with music, sound and voice recordings as films.
Carving woodblocks
Thank you to Anne for space to carve the woodblocks at Creativity Cabin in Gortgarriff, Co. Cork.
Alongside the film project I was also working on an idea for a print project: ‘Stones to lough Fada - A Field Guide’
I spent the second week carving 44 woodblocks at Gortgariff. Thanks so much to Anne for the cosy cabin looking out to the wild Atlantic sea. Creativity Cabin was a perfect retreat to have space to focus on carving the woodblocks. So good to have the contrast of the wild weather and even more beautiful landscape to take a breather from the carving.
44 Carved woodblocks
Plywood offcuts from Hans Leptien
Stones to Lough Fada collected by Frieda Meaney
Dereenacappera, Ardgroom, Beara, Co. Cork.
44 prints for A Field Guide
Using offcuts of hosho paper from Awagami Factory and experimenting with Memento ink pads to make the prints.
Stones to Lough Fada - A Field Guide
Thank you Hilke for Irish Waxed Linen Thread.
Stones to Lough Fada - A Field Guide
Words were shifting and changing and gently coming into being as ‘Stones to Lough Fada - A Field Guide’ was stitched together in the form of a booklet.
Listening, Holding, Stillness, Connecting, Together, Alone, Longing, Navigating, Unravelling, Loss, Finding, Imperfection, Direction, Wandering, Being, Self, Other, Contemplating, Freedom, Eternal, Seeing, Breathing, Tasting, Touching, Stones.
Thank you Frieda Meaney for the Stones
Thank you Hans Leptien for the Wood