Photo credits: Nathan Harris and Elise Windsor
The Burren region on the west coast of Ireland is a unique landscape that initially appears barren and windswept, yet bears traces of several thousand years of human civilisation. It is home to prehistoric burial tombs, Bronze Age ring forts, medieval era ruins, and modern-day farms. Place names reference ancient goddesses that pre-date Celtic mythology. The geology of the area is a record of millions of years of dramatic changes, including the effect of glacial movements over the limestone foundation (karst). Kilometres of uniquely structured rock walls meander over the hills and fields, often seemingly going nowhere.
This project began with a month-long residency in 2019, held at the Burren College of Art in County Clare. I hiked and sketched my way through the countryside, often returning to the same places to capture things I had missed on earlier visits. On rainy days, I worked in the studio, producing a small body of paintings and linocut prints onsite.
oil on canvas, 26 x 36 inches, 2019
oil and oil pastel on canvas, 26 x 36 inches, 2019
oil on canvas, 24 x 34 inches, 2019
Linocut (edition of 5), 10 x 12 inches, 2019
Linocut (edition of 7), 10 x 12 inches, 2019
oil and oil pastel on paper, 24 x 26.5 inches, 2019
Photo credits: Nathan Harris and Elise Windsor
