Printmaking Contemporary Practice

Ciara McElearney

Echoes of Darkness

The bog links the present to the past through the constancy of the land. This is due to its immense natural diversity, its unique atmosphere and the mysteries it holds within. The bog is in layers, each layer a page of history, yet like the encroaching horizon, it at first reveals nothing, seems a statement of absence. A place one can escape, through the stillness, quietness, and reflective qualities it possesses.
The peatlands have become associated with the sublime that the earth has to offer. The bogs ecology has had an impact on Irish society, through sustaining the rare biodiversity and a source of labour. The bogs have been dramatically altered from the harvesting of the peat. From this, it has formed new horizons and landforms. At different times of the year, the bog is dominated by various colours of the plant life, from deep purple in heather, to the silky white bog cotton. Focusing on colour, the ever-changing landscape in conjunction with different luminosities to create a series of etchings.

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