I'm pictured here with a some of The Touchstones, a new body of work involving 10 stones for sites in County Mayo - launching at Samhain / Halloween! 🔥

The carvings weave a tale through the landscape, drawing on the folklore, social memory and ecological story of the places in which they stand. 2/2

It's interesting how the apotropaic carvings seem slightly haphazardly placed, like they are overlaying the existing carved face of the stone - in stark contrast with the neatly planned and executed capitals nearby.

The two crypts where the capitals can be found were built in the 1100s-1200s.

The geometric forms are presumably 'apotropaic' - protective designs thought to ward of evil and chaos through their use of order and infinite lines. I've seen similar examples in Girona, France and Ireland. Apparently the guy who commissioned the work had stone masons brought in from Lombardy...

And a booklet! - happy to send you one 👍 www.etsy.com/uk/listing/9...

There are supporting texts on each stone here... axisweb.org/artwork/the-...

I carved nine stones as part of the project - here's a 3D scan of the Jock o' Bennachie steen...

sketchfab.com/3d-models/th...

Not like this, I could do though. There is a character that appears in the Kemnay Steens which I carved a few years ago who references the Rhynie Man.

I noticed so many details when carving this one - the original has a real beautiful economy of line, it's so carefully designed and executed.

If anyone would like one of these let me know - I'm thinking of doing a run of slightly different interpretations later in the year. ⚒️🔥

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...

The 18 stones carry a story that draws on Irish mythology, the folklore of the surrounding landscape and the recent history of Kerdiffstown landfill.

The tale involves two heroic figures named Brigid and Fionn who set out on an epic quest to recover a stolen fire...

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...

Booklets are available online (Etsy link below). They can be used as a guide to the stones as they are walked through in sequence with drawings and activities for each carving.

The tale involves two heroic figures named Brigid and Fionn who set out on an epic quest to recover a stolen fire...

You'll see I'm reading from a guide booklet to the work in some of the photos - more on that soon! 🌅🔥⚒️💚

Photos by @mark_mcguire_photography

I really enjoyed the conversations that were sparked around the folklore and mythology of the surrounding landscape as well as the memories of the landfill itself and the incredible transformation of the site...

It was great to see what a few years ago was just an idea in a sketchbook come to fruition. Thanks to everyone who joined the tours and for entering into the story in the carvings so enthusiastically...

Thankfully we got lucky on two of the mornings when, for the first time, a small crowd of hardy souls gathered on the summit to witness the first rays of sunlight shining through the eastern stone to illuminate the final carving in the story...

The project was commissioned under the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage Per Cent for Art scheme, with additional funding from Kildare County Council for the Kerdiffstown Landfill Remediation Project. For further information on the project see kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/...