Symbols and endings

This post is in two parts- it starts with the last of the South Pennine Paths collection - and finishes with some reflections and initial thoughts about future plans.

This plate is from a late afternoon walk across Withens Moor, where a series of flagstones ease the the path across an otherwise tricky stretch of peat bog. Many of these stones are recycled gateposts and such.

This stone is deeply cut for a purpose I cannot discern, but these graphic symbols appear almost as writing. But if writing, it is unclear about what and for whom, particularly as the only common visitors to this open moorland are curlew and skylark.

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Withens Moor 24 July 2018 20:07. Photo-etching 2019

This is an interesting plate, with the central symbols sliced by deep shadows from the evening sun. The overall effect became overwhelming when re-worked, so I ground the plate to one side- which opened up more possibilities.

I then under-printed with freshly ground inks, warming up the final impressions.

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Withens Moor 24 July 2018 20:07. Photo-etching and monoprint. 2020

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Withens Moor 24 July 2018 20:07. Photo-etching and monoprint. 2020

So, to the end of this blog about putting a virtual exhibition together. Completing this collection has taken longer than anticipated. Selecting and editing the images for presentation, preparing the narrative and organising the web-pages all together were a great way to review the work, remember the the places and consider the methods of production. All of this was under pandemic constraints- with no opportunity for re-visiting, for improving or revising the prints. Not that I’ve wanted to, this review has made it clear that the work had reached a conclusion.

I’m happy to have reached this point and to have the opportunity to consider what next. I can now re-organise these South Pennine Paths prints into a definitive collection on this website. Further, I am still committed to landscape-based work, but the next phase is likely closer to home.

Any exhibition of this work beyond the virtual realm is sadly still some way off.

I hope the blog has provided some insight into the work, how it arose and was produced. I am yet to decide what place a blog might play in developing or documenting future work, so am happy to hear views.

With all good wishes

Mark