Strange Beasts - Lavit Gallery - Cork - 2020

Strange Beasts - Kilkenny Limestone - 44 x 46 x 26 cm

This sculpture, I allowed to take me to its eventual conclusion, by my surrendering myself faithfully to the possibilities that unfolded from the fabric of its 360 million year old material: the Limestone. Until I did so, the nature of the block in front of me appeared to have little potential. I started to investigate and track the flaws through the block by following them with the chisel.  These  seams were of an ash like substance which was, I’m guessing, the result of Devonian volcanic ash outflows. By following these seams, I formed the basic shapes from which the subjects would emerge (in this case Strange Beasts) and ensured that by removing these seams I wouldn’t run into trouble with them later in the process.