Exploring map of Turraheen: ceramic, print and 3d structure . . the process and the journey

My studio space

I sourced all of the old maps of where I'm from,  from my Dad, from  the local studies library and from ordnance survey Ireland. I got maps , from just after the famine, from 1906, from the 1960's and more recent maps. I made acetate copies of the maps and layered them onto each other to look at the changes over time.

I drew the old map onto tracing paper.

I placed the tracing paper over a large slab of clay and cut and drew the map onto the clay.

I peeled off all the tracing paper and put the map into the kiln . .
The map blew up. A few weeks work wasted!
So I decided to make the same map but in 4 different parts this time.

This time when we put them into the kiln it all worked out well!

Using ceramic writing ink I wrote old memories, phone conversations, lists, postcards I would have sent home.

In another attempt to get ink onto the clay after the first biscuit firing I rubbed black water ceramic paint into the clay & then scrubbed the paint off with a scrub. The remaining paint lodged in the cracks and lettering giving the newspaper print effect I was looking for. Next step is to put a translucent cobalt blue glaze on the maps and fire them again.

With all the tracing paper maps left over, traces of memories, traces of places I made some 3d structures.

Next I started with a print project based again on maps of where I'm from. I made a series of dry point etching prints using cobalt blues and golds. I layered older maps onto newer maps to convey the passing of time.

These photographs show the process entailed in making these prints.

These 2 prints are my favourite as they really evoke the old blue willow pattern that goes with these memories of the land and the old bits of crockery embedded as memories in the land.