Original artwork description:

Before I became an artist I was an archaeologist and I still have a deep and abiding love for the monuments and structures of Neolithic Europe, especially those found in the UK, so I've embarked on a series of monoprints depicting these enigmatic landscape features.

These impressive tall stones are the only ones still standing of one of the several stone circles and chambered cairns of the Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial site of Machrie Moor (Isle of Arran). The circle, about 13.7m in diameter, was once formed by seven or eight sandstone slabs. Only three of them, from 3.7m to 5.5m in height, are now still standing. Stumps of other stones are still visible.

There are also two granite millstones, maybe carved from a fallen upright. During excavation in 1861 two cists were found within the circle, one contained a cremation, a food vessel and four flint flakes from Ireland, the other an inhumation burial.
Machrie Moor Stone Circle 2 is located at the end of a 2.5km track that is off the A841 (some 200 metres south of the bridge where the main road crosses the Machrie Water) and 5km north of Blackwaterfoot in the western part of the Isle of Arran in North Ayrshire, Scotland.

This artwork has been created using a monoprint process created by German artist Paul Klee where oil paint (black, in this case) is painted onto one side of a piece of paper which is then carefully placed, paint-side down, onto a piece of watercolour paper and the image required is drawn onto the unpainted side, thereby transferring black lines onto the watercolour paper. The first sheet is removed and the image can then be painted over using watercolours, with the black oil-painted lines acting as a resist. Due to the nature of the process, small black marks and smudges are frequently accidentally transferred but this, together with the watercolour painting, only highlights the individual nature of each ‘print’. While it is quite possible to produce the image again, each one will be different as no two paintings will ever be identical.

This image is transferred/outlined with Winsor & Newton oil paint and then painted with Winsor & Newton Professional watercolours onto 300gsm/140lb Hot Pressed Daler-Rowney Aquafine Smooth watercolour paper.

DELIVERY INFORMATION
In order to avoid trips to the Post Office, I shall be arranging for delivery to be via courier (not Hermes!) and shipping charges will reflect this. As prices will vary depending on the purchaser's location, if the actual shipping price is less than that charged, I will refund the difference. I am happy to arrange collection.

IMPORTANT - Rather sadly I've decided that, following Brexit, I can no longer sell my artwork to purchasers in the EU. The customs/VAT regulations are an absolute nightmare and I don't want to risk purchasers having to fork out a lot of unforeseen extra money when taking delivery, and even if I agree to pay Customs and VAT upfront before sending out, the red tape involved just looks horrendous.

I will still be selling to customers outside the EU as there's been no changes there so everything remains the same. My apologies, all I can say is that I voted to remain.

For international buyers please note that import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the price of this artwork or shipping costs. These charges are the buyer's responsibility.

Materials used:

oil paint, watercolours

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