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.

Scorehill (pronounced Scorill) Stone Circle is now the commonly known name for Gidleigh Stone Circle or Steep Hill Stone Circle, one of Devon's biggest and most intact stone circles, situated on Gidleigh Common near the village of Gidleigh in the north east of Dartmoor, in the United Kingdom. It is an English Heritage scheduled monument and has been described as Devon's finest stone circle

The circle was constructed in the Bronze Age. It is approximately 27 metres (89 feet) in diameter, and the stones vary in height from 0.85 metres (2 feet 9 inches) to an impressive 2.25 metres (7 feet 5 inches) above ground. There are currently 23 standing stones and 11 recumbent. Characteristic of others in the circle, the largest stone has a distinctive jagged point. It has been noted that, when viewed from the centre of the circle, the sun sets over the stone's tip on Midsummer's Eve, indicating perhaps some purpose in archaeoastronomy.

Several stones show scars and marks of vandalism by stone cutters including rows of holes on many, arranged in lines so the stones could be split with a wedge. Estimates for the original number of stones have varied between 51 and approximately 70 making it among Devon's widest stone circles with the tallest remaining monolith. Although badly damaged, Scorehill has not been subject to any form of restoration giving it a distinctly ancient atmosphere.

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:

Watercolours, oil paint

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