by Cally Conway.
Original one colour linocut print on heavyweight Fabriano Rosaspina paper.
Inspired by reliquaries (containers for holy relics) and sacred trees, this print celebrates the revered English Yew tree. Yew trees are auspicious in folklore, guarding the underworld and being associated with rebirth, death, and everlasting life. A Yew tree can live for a minimum of 2000 years, and many were planted in Churchland in the UK. Some believe that they were planted in circles to protect ancient areas of power in local communities. Wild flowers found in woodland frame the hand, the knuckles as eyes are a nod to the watchful protective nature of the yew, and the windows offer a little glimpse into the heavens, or the underworld.
Image size: 10.5 x 18 cm.
Paper size: 18 x 25 cm.
Open edition, signed.
Please note that the gold is non metallic, and quite hard to photograph! It is a warm gold with a green/yellow hue.
A lover of the natural world, Cally's prints are inspired by nature and folklore. She is based in London, but is constantly drawn to the beauty of nature and its place within the world. She began producing etchings and collagraphs at art college, and came to linocut printmaking much later. She really fell in love with the process of linocut; something about the carved line as a way to translate her sketches, and to explore pattern and texture.
This work was shown at Atelier Beside the Sea as part of the Feast exhibition.