This one is a bit hybrid. Drawing / Rambling / Source

Stanton Moor is a place that keeps calling me back. I have hundreds of photos and bits of video from the place from over the last 15 or so years.. It occurred to me recently that I’ve never tried drawing the stones. As I have been in a bit of a creative low grade infection cycle, it seemed reasonable to set up a few rules and do something without any over emphasis on the state of the outcome. Which brings us here.

Use the gallery below to view each individual drawings.

Each drawing is A4 on a 320gsm handmade, recycled paper from Khadi Papers. I first came across these papers at WSA via John Purcell (who used to bring in beautiful printmaking papers) and later R. K. Burt. Tools used are compressed charcoal, graphite, Pentel Permanent Marker & Sharpie with a little added white pastel and lacquer spray. I had in mind to bring these home and continue to work on them. I’ve spent several hours looking at them and I really can’t decode what would come next. Everything that crosses my mind seem to be decorative and not active.

Whilst they are generally called the ‘Nine Ladies’ there are 11 stones (4A – one I didn’t record as it’s unknown if it’s from the original set) and the King Stone. As with many of these things the names and myths are later additions. The main point is these are around 4000 years in situ, and sit within a wide local landscape of scheduled monuments including Arbor Low & Gib Hill, and the lovely little Dol Tor circle if you can find it, all of which have found their way into previous sound & visual work. For more detail about the site, have a look at this website HERE.

The above from the 10th stone or King Stone. The only one with heavily carved additions.

I don’t recall where it emerged from as an idea but, I recently came across the idea that painting isn’t really representation, it’s more about witnessing and responding. I have no interest in representation (or mastering the skills required) so responding works for me. That was essentially this process. I visited the site, surveyed the landscape (including other meat sacks in outdoor wear) and finding a way to capture an impression. I worked out the numbering based on the plan below, took a photograph of each stone then stood above the piece and produced the initial sketch. Each took around 10-15 minutes to get to a contained impression. Once I had completed the intended ten sketches, I took them to the edge of the site, sat under a tree, and worked over them with white soft pastel and one of those Faber 5mm Graphite pens (a beautiful and simple machine).

Here are a some photos of the stones.

Below are some links to related residual & previous outcomes.

Stanton Moor – GoB & CS

The Lost Children of Dol Torr