Description
Original artwork prints, mounted and individually signed by Kate.
The images were inspired by The Still Beyond Album and are also designed into the booklet which accompanies the CD.
Kate created each art piece by hand-cutting stencils from her drawings and applying the images, in silhouetted form, onto cold-pressed paper with black acrylic paint.
The Images:
Ardea cinerea I & II (The Grey Heron) – This great bird, known for its stillness and patience, is a symbol of grace, solitude and determination. With one foot in the water and one on land, it has long been recognized by ancient cultures as a sign of liminality – the crossing over of space that is neither here nor there – The Still Beyond.
Asplenium marinum (Sea spleenwort) – A fern found growing in coastal regions, near the sea. There are many references to the sea and water in the album.
Cervus elaphus (The Red Deer) – Ireland’s largest native land mammal. Strong and majestic, yet gentle and protective. The stag represents independence, purification and pride. The Beholder.
Cygnus olor (The Mute Swan) – Swans are known generally for their strong pairing bonds and for that reason symbolise dedication, love and fidelity. This image of the lone swan, flying above the water, was inspired by the song Undone (A song for Anna Parnell, 1852-1911). Anna, who was the sister of the Irish political leader Charles Stewart Parnell, founded the Ladies Land League and was wholly dedicated to bringing about change, at a time when women did not have a voice in society (mute). So passionate and outspoken about her cause, Anna was ultimately devastated by the betrayal of her brother. An eternally broken family bond which drove her to a life of solitude until her death in Cornwall, where she drowned in the sea while swimming.
Felis silvestris catus (The Domestic Cat) – Feline love in all its form
Inistrahull Island – An island off the coast of Malin Head, Donegal. This image is connected to the song Left In Disbelief (Lament for John). John Donovan was a singer and musician who was born on the island (1914), before it was finally evacuated in the 1920’s. He was a great influence on music in the local Malin area and died tragically, by drowning in 1949. The once inhabited island and its lighthouse can be seen clearly from the mainland.
Vanessa cardui I & II (The Painted Lady Butterfly) – Painted Lady is the opening track on the album and is a song inspired by the magnificent migration (from Northern Africa to Mainland Europe, Ireland and England) of these beautiful and fragile creatures.
