This close up image features crosses inscribed by pilgrims over the course of hundreds of years in the ruins of St Declan's oratory at Ardmore, Co Waterford, near the cliffs. Near this oratory is St. Declan's Holy Well. I was led to this site by a local gentleman who gave up seven hours of his day to drive me to holy wells for my research in Waterford that day.
At this site, the holy well itself is ancient. There are two stone crosses mounted above openings where pilgrims access water from the spring. As I photographed the site, I was once again astonished by beauty that I had not expected. When I approached the walls of the ruins of St. Declan’s oratory, I saw the multitude of crosses inscribed on many, many rocks. These chalk white crosses were inscribed by past pilgrims with small rocks as part of praying at this site. In some cases, the crosses carved in the stone by repetitive tracing were nearly an inch deep.
In the piece above, the raw beauty of God’s creation is juxtaposed with the lived and embodied faith of the pilgrims who have inscribed the sign of our hope and salvation, the Cross of Jesus Christ. These inscribed crosses demonstrate hope and longing for God, visually and materially expressed. This small work seeks to communicate longing for God expressed in this physical interaction with the landscape.
This close up image features crosses inscribed by pilgrims over the course of hundreds of years in the ruins of St Declan's oratory at Ardmore, Co Waterford, near the cliffs. Near this oratory is St. Declan's Holy Well. I was led to this site by a local gentleman who gave up seven hours of his day to drive me to holy wells for my research in Waterford that day.
At this site, the holy well itself is ancient. There are two stone crosses mounted above openings where pilgrims access water from the spring. As I photographed the site, I was once again astonished by beauty that I had not expected. When I approached the walls of the ruins of St. Declan’s oratory, I saw the multitude of crosses inscribed on many, many rocks. These chalk white crosses were inscribed by past pilgrims with small rocks as part of praying at this site. In some cases, the crosses carved in the stone by repetitive tracing were nearly an inch deep.
In the piece above, the raw beauty of God’s creation is juxtaposed with the lived and embodied faith of the pilgrims who have inscribed the sign of our hope and salvation, the Cross of Jesus Christ. These inscribed crosses demonstrate hope and longing for God, visually and materially expressed. This small work seeks to communicate longing for God expressed in this physical interaction with the landscape.