Rock Art Diagram by Finola Finlay and Robert Harris

Finola Finlay is a dear friend and recognized authority on Rock Art in Ireland. Work she conducted for her Master's Degree in the '70's continues today. Along with her late husband, Robert Harris, she discovers and documents new rock carvings as late as 2024. I have always been fascinated by the unsolved mysteries inherent in her subject. Following her research over the decades and with an affinity for history, I began to feel inspired to attempt to create an artistic response to these Neolithic carvings made between 5,000 and 2,500 BC. Using the three major elements of design from the rock carvings, cups, rings and lines, incorporating techniques and processes I've learned along my personal art journey and imaging what the lives of our ancient ancestors may have been like, I challenged myself to to create an original, contemporary body of work connecting the ancient past to the present through an imaginary portal of time. My free verse, displayed with the artwork, ponders the mysteries regarding these ancient carvings and stives to put my artwork into a historical context for viewer's reading and reflection.

This work is also a homage to one of the most intelligent, lively, inspiring and talented individuals I've ever had the honour to call friend. Finola's work in the field of archaeology, education, Irish history (stained glass, castles, early maps, wild flowers, literature) is immense and has had an incredible and positive impact on untold numbers of lives on two continents. Her devoted followers and circles of friends are legion. I thank her for her inspiration and friendship!