In 2004 the artist Stephen Clarke visited the Burren on the west coast of Ireland on a field trip to the Burren College of Art. The trip, organised by Professor David Ferry, was a part of his Masters degree course in Fine Art Printmaking at Winchester School of Art. The Burren is known for its unusual mix of arctic, Mediterranean and alpine plants, as well as rare insects and animals. One evening, as the light was dimming, Clarke came across a caravan park. The unpopulated site seemed out of place in this area noted for natural beauty. The modern caravans became imbued with the same sense of mystery that characterise the ancient stones of surrounding prehistoric sites.
Ten of these photographs have been printed into a concertina artist book titled a strange field. Taking its name from a site marked on the map made by the cartographer and writer Tim Robinson of the area in 1977, this book is a collaboration between Stephen Clarke and the artist bookmaker Elizabeth Kealy-Morris. An edition of ten, a strange field is the inaugural publication of the University of Chester’s Sequential Press. The book is printed on Seawhite 140gsm cartridge stock and covered with Ratchford Ltd. Windsor ‘Corfe’ bookcloth. The bellyband is printed on Rossler Paperado, ‘Taupe’, 160gsm. All type is Avenir Book, ranging from 8pt to 12pt. -------------------- Stephen Clarke is an independent artist, writer and lecturer based in the North West of England. His writing and practice encompass collage and photography. He has published several photobooks with the independent publisher Café Royal Books: http://www.caferoyalbooks.com/