Clay, Charcoal such a lovely combination...

A brief revisit to some materials I have previously worked with Clay & Charcoal. There is a large clay belt that runs through an expanse of Harrogate, the clay used here is excavated from the land in my back garden. It has been refined down removing all stones and debris to form a smoother paste like mixture. Charcoal is raw pieces of wood taken from on outdoor fire crushed into a powder.
It is the tactility of the pressing process the hands on delicate motion the rubbing of the paper and the way different motions create different marks that form the patterns seen above. The addition of charcoal dust into the mix makes for much contrast. With each piece of work the revealing of the unknown textured organic patterns the viewer is enticed into observing closer and 'finding' something else within it. The Rorschach test comes to mind:
The inkblot test (also called the "Rorschach" test) is a method of psychological evaluation. Psychologists use this test in an attempt to examine the personality characteristics and emotional functioning of their patients. This test is often employed in diagnosing underlying thought disorders and differentiating psychotic from non-psychotic thinking in cases where the patient is reluctant to openly admit to psychotic thinking.  (http://www.theinkblot.com/