Drypoint
Using the sharp points of our compasses, we etched designs onto old CDs. We then inked them up and used a rolling press to transfer the image onto paper.
This is an ancient method of printing. "Aurora Australis" was a book edited by Shackleton. It was the first book ever written, printed, illustrated and bound in the Antarctic. It was illustrated with etchings.
It was created during Shackleton's Nimrod expedition.
We started by drawing a circle around the outside and inside of our CD with pencil in our journals. That way we could design a draft on paper first. We then drew it on the CD with pencil before etching the design.
When we were designing our print, we had to use mirrors to make sure we were writing backwards correctly - we didn't always get it right though...
You can scroll through our postcards here.
We used two quotes that we felt were important to the art project.
We really liked the poem 'If' by Rudyard Kipling, who was Shackleton's favourite poet.
The other line of poetry was written by Shackleton in his diary just before he died.
Most people are aware that Ernest Shackleton came from Kilkea. There is a museum dedicated to his life and explorations in Athy.
As well as this, in 2015 his cousin Jonathan sent us a card from South Georgia where Ernest is buried.
The connection with Shackleton is very important to Kilkea, especially as 2022 is the 100th anniversary of his death.
We are very proud of this 'son of Kilkea' and all that he achieved in his lifetime. His legacy continues to this day.
We decided to send our postcards to the 'penguin post office', with questions on them. We were very curious about life in Antarctica, and were delighted that the postmaster took the time to answer some of our questions...
We learned about the expeditions that Shackleton led to the Antarctic, Nimrod & Endurance. We knew a little bit about them already, because we visited the Shackleton Museum in Athy when it was newly opened. We learned in more detail about the book "Aurora Australis" which was 'printed at the sign of the penguin'. Our learning was supported by The National Library of New Zealand - Alexander Turnbull Library & the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. Marston also hand-etched this illustration for the menu for the explorers' mid-winter feast in Jun 1908.
On the same day that Shackleton's ship 'Endurance' was found on the seabed, about 4 miles from where it had sunk in 1915, our postcards arrived back to Kilkea from Port Lockroy!
They had been stamped & franked by Postmaster Kit, who had even taken the time to write us some answers to the questions we had asked.
You can read some of the questions and replies here:
Carpenter Harry McNish adapted the lifeboats to living quarters on Elephant Island. His diary is in the museum in Athy.
(Image: New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust & Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand)
This tube of ink was left behind in Shackleton's hut in Antarctica, along with reams of paper, which were intended to print the book "Aurora Australis".
(Images: New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust & Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand)
