Ballyhooly Document Study

A longtime friend of Helena Hernmarck’s commissioned Ballyhooly Document when he inherited a property in Ballyhooly, County Cork, in southern Ireland. After reviewing documents related to the estate, Hernmarck selected one from the 1800s. It is a family account of the property’s history stretching back centuries. Hernmarck selected it primarily for its wrinkled texture and fine handwriting. Hernmarck’s deft sense of color allows her to transform an aged document into a photorealistic wool textile. Within this study for the full-scale work, flecks of blue, lavender, and yellow make surprise appearances in a sea of beige.