Kevin Dillon, Celtic Artist

For centuries, prior to the invention of the printing press, monastic artists had been hand lettering, illuminating and painting books and scrolls on parchment. The most significant illuminated manuscript in the world, The Book of Kells was produced by Irish monks. In the tradition of the Book of Kells, Celtic artist Kevin Dillon has rediscovered the same mediaeval techniques used by these monks. Using a mortar & pestle, Kevin crushes semi-precious stones - lapis lazuli, cinnabar, azurite, orpiment and malachite to make his own paints. Using a dip pen or goose quill the letters are meticulously applied by hand to the calf skin vellum. One at a time the colors are applied - first blue, followed by the reds, then each remaining color in turn. The final illumination is achieved using 24K gold leaf. The artist’s seal, a stylized design of his initials, is imprinted into molten, charred wax at the bottom of each piece making every print a unique piece of artwork to treasure for years to come.