Blog
In the Workshop today – carving triangles
These little simple shapes – I’m just carving triangles – when repeated, grouped, and wandering, magically make patterns. I adore the way they catch the light and the stone surface comes alive. The triangles span out, as they spread they look like stars. But, actually the idea is that they will indicate scales. I’m […]
They’re called Shining Stones
British marble is rare – the only true marbles are quarried in north-west Scotland. The scarcity of indigenous marble meant that European marbles were imported for quality decorative work. This was an expensive exercise so alternative sources of special stones were sought, and local hard sedimentary limestones were exploited. These native British ‘marbles’ were […]
A little film of me at the workshop
Land of Iron – Filming for North York Moors Earlier in the year I was contacted by Fuzzy Duck Creative, a creative studio in Manchester. They were working with the North York Moors on a new visitor video to be shown at the Moors National Park Centre. The idea was to share with visitors […]
The Way Birds Drink
Today I’ve been finishing a couple of carved birds to sit on the edge of a birdbath. I’m not sure why, and it has only just occurred to me, but I’ve made them as if they are drinking, rather than bathing (I must do a pair as if in mid flapping and sploshing next […]
Morning cheer
At this time – September – the end of summer, but not quite autumn time – the early morning air freshens the cheeks and dew and drizzle damp, drip. The short walk to my workshop is stop and start – a look closer at little spectacles, spiders’ webs glistening with droplets, the newest fresh […]
An Owl called Jack
Recently I delivered a commissioned owl sculpture to its new home, the most beautifully tended, flower filled garden. From the moment I arrived butterflies and bees flitted between the beds planted in creatively soft colour swathes and a wondrous mix of textures. Stone paths led me round in curves, to view points, stone paved […]
Joy to the heart
Last night I caught an interview on the television with Isabella Tree of Knepp Wildland, about the re-wilding of the once intensively farmed estate in West Sussex. Of course my ears pricked up at the mention of Turtle Doves, as they have been my preoccupation of late (for this exhibition). Throughout the interview birdsong […]
In the Workshop today – Turtle Doves
Said to represent innocence, purity and enduring love, Turtle Dove lore in deeply notched into our minds – seen in art, poetry, Shakespeare, Egyptian carvings, they were even said to draw the heavenly chariot of Aphrodite herself! The name seems strange doesn’t it, but they’re not in any way related to turtles, these doves […]
Owl Awareness Day
International Owl Awareness Day was actually on Sunday (4th August, 2019) – but I’m celebrating today as this morning there were traces (lime splatter) that an owl had been present in the shed overnight. The find fires my imagination. This year the Kestrels nested in the box, and I haven’t seen much evidence of […]
Just before Dusk
That is when I saw it, though they fly well into the night too. It looked silvery in the moorland evening light, and then seemed to disappear when it landed, and though I carefully marked the spot where it settled, when I got to it there was no sign. The Green Carpet is so […]