Blog
None-so-pretty
I absolutely love Saxifraga at this time of year (actually at any time of year!) – this one is urbium or commonly known as London Pride or None-so-pretty. It has to be adored for its mat-forming habit, with those full rosettes of simple lobed leaves and starry flowers on long leafless stems. Just now […]
Trefurl sculpture
I’ve called this piece Trefurl – actually it is a made up word which sprang to mind as a small deviation from ‘trefoil’. The Trefoil is a small European plant of the pea family with yellow flowers and three lobed, clover-like leaves. The word Trefoil has also come to mean an ornamental feathering […]
Owlet Sculpture
The Barn Owlets I watched last year left a huge impression, and continue to influence my sculpture. When finding somewhere to roost Barn Owls favour dilapidated, or near derelict buildings. Perhaps this is because they are usually uninhabited and undisturbed. They have favourite places to perch too, returning to the same spot on the […]
Spring 2019 Stone Carving Course
At the weekend I ran my Spring Stone Carving Course – held here at Lastingham Village Hall and this year the pear blossom was exceptional. We started on Saturday in the rain, but I don’t think anyone really noticed, all far too busy with their carvings. What a variety of carvings too – I […]
Sherborne Gallery
I’m currently just putting finishing touches to pieces for an exhibition at the Elementum Gallery in Sherborne, Dorset. A little while ago I wrote about stone and carving – In Conversation with Stone for Elementum – a journal of nature and story. Recently, due to its growing success, the journal moved to new premises, […]
Thoughts about Women’s Day
I know that the day – International Women’s Day – is really about a focal point in the movement for women’s rights, but when I think about what it might mean to me, my mind turns to women who inspire, and therefore enable – one of the most motivating, for me, is my mother […]
Inspired by Birds
All my bird sculpture is now delivered to the exhibition at the Craft Centre and Design Gallery in Leeds. We all got a bit dizzy on route, as I got caught up on the ‘loop traffic’ system in the city centre, and seemed to go round and round rather than getting anywhere. We got […]
Meeting Members of Pickering Art Club
Last year an invitation came from The Vale of Pickering Art Club to give a talk at their Annual General Meeting in February, (last week) and I really enjoyed putting together a little presentation about my stone carving process for them. I got such a warm welcome and interest from the group, lots of […]
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2019
In previous years I’ve sketched the birds I’ve seen during the Big Garden Birdwatch survey. This time I thought I’d try and model them in clay instead, sculpt them directly during the hour watch. It is a wonderful challenge, requiring me to work very quickly, where normally I would be slow and meticulous to […]
Turtle Dove Conservation – Exhibition
Last year I went to a talk about the Turtle Dove Project in North Yorkshire and was really inspired by the work that was being done. At the time I really wanted to do something to help too, and began to make my surrounds a little more Turtle Dove friendly. I have wondered if […]