Blog
Art& show – York 2017
In October last year I showed my sculpture at The Art Market in York, which was a very busy and successful event, so I was hoping I would be selected again this year. Since that time the artists who organise the exhibition have been really busy, they’ve grown, with exciting changes and new […]
Tranquility Garden update
A little while ago I promised to share images of the Swan sculpture and Birdbath once they had been installed at the Tranquility Garden, Evesham Road Cemetary, Stratford upon Avon – so here they are. Yesterday I spent carving the feather motif on the plinths to complete the work for Hilary and her team […]
Hand Carved Stone House Name Plaque
Hand carved and lettered house name plaque in sandstone. I’ve been busy carving breezes in trees, tiny leaves and a lightly flittering bird.
Eye-catching spring sunshine
The view from my workshop. Sometimes you have to just down-tools, pause and let in the beauty of your surroundings. From inside the workshed I was aware of it, a light change of sudden dramatic intensity, it flowed in and over everything, a dazzling spectacle cast in green and gold. I felt the weight […]
A Plantability of Pots
I’ve been talking a lot about pots lately I know, but at this time of year they’re regularly on my making list. Just knowing that they’ll be topped up with soil, carefully planted and contain a captivating growing display, means they are a joy to make. These ones are solid and rustic, the stone […]
Date Stone
Date stones appear on all types of buildings, on farms, humble dwellings, and major country houses. They can also be found on industrial, civic and ecclesiastical buildings, varying from a simple inscription carved into the lintel above a door, to elaborate plaques built into the wall or gable. Often, on domestic and agricultural buildings […]
Things I like about the Art Gallery at Ryedale Folk Museum
About a month from now the Art Gallery at Ryedale Folk Museum will be opening our exhibition RyeScape. The pieces I’ll be showing have already been selected by the gallery, so I’m not in a making frenzy in the build-up, but I still feel excited about it. Partly that comes from looking forward to […]
My first goose egg
My first goose egg of 2017 in a little basket made of grasses and stems. It was imminent – typically geese start to lay at this time of year – and I had noticed mine resting a lot, and making the tell-tale scraped nest shapes. Each year the first egg brings such wholesome […]
Small round stone succulent planter
I’m working on perfecting the curves and bowl shape of these little stone pots for succulents, and getting the rim just right. It is a slow and delicate task, but when each has its own little plant, the trials of working the stone are forgotten. Part of the appeal of succulents is their variety […]
Letter carved stone sundial
Usually I use brass dials for the sundials I make, insetting them into the stone top, but recently I’ve been working on a rather special Wall Dial which has had all the detail carved into the stone. It was designed by Stephen Holehan and calculated for the exact location for the client, taking into […]