Blog
Lovely Ling
The heather on the North York Moors just now is breathtaking – I love the deep honey-sweet, woody smell. There are hints of peat too and occasionally the wind blows over the aromatic scent of Bog-myrtle. The senses are filled up, long stretching views of purple hue, a distinctive atmospheric light, […]
From the Rookery
This bird sculpture is carved in Springstone (a hard Serpentine stone mined in Northern Zimbabwe) and I’ve called it Fumblefot. The piece of stone is actually an off-cut from a sculpture I previously carved (Fugol), and in a similar way I’ve retained the golden colouring at the outer edge, inside the stone turns to […]
My Highlights from Rosedale Show
A quick scurry round the show first thing before the gate opened and once I’d set up ready for stone carvers – tractor treats, an adorable blue-eyed alpaca, the produce tent – superb vegetables, bovine beauty and a magnificent horse! Stone Carvers Vintage Tractors In the Produce Tent Livestock […]
Rosedale Show
Tomorrow is Rosedale Show – this annual event is run by the Rosedale & District Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society. The show is held in the most beautiful setting in Rosedale Abbey in the Milburn Arms field and has all the wonders and treats of a traditional village agricultural show. My little marquee will […]
Dog Sculpture
Or should I say three dogs sculpture. Westies carved in Portland Limestone – I met the three West Highland White Terriers who were the subjects for this carving. They visited me here a few times, so I got to know them a little. Immediately their huge personalities were evident, alert, happy, exploring. […]
The Colour of Stone and Carving the Moon
The stone carved during the lettering workshop at The Dry Stone Wall Maze is random walling stone. In a way ‘unknown stone’ – some has been used in buildings previously, some pieces were part of fallen field boundary walls, some reclaimed and some new quarried. All with a history. Most of the pieces we’re […]
Simple shapes for Semps
I’ve been making stone plant pots for an order this week, and while I was at it thought I would try a new shape in the beautiful pale yellow Tadcaster Limestone, a test pot for my own Sempervivums, which have been flowering and multiplying like mad. Usually I make the little succulent pots in […]
In the Workshop today – making a film!
It has been very exciting here, having One&Other Creative at the workshop filming. They’re making a series of films of artists who are exhibiting at The Art Market YORK at the beginning of October. The short videos will show artists’ workplaces, how their work is made and give a little insight and background – […]
Stone Carving at the Dales Countryside Museum
On Sunday I spent a very enjoyable day running a stone carving drop-in workshop for visitors to the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes. Lots of families came, with everyone making a carving to take home. The little outdoor theatre at the museum makes a lovely venue for stone carving – it is a sort […]
Face Feathers
The Barn Owl that visits my workshop sits on one of the beams, and seems to spend lots of time preening. In the morning I find the feathers on the workshop floor. Recently the feathers have been from the Barn Owl’s face – small, almost bristly feathers, stiff and strongly curved. Some have the […]