Blog
Shrew Sculpture – Egyptian style
A fascinating ancient Egyptian bronze shrew sarcophagus, dating to the Late Period, 664 – 332 BC. I found this image at ArtAncient whilst searching for information about shrews – to get to know more about these little mammals that I’m rather fond of, as you know from this recent shrew, and this one. The […]
Ovoid
An egg shape might be described as oval (the word oval comes from the Latin word for egg and means ‘having the shape of an egg’). It looks like an ellipse which has been slightly squished at one end. Or perhaps spheroid (means a bit like a sphere, but not exactly!) The three-dimensional […]
She who hesitates ……
I’ve just started a little sketch in slate. Having not worked slate before I made a very tentative start. The efficient and helpful Burlington Stone supplied samples of their greenish Broughton Moor stone and the grey Brathay (which is the one I’ve carved here). I have never thought of myself as a nervous carver, […]
A walk with three toes
Instead of taking my usual route I followed tracks in the snow. Overnight there had been a deep frost so I crunched as I walked. A clear, winding set of footprints marked the way. These were pheasant imprints and I took its walk. It became difficult at times, on hands and knees, in and […]
A hand turned Ironstone Bowl
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be, or once was smelted commercially. Hand turning this bowl was my introduction to, and the first time I’ve worked this very distinctive stone. It is medium to course grained with its colour varying from […]
Winter Preenings
I’ve collected these feathers over the last few months. The soft, feathery gifts lie beneath the Barn Owl’s nightly perch, and show me she stayed there a while to preen. Sometimes there is just the tiniest wisp of grey fluff in evidence, and at others, treasures like these. They are so soft and light […]
The Stonebreaker
The Stonebreaker – by John Brett 1857-58 – oil on canvas I love this painting – almost a depiction of me, in the landscape, hammer in hand. I can smell the flint as it is broken and feel the effort. The Stonebreaker is perhaps one of the most celebrated paintings of the period and […]
Phew! Easy does it drilling
Drilling stone can be hard work. At the very least carbide tipped ‘masonry’ drills are needed. I’ve always found it difficult to keep the drill steady and straight, but I’m getting better with practice. Often the base of a sculpture needs drilling, so that it can be secured in place on site and […]
Bold Forms and Fine Foliage
Today I bought a little fern in a pot. A love for them must run in the family – this is a view of my great-grandfather’s greenhouse. He took the picture too – photography was another of his passions. Ferns found in stone are a glory too, the fossils showing such crisp detail […]
Love is in the (sea) air
When I returned from the beach my mind was full of pebbles, rockpools, fossils and shells. I was especially taken with the limpets, which dotted the rocks, some in clusters, others on their own, some tiny and some ancient, battered, worn and encrusted with barnacles. Limpets return to the same spot on their chosen […]