Blog
In the Spring sunshine
The warm spring sunshine inspires gardening doesn’t it? I’ve been out with fork and trowel, proddling the soil and planting up little stone pots (partly in readiness for Scampston Spring Plant Fair) to give fresh, pretty colours to celebrate the change of seasons. I like the textures the optimistic new growth bring to the senses. This […]
A mate for Bamboo Bird
This is Bamboo Bird II – although perhaps the sculpture ought to be called sunshine bird. It has been glorious here and I’ve been working outside all week, today putting finishing touches and carving details into tail and beak. The sculpture is a partner for Bamboo Bird as promised – they’ve just met, and I’m […]
Bamboo Bird
During my struggle with Partridge I took time away from my carving to learn a bit more about the bird, its feeding, habitat, biology and history, thinking that this might help with the likeness. I came across the Kojukei (a name given from the sound the bird makes) – Bambusicola thoracica, Chinese Bamboo Partridge […]
Happy Easter
Wishing you a very H A P P Y E A S T E R
A bit Eastery
My Easter bird – Stone Curlew with eggs. I find these birds really striking, almost primitive looking, with those piercing large eyes and large head. They are called stone curlews because they are found and nest in stony habitats and resemble curlews. They’re also called thick-knee. Those big, round, yellow eyes help the bird in its crepuscular or nocturnal […]
The Year in Books – April 2015
The monthly account of the wildlife, farming and nature described in Meadowland, was my enjoyable March read. At times the beautifully vivid and intense writing that created my understanding of the Meadows was interrupted by analogies that broke the spell, and rudely awakened me from my immersion and delight in the book. Wrens as […]
Hedgeside
My hedgerow is just beginning to come to life with little buds and fresh green shoots starting to show. I call it my hedge as it is the hedge which holds the gap where my gate hangs, marking the entrance to my workshop. Those who have been to my Open Studio will recognise it, but […]
Losing sense of time
The feeling of time is a very subjective thing – time of course is a construction and it seems natural that we would all perceive it differently. At times even not to be aware of it. It happens regularly to me, in fact possibly every time I come into the workshop – I […]
Sizing up stone
I love visiting the quarry and hunting round for blocks of stone which are suitable for my sculpture. The stone block has to be the right quality, and have the right appeal, but also be the right size of course – well, roughly the right size. It is very rare that a block of raw […]
A moorland sort of bird
To be more precise, a Partridge. I’ve agonised rather about actually giving this sculpture, carved in Yorkstone, the name Partridge – because it didn’t quite develop a partridgy enough look. Other birds kept creeping in during the carving, which I seemed unable to chase away. Sometimes carvings don’t always go as planned, sometimes the stone has a […]