Latest News
Fauna – Art of the Wild
The exhibition Fauna: Art of the Wild is now open at the Gallery by the Lakes and Cop Crag Bird here joined my Hedgehog, Crake and Cherty Bird for this exceptional collection of wildlife inspired art. I’ve picked a couple of favourite pieces from the exhibition – do have a look at Bog Myrtle […]
Does stone type affect what I carve?
Earlier this week I went to Dunhouse Quarry to select stone for a project I’m working on. This is a new quarry for me, so the trip was filled with excitement. I know the look of their sandstones but haven’t carved them before. Bringing different, and new-to-me-stone back to the workshop […]
The Beautiful & Useful Fair
This weekend I’m showing a selection of beautiful (I think!) and useful stone vases and a small range from my garden ornament collection – a birdbath, sundials, pots, and planters. The Beautiful & Useful Fair is being held at Sussex Prairies in Henfield and is open on Saturday and Sunday. I can’t wait to […]
Meadow Pipit
The Meadow Pipit is a common nesting bird on the North York Moors, and its high piping calls a familiar sound. They feed on the ground, mostly eating flies, beetles, moths, and spiders, and in autumn and winter the seeds of grasses, sedges, rushes, and heather. They also build their nests on the […]
Rooster
Kirkham Priory On the way back from delivering a sculpture recently I stopped at Kirkham Priory. I’ve driven past before and noted it as a place I’d love to go back to and explore. The entrance is through an impressive stone gateway, with a Gatehouse, all richly decorated with fine figure sculpture and […]
Wren Fledglings
Such commotion and excitement surrounded the emergence of the Wren chicks from their nest in the stone store at my workshop. As they disperse, the parents become more and more vocal in encouraging them to a safe place and shouting warnings, and the chicks louder and louder in demanding food. They’re so vulnerable at […]
Froghoppers and Spittlebugs
I saw this insect crawling up a grass stem and just to be sure looked it up to see what it was. I’ve seen lots of them lately – Froghoppers. This one has a body that is shiny black, with bright red markings. The colours serve as a warning to predators of their unpleasant […]
Meadowing exhibition
Today in the studio I’m putting finishing touches to these moths and butterflies, ready for my Meadowing exhibition at Mortall Gallery in Barnard Castle. The small collection of stone sculptures for the exhibition are pieces inspired by the meadow and grassland surrounding my workshop. This year the meadow has been exceptional, the grasses have […]
The Yawning Kestrel
This year Kestrels have again nested at my workshop – using the Barn Owl nest box. About a month ago I had thought I heard the smallest chick sounds, and since they have got louder, and the stomping in the box more frequent. In fact, these chicks have been the noisiest I have known […]
A Moment to Sit
Recently I received a call from a customer asking if I could make a stone bench to match the ones they already had. It turns out that I made this circular table and curved benches for them some twenty years ago and over that time they’ve been greatly enjoyed for gatherings, outdoor meals, sitting […]