Sculpture
Lapwing Sculpture
I didn’t expect that this piece of Cobalt stone would become a Lapwing – I thought the colouring and patterning might suit something more abstract. When thinking about sculpting a Lapwing I had imagined it in sandstone – then all of a sudden I saw this chunk of serpentine, not as a lump of […]
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 […]
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. […]
Stone Owl Sculpture
Owl sitting in the sunshine ready to be packed up for the trip to Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens tomorrow to set up the Sculpture in the Garden exhibition which runs throughout August.
Tall and elegant stone Birdbath
At this time of year I’m always busy making birdbaths, which I love, as I know the joy of watching birds flit to the bowl rim, sip water, or take the plunge for a full, splashy bath. What a joy it is to watch. All my birdbaths are individually made by hand in a […]
Lick into shape
The illustration on the front of this little book drew me to it, and then when I read the spine ‘Animal Carvings’, I couldn’t resist. It is by M D Anderson, who also wrote The Medieval Carver, and was published in 1938 by Cambridge University Press. Medieval thinking was very different, and understanding it […]
Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens – exhibition
Chips are flying and new sculpture is taking shape. The weeks before an exhibition are always exciting – even if there’s a bit of a frenzy in the workshop getting sculpture finished on time. Nothing like an exhibition deadline to galvanise arms into action and focus the mind. This is Bird in a Tree […]
Preliminary sketches for sculpture
Sculpture often begins with drawings. These quick, scratchy sketches help to clarify the pose, rythm and feel I would like in my sculpture. Also, in looking closely at the bird, to draw it, I learn exactly how it is made up – how it holds its wings, how the feathers lie, what happens […]
Stone carvings at West Tanfield
There stood a little tower, with a very pretty oriel window of six lights with tracery and a pyramidal stone roof, beckoning me to explore. The 15th Century, three storey gatehouse is known as The Marmion Tower and is presumed part of a no longer existing manor house which stood close to the banks […]
Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows
About this time last year I was planning my week long trip to Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows lies at the heart of the Nene Valley, one of the most important wetlands in England and an internationally important stop-over for thousands of wildfowl and waders. Bordering the River Nene, the marsh […]