Sculpture
What inspires your sculpture?
This is a question I’m asked quite a lot. Most obviously it is from my interest and love of wildlife – sometimes it is just an expression of how I see the world. I do like to know my subject and invariably in researching it, I’m diverted to look up things I didn’t understand, which lead […]
Vernissage
Before I get to your invitation, please may I first introduce Stephen and Virginie who are the lovely owners of the White Fox Gallery where I will be showing my work as a guest artist throughout May. I did want you to meet them because it is such a lovely thing to have caring, […]
The Rievaulx Terrace
The Rievaulx Terrace was created about 1749-57 by Thomas Duncombe II, to provide a long view of the medieval abbey ruins in the valley below. Duncombe would bring his guests over from nearby Duncombe Park to enjoy the landscape. As they walked along the curving Terrace, a carefully contrived series of thirteen different views of […]
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 […]
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 […]
Mottled Green Diver
Divers are a small family of large water birds with three species regularly seen in the UK – Black Throated, Red Throated and Great Northern Diver. The Mottled Green is rarer! All have long, slender bodies, moderately long necks and dagger-shaped bills, narrow wings and small legs (with long, lobed toes) set far back on […]
Feeling Cornish
Recently I met my mother for lunch and we spent a cherishable afternoon, chatting, laughing and enjoying memories – my mother is lovely company. I’m not sure how we came to it, but I learned that I was conceived in Cornwall. My parents had planned a holiday there as a bit of a break, shortly after […]
Little Owl Sculpture
This is the first time I’ve carved Ancaster Weatherbed stone. This piece was so beautifully flecked grey and brown that I thought it perfect to suggest the feather colouring of a Little Owl. I’ve worked Ancaster limestone before, but that was the stone the quarry describes as Hard White. Within the beds (the layers […]