Workshop News

  • Headstones with gold disc

    Headstone with hole coated in Paladium leaf

    Clients often request for a gold sunken disc at the top of a headstone. This motif is timeless and has serenity. It means different things to different people, but it may represent unity, the cycle of life, perfection, stillness, and eternity. I like the way the disc reflects light on a sunny afternoon, and is also smooth to the touch.
    The circle is carved by hand in slate. It is possible to carve a disc in limestone but I do not tend to gild this stone as often.

    Posted on 12/03/13 in Headstones • Read full article

  • Lettering A reference manual of Techniques by Andrew Haslam

    Lettering A reference Manual of Techniques

    My work features in this new book recently published by Laurence King, in the section on lettering in stone. The book is a reference guide for any designer wishing either to create lettering for themselves or to commission work from external sources.

    Posted on 20/08/12 in Media and press • Read full article

  • Charterhouse Coat of Arms

    Coat of Arms for Charterhouse

    This photo shows one of my most recent projects: a coat of arms to mark Charterhouse’s Quater Centenary. It was carved using 12 pieces of stone and measures about 1600mm wide. It is installed over an arch about 5 meters high, so needed to be bold and deeply carved; the relief is 6” high in some places.

    Posted on 09/07/12 in Heraldic carving • Read full article

  • I love typography article

    Screenshot of Letter & Stone article on I Love Typography website

    I was recently interviewed by Naomi Chapple on my interest in typography and the way I use letters in my work. The interview was featured on a website called I love typography, which is generated a lot of interest from graphic designers who are not used to seeing fine lettering and design on stone. I hope you find the article as inspirational as they did; much of the content has relevance when considering memorial design.

    Read the full Letters & Stone article here.

    Posted on 13/04/12 in Media and press • Read full article

  • David Cameron unveils stone obelisk

    David Cameron unveils stone obelisk

    Last month I was commissioned to make a stone obeslisk for Shipton under Wychwood to mark the opening of their new playground. This was to be unveiled by the Right Honorable David Cameron MP. In this case I started with a small riven slate obelisk and I had to fit the inscription to the piece of stone. The lettering needed to be cut deeply and clearly to show up against the riven slate background, and the format and style was meant to be playful rather than overly formal to reflect the site. In full sunlight the lettering reads very clearly without the need to be painted.

    Posted on 08/11/11 in Opening plaques • Read full article

  • Antarctic Memorial Dedication in St Paul’s Cathedral

    Commemorative plaque in St Paul's Cathedral

    The Antarctic Memorial in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, London was dedicated following a Special Evensong on 10 May 2011. The plaque, which measures 1100mm in diameter, was made using riven Welsh Slate. The continent of Antarctica is Carrara Marble, and has been inlaid into the slate using water jet technology, ensuring absolute accuracy.

    Posted on 24/05/11 in Commemorative Plaques • Read full article

  • Restoration Stonemasonry

    Restored cross on church

    Restoration stone masonry is a challenge which I find very rewarding. Last year I was commisioned by Christchurch in Esher to restore two stone crosses. The original crosses had crumbled and they were in such poor state of repair that there was no template to copy. I had to do some extensive research in order to design a suitable replacement to be in keeping with the architecture and heritage of the church. These crosses were carved from Bathstone and installing them in perfect alignment was perhaps the most challenging part!

    Posted on 10/05/11 in General news • Read full article

  • Memorial Plaque for St Paul’s Cathedral

    Design for memorial to go in St Paul's Cathedral

    In 2008 I was asked by the British Antarctic Monument Trust to collaborate with the designer Graeme Wilson to create a memorial for St Paul’s Cathedral. The memorial commemorates those that have died in the pursuit of scientific knowledge in Antarctica.

    Posted on 18/02/11 in Commemorative Plaques • Read full article

  • Oxford Preservation Trust Award for Holywell Music Room Renovation

    Holywell Carving in Progress

    I was recently invited to attend the annual awards ceremony of the Oxford Preservation Trust, and was delighted to be awarded a certificate for my involvement in the recent restoration of the Holywell Music Room. I was commissioned by architect John Melvin to design and carve the College Crest above the new front door as part of an extensive restoration and improvement of what is one of Europe’s oldest custom built concert halls. The Oxford Preservation Trust Awards “recognise projects which make a significant contribution to the conservation or improvemnt of the built and natural environment of Oxford and its setting”.

    Posted on 31/10/10 in General news • Read full article

  • Headstones and bereavement

    Headstones and bereavement page 1

    This month an article on my work has appeared in Funeral Times, which is distributed to funeral directors throughout the UK. The article highlights the important role that memorials play in the bereavement process. Artistic expression is often at the centre of the process, and this can be achieved with close collaboration with clients. Jennifer Hacker, who wrote the article says “In the right hands, the memorial can say so much more than just words ever could, and make the observer see more than just a headstone, but the life it has the priviledge to represent”.

    Posted on 28/09/10 in Media and press • Read full article

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