Fergus Wessel's Workshop News

David Cameron unveils stone obelisk

2011-11-08T13:24:44Z

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, Prime Minister. 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.

Antarctic Memorial Dedication in St Paul’s Cathedral

2011-05-24T10:06:06Z

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. The penguins were carved in relief to a depth of approximately 4mm. See the original commemorative plaque design and read more about the background of the plaque here.

Restoration Stonemasonry

2011-05-10T08:21:05Z

Restored cross on church Restoration stonemasonry is a rewarding challenge. Last year I was commissioned by Christchurch in Esher to restore two stone crosses. The original ones 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 suitable replacements which were in keeping with the architecture of the church. The crosses were carved in Bathstone.

Memorial Plaque for St Paul’s Cathedral

2011-02-18T11:21:55Z

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.

Design for memorial to go in St Paul's Cathedral

The circular plaque which measures 1100mm diameter is made of riven Welsh slate with a map of Antarctica inlaid using Carrara Marble. A huddle of Emperor penguins will be carved at the base. The inscription ‘for those who lost their lives in Antarctica in pursuit of science to benefit us all’ is to be carved into the smooth periphery of the disc. Around the rim the title ‘British Antarctic territory’ and its motto ‘Research and Discovery’ will be carved.

The British Antarctic Monument Trust has been set up to celebrate the achievements of the men and women whose scientific exploration in the British Antarctic Territory has led to new understanding of our planet, and to honour those amongst them who did not return. It will inspire a broader interest in the Antarctic and a deeper understanding of the fragility of our environment and the interdependence of our world.

The Antarctic is the highest, coldest and windiest continent: remote, hostile and uninhabited. Yet it is a key part of the fabric of the earth. Processes taking place in the Antarctic affect the world’s climate and its oceans, linking the continent inextricably to ourselves.
Since 1944, some 2000 men and women of the British Antarctic Survey have worked in the world’s most treacherous conditions to help us understand the world in which we live. Twenty nine Britons have died in this pursuit of scientific knowledge.

The plaque which is now being made will be dedicated at 5:00pm Evensong on Tuesday May 10th 2011. Follow this link to see the final memorial plaque in St Pauls.

For more information go to www.antarctic-monument.org

Oxford Preservation Trust Award for Holywell Music Room Renovation

2010-10-31T20:54:13Z

Oxford Preservation Trust Award 2010 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”.

Holywell Carving in Progress

Holywell Music Room Carving

Holywell Music Room Carving detail

Headstones and bereavement

2010-09-28T10:26:26Z

Headstones and bereavement page 1

Headstones and bereavement page 2

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 privilege to represent”. I agree strongly with Jennifer, and it is indeed a great privilege and honour to be given the responsibility of creating a memorial.

Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC)

2010-09-10T09:40:30Z

I shall be exhibiting my work for the first time this month at the annual HMC Conference. Many of my clients are independent schools and Oxford colleges and I look forward to meeting old clients and welcoming new ones.
The HMC will be held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London from 27th September – 30th September 2010. This photograph was taken of me working on a slate opening plaque. The fine Caslon lettering will later be painted off white. I think it demonstrates the energy and freedom of stone carving, where the hand is at one with the chisel and malet.

Slate opening plaque

Art in Action 15-18th July 2010

2010-07-09T08:20:42Z

I shall be demonstrating for the third time at Art in Action next week. Art in Action is a festival of fine art and master craftsmanship where artists demonstrate what they do. The venue is Waterperry Gardens, Nr Wheatley, Oxford. I look forward to meeting clients, both old and new, and sharing my work with members of the public. I am also looking to take on an apprentice for three years, and should you be interested, this will be a good chance to meet me, and see me at work.

Sundial Carving

2010-03-05T11:16:54Z

Sundial relief carving

Sundial lettering
These photographs show details from a carving into a plinth for a sundial designed by Joanna Migdal. The plinth is York Stone, which lends itself well to carvings in sunken relief such as this one which is Shakespeare’s crest. The lettering close up shows the v-cut detail and is upright italics.

Holywell Music Room Stone Carving

2009-09-30T13:59:51Z

Holywell Music Room Stone Carving
In December last year we were asked to submit a stone carving design for the stone plaque above the proposed new doorway of the Holywell Music Room in Oxford. The Holywell Music Room is one of the oldest purposely designed music halls in Europe. It was designed by Thomas Camplin, and opened in July 1748. George Frideric Handel performed here.

A fund-raising Appeal for £2M (Holywell Music Room Appeal) has been launched to extend and restore the Holywell Music Room, a Grade II* building attached to Wadham College and Oxford University. A website for the appeal has now gone live, so to support the appeal and keep up to date with events and future plans please visit www.holywellfund.org. Architect John Melvin RIBA was appointed to design and oversee this restoration in two phases, phase one concerns the listed frontage and 18th Century entrance hall. Phase two will involve the provision at mainly basement level of the facilities needed to accommodate a public audience (none there at present).

The aim was to come up with a simple design incorporating the Wadham College shield to fill the triangular space. ‘Contemporary, simple and Baroque’ was the brief I was given.

We decided on the scallop shell for its pleasing shape to hold the shield and its common usage within the baroque style. Acanthus leaves flow out extravagantly at each side. The stone is Portland limestone and it is about 1.8m in diameter