Fergus Wessel's Workshop News

Headstones with gold disc

2013-03-12T10:54:17Z

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.

Headstone with sunken gilded disc

Headstone with sunken gilded disc
Another headstone below shows a variation on the circle theme. The client asked for a hole instead, and I have gilded it with Paladium leaf to give it a silver colour instead. This circle is something which invites one to touch the headstone and has many symbolic possibilities.

Headstone with hole coated in Paladium leaf

Lettering A reference manual of Techniques by Andrew Haslam

2012-08-20T18:59:12Z

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.
Full page spread of my work

Charterhouse Coat of Arms

2012-07-09T08:26:46Z

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.

I love typography article

2012-04-13T12:57:00Z

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 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.

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.