Cat's Eye Carving

The Maison Dieu Beastie.

What a wonderful Summer of events and throughout them all I have been carving a Grotesque inspired by one from the stone hall of Dover’s historic Maison Dieu.

I was demonstrating stone carving by working on the beastie and my last two events were;

Staple Country Fayre at the end of June.

And Sir Roger Manwood’s Open day. I didn’t have much time to work on my beastie but I did have some very interested children trying their hand at stone carving and making a rubbing of my Wyvern carving.

It was lovely to talk to people about the Maison Dieu commission but also show them how I carve my grotesque, using the various chisels, drawings and templates.

I completed my carving in my workshop and it was very exciting to be able to officially unveil him in St Mary’s Church in Dover, after an imaginative time travelling adventure, led by a character inspired by a Grotesque from the Maison Dieu. The play was put on by the Dover Youth Theatre, some wonderful characters made more fun by the children playing them.

My carving will become part of the Museum’s handling objects when they re-open to the public.

It was lovely to give people the opportunity to touch him, feel the chisel marks and ask me questions.

Finally a photo of me and my grotesque with the Mayor of Dover, Sue Jones and Chairman of Dover Town Council, Gordon Cowan.

Please click here to read the press release.