Cat's Eye Carving

What am I up to?

You’ll be pleased to hear that my ankle is healing well and I am back at work.

I have been working on various letter cutting commissions and have a few smaller items to work on. Obviously the big project I am currently engaged with is my Stone Carving Festival that I am organising.
It will take place next month on the 23rd and 24th May.

Hosting my festival will be The Llanthony Secunda Priory, an Augustinian Priory dating back to the early 12th century. The festival will raise money in the form of an auction, what will we auction I hear you cry…..

There will be 20+ stonemasons all carving a piece of limestone generously donated by Veizeys Quarry nr Tetbury. Visit www.stonesuppliescotswolds.co.uk for more details on this stone.

They will all be carving an animal themed stone carving and on Sunday at 3pm there will be a grand live auction where you, the general public will have the opportunity to walk away with a magnificent and unique sculpture. You will also contribute to the funds that The Priory trust desperately need to raise to get this beautiful site back into use. visit www.llanthonysecunda.org for info on their future plans.

As well as the stonemasons there will also be activities, displays and pop-up shops, visit my other website www.stonecarvingfestival.co.uk for all the updates and information

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The Gloucester Stone Carving Festival

Only 8wks to go, how exciting.

Everything is droping into place and if you would like all the information and updates as they happen please visit my dedicated website www.stonecarvingfestival.co.uk

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Easter at Taurus Crafts

It’s going to be a busy time this Easter and with the promise of good weather there’s plenty to see and do.

My have a goes are running on selected days throughout the Easter holidays 30th March, 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th April. If you are planning a visit on any of the other days please give me a ring and I may be able to fit you in!

My opening times will be altered as well, I will be open through to the 31st March, on the 1st April I have to pick up some stone from the quarry. I will be back in on the 2nd April, and then open through to Thursday 9th, closed Friday 10th and back in for Sat 11th and Sun 12th.

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What have I been up to lately?

I have been very busy organising the Gloucester Stone Carving festival as well as working on my commissions.

So in between the letter cutting I have been carving a raffle prize in the form of an Elephant. The theme for the festival is wild animals this year. Visit www.stonecarvingfestival.co.uk for more information.

I have been steadily working to finish the half life size sculpture titled ‘What’s the question?’ I have been struggling with her face as it wasn’t the expression that I wanted and until I could resolve this I couldn’t finish the carving. I had a breakthrough last week-only one chance to get it right otherwise the whole thing would have been ruined but I did it and I’m really happy with the result. She now stands on a piece of Portland limestone as her pedestal and I am able to work on her feet as you can see she has boots on! With the final detailing on the whole I hope to have her finished in the next week.

Today I travelled up to Droitwich, sadly the statue that I was asked to repair back in 2006 was vandalised again so I had to replace his fingers and thumb the tip of his Mitre and the Crozier top.

I made clay models and used these to give me the approximate size and shape, once I had made the pieces in my workshop I could go and attach them to St Richard. I really hope he doesn’t get damaged again.

Once the Elephant and What’s the question are finished I can make a proper start on the 1ton boulder of Forest of Dean Sandstone I have for my next commission-a sculpture for a 25th wedding anniversary present!

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Do you want to be a stonemason?

You will be pleased to hear that Bath College are running taster days at their masonry department, for more information follow this link;

http://www.citybathcoll.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/stonemasonry-taster-days.html

If you are slightly further away then Weymouth College run course-it’s where I trained as part of my block release with Gloucester Cathedral

http://www.weymouth.ac.uk/courses/results/?courseSubject=15&courseType=0&courseLevel=0&courseKeyword=

There is also The Worshipful Company of Masons in London

http://www.masonslivery.org/supporting-our-craft/training-educational-support/

Way up in Scotland there is; http://www.stoneproject.org/elgin-stonemasonry-training-facility.html

And in York,  http://www.yorkcollege.ac.uk

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