A Herefordshire Journal

I am showing work at the biennial Out of Nature sculpture exhibition in Herefordshire during October 2015, in the gardens restored by the Watt family who reside at Newport House.

Staying in the idyllic thatched Gardener’s Cottage enabled me to work on a new piece of sculpture on a section of Newport lime wood through nine days at the start of the show. Cutting out unnecessary travelling and residence costs allows things to happen as if one were at home in the studio. Another sculptor was also in residence on the Estate, Rolf Hook working with yew wood. Our contrasting practices and presence enrichen the visitor experience.

It was a useful test to see how a concentrated period would affect the improvisational carving process. I am not interested in the lustrous qualities of wood so much as its blank canvas for reductive working. Lime presents a consistent, fine block away from the occasional splits and knots.

With both the work and garden produce just outside my front door, no mobile phone signal and no papers, this would give a chance for something of the place to seep in. In contrast the wider happenings of the day influenced the development of Spring (2011), which was from a similar lime block sourced and carved (picture) in Sussex, that started out as a single,vertical figure. The intense 50 hours worked in Herefordshire contrasts with my present South Downs stone block where I am working about 6 hours a day but with gaps of two to three weeks between the 40-odd carving days over 14 months.

On my last day, it was serendipitous to meet Mike Ivens, the Northamptonshire sculptor whose intensive figurative instruction started me on track for The Frink School of Sculpture. Mike’s wife has Latvian roots; her Father was in charge of the community that used to be at Newport House and she showed me an evocative image of the Latvian Foreign Minister by the lake where sculptures now surround. 

Newport House lime 5 years after felling

the walled garden with Gardener’s Cottage in background

an artist’s residence and the relief block

Day 1 first marks: carving around cobwebs and rot

land art on the main lawn

the Private View of several hundred sculptures; this one emitted more than visual energy on a chilly day

Newport House gardens

productive walled garden

feeding Jasper…

… and the other pigs with Head Gardener, Dave

on my return, an excavated knot gave the suggestion of a flat nose…

I am happy for participants to work on the block, influencing the forms

budding sculptors

marks emerging; the block opening up

making potato bread

… and soup

panorama

panorama

Bronte, Exhibition curator and Darren, equestrian, owner of my ‘bareback’ sculpture and part of the Newport Estate team

the first of an invited portrait sitting with a local ‘man of the land’ on days 3 and 7

talking sculpture with the Glyn Joneses, Rolf Hook and visiting Elan Valley friend Nick

The Cartshed wood workers’ camp

bridge renovation

a memory of a hedgehog found outside the door on day 1

forms still too busy in this area, so reducing foreground form

todays barrows contain…

Newport House chillis and more potato bread…

The Ivens, who knew the Latvian community of Newport House of old

The Latvian Foreign Minister sitting by the lake

the final forms; retaining the colour of the top of the board and with no wax or oil finish to be applied

the final forms

final forms

the pig remaineth, giving some light low relief to the other, visually busier, end of the block

Journal (2015)

You can contrast the forms of Journal (2015) and Spring (2011) at Out of Nature HR3 6LL until 25th October. Click on images above to enter full screen slideshow.