I retired early from business in 2001, giving me the opportunity to rekindle my interest in art. Most of my time is now spent carving stone, a new direction for me.
I attended sculpture classes at the Art Academy in London during 2003 and 2004, where I was introduced to stone carving. I attended a number of other stone carving classes, which included working with Zimbabwean sculptors. In 2004 I worked for Emily Young, one of the leading stone carvers, preparing pieces for her St Pancras Crypt exhibition.
My inspiration often comes from the stone itself. I usually select and procure the stone directly from a number of quarries. I like to work with stone that has a high fossil content, and it is only when the polishing process starts that you can begin to see the final colours. Most of my work has contrasting textures, from highly polished surfaces to roughly worked stone. The stone I have used most is Purbeck 'marble' - I am particularly interested in the history of this stone, and I find the colours and fossil formations fascinating.
I have a small number of limited edition foundry casts (bronze and aluminium) from some of my stone carvings. I have completed a number of commissions for private collections, and this year I will be working on my first public commission.
I am a member of the Surrey Sculpture Society, and have exhibited with them on various occasions. I have also been exhibiting with Windsor Fringe for the last 3 years.