Book your place on one of my Stone Carving for Beginners Workshops in Weymouth this summer. Set in a beautiful and inspirational garden overlooking the Ile of Portland were your stone was quarried. Quite appropriate.

£ 85 per person.

I have over 35 years experience as a sculptor and stonemason. Teaching stone carving to adults and children in England and France.

The workshops are set up for those wanting to take time, to situate, learn and find pleasure in discovering ways of expression through stone carving.

Providing starting points, encouraging the development of ideas, knowledge, skills, visual awareness and creative potential.

The stone carving courses will give you the opportunity to sculpt a small relief of your own design (or by using one of my templates ) on a slab of Portland Stone. This world famous stone is ideal for carving, neither to hard or soft, with a beautiful grain capturing all the sculptures detail.

Templates

The Workshops are aimed towards leaving you with a memorable and enriching experience, helping you look afresh at your surroundings and your own capabilities.

Preparation

We start with an introduction to tools and chosen type of stone. This is followed by direct carving on a small piece of Portland Stone, to get the feeling of tools and material. The preparation of designs, templates for the chosen subject and an explication of roughing-out techniques for specific shapes.

Starting Your Stone

Advice on where to start, how to apply the templates. Tips on technique and guidance to help solve any difficulties encountered.

Perfecting and Finishing.

Introducing techniques to finish your work. How tool marks can be used to enrich the quality of your final piece.

Book your places by clicking on the following link.

( Stone Carving Workshops)

These Workshops are aimed towards leaving you with a memorable and enriching experience, helping you to look afresh at your surroundings and your own capabilities. Creating an inertia that will carry you on further to new limits….. getting that stone rolling.

Reviews

John is an excellent instructor, he is passionate about his skills, everything provided and wonderful location. I took my own design and John was as excited as I was about bring the stone to life. Thoroughly recommend and will attend the expert course. (Graham)

John is a fantastic artist and an exceptional teacher. He seems to really understand YOU, as an individual, and to give you exactly what you need to achieve your goals. Nothing is rushed — everything is paced beautifully. Nothing is skipped — you get all the knowledge and skill you need to get the results. And not only do you come away with a sense of accomplishment in the art you have created, more importantly, you also come away with an unshakable CERTAINTY in the new set of skills you have acquired and the feeling that doors have opened into a whole new world of creativity. I highly recommend this workshop to all — EVERYONE can benefit from this. (Frank)

Learning Stone Carving

I remember well the first stone I carved. Carving a Water Bowl for the Zen Garden created by the Sculptor Phillip King at the Tout Quarry Sculpture Park on Portland, Dorset. Grazing my knuckles against the rough Portland Stone. Stretching my tired muscles and becoming addicted to this beautiful medium.

So when I teach and think of the skills I’ve learnt over time. I can really relate to my students on their first Stone Carving Workshop. Learning how to hold the tools. Getting the right angle and hit from your hammer. Trying to execute your idea and making it real.

Portland Stone has its character and needs constant adjustments when carving. Being a Sedimentary Limestone its made up of tiny sea creatures, shells, changing its hardness. Around 70 Million yrs old and used to famously construct St Pauls Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren.

Students Hard At Work

These are a few examples of Stones I’ve carved over the time. Some personal Sculptures and others decorative. Carved for the restoration of certain classed buildings. The techniques are always the same. Roughing out, refining and finally finishing.

There is a real satisfaction and sense of accomplishment when you take a block of Stone and transform it into your unique design. Using hand techniques that haven’t changed from bygone times. Its very meditative and I adore the sound of stone being chipped. Music to my ears. Much nicer than the noise of machines. Although I’m sure if the Romans had electricity they would of been the first to use them!

So if you feel inspired? Why not have a go at some chipping? I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you can create.