gargoyles and others,

I carved Gorgeous George in response to two different projects; Dark Matter at Trinity and Gargoyles at Chelmsleywood.

The head of a mythical beast

The size compared to the viewer is important, you have to be able to imagine climbing in.

A very human choice, safety or danger
Elizabeth Frink  looks at this theme in her early work on  the Goggled head.
She talks about warriors; a necessary defence in tribal society yet has the potential to destroy the tribe.
This can be seen in modern society( military coos; Arab spring), as well as ( on a much smaller scale) our choices in daily life. in other words, we gamble.

Goggled Head 1969
Elizabeth Frink

Originally  I made George with massive fangs, but the breeze block crumbled. 

Once I removed the fangs (a risky business), I was able to open up his mouth to produce a better sculpture

Wonderfull mother and child carving

Here are some of the carvings created by A level students at Trinity catholic school

Mother & child sculpture at Trinity

( mature student, Richard doing well)
I am one of the artist in residence at Trinity Catholic school this
year. 

I am working with year 12 (1st year A level)
They are learning how to model in plaster

and getting to grips with techniques of carving in breeze block

water colour and acrylic painting at Trinity evenings

learn about watercolour washes



 figures and portraits

or acrylic land scapes

on location, from memory

or a photo, come and have a go

Evening sessions at Trinity

I have been developing evening painting sessions at Trinity Catholic School, Leamington Spa. Very small groups of students of all ages and ability work along side me 3 nights a week.

See My page, Classes for details for September.

Still life, we all worked on a set up for learning from each other about colour and form
Acrylic on board, Helena Godwin

Old glass is a challenging but beautiful subject
Acrylic on canvas, Helena Godwin

climbing out of mud, a painted sketch from a photo
this posses the question why paint from a photo, what does the artist bring.
this sketch captures my experience of the numerous times I have been in this situation.

sketch 2

Sculpture has been my Major interest since leaning to carve in the early 1990s
I have produced some beautiful work, that I exhibit regularly, and sometimes sell. the problem is I'm very limited by lack of suitable studio (gazebos blow down) equipment and really good professional materials. so I have focused my energies in two other directions
My garden installation (see older blog posts ) and painting at Trinity.
 I have always found Sculpture very instinctive, ideas come naturally, but I have approached Painting from a more intellectual angle I've had to learn rules and do exercises to practise similar to a musician learning a 2nd instrument.