Work in progress

I start with a block of stone [marble or limestone] and after marking out certain details with a pencil I use  a point chisel and a small angle grinder to rough out the form of a small animal, it could be a cat, a fox or an owl.

Once the rough form begins to emerge I start working over the surface with a claw chisel. This is a slow process but rewarding. You have to be patient as the beauty of the stone often dictates the direction you are going in.

Then to start getting a smoother finish I use a flat chisel. Most of my sculptures are semi abstract and details are subtle or mere suggestions.

Finally, I use wet and dry sandpaper to get the smooth shiny surfaces . My work is very tactile, I like to have contrasting surfaces so some areas I leave rough. I use a small ‘dolly hammer’ for this technique which results in a sparrow-pecking finish.