Currently I am living on Saltspring Island which is on Canada's west coast between the citys of Victoria and Vancouver. There I enjoy the life of an Artist producing vases from stone and selling most of them at our local market and galleries. I was born and educated in London England, and received five years of Art school training in the U.K. , ,The many courses on technique and art theory gave me a solid understanding of materials used in the contemporary artforms. After leaving artschool I worked in a diverse range of art related activitys including theatre set design and production, printing technician in the "rag-trade", and as mold maker and assistant to sculptors and maskmakers. Looking back, I can see that seeking innovative uses for materials has been central to all my endeavours. A tendancy which led me to my current stonework and my niche as the Saltspring Island Vaseguy! , ,I've been working in stone almost twenty years, though not as a carver. I fabricate functional art (mainly vases) from sheet stone such as slate and quartzite. I add gemstones and crystals. ,I call these materials "The Earth's new palette". Not that they are new ofcourse, but their easy availability certainly is. So many countries are exploiting their sub-surface wealth that the variety of coloured stone and minerals is truly astounding. At the same time, the range of tools capable of working stone has grown and their cost dropped. , ,I have sold thousands of my vases in our local market. I think that people are drawn to having stone in their homes because so much of their enviroment is synthetic and unnatural. ,I like to exploit fisures and fractures and leave them visible to provide a natural, rugged look to the piece. This type of natural stone is a generous medium for an artist because it provides constant variety and direction. No two pieces of stone are exactly alike, either in appearance or in how they react to the hammer and chisel. The key to working it is flexibility. You have to have clear intentions but be prepared to to accept something different when it presents itself. , ,I'm interested in hearing from people who are attracted to my work and see the potential for similar items in their own location. I offer licenses to use my design and methods. My licenses come with full disclosure of all my trade secrets in step by step instructions. , ,I'll provide hands on training at my studio in western Canada or work with people using my written and illustrated step by step instructions. More information can be found on my website .Vaseguy.com
I'm also considering a working trip to Europe if I receive sufficient interest. , |