“I love the sound of the mallet and chisel tapping away at the stone”
Sharon was raised in Cornwall on the edge of Bodmin Moor and has enjoyed art and creativity since as far back as she can remember. It wasn’t until her children were older that she was able to pursue her dream of being an artist. Since she was introduced to stone carving in 2007, she knew that was what she wanted to do.
Working mainly in limestone, alabaster and various types of soap-stone, she hand-carves each piece using a mallet and chisels. She selects most of her stone from local quarries and suppliers both locally and from Cornwall.
“I begin by selecting a piece of rough, natural stone and check the surface for any visable faults. There is usually a pre-conception of what the piece will be, so I make a few guide marks on the surface. Each sculpture is hand-carved, so the stone is then ‘roughed out’ into a shape using a mallet and chisels. If I need to remove a larger chunk of stone I use a handsaw. The sculpture is then worked in more detail and finally smoothed and polished with files and sandpaper. This method is preferable to the loud stressful noise and vibration of machinery – I want my sculptures to emanate a sense of calm. Each sculpture is an original work and can take several weeks, even months to complete.”
Sharons work is diverse, reflecting her love of animals, nature and the countryside along with a pinch of myth and magic too. The essence of Celtic Cornwall is strongly evident in much of her work. This is a reflection of her Cornish origins. The majestic granite cairns sculpted by nature on Bodmin Moor and it’s bleak remoteness are an inspiration as much as the enchanting wooded valleys with their waterways carving through the ancient Cornish rock down to the sea.
Now in her adult years she lives and works near Fernham in Oxfordshire in the direct gaze of the famous Uffington White Horse and its Celtic connections.
Sharon enjoys the challenge of portraying all of this in stone carving with the absorbing and therapeutic effect it has on the mind.
Creating a stone sculpture is physically and mentally demanding with plenty of elbow grease involved! Stone work also requires much patience and skill.
“Working with stone is about knowing what to leave out rather than what to put in.”
STAINED GLASS
After completing a stained glass course in 2018, Sharon has begun to experiment with using coloured glass in her stonework. This ongoing project is proving popular and adds another dimension to her work.
In addition to this, she has begun making a range of leaded stained glass panels – only small pieces to begin with, but will gradually become more ambitious in time. Watch this space!
“My glasswork is inspired from stained glass church windows. How stunning stone and coloured glass are together. I can’t resist this otherworldly combination”
Sharon has been exhibiting her work since 2009 gradually building recognition in her local area. She continues to develop as a sculptor and is happy to receive commissions.
“I love the way the light casts shadows on the stone creating the illusion of constant change.”
BUYING A SCULPTURE ~ I invite you to browse through the gallery to get a feel for my work. If you wish to purchase or commission a sculpture, please contact me directly.
VIEWING ~ I do not currently sell my work online. My sculpture garden and studio are open to the public during various exhibitions and some of my work is displayed in Art Galleries throughout the year. Please check the Events page for further information. Alternatively you can contact me for a private viewing.
PRICES ~ As a rough guide, Individual glass panels start from about £10, Stone Sculptures start from £30. For prices of individual sculptures, please contact me quoting the name of the sculpture.
