About Carving
Carving is my passion, I breathe new life into heirlooms and wooden masterpieces. Whether reviving cherished pieces or creating from scratch. Here is some of my recently completed work.
Carved Feathers
Beautifully carved ostrich feathers, originally from an ornate bed, had suffered in long term storage. Once cleaned and consolidated I carefully recreated new pieces to replace those lost and then used traditional water gilding and toning to seamlessly blend the new pieces with the original before returning the feathers to their original location.
Owner: Private
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris).
Replica carved decorative moulding
This historic house, still under the ownership of the Constable family, has gracefully withstood the test of time. The hall still holds a vast array of exquisite furniture and ornate frames, each a testament to the family’s rich lineage. Recently, I had the privilege to work on a project of great significance – the restoration of a fully panelled room. The project required me to recreate lost decorative mouldings to match the surviving pieces found in storage.
Numerous sections had been lost, so this required the intricate task of hand-carving replacements to precisely match their existing sections.
Each of these intricately carved sections was crafted from the fine-grained poplar wood to ensure harmony with the original pieces.
This project was a pleasure to work on, a real dedicated effort to restore the Georgian panelled room to its full splendour, preserving the exquisite craftsmanship that defines this historical space.
Owner: Burton Constable Hall
Material: Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Restoration of an Ageing Frame
Upon receiving this ageing frame, it arrived shrouded in decades of accumulated dirt and grime, with integral sections lost, either having come loose or broken and vanished altogether.
With a very gentle touch as it was very delicate, i started by cleansing the piece, re-carving the missing sections, and artfully toning these areas to harmonise with the original frame.
Owner: Private
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris).
Full frame replica
I was commissioned to undertake a this fantastic project – the recreation of a full-scale replica of a 1664 Lely pattern frame.
Each section was hand-carved from the elegant Lime wood. When the carving was complete I applied a gilded finish.
This painting is now in its rightful home at Sheffield Museums, where it continues to captivate visitors with its timeless beauty.
Owner: Sheffield Museums
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris).
Bryon the wyvern - Misericord
This was a practice piece, just for fun. Long inspired by the medieval and later carvings within Britain’s churches, I chose to recreate the idea of a misericord from reclaimed oak from a staircase.
Taking inspiration from various images and photos, I hand-carved the Wyvern, ensuring it captured the essence of original misericord. Any resemblance to a family member is purely coincidental!
The piece now sits in my hall.
Misericord definition – A ledge projecting from the underside of the hinged seat of a choir stall in a church, on which the occupant can support himself or herself while standing.
Owner: My own
Material: Oak (Quercus robur)
Set of oak Gargoyles
Commissioned by a private client, I had the privilege of carving a set of three gargoyles carved in the round. What made this project truly special was the material I had the opportunity to work with – sections of lock-gate timber reclaimed from the historic Manchester canal.
Each gargoyle took shape, capturing the essence of both the mythical and the industrial. From the formidable expressions to the intricate details of their features. The reclaimed lock-gate timber, weathered by time and lent a unique authenticity to each gargoyle.
Throughout the process, I maintained a close collaboration with my client, ensuring that their vision and expectations were brought to life.
Owner: Private
Material: Reclaimed Oak (Quercus robur).
Carved foliage
Within this historical frame, a single section of intricate foliage had been lost at some point over the years.
To restore the frame I hand carved this delicate foliage using English lime.
When the carving was complete, the newly created section was gilded and toned it to blend with the existing elements of the frame.
Owner: Private
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris).
Restored Pillasters
I had the privilege of collaborating with Leeds City Council and Temple Newsam House on an extraordinary restoration project, to restore the original pilasters from a late Tudor fire surround, which had suffered damage over time.
The fire surround required new inserts to replace missing and severely damaged sections. Thankfully, as the pilasters were created as a pair, the missing elements could be easily matched using reclaimed oak to carve the missing elements. The sections were then fumed in ammonia to darken them down.
The reclaimed oak inserts seamlessly blended with the existing structure, creating an authentic restoration that celebrates the heritage of Temple Newsam House.
Owner: Leeds City Council/Temple Newsam House
Material: Reclaimed Oak (Quercus robur)
Replacement Tassles
This project involved reviving the intricate details of a decorative bed that had endured a lot of use! When originally made, the piece had dozens of hand-carved and gilded tassels. However, due to years of wear and tear, many were lost, leaving the bed looking tired.
Using a surviving tassel as a reference and working closely with photographs, I carved matching tassels from scratch in English lime.
The tassels were then gilded creating a finish that mirrored the elegance of the original piece.
Owner: Private
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris).
DECORATIVE CHAIR BACKS
I had the honour of being commissioned to create a set of exquisite decorative panels for the back of a gothic throne for the reading corner of a primary school.
Drawing inspiration from the gothic style, I carefully carved each panel. Every curve, arch, and flourish was hand carved, paying homage to the heritage of gothic design.
The choice of oak as the primary material was deliberate, as it embodies both strength and beauty. The natural grain patterns and warm hues of oak added depth and character to each panel. Oak’s inherent durability ensures that these decorative panels will withstand the test of time.
Owner: Private
Material: Oak (Quercus robur).
Carved Flowers
Collaboration lies at the heart of my role as an artisan and I take pride in partnering with other specialists to bring projects back to life. One remarkable collaboration involved working alongside a talented artist, who entrusted me with a unique project of carving multiple flowers from reclaimed timber.
The artist envisioned a captivating installation, with each flower (160mm in diameter) serving as a precise replica of original flowers from an historic decorative ceiling. To achieve this, I carefully selected reclaimed timber, which not only added a touch of history but also contributed to the sustainability of the artwork.
Every part of the flowers designs were guided by a profound understanding of the artist’s vision, ensuring that each flower would perfectly integrate into the installation.
Owner: Private
Material: Reclaimed Timber
Gilt Foliage
A restoration project for Castle Howard, I had the privilege of working on a set of four stunning 18th-century portrait frames.
Over the years, various losses had occurred, requiring new areas of carving and replacement sections to restore their grandeur.
The challenge was twofold: ensuring that the new sections matched the existing style while avoiding repetitive patterns.
Each section was approached as a unique peice, following the overall design aesthetic of the frames while introducing subtle variations to maintain an organic flow. The goal was to integrate the replacement sections with the original frame.
Every curve, every leaf, and every flourish was hand carved, paying homage to the intricate beauty of the 18th-century design.
Owner: Castle Howard, Yorkshire.
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris)
Decorative Fillet
With only a distorted surviving sample as a reference, I carved a dado fillet to serve as a casting form for producing multiple replacement sections. In this instance the fillet is used as a repeating decoration all around the silk-lined walls of an Historic House.
For the project, I recreated the fillet, ensuring that every curve, contour, and intricacy were exact. The surviving sample, though bent and distorted, provided the starting point.
Once the fillet carving was complete, it became the template for producing a series of replacement sections.
Owner: Private
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris)
Coat of Arms
I had the privilege of undertaking a remarkable project for a private owner—a production of a 3D coat of arms carved in lime. The inspiration for this piece stemmed from drawings of their family crest.
With great care and attention, I worked on bringing the family crest to life. Every curve, symbol, and detail of the coat of arms was hand carved. Lime wood, chosen for its excellent carving properties, served as the ideal medium to showcase the coat of arms.
Owner: Private
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris)
Carved Leaf
As a passionate carver, I constantly seek new challenges to push the boundaries of my skill. Recently, I embarked on a self-imposed challenge to carve a sample leaf with a complete undercut. This meant removing all the wood from underneath the leaf, except for the section that supports and holds it in place.
Undertaking this challenge required a deep understanding of wood, intricate carving techniques, and a steady hand. I carefully removed the excess wood, delicately shaping and refining the leaf until it appeared to defy gravity, suspended by a slender connection to its base.
The process demanded patience, every stroke of the carving tool was executed with careful intention! Gradually revealing the intricate the undercut design.
Owner: Mike Howden
Material: Lime (Tilia vulgaris)
Have you got a project in mind?
Ready to bring your carving project to life?
Contact me today and let’s get started.