Slates

For some years Jim has been carving Bas-relief figurative designs into slate plaques suitable for display either outside in gardens, patios, swimming pools etc. or inside where the effect of hanging long-lasting, good quality artwork carved in stone will last for generations. Businesses have commissioned them to be hung in offices and board-rooms creating a much admired and interesting effect that is unique. Pieces of his work have been commissioned from all over Britain and overseas.

Being a metamorphosed sedimentary rock hundreds of millions of years old, good quality monumental slate can be carved extremely accurately with precise lines and smooth surfaces. Jim uses centuries-old hand carving techniques to work the stone in the traditional style. There are many examples of such work still displayed in old churches and public buildings around Britain.

Jim enjoys the lengthy and detailed work required to translate drawn-up designs to stone, bringing the material “to life” with exact hand carving and achieving satin smooth finishes with a variety of hand abrasives. Jim has developed a range of different textures to enhance and enliven his designs.

Slate is known to be long lasting and resistant to erosion and the accumulation of lichens and moss. The fine-grained quality of this stone is comparable to marble in the finish that can be achieved. Jim uses Welsh, Cumbrian and Italian slates, each for its particular properties which yield slightly different finishes, but in particular is pleased to use the well known “Delabole” slate from the old quarry in North Cornwall. This stone has been mined here for centuries and is hardy and excellent in the precision carving and fine finish possible.

These are a few examples of Jim’s work. To see larger images, click on the thumbnails.

SLATES