Initial contact can be made via email or phone. I'm happy to either welcome visitors or travel to discuss things in person.
If you already have a clear vision for your project, I'll work closely with you to fully understand your brief and translate it into a design that brings your ideas to life. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a more collaborative approach, we can explore various themes together, creating a design that’s uniquely personal and meaningful to you.
I take great care in considering both the purpose of each piece and its intended location. The choice of stone will be thoughtfully selected to complement the design and meet your specific requirements. British slate is particularly well-suited for fine, intricate lettering and detailed designs. Its smooth texture and rich, varied color make it an ideal canvas for precision work, allowing for sharp, clear inscriptions and subtle artistic flourishes. In contrast, limestone and sandstone are highly versatile materials, each lending themselves beautifully to both carvings and lettering. Limestone, with its slightly grainy texture, offers a warm, earthy tone, while sandstone brings a unique, natural finish that evolves with time. Every project is a bespoke, one-of-a-kind creation, designed exclusively for you.
In all of my work, the hand-drawn lettering is thoughtfully designed to harmonize with the subject matter, ensuring a balanced and cohesive look. I take great care in crafting each letter by hand, ensuring it complements the material’s inherent beauty and character, whether it's a family memorial, a bespoke plaque, or a decorative piece. Every project is approached with a keen attention to detail and a commitment to creating something truly special that will stand the test of time.
To ensure clarity, it’s helpful to discuss the financial framework early on, as costs are directly linked to the scope of work, as well as the size and materials used.
Contact me“Fiona came to see me and the garden in the summer. She brought with her some samples of stones and slate, listened to my outline wishes, the budget, and looked at where in the garden a stone or stones would be best placed.
After agreeing on the particular stone to use and discussion of how I would choose some words for it Fiona went away and produced some suggestions for me to consider. I was clear that I did not want to be too prescriptive and that I wished the final results to be more about a piece of art to enhance the garden and be of pleasure to the observer than something that was purely commemorative.
Fiona’s suggestions were so good that I decided to commission both ideas - the result is, I think, more than the sum of their parts. This was about the way the stones are and their interrelationship, I think. The next step was to choose words for the stones and this is where I took some words written by my late husband describing an Antarctic landscape (he had been there in the 60s as part of the British Antarctic Survey).
They fitted both Fiona and my criteria - a reflection of the size, shape and textures of the stone, their place in an outdoor setting and a personal memory. We also spent a lot of time discussing and agreeing the script that would be used to carve the stones. I think this is an important, if not almost the most important, part of the decision-making. Fiona asked for an example of James’ writing and produced a number of ideas for me to consider. The final result is individual and reflects how handwriting does not always follow rules but flows with style and character.
I will certainly cherish them as beautiful pieces of art.”