Back in May, we were delighted to take part once again in London Craft Week, with our two-day programme of activities celebrating specialist craft skills.
The event kicked off on Friday 16 May with the start of the Annual Carving Competition – a highlight on the programme. Over twelve hours split across the two days, our first year woodcarving and stone carving students are challenged to complete an original work based on a theme. This year, the theme was ‘beasts’, and it was fantastic to see the range of creatures the students chose to carve.
The annual wood and stone carving competition
The annual wood and stone carving competition
We were pleased to be joined by Master Carver Hugh Wedderburn, our judge for this year’s Carving Competition. During the prize-giving, Hugh gave a warm and generous address, and commended the level of each piece of work created by our first year students in the time allocated.
(L-R) Art School Principal, Dr Lois Rowe, Head of Carving, Tom Young and Master Carver and the judge of this year’s Carving Competition, Hugh Wedderburn
First Prize Stone Carving, sponsored by the Mason’s Company – Klarissa Katz, BA (Hons) Carving: Architectural Stone
First Prize Woodcarving, awarded in honour of Dick Onians – Vicki Mortimer, BA (Hons) Carving: Woodcarving and Gilding
Second Prize Stone Carving, sponsored by the Mason’s Company – Tom Pullen, BA (Hons) Carving: Architectural Stone
Second Prize Woodcarving, awarded in honour of Dick Onians – Chris Hewertson, BA (Hons) Carving: Woodcarving and Gilding
The William Wheeler’s People’s Choice Award – Tomas Hancock, BA (Hons) Carving: Architectural Stone
Peer Prize, voted for by carving students – Klarissa Katz, BA (Hons) Carving: Architectural Stone
Take a look at the winning carvings on our Instagram post here.
(L-R) Prizewinners Chris Hewertson, Tomas Hancock, Klarissa Katz and Tom Pullen
Visitors were invited to place their vote for the William Wheeler’s People’s Choice award, and enjoyed seeing current projects by second and third year Carving students, who hosted an Open Studio. There was also the opportunity for visitors to have a go at stone carving themselves.
Have a Go at Stone Carving
Carving Open Studios
Across the two days, our Conservation students ran a series of demonstrations and interactive activities, including gilding, japanning, verre eglomise and paper restoration. The students were joined by Decorative Surfaces Fellow Alison Poon, who demonstrated wood graining techniques.
Conservation Demonstrations
Conservation Demonstrations
Over in the Print Room, we had visitors taking part in printmaking workshops with Print Fellow Ben Topping. Ben ran a series of workshops on the traditional process of Intaglio printing, where participants were taught how to create beautiful debossed prints using a variety of materials to create texture and without using ink.
Printmaking Workshops
A number of exhibitions were on display throughout the Art School over the weekend. Visitors were greeted in the atrium by an exhibition of work by our National Saturday Club members, who have been learning 2D and 3D heritage craft skills at the Art School every Saturday this academic year. Our members had a range of their work on display, including carved frames, prints, examples of paper marbling and verre églomisé. Visitors also enjoyed an exhibition of entries for the Art School’s Taylor Pearce Drawing Prize, open to students on our Carving and Conservation degree programmes, and the Roger de Grey Drawing Prize.
Taylor Pearce Drawing Prize
Roger de Grey Drawing Prize
National Saturday Club exhibition
Thank you to our sponsors, The Masons’ Company Craft Fund and The Carpenters’ Company, and thank you to everyone who visited and took part.
We look forward to seeing you all again at next year’s London Craft Week event.