News

Orchestra of Angels

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:26:51 +0100

Shawn has just recently returned from the Stone+Tec Exhibition 2007 in Nurnberg, Germany, where he put the finishing touches to a mysterious carving.

Block Stone Ltd, a stone quarrying company based in Chesterfield, invited Shawn to do a relief carving at their exhibition stand to show off their Weatherbed Ancaster limestone. Much of the hard graft had already been done in the UK. As well as being an attractive stone and a pleasure to carve, the musical quality of the ringing of mallet and chisel on limestone pulled in huge crowds to watch.

Many onlookers asked about what the carving was meant to represent. Shawn's answer is always "What do you think it means?"

Since completing the work, which was already destined to go to a church in Chesterfield, Shawn has since noticed a newspaper article about another angel carved in Ancaster limestone. However, Gabriel, also carved in relief, was uncovered under Lichfield Cathedral and is 1300 years old.

Josefina de Vasconcellos remembered

Mon, 5 Feb 2007 20:31:15 +0000

Shawn is carving a memorial stone to his late sculpting teacher, Josefina de Vasconcellos, who died in 2005 at the age of 100. A combination of her last wishes and his own creative input, the piece will be situated at Rydal Hall in the spot Shawn and Josefina used to use as their open air studio. Watch this space.

Abbey Mill Sculpture Project

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:40:37 +0000

In 2006 Shawn worked with Community Action Furness to produce 5 sculptures for the Abbey Mill Cottage grounds next to Furness Abbey, formerly a Cistercian abbey with links to St Bernard of Clairvaux. Local kids were involved in the design and carving of these features. To be unveiled in 2007.

Students develop their carving skills on small blocks first.

This is the standard of work that can be achieved.

This sleepy lion is one of five sculptures in the grounds of Abbey Mill Cottage.

Fish out of water

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 22:37:48 +0000

The coelacanth is a supposedly extinct prehistoric fish yet live specimens still surface from time to time. This relief carving is being done in collaboration with Kirkstone Ltd at Skelwith Bridge and is proving quite a draw for passing tourists. Work is ongoing between commissions.

Shawn writes first novel, Mauler

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 20:45:10 +0100

Shawn has turned his hand to writing. Recently he had his first novel published, Mauler, ISBN 1904524-37-0, and is currently working on two more. Go to www.hayloft.org.uk/mauler.html to order your copy.

“In a time of barbarous cruelty, the human menagerie forms the backdrop to this story. We are swept from the murky depths of slavery and prize fighting in Georgian Whitehaven to the horror of the massacre of Aboriginal peoples in Tasmania."

"The author writes about the struggle for survival with power and grace. In the face of man's inhumanity to man and animal, this is above all a tale of friendship, loyalty and honour, and the force and truth of this work is tempered by a love of all living things and an understanding of nature. This first novel will grip and haunt every reader.”

Herdwick Ram blessed

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 23:40:01 +0100

Rev Michael Braithwaite blessed the Ram in a short dedication ceremony, after it was craned in to position on its plinth by Lawsons Haulage. The Ram is now sitting proudly at the entrance to the Lakeland Livestock Centre, the latest addition to the West Cumbrian landscape.

Top: The Art & Craft Training team, from left Morgan Williamson, Shawn Williamson sculptor/trainer and Sean Cullen assistant sculptor/trainer (with Rev Michael Braithwaite second from right)
Bottom: Lawsons Haulage skilfully crane Ram into position