Heritage

Shawn's heritage experience encompasses working as a stonemason and stone carver. Past projects include:

1. •Carlisle Cathedral
   

2. •Lancaster Priory
   

3. •the Georgian Pepperpot building on Belle Island, Windermere (as foreman mason)
   

4. •the Watchtower, Lothian Road, Edinburgh
   

5. •replication of prestigious carvings on the Edinburgh museum circuit.
   

Shawn also works as a monumental mason from time to time.

He is currently working with Doug Richardson, a developer and project manager, on developing both sustainable energy systems and restoration of historic buildings.

Training

As a result of working as both a stonemason and stone sculptor, Shawn noticed by the mid-90s that there was a therapeutic angle to the art and craft process, particularly when carving in the medium of stone. Later he was asked to work with community groups, including probationers, young offenders, long-term unemployed, school pupils with learning issues and both low and high achievers.

He was able to incorporate the ideas of those taking part into large scale art projects in and around their own community, his ethos being that everybody’s ideas count. However, putting the ideas into practice needs patience and discipline in terms of learning the skills to carve stone.

To get these trailblazing initiatives off the ground, he has worked with community organisations, government schemes such as New Deal and regeneration companies. Cumbria Rock Sculpture was one such initiative. Trainees were tutored in practical stonemasonry, with the objective of individuals producing their own pieces of work to sell at the end of the course. Their work progressed quickly and soon trainees were carving anything from stone seats to their own figures in a variety of stones.

In 2002, the three directors of Cumbria Rock Sculpture Ltd (Shawn and two former trainees) were invited to the US, where they worked on carving projects with American counterparts. CRS by this time was a private social enterprise, with the expenses for the trip paid for from commercial income.

Since 2003 Shawn has continued, as Shawn Williamson Art & Craft Training, to provide training opportunities within the context of publicly funded arts and craft projects.  In 2005 HRH the Prince of Wales unveiled the 12 ton Herdwick Ram at Cockermouth and the recent Abbey Mill Sculpture Project at Barrow-in-Furness will be unveiled some time in 2007.

Cumbria Rock Sculpture and Shawn’s latest training projects have been commended by senior politicians. Shawn has been involved in high level talks about making this kind of training available nationally to fill future skills shortages and to help reduce crime. At the same time, he is exploring the development of training initiatives in his own area with the Workington Heritage Group and in Caithness with the North Highland Initiative.

His methodical understanding approach is well received by the people he works with and he has been active in standing up for their right to a purposeful place within the system.

Additional experience/qualifications

1. •qualified to teach stonemasonry to Level 2 and stone sculpture
   

2. •NVQ Level 2 Stonemasonry Assessor
   

3. •enhanced CRB disclosure
   

4. •CITB registered
   

5. •CSCS registered (blue card)
   

6. •Key Stages 2-4, 16+ age group
   

7. •experience of Special Physical, Special Emotional, Special Learning needs
   

8. •public liability insurance (16+)
   

9. •operates Health & Safety policy/access to health & safety consultant
   

10. •qualified first aider (First Aid for Appointed Persons)
    

11. •exploration of ideas can include 2D drawing and modelling in other materials