Pippa Unwin
I have always had a fascination with stone and the carved form. At school in Wells, I spent hours in the Cathedral, absorbed by the energy and humanity of the masons’ work. Later, married to a geologist I learnt about the formation and structure of stone. I worked as an illustrator, but always enjoyed the 3D side of things, such as the technical problems of angled, aerial views. In stonecarving I have found my true vocation – telling a story in a form not only visual, but also tactile and textual. I learnt the traditional skills from masons, not artists, who treat the stone with respect and honesty; my work is practical and nonsentimental. I am inspired by the art and architecture of different cultures, geometry and nature, but I mostly carve the natural form – I enjoy trying to capture the individual character and living spirit of a particular animal, rather than copy the more traditional poses. I am also starting to experiment with abstract shapes, discovering more about the stone itself – its limitations and possibilities