Tom has worked with stone since completing his fine art training back in the early 2000’s. Following his degree, interest moved from conceptual considerations surrounding art and the public realm to focus on method and traditional skills. Living in a Pennine town surrounded by valleys and moorland its no surprise that he became fascinated by drystone walling. After a few years of what we could loosely call an apprenticeship, Tom gained a reputation for attention to detail and eye for the rustic aesthetic. In tandem with walling work Tom was producing lettering pieces, mainly to go in his walls. It soon became apparent that the two practices complemented each other nicely and that’s how things continued for a number of years. Following a recurring back injury Tom had to take the tough decision to hang up his walling hammer and now works solely on lettering projects and if he’s not in the workshop tapping away, he’s probably decided to go climbing instead!
In his small workshop near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, Tom’s signs are all hand carved with a mallet and chisel (not to be confused with the dubiously vague term ‘hand crafted’). Every letter is cut with care and attention, an approach that preserves an aesthetic quality lost by mechanisation. All letters are painted individually without the use of flood painting techniques ensuring beautifully crisp edges without bleeding. With the skills required to work in situ, where stones are already built into a structure, Tom carries out sympathetic restoration work, cleaning and repainting weathered signage.
Questions?
If you need any advice please don’t hesitate to get in touch, we’ll be happy to help. Please fill in an enquiry form or contact the workshop directly for a quotation or advice.
