MARK-IT: D.I.Y. Workshops

The MARK-IT project is a celebration of Spalding’s historic markets through a range of public art works, most recently Graeme Mitchelson’s beautifully crafted stone sheep and cattle, but it is also an opportunity to benefit from Graeme’s expertise and experience in a programme of stone-carving workshops, organised by Transported under the Arts Council’s “Creative People and Places” scheme. Hence the four workshops arranged for late May.
Faced with a foot-square block of limestone – smooth and blank – how do you start? How liberate the hidden Michelangelo or inner Barbara Hepworth? (When disaster is always just a chisel-slip away!)

Graeme had some designs on paper – simple or more intricate – that could be transferred, carbon-copy- like, to the smooth face of the stone. Ready to chip away, under Graeme’s guidance in the basic techniques, into a three-dimensional relief, such as one might find in the porch of a mediaeval church out in the fens.

The stone is soft, easily worked, with hand-pressure sufficient for detail and smoothing. On the dusty picnic tables two dimensions will hesitate into three as the morning progresses and the sun shifts round.

One lady, however, emerging from lunch into the sunlight fierce on her morning’s handiwork, looked disappointed. “It’s rubbish,” she said. “It’s just flat.” Until Graeme set the block on its edge, angled it to the sun, and the flower she’d carved sprang into light and shadow. She was really chuffed, and keen to take it home and set it up in the garden – somewhere where the sun would catch it, of course.

28 people took part, including some members of the Boston Wood Carvers (also supported by Transported), keen to try the new material and to learn new techniques. The finished art works have taken everybody by surprise, for their quality and the speed of learning. So much so that a further 10 workshops have been organised, to allow for more people to take part and others to develop their skills further.

Each workshop runs from 10am to 3pm, with a short break for lunch about 12.30pm.
Place: Tonic 44 Community Hub, 44 Station Road, Surfleet, PE12 4DA.
(From Spalding on the B1356, turn right at Surfleet church. 44 Station Road is about 300-400 yards along on the left.)

The workshops are free. Paid lunch in canteen or bring own sandwiches.
 

You may sign up for one or more workshops – first come, first served.

You must, however, book a place on the workshop(s) you would like to attend, by sending an e-mail to Adam Fleming at Transported.

Please mention that you are from Spalding Civic Society when you book.

From Transported’s and Arts Council England’s point of view, the legacy from this project couldn’t have been better. Our remit is to get more people involved in art. The popularity of the original four sessions saw more people wanting to get involved in extra workshops, hence the above opportunities. From Day One we were talking to them about establishing an independent Stone Carving Group that can go on to work together to take on their own projects, creating new public art works that make the area nicer and more interesting. Graeme has been great, teaching and mentoring those taking part but also inspiring them to want to carry on and do more. Good carving!

Nick Jones, Transported Programme Director