City and Guilds of London Art School Award 2017

Richard Barnes - Stone Carver

Having been a self-employed sculptor for a number of years I discovered that I get the most joy and satisfaction from working with stone. Although I had been carving for several years, I became increasingly aware that I lacked the technical skills and knowledge to take my carving to a much higher standard. Interested in the more classical forms of sculpture and lamenting the decline in craft skills within the current art world, I wanted to get some professional training which upon completion would enable me to work within the industry of stone carving, both in the fields of architectural and restoration carving and in the production of new works of art. As such I was lucky enough to get a place at the City & Guilds of London Art School on their Historic Stone Carving course. The structure and variety of the course has truly reaffirmed my love of the craft of working with stone and my knowledge and skills have already improved dramatically, confirmed by my recent winning of a commission to carve a new grotesque for St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Melaney Gibson Davies – Conservator

Melaney Gibson Davies is currently studying at the City and Guilds of London Art School for a BA hons. in Conservation Studies. After a long , successful and very enjoyable career in the film industry as a make-up artist she decided it was the right time to train for a degree that she had secretly always wanted. Currently in the second year, Melaney tells us that she is bowled over by the standards of the teaching at her college, ’this course is unlike any other Conservation course I had researched, it’s very special, we are all very supported by the school and having the opportunity to work on such interesting and varied objects is very special. The rest of her academic year is filled with projects at Kensal Green Cemetery, Rochester Cathedral and with work experience at Knowle House and the Museum of London. She currently lives in East London with her 16 year old son.

Sarah Davis - Wood Carver

Following school I completed a BA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design in 2012, achieving First Class Honours. My family has been very supportive throughout my education and I have always been encouraged to pursue my creative side.

My interest in wood started to develop after my first year at Chelsea. Looking back at my sketchbook from that time I was drawing a lot of inspiration from abstract figurative sculpture and felt my ideas relating to the subject would best be realized by carving wood.