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Hidden in a corner of Upper St<strong>on</strong>eham Farm, Guy Stevens and Alyosha Moeran craft st<strong>on</strong>e into new forms, from pocket-sized spinning tops to giant public art. On my way there I pass ‘Brian’ and the chalk cliffs that overlook town; <strong>Lewes</strong> is clearly not a natural habitat for st<strong>on</strong>e sculptors, I think, but what does that matter? I arrive and am welcomed into an intriguing space, filled with curio<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> maquettes and heavy things that look light. “I started with heads,” says Guy, while I stare at a slab of st<strong>on</strong>e, that I will so<strong>on</strong> make my own. “I did about 100 of those, and insects, they’re a good way to learn.” Guy tells me he <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>es an angle grinder and potter’s wheel to spin sculptures into smooth, cylindrical shapes, but I had better start with the basics. It’s easy, I’m told: “All you need is an old builder’s chisel and a hammer.” I draw <strong>on</strong>to the st<strong>on</strong>e and am shown how to cut outside my pencil line with a flat chisel, keeping a loose grip and the back of the blade facing me. I have chosen to carve a relief: an ill<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>trative technique in which an image is raised out of a flat surface. The outline cut away, I mark a depth of 5mm al<strong>on</strong>g the sides and ‘waste’ the outer matter <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing a wide, flat ‘bolster’ and an applewood mallet. I’m surprised that breaking this Bath St<strong>on</strong>e or ‘biscuit’ is so easy. “Harder st<strong>on</strong>e would pop, rather than create so much w w w. V I VA l E w E s . C o M sToNe carviNg Chloë King flashes the Crow’s Foot w E t r y o U t photos: Chloë king d<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t,” says Guy. Before I start the detail, Alyosha drills ‘eyes’ between the fingers to protect the acute angles. I’m left to work away, testing the different marks made by evocatively named tools, like Crow’s Foot, Claw and Fishtail. I try angling the cuts to create shadows and an ill<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>i<strong>on</strong> of depth. I so<strong>on</strong> find myself absorbed, aware of little but the sound of hitting st<strong>on</strong>e and the effect this has <strong>on</strong> its surface; it’s, as Alyosha says, “almost a dreamlike state.” Sound is very important, I’m told, beca<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e a st<strong>on</strong>e that ‘rings’ has no flaws and is therefore safe to work with. Alyosha enjoys <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing this feature of the material, to create sculptures with ‘keys’ like a xyloph<strong>on</strong>e. Guy <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed to be a performance artist and at first I thought this a real departure, but as I circle the piece I’m working <strong>on</strong>, I notice some theatricality. It’s less of a surprise then, as Guy rinses the completed relief with water and I prepare to leave, that he says, “I’ve tried every medium, but st<strong>on</strong>e is the <strong>on</strong>e that stuck.” Guy and Alyosha’s studio is open throughout Artwave. Visitors <strong>on</strong> September 11th & 12th are invited to ‘have a go’ – an hour’s tuiti<strong>on</strong> and your own carving to take home costs £10. After the festival, <strong>on</strong>e-day courses for groups of 2-6 can be arranged by appointment, workshops cost £50 per pers<strong>on</strong> and you keep what you carve. To book email guy@guystevenssculpture.com. 7 7
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