Nick Rowsell Stonecraft

4 June 2021 4:45 pm
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Description

Nicholas Rowsell was born in Hackney, London. On the 17/18th August 1960 during a dry electrical, thunder storm on the dot of midnight. His parents decided to make him a day younger and close the 18thas his birthday.

It wasn’t until 1989 that Nicholas discovered stonecarving whilst subcontracting as a stone cladder in Berkley Square, London during the summer of 89’. Having taken home a few small offcuts of the Portland Whitbed that arrived from Dorset each day and also buying two chisels from the resident apprentice for a fiver each , he set about carving these pieces of Limestone and discovered the reason why he was alive.

He hasn’t looked back since and has been steadily carving commercially in both the private and public sectors, or adding further pieces to an impressively growing collection of stonework. Nicholas has mastered many differing styles of stonecarving and has stated that . . . .‘Anyone with technical abilities can carve to plan as the rules of where and where not to strike are clearly defined , but there is no substitute for the investment of sheer physical labour when carving directly into stone, investing the metaphysical arcane approach to stonecarving is still the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me’.

Once ensconced in Weymouth/Portland He set about amassing a body of work in the indigenous Portland Limestone , carving some 27 pieces . He then organized the Lost Heritage Exhibitions and worked to promote stone sculpture as a viable tourist attraction in that area.

In 1998 Nicholas moved to Newcastle to be closer to part of his family who had relocated to the North East some years back. Having sub contracted out his specialist masonry skills to local companies he then took his workshop/gallery called Testhouse 5 situated in the Ouseburn Newcastle. This also doubled as a teaching area for teaching rudimentary stonecarving course to a more advanced level of fine art.

With a number of successfully executed public commissions adding to his growing reputation publicity has become a constant with regular articles steadily appearing in both the local and national media.

He now lives in Hexham Northumberland and continues to carve the indigenous stone and progresses with current projects interspersed with periods of teaching and public exhibiting.

celtic dragons h – 270 mm w – 540 mm d – 50 mm – price £ 1,950.00

celtic dogs & birds h – 260 mm w – 520 mm d – 55 mm – price £ 1,850.00

celtic leopards h 300 mm w – 372 mm d – 50 mm – price £ 1,750.00

templates taken from the book of kells .. hand carved in dunhouse bue / stainton blue limestone.
these pieces are original.

male torso portland limestone (whitbed) h – 310 mm w – 210 mm d – 135 mm – price £ 12,500.00

female torso : carved from blaxster sandstone h – 785 mm w – 260 d – 200 mm – price £ 14,500.00

elephant : carved in red sandstone h – 450 mm w – 260 mm w – 135 mm – price £ 22,500.00

totem cube: in portland limestone (perryfield best bed ) h – 165 mm w – 160 mm d – 150 mm – price £ 15,000.00

The High Heaton miners memorial commerating the 1815 mining disaster whereby 72 men & boys perished due to an infusion of water from a disused older shaft.

abstract on a spike in portland limestone (bowers best bed) h – 1000 mm w – 200 mm d – 170 mm (base)- price £ 15,000.00

panthers head in portland limestone (bowers best bed) with indiana limestone base h – 180 mm L – 400 mm w – 130 mm – price £ 12,500.00

cop cragg abstract 1 .. h – 590 mm w – 270 mm d – 100 mm – price £ 800.00

nick rowsell
hexham

01434 600956
07811 697710

google – nick rowsell stonecraft (facebook open page)

Exhibitions & Galleries.

Lost Heritage Exhibition 1 – 1994
Dorset County Show – 1994
Lost Heritage Exhibition 2 – 1995
Dorset County Show – 1995
Brussels European Expo – 1996
Dorset County Show – 1996
The Hancock Museum Millenium spot, Nick Rowsell one man show ‘ The Wildside Sculpture Show’. – 2000
The Biscuit Factory – 2004=6
Tyneside Art at the R.A. London – 2006
The Queens Hall , Hexham . 2009/10
Northumberland County Show – 2011

Qualifications

DIP H.E. – Art & Architecture – 1985/86 = Polytechnic of East London.
City & Guilds – Brickcraft 1-4 – 1987 = Mowlems Training, Silvertown , London.
City & Guilds – Masonry & lettercutting – 1991/92. Weymouth, Dorset.