I am a stone letter carver based on the Lizard Peninsula in West Cornwall. I offer a bespoke/tailor made creative script writing service in stone using traditional letter carving methods. All my work is done by hand with no machinery or power tools aside from cutting the stone to size if necessary. For more information, please contact heidi@mabbott.net or go through the contacts page.
I would be delighted to accept a commission to create a traditionally hand carved piece for you – such as:-
a memorial name stone for your pet to go in your garden, in their favourite place or to embed into your patio.
A formal or rustic stone with your house name carved into it.
A sign for your mum’s or dad’s garden or ‘gar-den’, ‘man cave’ or ‘hobby hut’, personalised just for them.
A short saying or piece of script – with the letters designed and carved in a meaningful way, for example – ‘stay out of trouble’ ‘Carpe Diem’ ‘Feast on the sweet Sun’ ‘Sandy toes – happy days’ ‘A pocket full of pebbles/sea shells/leggo/sweets’ or whatever you would like.
Heidi.Mabbott.Studio
I have always had a passion for nice writing – calligraphy – and the arty way you can draw and embellish letters. I have grown up with a love for illuminated manuscripts and the many (mostly religious) historical documents, psalms, hymns Koran and Bible related arts.
I also have a passion for collecting and admiring beautiful pieces of stone (especially Cornish Serpentine in its many colours), granites and marbles, fossils and sandstones and slates.
It is only recently I have realised that I can combine both of these pleasures and create art myself through the medium of stone letter carving.
I attended a course by Patrick McWilliams from Wild Art Cornwall based at Newlyn and went through the basics of stone carving. Over a few weeks I learned how to measure and chop out a border and using a template, drew and carved out an oak leaf and added an acorn to a block of Portland stone. Patrick demonstrated the effects of light and shade and how greater depth can be given and the general practice and use of tools for curves and three-dimensional working. Texture can be added by using the chisels in certain ways, or a flat finish achieved through scraping and gentle removal of stone.
I then attended a Heritage Open Day at the Museum of Cornish Life, Helston, where I met Stephane Rouget, Sculptor, Artist, Graphic Designer and Stone Letter Carver. Stephane is most well known locally for his very large granite sculpture of St Piran that is now standing in the Valley of the Saints. (Shipped over on a fishing boat from Falmouth).
Keen to ‘have a go’ at stone letter carving myself, I persuaded Stephane to tutor me in the art. Stephane kindly shared his Banker’s Shed at Tim Marsh’s quarry at Mabe Burnthouse, while I underwent his instruction in letter formation, drawing, cutting into stone and finally producing an ‘apprentice alphabet’ of hand drawn letters, v incised cut in the style of Kindersley and Gill. Stephane remains my Mentor and guru as I pursue the art with my own style, and I shall be forever in his debt in showing me the possibilities and ways to carve beautiful lettering.
I am now practicing and producing work from my own studio on the Lizard Peninsula in South West Cornwall, and like to try different stone and lettering fonts. I enjoy the ‘roundness and fullness’ of the Cornish script and like using it for Cornish words of endearment or phrases. My love of fossils is not so great when I come across them whilst working with Portland Stone – challenging me to make the best of the little obstacles in a clean cut!
My ethos is to reuse and recycle as much as possible and I take joy in converting an offcut of work surface, old windowsill or slate step into a house sign, number, pet memorial or piece of arty script or garden ornament. Please view my work on Instagram – @heidi.mabbott.studio. and let me know if there is something special I can create for you.
All my work is hand crafted with no machinery, compressed air or electricity (except for lighting).