New member

[<d.h.webber@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

David Webber
Durham
England

Hello all,

I would like to introduce myself as a new member of this interesting
discussion group.  I am currently a postgraduate student (chemistry)
at Durham and stonecarving is one of my hobbies.  I have always been
keen on practical arts and crafts such as woodwork and pottery. Living
in a house with other students meant that hobbies like woodwork, which
require a well fitted-out workshop, were not possible, so instead, I
invested in some stonecarving tools and health and safety equipment
and started practicing on the sandstone rocks in the garden.  It is
about six months since I started stonecarving and I find it a really
satisfying occupation; I like carving gargoyles freehand, and I also
do house-numbers.

Although I think that I have done a reasonable job of teaching myself
to carve, I would love to meet a professional stone sculptor who would
be able to spare half an hour or so to give me some tips.  Is there
anybody in northern England (accessable by train or other public
transport) who may be able to help?  I would be extremely grateful.

I am also interested in the overlap between sculpture (and art in
general) and science and have a number of ideas for novel sculptural
projects involving special optical effects.  I am also working on a
powder which foams up into a pumice-like spongy stony material which
may have sculptural uses.

One more thing which will interest readers of this group: I have,
filed away somewhere, a copy of a scientific paper dealing with the
nasty biological effects of inhaling different types of mineral dust.
I'll try and find it and post an e-mail summarising the important
points.

Keep on Working in Stone

David