Introducing myself: John Sutcliffe

[A.J.Tinning@xxxxxxxxxx]

Hi John

Why not try going on a course and getting qualified as a stonemason?  You
can learn all the skills you need, make some good contacts, get a
qualification that will allow you to find work, and then when you are more
experienced try things on your own.  Bath and Weymouth colleges run courses
that I have looked in to before - I spoke to the people at Bath and they
were very helpful so might be worth your while looking into.  Bit less
scarey than a leap in the dark!  There is also a sculpture school in London,
if you are moving that way.  For them you might need a background in arts
education, but again worth a look.  All these three have websites, if you do
a search.

It is a frightening thing to do, making the break and try to step on the
right path that will lead you to the way you want to live.  My partner and I
are attempting a similar thing - we will shortly be cutting our losses,
moving to Staffordshire and opening an Art Gallery!  Very scarey but it has
to be done!  At the end of the day all we are likely to lose is money, and
as that is not important to us, if it all goes wrong we will pick ourselves
up, dust ourselves off and try it again a different way!!

Best of luck and please let us all know how you get on!

Alison Tinning
Academic Programme Assistant for
Three Dimensional Design and Materials Practice
Rm 137 Grand Parade, ext. 3081