Jamie Vans @ Broomhill

The Artist Speaks

“All my sculpture is direct carving in stone; I don't do any drawings or make models because I don't want preconceived ideas to prevent me from making the most of the carving process. It's often the character and shape of the stone that suggests the subject and I like the carving itself to be the creative act. My work is based mainly on the human figure which seems to me the most natural and beautiful subject for sculpture; there is no end to the variety of forms that it leads to. I also like to explore the forms and textures which result from the choice of varying stones, and the use of different carving techniques and tools.

“Stones I have used range from alabaster, which is so soft you can scratch it with your finger-nail, through the building stones of Portland and the rough textured Cotswold stones to the very hard carboniferous stones which are usually crushed for making roads. Most of the work is suitable for the garden, only a few small pieces definitely need to be indoors. The durability and long life of stone is well known; it can be measured in hundreds of years and the effects of age and weathering tend to enhance its natural beauty.

“I have carried out a number of public commissions, sometimes involving members of the community in research and in practical workshops. In some of my most rewarding projects I have helped pupils in local schools to design and carve their own pieces which now stand in public places. I also teach regular workshops at my studio and at local arts centres.”

Public Commissions

2003 - One, a text based piece for the village of Middleton-by-Youlgrave, Derbyshire
2000 -The Millennium Stone commissioned by Stonehouse Town Council
1998 - Family, donated by Cotswold District Council to Cirencester Hospital, East Gloucestershire NHS Trust
1995 - Prologue, commissioned by Sutton Borough Council for the Secombe Theatre, Sutton
1987 - The Ram, Stroud District Council and Gloucestershire County Council from the design by Judy Swaffin Vans

Selected Exhibitions

2003
Art Outside, Saville Garden, Windsor Great Park
Fresh Air, Quenington Sculpture Trust, Gloucestershire
Garden Gallery, Broughton, Hampshire
Anderson Gallery, Burford, Oxon
Broomhill Sculpture Gardens, Barnstaple, Devon
2002
Arthur Koestler Trust, London W12

Other galleries at which I have shown regularly include

1994 to 2000 Docklands Gallery, Chelsea Harbour, London
1996 and 1997 Beatrice Royal Gallery, Eastleigh, Hants
1994 to 1997 Gallery Shurini, St. James's, London SW1
1991 to 1993 Montpellier Gallery, Stratford-on-Avon and Cheltenham
1993 to 1996 Patricia Wells Gallery, Thornbury, Bristol
1989 to 1991 Pelter/Sands Gallery, Bristol

Teaching and Workshops

Warden Hill Primary School, Cheltenham, 2003
A week-long project creating a sequence of figures in motion for the school's courtyard.

Crypt School, Gloucester, 2002
Two week Y9 Arts Project: 120 boys carved sculptures in response to their visit to the Pitt Rivers Museum.

Anne Edwards School, South Cerney, 2002
Workshops with reception and junior classes resulting in a permanent stone plaque carved by the children and fitted on the wall of the school.

Bettridge School, Cheltenham, 2002
Animals, 3 sculptures made working with pupils with learning difficulties.

Maidenhill School, Stonehouse, 2000-1
The Millennium Stone, Stonehouse: pupils worked on research, design and carving phases of the project.

Maidenhill School, Stonehouse, 1996-7
Fish, three public sculptures carved with students, Maidenhill School, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (funding by Stroud District and Stonehouse Town Councils).

Thomas Keble School, Stroud
1994
Artist-in-residence, Activities Week
1993
As artist-in-residence I worked with 20 primary and secondary school children while they carved a large stone sculpture, Where Sheep May Safely Graze, which now stands in front of the school.
1992
Taught a carving workshop as part of the Sculpture Trail which that year won an award from the National Society for Education in Art and Design.

Other workshops

2000
Hailes Abbey, near Winchcombe: as part of the Year of the Artist I taught workshops for around 290 children from 8 Gloucestershire schools (English Heritage and Brewery Arts, Cirencester).
1995
Travelling the Trail, public sculpture by students of the National Star Centre, Ullenwood, Cheltenham.

Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Adult Education workshops
2000-03
Stone Sculpture Techniques, adult classes
1999
Creative Stone Carving workshops.

Cotswold Edge Millennium Crafts Group
1999
Facilitating the carving of landmark sculptures by local people.