Jo Sweeting

I have taught Stonecarving and Lettercutting to adults for sometime and the process is a slow one which requires patience but allows students to progress at the speed suitable to their experience.Students quickly gain confidence using hand tools and through individual and group demonstrations are helped to develop and hone their carving skills.The process of carving means that there is time to develop and discuss ideas as the process is taking place and students are encouraged to work through their ideas on paper,through maquette building and through drawing directly on to the stone ,prior to cutting at each stage.Students who are very experienced will be encouraged to share their knowledge with others and the environment will be inclusive and one where acknowledgement of mutual skills is encouraged

Students will use a variety of handtools such as chisels,claws and mallets to remove stone and learn how to incise,chop,chase and create various depths of relief within the stone. We will draw ideas on paper and directly onto the stone and will learn to refine and finish the stone to a degree suitable for exhibiting and photographing the work.

My work is inspired by plants and people.The work is often based on celebration of a moment like birth,death,bloom and bud.I like my work to have a domestic or garden context where it is hoped it would require people to interact with it on an intimate basis. I often produce work to be involved with nature ie bowls to sit on a hearth and warm the room,pieces that require turning in order to match the season or bowls to catch rain and lettercut candle pieces to sit on the table on celebratory occassions.. My lettercarved work is based on letters fitting sculptural form to emphasise and exaggerate the words meaning.

I often show my work in my own home in Brighton during my Pop Up Shops or during the Artists Open Houses in May during the Brighton Festival. I have also shown in many shows around BrItain at various galleries. I do not have one specific gallery where I show. My work can also be viewed on my website. shows my work and gives information on shows I am participating in.

I am a qualified teacher. I have taught at West Dean ,The Skelton Workshops at Streat in Sussex and also have a Workshop at home where I teach several times a week. I have also run carving residencies with children in primary and secondary schools.

I am a member of Letter Exchange,a professional group of Lettering artists such as calligraphers,lettercarvers and typographers. I had an article published with the carver Gary Breeze.