Roman Lettering

Here is a simple little stone I've carved in a pastiche of a classical Roman inscription.

For this commission I've gone right back to basics and used so-called 'Trajan' Roman letters. Shown here is the slab of Portland stone on my wooden easel. Above left my sketch, and above right a copy of Eric Gill's drawing of the Trajan alphabet for inspiration. I've just started in this photo to set out the inscription. All lettering is drawn free-hand using nothing more than a steady hand and a pencil. 

The finished carved stone set outside on one of the rare sunny mornings we've enjoyed this June!

Another view of the same inscription.

All roads lead to Rome! There is something very satisfying about going back to these lovely letter-forms. A good understanding of Roman letters helps to inform the rest of my lettered work and I must confess that I never tire of Roman letters. They do seem to have fallen out of favour somewhat amongst some of my peers in the world of fine letter-cutting, but sooner or later they will come back into fashion again; they always do...!

Carving a Portland stone memorial with a blackbird and ribbon

Letter-cutters

I've set up a LinkedIn group for letter-cutters, those artists who hand-carve inscriptions in stone and wood; follow the link below or click on the LinkedIn button to the right.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4482026&trk=hb_side_g

Letter-cutters group

I've started a new group on LinkedIn for 'Letter-cutters'; those artists who hand-carve inscriptions in stone and wood. Please join if you are interested.

Thy Kingdom Come...

I've been thinking about the Kingdom of God over this weekend.
Here in the UK we've been celebrating Queen Elizabeth 2nd's Diamond Jubilee; 60 years on the throne.
It's been a time of party and community celebration, such a joy to witness and to see us as a nation appreciate all that is good and worthwhile in this country. Now, I'm not a raging Royalist by any means, but we have a monarchy, it functions well and is widely respected and held in high regard at home and abroad. It also gives us a fine excuse for a party!
Salisbury, where I live in Wiltshire, has fully participated in these celebrations and I'm pleased to say that the church has maintained a high presence throughout it all. All denominations have pulled together with a day of community volunteering (over 400 volunteers!) and have joined together in various services and events.

In particular, I've attended two BBQ's this weekend which have really got me thinking about kingdoms.

'Your Kingdom come, Your will be done...' as we regularly say in the Lord's prayer. Until a few years ago I always imagined that this 'Kingdom' was some imagined, hoped for fulfilment of Jesus' promises, to be attained in the afterlife....or at the end of recorded time....
However my attitude changed when our vicar said something once about being in the kingdom here and now. Sometime I see this in sharp relief and it really comes home to me that yes, God's Kingdom is being built here on earth, in places, but is not yet fully formed.

On Saturday eve I attended a 'churches together' BBQ hosted by the Bishop of Salisbury Nicholas Holtham, in the grounds of the cathedral school. A very prestigious setting for the great and the good, the upper echelons of Wiltshire life, the upper middle classes....and the rest of us. That is, despite the money and privilege associated with a place such as this I came to realise that this is all fully accessible to me too. That great riches and all things good are available to all, just step through the door held open for you by Jesus, and hey, there it is!
Saturday eve, though somewhat dampened by a very typical British downpour of rain, was still a pleasure. However it did have something of the feel of an event for the elect, members of churches, ticket holders all.
On Sunday morning our church (St Michael's Bemerton) held an open air service on Bemerton Heath, the notorious council estate on the northern edge of town. We also held a BBQ. This time however, the event was freely available for everyone. No tickets, no church membership required, no fee. Everything free, and freely given. Many attendees appeared at the end of the service just for a free burger....and why not? The setting may not have been as 'rich' and exclusive as the cathedral close, but here was the kingdom of God being built in community and fellowship.

The joy and love and goodness of God is fully, freely and un-conditionally available for all. Just turn up, come as you are, no ticket required.