Shawn
Williamson Sculptor
Having
studied art to begin with in Toronto Canada and inspired by Inuit sculptor Shawn
decided to take up stone carving training at Weymouth Technical College where
he also learnt the craft of stonemasonry. He eventually wanted to become a
classic sculptor. After this he gained excellent heritage carving experience on
a number of different contracts and jobs for which he received great testimony.
Meanwhile he had his first public sculpture commission in 1984 with his work
medieval knight inspired by the heart of crusader knight brought back from the
holy land in 1150 to Lancaster. Many
other public commissions followed. One particular sculpture a huge Herdwick Ram
Sculpture was unveiled by HRH the Prince of Wales. Another the Emergence
sculpture is one of the largest free standing stone sculptures in the North of
England. To date Shawn has had 25 Public Commissions around the Uk.
He then met the famous sculptor Josefina de
Vasconcellos MBE whose Madonna and child graces St Paul’s Cathedral. Later her
Reconciliation peace sculpture now graces Coventry Cathedral as well as the Berlin Wall and Hiroshima.
Sir Richard Branson helped enable this monumental work.
Josefina had been the pupil of Antoine
Bourdelle who had been the pupil and assistant of Rodin himself. Shawn met
Josefina when she was 84 and learnt much of the finer points of working
directly in plaster of Paris. Whilst Shawn and Josefina talked he learnt of her
connections with Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore, Giacometti and Andreotti . Shawn
later struck up mentor relationship with Sir Henry Moore.
From this superb foundation Shawn is able to
explore the working techniques and possibilities to realise vision and movement
in stone. The Lake District region of Cumbria in Northern England is ideal for
experiencing the dramatic weather of this inspirational landscape. In the past
the area was frequented by many great artists and writers from Lord Byron and
Wordsworth and later by Kurt Shwitters.
Shawn
relates to Cumbria through stone on
both a physical and spiritual level. However his incredible knowledge of
ancient stone carving techniques from antiquity and beyond gives him immense
possibilities for both experimentation in its own right and the realisation to
be able to create sculptures inspired by
the metaphysical world. And his best work and sculptures are
to come.
