I especially enjoy the physical act of carving and sculpturing stone. Surface textures affect the material and give it sensual forms, allowing human expression to be unleashed onto it. Often I let the raw materials guide me, choosing to harmonise my design with what’s already there, though sometimes it’s a design idea that leads me to pick the right materials.
I have found working with stone intensely enjoyable and deeply engaging, whether that’s representing living creatures or exploring more abstract relationships in symbolic, philosophical form. It is almost a process of meditation, which encourages a more intuitive approach within an understanding of nature itself. Each stone, slate or wood has a beauty of its own.
Much of my youthful career was spent as a humanist activist. I am trained as a software engineer and have worked as a desktop publisher/graphic designer among other roles in different industries before launching myself as a full-time stone carver. I have attended Accademia d’arte, A.M.A, insipiring workshops in France, Carrara in Italy, Germany with maestros Nicole Durand, Roberto Bricalli, Luca Marovino and Martin Wiese, Eileen Macdonagh. I have taken a part in Sculpture Trails, exhibitions in the UK and stimulating artist residencies in the UK and Spanish mountains, overall assistant in Morocco. Almost a month in 2018-1019 spent in Global Stone Workshop- Mamallapuram, south India- archaeological jewel village and with over 200 stone carving workshops, ultimate destination for artists sculpting in stone, lost wax bronze casting. Predominately worked in granite and Rajasthan marble, inspirational time spent amongst the traditional Dravidian temple carvers-village whom they got mind-blowing work ethics and provide the carvings to temples all over the world.
Website: MeryemSiemmond.com
Instagram: @MeryemSiemmond