Lepus Melangell- A Commission in Honour of the Patron Saint of Hares

‘Lepus Melangell’ (© HatchBurnCarve). Carved from a 32 x 23.5 x 2 cm piece of reclaimed slate. The carved design incorporates the outline of the hare I’ve used on a number of occasions along with a stylised Carolingian cross (consisting of four interlinked triquetras) elongated and compressed to fit within the hare.

My customer also requested a rock art design based on constellations, specifically those around the Pole Star that they see from their garden. With this in mind, the carvings below the hare are based on Polaris (the North Star) with Ursa Major (the Plough or Big Dipper) and Cassiopeia. Once I’d carved the hare and removed the material around it with bull-nose chisels, I had the idea to stipple the entire area to provide more contrast, so thousands of small indents later….! I shared images of progress with my customer at each stage and, after applying gold enamel to the Carolingian cross, they suggested a silver enamel background to contrast this, represent moonlight and continue the night sky theme.

This commission was to reflect my customers love of hares as well as the shrine of St Melangell, near Llangynog in Powys. Melangell was a 7th Century saint who travelled from Ireland to live as a hermit at the site where her church now stands. According to legend, she rescued a hare that was being pursued by a pack of hounds and hid it in her cloak. Following this act of kindness, she became the patron saint of hares. As with many ancient shrines, the site of her church dates back thousands of years before Christianity came to this country. The church sits within a circular churchyard in the Berwyn Mountains, surrounded by 2000 year old yew trees encircling a site of Bronze Age burials.

Oak and Slate Reliquary or Ashes Casket

This was commissioned by one of my regular customers in NYC. Made using oak with a carved slate lid inlay (14 x 9 x 9.3 cm). The slate was carved with the name in Elder Futhark runes along with a cup-and-ring/rock art design based on Aquila (the eagle) constellation.

I had an old 1940s jewellery box that belonged to my grandparents- it was beyond a state where it could be restored, though I saved the brass hinges for a special project and decided to use them for this magickal box. The other brass components (screws and hasp/staple) were bought new. After trying various solutions to age them (vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, etc.), the method I finally used was to soak them in Mr Muscle drain unblocker! I found that this gel produced a lovely deep patina on the brass within minutes.

I’d like to thank my friend Doug for his woodworking skills in helping me with the routing of the lid and ensuring an even thickness of the oak with his planer-thicknesser.

Rock Art Pendants

A new batch of twenty two rock art/cup-and-ring mark pendants finished and added to my Etsy shop.

Each one is individually hand carved, cored and crafted from stones I found in the Leithen Water, a tributary of the River Tweed that flows through the Scottish Borders. After carving, the stones are enamelled using professional gold or copper monument/memorial enamel. The pendants are assembled using solid copper jump rings and 2 mm natural leather cord (or they can also be made with waxed cotton).

Just follow this link to the relevant section in my Etsy shop.

Uru-Anna Orion Plaques

Another four of my ‘Uru-Anna’ plaques (design © HatchBurnCarve) that I sent to Kilmartin Museum Shop (number XI to XIV in an open-ended series).

This cup and ring design is based on the Orion constellation and influenced by the rock art found in Kilmartin Glen. I make these regularly to keep up with demand (these four sold within a matter of weeks) and some are occasionally available to buy from my Etsy shop (or you can order direct- please use the contact form, or email hatchburncarve@yahoo.co.uk).

Cup and Ring Mark Pendants

Cup and ring mark pendants. Hand carved and crafted from Leithen Water stones, with gold and copper enamel.

On sale at Kilmartin Museum Shop. I’ve made some more of these which are now available to buy in my Etsy shop.

Time Gazers

‘Time Gazer’ carved slate wall plaques (24 x 16 cm, © HatchBurnCarve).

An exclusive design for Kilmartin Museum Shop, and on sale there now.

 

Cup and Ring Marked House Sign

‘Stumbletree’- probably my favourite house name I have carved to date (45 x 15 cm). Entirely freehand carved from a 1 cm slab of slate. The customer had seen my work at Kilmartin Museum Shop and had commissioned me to make the sign with the addition of cup and ring markings based on those found in Kilmartin Glen in Argyll, Scotland.

Hand enamelled using professional white and copper monument enamel.

‘Bronze, Bone and Silence’

‘Bronze, Bone and Silence’

Reclaimed slate hearth stone, Cornish beach stones, wood. 37.2 x 23.1 x 17.0 cm.
Insertion of a short cist burial in a stone setting. The skeleton is a reflection upon burials such as those found at Newhaven in Edinburgh and Cladh Hallan in South Uist. The stones around are carved with cup and ring markings based on prominent constellations seen in the skies above Scotland during the four seasons (Orion in Winter, Leo in Spring, Cygnus in Summer and Perseus in Autumn). The style of cup and ring markings reflects those found at Ballymeanoch Stone Row and Nether Largie Standing Stones in Kilmartin Glen. Dimensions of the wooden base correspond to the Golden Ratio/Phi.
This was included in the ‘Shambhala at Shambellie’ exhibition at Shambellie House, New Abbey nr Dumfries (17th to 29th August 2017).

The Orion Stone

The Leo Stone

The Cygnus Stone

The Perseus Stone

Close up of the skeleton

‘Sidereal Signs’

‘Sidereal Signs’ (39.5 x 13 cm).
Based on cup and ring markings from ‘the Runic Cross’ (Innerleithen), a cup and ring marked stone found at Lamancha in 1868 (now in the National Museum of Scotland) and a cup and ring marked stone found at Lyne in 1959 (now in Peebles Museum).

This is now available to own. Follow this link to my Etsy shop.

Part of ‘A Sense of Place’ exhibition showing in the Tweeddale Museum and Gallery, Peebles from 5th August to 2nd September 2017.