Michael Thacker English

Works
Overview

"The abstract use of the material and the way the surface of the stone is finished, utilising sawn, split, polished, textured and raw areas, draws me towards the material. "

Michael studied sculpture at Loughborough University before going on to train as a stone mason at York college. Following his training he gained a job at Lincoln Cathedral where he worked for 15 years as a mason and stone carver. The time spent at the cathedral informed his sculpture practice continually, developing work based around architectural forms and later more organic forms inspired by the foliage carving he carved while at the cathedral. His passions for stone started early on, after a school trip to see an exhibition of Isamu Noguchi’s carvings. Using the qualities of the stone Michael combines polished areas alongside tooled and heavily textured parts within his work. Utilising gilding with gold or platinum leaf to accentuate light passing through areas of the stone. 

Exhibitions