With work on the granite sculptures for Quorn complete and ready for installation, I nipped up to Woodwork Stone near Leeds this morning with the intention of selecting a boulder for my next project. It is a carving to be sited sited outside of an elderly residential development in Clay Cross near Chesterfield. The nature of the design requires the sculpture to be carved from a boulder rather than a stone which has been manufactured and sawn to size. Sometimes it can be tricky to find exactly what you have in mind however I managed to find a handsome rock almost straight away that fits the bill. Weighing in at a mere 2.2 tonnes, this is relatively small fry compared to some of the 7 tonne granite beasts that I have been working of late. Not being as dense as the granite though still allows for the rock to be a fair size at almost 2 metres tall, it should certainly be easier to carve. Woodwork stone is a sandstone with a very tight grain, making it excellent for carving. I have used it a number of times over the years including for the detailed sculpture in Ansley in Warwickshire which I installed in 2009 as part of the North Arden Heritage Trail. The new piece will also be carved in relief so will have a similar look and feel to the Ansley piece. I will post images of the sculpture as it progresses.