Following on from my last piece describing the DSWA Pinnacle award and One World Garden, for which I received my first Pinnacle award, I will this time describe the work at Brackenrigg in Cumbria for which I received a second Pinnacle Award. This project consisted of the construction of extensive boundary walls and garden features.
The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain Pinnacle Award Scheme was set up in 1994 to recognise outstanding projects incorporating dry stone walling. Although the scheme is designed to embrace a wide variety of dry stone work, only projects displaying the very highest levels of craftsmanship, innovative design and inspirational use of stone can…
Having now covered all the various levels of the DSWA Craftsman Certification Scheme I thought it may be useful to just finish off with a final round up of the scheme including some thoughts and comments that people have made regarding the scheme.
Finally I have got round to addressing the final part of the Dry Stone Walling Association’s Craftsman Certification Scheme, the Master Craftsman timed test.
The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain’s Master Craftsman Certificate is the highest qualification available in the craft of dry stone walling.
Following my last blog regarding the Dry Stone Walling Association’s Advanced Certificate Part A, this time I will be dealing with the Part B timed element of the test. As I mentioned previously the DSWA Advanced Certificate comprises of two parts, part A ( pre marked features) which must be successfully completed before part B…
The Dry Stone Walling Association advanced certificate was introduced to bridge the gap between the intermediate certificate and the master craftsman’s certificate. Originally when the scheme was devised the master’s test was taken after the intermediate but as time passed it became apparent that the difference in the skill levels required was too great and…
This time I will be dealing with the Dry Stone Walling Association’s Intermediate Certificate. The Intermediate Certificate or level two, as it is some times known, is the first professional qualification in the DSWA’s craftsman certification scheme.
Dry Stone Walling Association Initial Certificate – as I explained last time the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain’s craft certification scheme has been designed as a progressive scheme so that candidates can move through the different levels as their skills increase with experience. The entry level qualification is the Initial Certificate sometimes referred…
The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain launched its Craftsman Certification Scheme way back in the 1980’s making it the first organisation to offer formal qualifications in dry stone walling. Since then the scheme has flourished and developed in to what is still the most respected and coveted craft certification scheme available in dry…
The great debate in the dry stone walling world is always whether to course or not and there are two distinct schools of thought. On one hand you have the coursed wallers, predominantly based in the Pennines where the local sandstone lends itself to level bedded, regular coursed work and then you have the random…
It is surprising how many times one sees steps that have not been constructed correctly; that is the risers have been built and then the tread is merely planted on top of them. This is not only bad practice but is aesthetically unattractive and gives the impression of inferior workmanship.
In recent years the dry stone walling scene seems to have been overrun with individuals claiming to be sculptors and artists, is this art for art’s sake? I have given this proliferation much thought and I have finally come to the conclusion that, albeit slightly disappointing, these “artists” feel that being a craftsman does not…
Within these posts I will obviously draw on my experience as a professional dry stone waller with over twenty five years involvement in the craft. I have chosen this medium in which to express my opinions as I find Face Book and other forums too contentious. Any comments I make are only my opinions, I…
The first half of 2014 has been very eventful, in March I travelled to Edinburgh to attend the Dry Stone Walling Association’s AGM where I was presented with my second full Pinnacle Award for the dry stone walling at Brackenrigg in Cumbria. This is my second full award, meaning Hugh Drysdale from Scotland and myself…
Three months of 2013 were spent on the Isle of Skye in Scotland constructing an impressive dry stone sanctuary on a beach. Probably the most complex structure Andrew has ever been asked to build using dry stone walling techniques.
2012 saw another collaboration with Cheshire garden designer Janine Crimmins, this time at the RHS 2012 Tatton Park Flower Show. The Mornflake Garden designed by Janine and built by Andrew and Phil Wilcox of Design Scape contained many complex stone elements. The garden won a gold medal and was also awarded best in show.
This year we built a garden at the Holker Garden Festival in Cumbria, designed in conjunction with Cheshire garden designer Janine Crimmins. It again contained much of Andrew’s trademark dry stone work and was very well received being awarded a Large Gold Medal.
More than 40 years after Donald Campbell’s last water speed record attempt on Coniston Water, his hydroplane Blue Bird K7 is being restored and preparations are underway for her return to the village. This Bluebird Garden presents a timely tribute to this heroic figure and his iconic craft. All boats attempting the world water speed…
The Lake District Poet’s Garden “In human life there are moments worth ages.” The garden has been designed to reflect the writings and philosophy of William Wordsworth, the Lake District’s best known poet. Wordsworth himself was a keen gardener and developed the gardens at Rydal Mount where he resided from 1813 until 1859.
This year Andrew Loudon teamed up with The Coppermines and Honister Slate Mine to create “Lakeland Reflections” at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show. The garden show cases the very best of Cumbria.
This spring saw Andrew working on the feature film Miss Potter staring Rene Zelweger, engaged as dry stone waller and advisor he constructed several walls on the set and advised members of the cast on dry stone walling techniques when the action and plot required.
This garden produced for the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show has been designed to demonstrate what can be achieved with a little imagination to brighten up neglected spaces within buildings such as schools, office blocks or hospitals. The garden offers a means of escape from the florescent lights and re-circulated air within the building, to…
This year we were able to secure a place at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show, this allowed us to design our first Chelsea garden entitled “The Philosopher’s Garden”. It consists of a large slate sphere in the centre of the garden standing in front of a lakeland slate wall that contains a negative image of…
The garden at Tatton Park this year has been inspired by the work of Isamu Noguchi and his use of natural materials and geometric forms. It is designed to illustrate how traditional materials and techniques can be used alongside plants to create a contemporary garden that maintains a traditional feel.
This year at Tatton Park Flower Show we were awarded our first RHS Gold Medal for our exhibit “A Garden For Otium”. Built from Lakeland Slate and planted by Beetham Nurseries of Milnthorpe it included a large slate sphere as a centre piece and water feature.
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