Carved at the leather hard stage and then burnished with a metal spoon
Technique: Carved
A knotty plaque
This looks rather like a work in progress or an experimental piece. It doesn’t seem to be quite finished. The design is quite complex for such a small carving and must have been difficult to produce. It’s fascinating working out how two apparent circles have been linked to make the oval shape.
It’s a shame that we don’t know who created the plaque, or when. Perhaps it was one of Bain’s school pupils, or a member of his family.
Rosemarkie Crescent and V-Rod
Carved in Cop Crag Sandstone, the crescent and v-rod from Rosemarkie.
Arbroath 2020 Stone
Commissioned to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, this piece was carved to celebrate the dedication of the Kirk at St Vigeans to St Fechin of Fore, an early Irish saint.
A New Forteviot Cross
Commissioned by the Tay Landscape Partnership, this is my new Pictish Cross for the historic village of Forteviot, near Perth. The cross commemorates the king of Pictavia, Cinaed son of Alpin, who died at Forteviot in 858 AD.
The cross side uses knotwork motifs from fragments found at Forteviot. The key pattern is inspired by carvings at Iona.
St Vigeans New Cross
Red sandstone new cross for the Pictish village of St Vigeans in Angus.
Iona Birlinn
Based on the Clanranald Birlinn (Galley) in the cloisters of Iona Abbey.
Eagle, Book of Kells
Handcarved in Noble Fir. The eagle is the symbol of St Mark.
From the Book of Kells
From the Book of Kells, hand-carved in wood. George Bain illustrates this in his book Celtic Art, Methods of Construction on page 104. He notes that the early medieval scribe drew the original with a maximum dimension of only 3.7cm.
A Chi Rho detail
This is at the centre of the X on the Chi Rho page in the Book of Kells. Handcarved in wood.
George Bain enlarged the details, showing them in Plate 12 on page 114 in his Celtic Art: Methods of Construction.
From the Book of Kells
Handmade woodcarving inspired by the amazingly intricate roundel decorating the first word of St Luke’s Gospel in the Book of Kells. It is my favourite image to carve.
Folio 188r
Hand carved in Cumbrian green slate. Based upon George Bain’s drawing of a particularly detailed design from St Luke’s Gospel in the Book of Kells.