I have been making Christian symbols in wood for several years and as you will see from your search, these are now available from a number of places, currently only in the UK.

I use a mixture of wood scraps and new hardwood, including old furniture and pews.

Designs are produced in small, medium, large and very large sizes.  (approximate sizes and set prices have been placed below most of the enlarged photos in the GALLERY of Crosses, and Other designs)

- Individual requirements can be catered for - please contact me, with height,width, colour, and your context in mind.

- Alternatively, if you have a branch or two of wood, from your own home or a church yard (especially Laburnum, Yew, Holly, Spalted Beech, Cherry, Oak, Ash or Beech) and would like to do something special with it, contact me, and we can discuss your ideas or requirements.

 

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

I am happily married to Juliet (for over 34 years), whose church textiles work you may already be familiar

with at  www.church-textiles.co.uk

 
I am often involved in her business - helping with exhibitions, enabling banners, frontals and other vestments to be satisfactorily installed in their church contexts.

 

My background is in industry (7 years) where I trained as a Patternmaker for 5 years, and Draughtsman for 2 years.  I was made redundant, worked as a lorry/van driver, then as a 'Bread roundsman' then went to Alsager college near Crewe in Cheshire for 3 years to train to be a teacher.

In the early part of the course I did Basic Design and quickly discovered that I both enjoyed and understood Abstract art and Sculpture - quite a revelation - and haven’t looked back since.

I was a teacher of Design Technology for 34 years, and added ICT for the last 18,  I have now retired and am giving much more time to helping Juliet with her work, fittings, and exhibitions, and am also able to concentrate fully on my sculptural work.

 

FAMILY

I am married to Juiet who runs her own business (church-textiles.co.uk).

We have a son Joel, and a daughter Joanna

MY INTERESTS

I became interested in Sculpture, wood, metal - (mild steel), jewellery - (sterling silver) , when I started college.

During one of the early BASIC DESIGN exercises I discovered I enjoyed and was beginning to understand abstract art.  Picasso, Kandinsky, Lipchitz, Hepworth, Moore, Mondrian, (among others) being amongst my favourites, and began experimenting with shapes, geometric and otherwise on canvas, and in wood and metal, all coming from a range of viewpoints.

The native hardwoods in this country excite me.  Their grain, texture, colouring, and smell all have a communication of their own relating to life, growth, and development, enabling me to view the cross in different ways, which I seem to be able to communicate to others almost instinctively.  Perhaps something to do with my chequered past.

 

I also use a lot of imported hard woods which give an extra edge to what can be done, and would love to get some larger crosses into churches and peoples' homes.

OTHER INFLUENCES

I grew up in a 'Christian’ family, the youngest of five.  I have three sisters and a brother.

My college's Christian Union had quite a major effect on me when I went to college, through their unconditional acceptance, enabling me to ‘grow’ as a christian. 

I joined the Anglican church just before getting married and have had 'foot of the cross' experiences on a number of occasions throughout my adult life, which has I believe enabled me to create and develop the types of sculptural crosses that I do.

I love driving, walking, all types of music, particularly jazz and classical, most styles of modern dance drama, the theatre, computing, investigating the latest technology, and read avidly the books of 

Susan Howatch
J K Rowling
Michel Quoist
Adrian Plass

Jeff Lucas

Max Luciado
C S Lewis

Mike Mitton
etc.

I enjoy a regular pint or glass of wine and a good conversation or film, but prefer the theatre especially when modern dance is being presented.

Alvin Ailey
Northern Dance
Rambert

I have now retired, have moved the work-shop out of the house, and have converted a unit near home to house a much larger workshop, with office and showroom.

I hope you continue to enjoy my product and feel able to recommend it to others.

God bless you

Jonathon

About me

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