Awards & prizes

Industry Awards

At the UK Stone Federation awards ceremony 2018 this carving I carried out for the Houses of Parliament was one of two to receive a commendation in the carving category:

Palace of Westminster, Norman Porch, replacemment carving of crown, scroll with raised gothic lettering, and associated masonry.

Carving Festivals

Alex Wenham Saverne_03.jpg

First prize

European Stone Festival, Saverne 2018

In 2018 I reclaimed my title as champion carver of the European Stone Festival, winning the top prize for the fourth time in the last six years.  

This year in Saverne, France, 146 entrants took part, from Scotland to Hungary, Lithuania, Cyprus, and many countries in between.  

This year's theme was 'Mythical Beasts'.  My winning entry was a section of string course with a small ship floating on the upper 'sea' surface, and an octopus-type sea-monster reaching up through the moulded section to pull it down.  The stone is the local sandstone 'Grès des Vosges'.  Approx 17 hours' carving (hand tools only).

First prize

European Stone Festival, Salzburg 2016

In 2016 I reclaimed my title as champion carver of the European Stone Festival, winning the top prize for the third time in four years.  

This year the theme was 'From the Romanesque to the Modern'. This is my carving of a column capital in Romanesque (i.e. Norman) style, of a modern stonemason creating swirling volutes of dust as he cuts with an angle grinder into a block of stone.  The stone is an Austrian shelly limestone reminiscent of Cotswold stone. Approx 17 hours' carving (hand tools only).

First prize

European Stone Festival, Freiburg 2014

In 2014, the theme was 'Flora and Fauna of the Black Forest'. Below is my carving of an octagonal pilaster capital featuring a squirrel eating a fir come on a branch with sprigs of larch needles - which won me the title, created by the festival for that year, of 'Overall Festival Winner'. The stone is the local 'Schilfsandstein' red sandstone. 
Approx 17 hours' carving (hand tools only).

First prize

European Stone Festival, Lincoln 2013

 

 

 

First prize

Journées de la Pierre, Vernon 2007

Runner-up

Giverny 2012

Runner-up

Saverne 2010