Martin Lyttle

I am a stone worker/sculptor. I mainly work with Kilkenny limestone and I only work with local Irish stone, often waste off-cuts from local quarries and stone yards. I make semi-functional craft pieces, small sculpture and larger commissioned works.

Q&A

Artist Statement

form, organic, stone, local, garden, vegetable, animal, mineral, soil, seed, pod, ethical, ecological, trees, green, plants, hedgerow, earth, wild, lithology, sediments, geology, landscape, stalk, lobe, segment, fruit, texture, sensual, shape, imperfection, object, natural, boulder, granite, bone, limestone, calcite, fossil

What craft do you work with?

I have always been fascinated by the physical landscape and this led to a career previously as an Engineering Geologist. This understanding of the geological processes and a feel for the material of stone has led to my desire to sculpt stone.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

As a stone sculptor, my work concentrates on natural, organic forms and the composition and texture of the stone I am working. A sense of place and a concern for the natural environment informs my practice, with inspiration drawn from the trees, hedgerows, stone walls, bogs and the landscape of the Blackstairs Mountains and also my garden. It is the “irregularity of nature”, the biodiversity and the small generally unseen things that interests me.

How do you start your creative process?

I doodle then start sculpting and working the stone. You could say a draw in the stone!

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

Dusty! Hammer and chisels and an angle grinder!

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I recently learnt to do letter cutting

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

Do what you want to do!