I go back rather a long way, to a time when Philomena Davidson Davis was the first female President of the Society. A major moment indeed! She and many of the other earlier members at the time, including John Mills and Michael Gillespie, were extremely encouraging. I had no academic connections and no formal training, being mostly self taught. However, I've never seen that as an impediment and I've been most fortunate to have received wonderful guidance from a number of expert sculptors over the years.
Commissioned portrait work was the speciality that allowed me to concentrate on the rest of my time being spent on my own ideas both 2D and 3D. Recently, I've shifted to writing which I find very fulfilling and it all seems to come from the same creative place within.
I appreciate very much the support I've received in the past and enjoyed the sense of community from the Society, now mostly on zoom as I've lived in Ecuador, South America since 2003.
An invitation to Ecuador, South America, in 2001 to help them create an historical wax museum to celebrate their independence was an unexpected change of both personal and professional direction. It has caused me to take a great interest in Pre-Colombian sculpture which is strongly mixed as one would expect, with the Shamanic, cultural and medicinal elements of the country. During my visits here I met the woman, also an artist, Mary P. Vasconez, who I would marry. I have recently published a memoir, entitled : 'Tales of a Tilted High Street' which will be available to peruse at 108.
Stuart Williamson FRSS, pictured above in his studio.
Ahead of the Year of the Home in 2026 when we celebrate the Society's 50 years at Dora House, we asked members to share with us their personal memories of Dora House. We will be sharing them throughout 2026 as part of a programme of this milestone, marked also by the delivery of our project Creating a Home for Sculptors. If you have a memory you would like to share, you can still do so via this link.
