Andrew Whittle
I have been drawing and cutting letters in stone, wood and bronze since seeing the work of David Kindersley in the early 80s. My fascination for alphabetic forms which were once figurative and are now entirely abstract, became a lasting passion. My practice is rooted in the old craft tradition of design for materials, the drawing for each piece must be sympathetic to the medium and tools. I have an extensive knowledge of historical forms, which I happily plunder and adapt to create a unique alphabet specific to each new project. Examples of this working method range from bronze lettering both raised and inlaid at the Dean Gallery MOMA Edinburgh, to incised lettering in stone at the Serpentine Gallery, to wooden handrails in Saltmill Park, Saltash. My influences include Eric Gill, Ralph Beyer and Michael Harvey. However my real tutors are the many students whom I have taught over the past twenty five years. I take a sculptural attitude to my pieces believing that they should be lettered forms, not simply an inscribed surface. My work ranges from large architectural inscriptions to smaller scale more personal pieces including memorials. I have collaborated with other artists and poets, notably Ian Hamilton Finlay, on many occasions.
Solo exhibitions
2006 - Alphabet, Vegetable or Mineral, Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport, Dorset
Group exhibitions
2013 - The Cutting Edge, The Bleddfa Centre, Powys
2009 - The Art and Memory Collection, Launch Exhibition, West Dean Gardens, West Sussex
2003 - Letter Exchange 15th Anniversary Exhibition, The Prince's Foundation, London
1998 - Letter Exchange 10th Anniversary Exhibition, The Morley Gallery, London
1998 - 'The Art of Remembering', Blickling Hall, Norfolk
Public Commissions
2013 - Lettered base to bronze of St Benedict (Nigel Boonham), design only, Sydney, Australia
2012 - Lettered base to bronze of John Donne (Nigel Boonham) Environs of St Paul's Cathedral, London
2012 - Jubillee Inscription, Sherborne Abbey, Dorset
2011 - 'Frail Signs' poem (Rosie Jackson) pierced copper, Maiden Castle House, Dorchester, Dorset
2011 - 'Firs Field' poem (Andy Croft) cut in paving slabs, The Combe Down Mines Public Art Project
2007 - 'Creative Footsteps' , The Wessex Ridgeway Trail, Dorset
2005 - Lettering to the Animals in War memorial, Park Lane, London
2003 - Lettering to the 'Champions Sculpture', Junction of Barking Road and Green Street, Newham, London
2002 - Installation with Ian Hamilton Finlay, St Georges Concert Hall, Brandon Hill, Bristol
2001 - 'Six Definitions' Installation with Ian Hamilton Finlay, The Dean Gallery, Museum of Modern Art, Edinburgh
2000 - 'The Wall of Words', Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, Dorset
2000 - Viewing point poems, Saltmill Park, Saltash, Cornwall
1999 - 'Isla de Esculturas' with Ian Hamilton Finlay, Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciontes, Pontevedra, Spain
1997 - 'The Entrance Circle' with Ian Hamilton Finlay and Peter Coates, The Serpentine Gallery, Hyde Park, London
1996 - 'Navigators', The Parret Trail, Bridgewater, Somerset
1994 - Inscription, The Crafts Study Centre, Bath 1993 - The Sackler Inscription, The Tate Gallery, London
Other
2011 - Ran a five day course in lettering for Studo XII (lieve Cornil) in Belgium
2011 - Ran a three day course 'Designing and Drawing Letters for Inscriptions' at advanced level, Edward Johnston Foundation Barn, Ditchling, Sussex
2010 - Ran a short course for the Memorial Arts charity, Burngate Centre, Purbeck, Dorset
2008 - Ran a short course for the Memorial Arts Charity, Own workshop, Nettlecombe, Dorset
2002 - Ran a series of Advanced Lettering courses for the Memorial Arts Charity, The Lime Centre, Fife
1999 - Ran a series of short courses for the Memorial Arts Charity, The Sculpture Workshop, Edinburgh
1984 - Initiated Lettercutting course, Weymouth College, Dorset