Mel Fraser - Contemporary Stone Sculpture

Mel Fraser - Contemporary Stone Sculpture

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Mel at on form 16 with interested visitors

Mel, by Flusso I, at on form 16 with attentive visitors

Mel Fraser has been creating contemporary stone sculpture from her studio outside Cambridge, UK for more than 20 years. She has been a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors since 2017.

In 2024 Mel will be exhibiting at the London Art Fair in Islington from January 16-21st with Gallery Different, at Art at the Park, Braxted Park, Essex, 2-4th February, at the Affordable Art Fair at Battersea Park March 6-10th with a brand new gallery, at Delamore Arts in Devon throughout the month of May.

Mel will be opening her studio during the month of July as part of Cambridge Open Studios.

To find out more about more about Mel please visit The Words page and to start viewing her stunning contemporary stone sculptures go to The Work.

To plan a visit to her studio please have a look at The Studio section of the web site.

To discuss availability of pieces, prices, commissions or a visit to the studio, please go to the Contact page or copy and paste melfraser.sculpture@gmail.com into your email programme.
Mel’s studio is 5 miles east of Cambridge and can be visited by appointment.

Art at the Park, February 1-4th, 2024

From the 1-4th Februay I will be exhibiting at #artatthepark24 at #braxtedparkestate in Essex.
Proceeds will go directly to Home-Start Essex, a family support charity.
Above is Aarusha, carved from Carrara marble.

Duende IV, statuary Carrara marble

Pianeta Arancione, Moroccan forest selenite

Duende III, statuary Carrara marble

A proper slurry of stone carvers during installation for the exhibition.
From left to right, #guystevensstonesculpture, #dominicwelchsculpture, #annagreenacre_arts, #jasonmulligansculpture, #anthonyturnersculpture, #mstonestreetsculpture, me and #alybrownsculpture,

Feb ’24

London Art Fair, Islington, January ’24

From the 17th to the 21st January I will be exhibiting at the London Art Fair with Gallery Different.
My work will be shown alongside sculpture by Johannes von Strumm and paintings by Denis Bowen

This is the second Aleteo di Miel that I have created. Carved from honey alabaster

Duende IV, statuary Carrara marble

Aleteo blanco, white alabaster

Duende II & III, Carrara marble

Me and El Gran Duende, statuary Carrara marble

Jan ’24

Two weeks, two countries, two quarries

A disused Spanish marble quarry near Aracena, Huelva

With my guide and fellow stone junkie, BL-W

Portuguese marble quarry, Vila Viçosa

Where we were guests of Francis and given the royal tour

Decisions, decisions…

Oct ’22

on form ’22

El Gran Duende, Duende I and Gran Arranque on the cherry lawn,
Asthall Manor, on form 22

Aleteo I & II either side of Arranque in the ballroom at Asthall Manor as part of on form 22

Aleteo de Miel, honey alabaster in the church at Asthall

Duende II, statuary Carrara marble, in the cloisters at Asthall Manor

Inspiración del Flamenco
From the cuevas of Granada to the ferias of Seville, from the bodegas of Jerez to the chiringuitos of Malaga the undeniable force of the proud women of flamenco stamp and swirl, their costumes ruffle and whirl. The plaintive songs of the Gitano people, their struggles and sufferings inspired my new collection of work for on form 22. The aleteo, the flutter of the frills of her frock, the duende, the inner force that drives flamenco and the arranque, a spontaneous outburst of emotion from the performers propels the flow and movement of the stone.

Book here for allocated slot for the exhibition which runs from Sunday 12th June to Sunday 10th July

June ’22

Sneak preview of on form ’22

Three marble pieces on the cherry lawn at Asthall Manor.
Covered, awaiting the opening of on form ’22…

Close up detail of statuario Carrara marble piece.

‘What light through yonder window breaks?’

What could this possibly be…..

Close up white alabaster in the ballroom.

Book here for allocated slot for the exhibition which runs from Sunday 12th June to Sunday 10th July

June ’22

Grand Evolution V for China

Just a final bit of zhuzhing before the latest Grand Evolution sets off for her new home in China.

All crated up, snug as the proverbial. Will the tail lift take the weight???

Loaded!

April ’22

SALUTE at Extraordinary Objects

Private View of SALUTE at Extraordinary Objects in Cambridge, UK.

SALUTE brings together 10 influential female artists from various cultures and backgrounds who are all currently working to make a difference in the Art World. The show runs from 26th March to the 21st April.

This is Volantes, white alabaster, the first of a new series of work inspired by the Spanish art of Flamenco

April ’22

Open Studio ’21

Seated Rubenesque Torso II, blue alabaster

Seated Boy, Persian travertine, work in progress

This year for the first time Mel has decided to showcase her maquettes all together in the Gatehouse. Maquettes are Mel’s working models, clay studies that she creates before embarking on carving (some of) them from blocks of stone.

Here for instance is Seated Boy in clay

Euros, statuary Carrara marble

Cerchio di Fiamme, statuary Carrara marble with Seated Rubenesque I behind

Lazarus, clay study

Ice Twist I, Moroccan selenite and Aarusha, Carrara marble

July ’21

Installations ’21

Genesis III in honey alabaster soaking up the morning sun in her new home in The Cotswolds

Photographs by the new owner

And after a last minute bit of zhuzzing, Cerchio di Fiamme III settles in to her new home

Ondine surveys and protects from her new position

And a final once over for Cerchio di Fiamme II at home in Oxfordshire

July ’21

on form 21 unlocked

Cerchio di Fiamme III, statuary Carrara marble by the lake at Asthall Manor, for on form 21 unlocked

Cerchio di Fiamme II, statuary Carrara marble, foreground with her big sister on the other side of the lake.

So, after a wait of nearly a whole year, Asthall Manor is finally able to fling open its gates and let real live people in to on form 21 unlocked.
There is a booking system accessed via the above link and the exhibition will run until May 31st.

Gaia, Indonesian Champagne onyx

For this exhibition, Mel has created work in the theme of creation and the elements: Elemental:fire, earth and water with a few twists thrown in for good measure

Genesis III, honey alabaster

Lepidolite Twist

Sussurro di Ondine (Ondine’s whisper), Indonesian Champagne onyx

Cerchio di Fiamme I, statuary Carrara marble

 Connemara marble Twist II

Fiamma, Carrara marble

Genesis I, white alabaster

 Connemara marble Twist I

May ’21

on form 20

With the world as it is at the moment, on form 20 has had to be held as a virtual exhibition with all the sculptures being able to be viewed on line only.
For this year’s show Mel has fused together some recent themes to produce a body of work specifically for on form 20.
Her theme of Creation:fireiceandtempests can be seen below and at the links above.

Cerchio di Fiamme I WIP for on form 20

Cerchio di Fiamme I, statuary Carrara marble, work in progress (WIP)
for on form 20

Genesis I, detail, alabaster, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture, on form 20

Genesis I, alabaster, detail

La Tempesta IV, English alabaster, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture, on form 20

La Tempesta IV, English alabaster

Ice Twist II, selenite

June ’20

M*A*S*H camp

Mel M*A*S*H wide

Due to the quite exceptional circumstances the planet finds itself in at the moment, Mel has relocated her studio to her garden hence Mobile Artists’ Studio at Home or M*A*S*H

Cerchio di Fiamme WIP M*A*S*H 1

She is currently working on three Cerchio di Fiamme (Circle of Flames) pieces, all carved from the most beautiful statuary Carrara marble.
This is the smallest one, at 80 cm high and all three will be available through the on form 20 virtual exhibition and web site

Cerchio di Fiamme WIP M*A*S*H 2

April ’20

Mel’s Open Studio 2019

Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Every July Mel opens her studio to the public as part of Cambridge Open Studios. Set in the idyllic grounds of Herring’s House outside Cambridge the studio is open from 11-6pm on Saturday and Sunday and contains more than 40 examples of Mel’s stunning contemporary stone sculpture.

Fiamma, Carrara marble at Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Fiamma, Carrara marble

Flash! at Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Flash!, Moroccan marble

Come and view over 40 of Mel’s works for both exterior and interior display

Genesis, alabaster at Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Genesis, alabaster

Euros, Carrara marble at Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Euros, Carrara marble

Young Tao at Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Young Tao, sandstone

Ice Queen at Mel's Open Studio, by Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

Gaia, Indonesian champagne onyx

July ’19

Beaulieu’s first sculpture exhibition

Boreas at Beaulieu 2019

Boreas, statuary Carrara marble, in the paddock at Beaulieu

Mel was asked by David Waghorne, curator of  Doddington Hall and Marks Hall Sculpture Exhibitions, to be one of the featured artists in the first ever sculpture show at Beaulieu home of Lord Montagu and the National Motor Museum set in the picturesque New Forest area of Hampshire, UK

angel wing at Beaulieu 2019,

Angel Wing XX, Carrara marble

Two of Mel’s contemporary stone sculptures were chosen to be shown in the grounds of  the ruins of the old abbey, destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII, where the contrast between the ancient weathered stone work and the pristine sculptures was quite lovely.

Sculpture at Beaulieu runs until July 14th 2019

Fusion, Carrara marble

June ’19

A Trip to Gondwanaland

The Three Graces, Marks Hall 2017

The Three Graces, Kilkenny limestone in Gondwanaland

Earlier in the year Mel was approached by the curators of Marks Hall Sculpture Exhibition to be the featured artist in their second biennial show. She was to be given an exclusive area of the arboretum in which to display her work: Gondwanaland.

Angel Wing XX, Carrara marble, by Mel Fraser

Angel Wing XX, Carrara marble

Gondwanaland was the name given to the supercontinent comprising most of the land masses of the Southern Hemisphere and at Marks Hall it is an area planted with a variety of plants from Australia and South America, particularly Eucalyptus, Monkey Puzzle trees, Wollemia pines, bottle brush plants and Pampas grass.

Destiny, Persian travertine, Marks Hall 2017, by Mel Fraser

Destiny, Persian travertine

15 of Mel’s contemporary stone sculptures have been placed around the 4 acre enclave, some visible from a quarter of a mile away along great vistas, some on gentle mounds and some tucked away in peaceful glades, slumbering amongst the perfumed gum trees and dancing grasses.

Flusso I, Carrara marble, Marks Hall 2017, by Mel Fraser

Flusso I, Carrara marble with Wollemia pines

Venus, Zimbabwean springstone, by Mel Fraser

Venus, Zimbabwean springstone with Monkey Puzzle tree

Squaring the Circle, Persian travertine, Marks Hall 2017, by Mel Fraser

Squaring the Circle, Persian travertine and below,

Fracture I, Kilkenny limestone in amongst the Pampas grass

Fracture I, Kilkenny limestone, Marks Hall 2017, by Mel Fraser

Angel Wing XXI, Carrara marble, by Mel Fraser

Angel Wing XXI, Carrara marble

Marks Hall Sculpture Exhibition runs from July 29th to September 10th 2017, Coggeshall, Essex, CO6 1TG

July ’17

A Trip to Italy

Cave Michelangelo quarry, Carrara

The Cave Michelangelo quarry, Carrara

In August Mel and family holidayed in Italy which, obviously, included trips to Carrara and Pietrasanta. Mel was able to meet up with an old pal, Signore Franco Barattini, the man responsible for the Cave Michelangelo quarry high above Carrara. He, along with his glamorous assistant Antonella, graciously took Mel up to the quarry where she was able to chose and acquire several large pieces of beautiful cremo marble. 9.5 tonnes of Carrara’s finest to be precise.

Mel, Signore Barattini and Antonella inspect the cremo

The chosen ones are then marked up for collection,

Mel and Barattini, Mel Fraser, contemporary stone sculpture

and everyone’s happy. Shall we dance?

August ’16

“Delivery for Ms Fraser!”

A few weeks after her trip to Italy, 9.5 tonnes of Italian mountain arrived at Mel’s studio just outside Cambridge.

DJ and the teleporter take the strain on Mel’s 5.4 tonne block of cremo. Phew!

One happy scultore!

September ’16

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