Michael Thacker – radiant stonework

Nine years ago Caroline Bingham wrote about sculptor Michael Thacker, who had recently moved to his studio in Lincoln. Michael will be one of the local artists exhibited at Sculpture at Doddington this month, so Lincolnshire Life thought it was time for a catch up.

How the world has changed in the near-decade since we last met but I would still recognise Michael’s work immediately, being as distinctive and luminous as it was then.

What made an immediate impression as I walked into the studio was that while Michael had some of his smaller pieces on display there was a portfolio of larger, definitely more confident pieces which lit up the windowsill on which they sat.

Evolution
I was interested to ask how Michael’s work has evolved to produce this new scale of his sculptures.
“I suppose it has been a mix of more confidence but also requests from clients,” explained Michael. “The confidence comes from being able to invest in larger pieces of stone and knowing if something goes wrong you still have blocks in reserve to fulfil an order. I also carve finer shapes. Some of the stone, especially marble, is so fine it is translucent. The larger pieces work very effectively in outdoor settings.”

Some of the stone Michael uses was already becoming more difficult to source when we last spoke.

Lincolnshire Limestone is a good example, so Ancaster Weatherbed is more predominant today. The marbles are mainly sourced from Italy and Michael has had two spells of working for an extended period in a studio in the Carrera area, getting to know the quarries and their differing stones, and learning from the local artisans.

“Brexit has made it much more difficult to import work back from Italy and even bringing my orders for stone into the country takes longer. Post-Covid, the costs of the raw material, shipment and the cost of the precious metals I use, gold and palladium mostly, have more than doubled.”

What is wonderful about my periods of work in Italy is sharing skills and knowledge with local stonemasons. That is invaluable as well as enjoyable.”

Early career
Michael was born in Yorkshire and studied fine art at Loughborough University before gaining a qualification in stonemasonry in York. His background is in commercial work and he came to Lincolnshire to join the team of stonemasons at Lincoln Cathedral.

“I had fourteen years in which to hone my skills, graduating to carving grotesques and unique pieces which were used to repair the fabric of the building. I also found that while this work was fascinating it was more often quite angular and there was always a yearning to master more fluid shapes.”

During this time Michael began to produce lone standing pieces from local stone and this grew into enough commissions to allow Michael to produce his own work full-time, building a following and retaining an agent to promote his work nationally and internationally. Michael is still with Haynes Fine Art with pieces in their galleries in the Cotswolds and London.

Radiance
Michael’s works are recognisable from their highly polished surfaces, fluid, organic shapes and the luminous natural light reflected from precious metal leaf within crevices and formations in the stone. He can associate this radiant ‘backlit’ quality on the stone with the effects of sunlight through the stained glass windows of the Cathedral and the way these lit up the natural features of the stone interior.

The periods of lockdown gave Michael chance to explore a series of ‘looped’ pieces. Carved from single blocks of marble, their spiralled shapes almost seem to defy gravity as sculptures. These fine pieces are delicate yet resilient and suitable for interior or outdoor display.

Exhibition
Nine of Michael’s pieces will be exhibited at Sculpture at Doddington, which runs from 26th July to 7th September. Four of these will be large outdoor pieces, with five smaller ones on display in the Stable Yard Gallery. These will include some in Portoro marble with its luxurious white or gold veining, Bardiglio grey, known for its elegant fine grain, as well as Ancaster stone.

Michael’s sculptures have been shown in the Cotswolds, London, Palm Beach and New York as well as at Doddington Hall. He also accepts commissions. You can contact Michael Thacker on 077865 74428 or email: mjt91@hotmail.com

Photographs: Michael Thacker

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