Poor Frank Raw
@poorfrankraw
Hand carved, often sweary, lettering on stone. Brace yourself. Retired silversmith. Recovering geek. Rude mechanical. Nobody gets out of here alive. www.poorfrankraw.co.uk/shop www.youtube.com/@poorfrankraw Trustee of salivaryglandcancer.uk
Out in the yard just now. Common #toad with an uncommonly gorgeous eye:
Today I have mostly been enjoying the work of Robert Smythson, architect of Hardwick Hall (pictured) and Wollaton Hall among others.
As the former owner of two pet pigs (Kune Kune) and 2 freezer pigs, I endorse this message.
FECK is in the shop. 21 x 12 x 5 cms, £130 inc UK shipping: www.poorfrankraw.co.uk/shop/index.html#feck
I carved this incredible ambigram by Scott Kim about 20 years ago (with his permission). Done on Hopton Wood limestone originally, I might do it again, this time on Welsh slate... It reads 'infinity' three times, but reads clockwise AND anticlockwise. The guy's a genius.
To die, to sleep, to sleep perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come?
It is fractionally cooler standing at the easel with a fan blowing past me than it is sitting in front of the computer, so here we go:
On a theme of (much needed) ice based chillification I made these later. Put crushed ice in the glass bowl, add the silver liner, keeps your bonbons and other melty stuff cool for ages (lit by candles obvs. I'm fancy.)
Silver stone crossover historical throwback... Apparently I am now an antique. I made this 20-odd years ago. The base is Hopton Wood limestone. The base has been handled quite a bit and has some finger marks, but a rub down with 400 grit wet and dry would fix that. www.ifranks.com/silver-made-...
So, it's all about me is back on sale in the shop. One only, Welsh slate, inpainted, finished with slate oil, 25 x 20 x 3 cms. £290 inc UK shipping. www.poorfrankraw.co.uk/shop/index.h...
Good news re the SalivaryGlandCancer.uk fund raising soirée in London last night. Hot as hell but raised £22k for the charity. My 3 swears sold, but not "all about me" which returns to the shop. I'm hoping I don't have to wear a suit again before the weather breaks 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you :) These are the four pieces of mine in the auction, along with some other lovely items. I will report back after the shouting and fighting over my pieces has been adjudicated.
A blank slate. OK, not slate. High Moor limestone from near Tadcaster. 41 x 20 x 4.5 cms.
Tomorrow I'll be off to That London. In a suit. At 33C. I will have this photo on my phone for when I need to escape the inferno:
I gave away all of my classic swears for a charity auction so I'm now replenishing my stock. Had to start with a brand new arse: www.poorfrankraw.co.uk/shop/index.h... 10% of all proceeds from the shop goes to SalivaryGlandCancer.uk
Kinda tangent but Portuguese memorials of the C17 are thick with ligatures which we don't use. More just overlapping letters than our ligs. This one is a nightmare. Also the date on this memorial is recut so some of the weird ligs could be recut errors.
I always had a problem with monogram initials on silver. Can't make them out, and the florid curlicues on some are a nightmare. This is the 'old' style sheet from the Nat Assoc of Goldsmiths which all hand engravers worked to (the later 'new' one was pants) But yeah, DAH in some unknown order!
Same. Also the anaesthetist. While my lungs were not attached to my windpipe and one lung was flat, she kept me going with just the other one. 12 people in the theatre. City Hospital, Nottingham.
Distraction activity #42: I'm looking at and fettling some old photos. This #baldeagle in #PortTownsend, WA, USA (standing on top of the tsunami warning mast), a little over three years ago, was shouty and gorgeous:
Hospital corridors are always busy busy busy but the way to wards 52/53 at Coventry & Warwick is broad and deserted. Bit of a zombie apocalypse feel tbh.