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IADA Bursary Past Recipients – Stuart McGrath

 

The winner of  the IADA 2010 Bursary will be announced during the IADA fair taking place from the 23rd-26th September. The bursary is a fantastic opportunity for anyone with an interest in studying restoration, conservation and repair techniques for the decorative arts and antiques. In the run up to the announcement of this year’s winner we will be profiling some previous recipients of the bursary to see how they are doing.

Stuart McGrath was awarded the IADA bursary in 2003. It allowed him to continue his studies and he has a BA in Fine Art from Dun Laoghaire Institute of Fine Art, a Diploma in Marble Carving from Art Space, Valdicastello, Pietra-Santa, Carrara, Italy and a Degree in Architectural Stone Carving from City & Guilds of London Art School.

One of Ireland’s leading stone cutters, Stuart works by hand using traditional methods. He has won many awards and accolades for his work, most recently winning first prize at the Royal Dublin Society Craft Competition stone & wood carving category in 2009. He has exhibited work at the Sculpture in Context exhibition at the National Botanic Gardens and has been commissioned to design and carve commemorative stones for the United Nations, The Dublin Docklands Development Authority and ATD Fourth World Charity, close to the Famine Memorial along the Dublin Quays, to commemorate World Poverty Day.

We recently caught up with Stuart to see what he has been up to since being awarded the bursary.
What did you use the bursary for? Was it to begin or continue studies?

I used the bursary for a diploma following on from my degree in Fine Art in Dublin. I was moving to London to start a new course in Architectural stone carving when I got a call to say I had won the bursary which was a great confidence boost. Before this I was a little apprehensive that there was anyone out there that required or even recognized the value of studying such a traditional skill and craft.
What was your experience of the studies you did with the bursary?
To say I learnt a lot in three years of study in architectural stone carving and restoration course would be an understatement. I learnt a massive amount over the three years due to the course being so well planned and taught by professionals in the field. I think myself very lucky to have found a course that was so well suited to what I was looking to learn.

How has the bursary helped your career?
After I won the bursary I have kept in touch with members of the IADA with regular emails and letters keeping them up to date with news of my career. I receive emails and letters form members of the IADA with support and news of their own business. I have made great friends all around Ireland with the members of IADA.
What kind of work are you doing at the moment?
At present I’m working on a couple of custom and unique headstones for people around Ireland. I also have a couple of international projects in the pipeline which range from heraldic stone plaques to large scale public lettering commissions for architecture and memorials. I am also working on a bronze portrait and a commemorative plaque in bronze.

What would be your advice to anyone thinking about applying for the 2010 bursary?
I would say it’s more than just a bursary of money, it’s a great opportunity to meet people who value and are in the trade of utilising a talent and skill that you are training for and will be great network of support in the future. In these times when the economy is uncertain, clients are looking for people with specialised skills to complete or restore furniture, collectables, objects de arte, sculptures or other curious. This bursary is a great help to the costs of a specialised course, tools and materials in restoration and conservation which will give you a unique set of skills.

More information on Stuart McGrath can be found on his website.