Devon born Sculptor Tess Wilmot interprets domestic and wild animals in cast stone. Following creative work in Europe in the 1980s and 90s, Tess returned to her roots at Cleeve, in the Erme Valley near Ivybridge, setting up her Riverside Studio in 1994.

Using the colours of mainly local powdered stone as her palette, Tess creates tactile sculptures with realistic markings. Her distinctive method of bonding the natural coloured stone within each figure, rather than painting the colours on afterwards, results in an individual polished stone finish. Each piece is important to Tess, so even when they have very fine detail or texture, they always feel wonderful to touch.

Tess's reputation for making extraordinary cats has grow over the years. The larger pieces are limited editions and the variety of different colours and markings makes each cast extra special and individual. Each Tabby and Tortoiseshell cat has distinctly different markings, just like every cat! Tess is happy to be commissioned to recreate markings in the likeness of special real life cats.

Under the name of Quintessence, Tess produces a range of smaller figures which are available through good gift shops and galleries. Zena Wilmot, Tess's daughter, is also very talented and designs her own original sculptures which are then reproduced by Tess.  

Tess says, "I take my inspiration from the wildlife that lives in this beautiful part of Devon and each cat shape is named after cats I have known over the years. My studio is surrounded by my organic permaculture garden. I like to have some of the sculptures in the garden - one of the large sitting cat keeps the birds away from my raspberries in the summer and the badger peers out from the bushes!"

Links:

Delamore Arts         Delamore Gallery