

From one saint to Another...Saint Philip Neri
Saint Kostka to St. Neri Father arrived with a broken statue of Saint Stanislav Kostka for us to transform into Saint Philip Neri. Saint Stan was 17 when he passed from this world, whereas Saint Philip was 79. His features were soft and immature compared to the heavy browed and bearded Philip. in regard to ageing the figure, Father was happy to make a compromise, and asked us to portray Saint Philip in his 40's.; A good choice because working on an existing statue has it
Jeanette Lewis
Jan 28, 20232 min read


Nodding Angel statue repaired & restored
Damaged nodding angel statue This nodding angel made everyone who saw it in my repair shop smile. Smiles are something we have all missed, having worn masks for far too long, so his arrival was more than welcome. I wondered how many children over the years would have enjoyed popping a penny into the mission box, to see the angel nod its head in approval; such a simple thing that brings to mind our guardian angels encouraging us to do good. How old is the angel? The nodding
Jeanette Lewis
Mar 11, 20223 min read


Saint Joseph's statues
Saint Joseph is a wonderful saint. As the parent of a family and a man who worked with his hands, we chose him as the patron of our...
Jeanette Lewis
Dec 8, 20213 min read


Angels get their wings
Sanctuary Angels broken wings restored Lewis & Lewis
Jeanette Lewis
Jul 18, 20213 min read


Medieval Moments
History that shaped our statues in England. We love our church statuary, from humble crib figures to great masterpieces; yet some...
Jeanette Lewis
Sep 20, 20202 min read


Changing Colours
Restoring a statue of Saint Joan of Arc. Restoring Statue of Saint Joan Visionary & Martyr We are much accustomed to seeing St. Joan dressed in armour ready for battle, yet this lovely statue by Rafl of Paris depicts St. Joan in a more subdued mood during one of her visions. In this attitude, she reminds us that being attentive to God's voice, prepares us for life's battles. Once restored the statue's new home will be a Girl's school in France. Surface damage I am uncertain w
Jeanette Lewis
Sep 9, 20202 min read


How Saints Are Made
Making a statue of St. Catherine of Alexandria Statue of St. Catherine for Burbage church Making the statue of St. Catherine of Alexandria Earlier this year,(2017) Reverend Hall commissioned me to make a 44 inch statue of St. Catherine of Alexandria for his parish (of the same name). Reverend Hall sent me some photos of a carved wooden flatback of St. Catherine, which he had admired. This gave me a starting point to supply some sketches of how the finished statue might look.
Jeanette Lewis
Nov 18, 20183 min read


The Pelican symbol in Catholic Art
Just before we closed business for Christmas in 2018, we were invited to St. Joseph's to set up the newly built stable and crib figures...
Jeanette Lewis
Nov 16, 20182 min read


Gothic Stations of the Cross
Carved in Belgium 1858, restored in the U.K. 2018 Father wanted his Gothic stations of the cross to look as beautiful as possible. Created in 1858, the stations needed a sensitive approach to refurbishment, ensuring any new repairs married well with the age of the artworks. Make do and Mend The stations had been restored once before, in 1948, just after the war. During this period, some makeshift changes had been made, the bright colours of the frames had been painted over i
Jeanette Lewis
Apr 8, 20182 min read


Rediscovering Maison Rafl
Appreciation for the art of Saint Supplice One producer of religious statuary, which I encounter often, is "Maison Raffl". The studio had...
Jeanette Lewis
Mar 15, 20182 min read


Symbolism of Our Lady of Walsingham
Explaining the image of Our Lady of Walsingham In the year 2015, at the request of the Carmelite sisters of Prenton; I Created this 24 inch figure of Our Lady of Walsingham. The figure itself was made from a variety of lightweight components for ease of carrying in the annual procession. The statue now resides at the Monastery of the Ascension, Birkenhead. SYMBOLISM OF THE IMAGE The throne displays seven rings on the two upright pillars. These pillars represent the church
Jeanette Lewis
Mar 16, 20152 min read

