Mary Anstee-Parry 

t. 07956 755810 | e. anstee-parry@hotmail.com | web. www.anstee-parry.com 

instagram. @cultpencil 

 

Sculptor and letter carver Mary Anstee-Parry has recently returned to the society. Mary is a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors. She says... 

 

I would like to think my sculptures combine the humour and well-balanced design of medieval carving with the more vibrant symbols of the tribal sculptures of the west coast of Africa. From these two disciplines I want to depict a sculptural world containing patterns, symbols and order. Text is sometimes added to the sculpture. 

 

At Norwich School of Art and Design I gained a degree in Fine Art and then, a little later, went to the City and Guilds of London Art school. Although I did not gain any formal qualification I learnt, under the tuition of Dick Onians, traditional woodcarving, letter carving and gilding and, since then, have been made a notable alumni. 

 

I have pursued a career in sculpture, enjoying commissions, both sculptural and lettering and have taught traditional woodcarving and letter carving in wood. As a carver I have worked primarily in wood and less frequently stone but am now experimenting with copper. 

 

Of late I have been working on a series of barley twist figures clothed in costumes knitted from copper wire inspired by the 1960's couture collection of Paco Rabanne "Twelve Unwearable Dresses" and the last sculpture "How do our Clothes define us?" will be part of an exhibition of that name. Discussions on this subject will, I hope, take place within schools.