Reviving the long lost art of stucco
- Geoffrey brings traditional techniques into the modern age with his work
- His plasterwork creations centre around flowers and plant motifs
- He works on architectural projects to decorate entire rooms
In the heart of Devon, Geoffrey Preston leads a small team of sculptors, breathing new life into the ancient art of decorative plasterwork. A graduate of Hornsey College of Art, Geoffrey's journey took him from sculpture to stonemasonry and carving before finding his calling in stucco. In 2000, he established his workshop and became one of the UK's foremost architectural sculptors. His commissions, ranging from single signature pieces to entire room transformations, grace buildings across the world. Geoffrey's work is a symphony of bold, flowing forms, where rhythm and movement dance with light and shadow. Each piece is a testament to his vision: creating highly sculptural, distinctive artworks that are both original and exquisitely crafted.
Discover his work
INTERVIEW
In 1989, one of the finest houses in the south of England, Uppark, burnt down. I was involved with the restoration of the 18th century ceilings which required the rediscovery of techniques and recipes that had been practically extinct for generations.
My wife Jenny and I run the workshop together, assisted by sculptor Kate Montagne. In 2013 Kate was funded by The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust to apprentice with us and she stayed on. Sometimes we have one or two freelance sculptors too.
Just do it. Practise in every spare moment. Copy, experiment. Educate yourself about your craft and look closely at examples of it through the ages, and across continents. Fall in love with the physical process of making.
Flowers are a central theme in my work. I am inspired by the portrayal of flowers and leaves in 18th-century plasterwork and in other decorative arts, such as the exquisite flower painting on Sèvres porcelain, and in paintings by Rococo artists such as Boucher.
