The art of hand modelled plaster with Geoffrey Preston - Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery

Geoffrey Preston is a renowned architectural sculptor specialising in decorative plaster and the art of stucco. Credited by Country Life magazine with creating ‘the most inspiring plaster decoration of modern times’, he works with a small team in his studio near Exeter, making new work for architects, designers and private clients.

In this beautifully illustrated talk Geoffrey takes a whistle-stop tour of the history of stucco, from its early origins, through its baroque heyday and on to its gradual decline. He tell us about his own background and training, including his work on some significant restoration projects of recent times, and describes how his work is designed and made.

Honoured for his restoration work at the NT’s Uppark after the fire, more recent work has ranged from Great Fulford here in Devon, the Flying Unicorn at Annabel’s Mayfair, and the fine interior of The Goring in Belgravia in 2019.

In 2014 the Friends commissioned a work from Geoffrey for the Making History gallery. The piece is a low relief sculpture in stucco and depicts a heron catching an eel in the river Exe, framed by an old oak tree. Exeter Cathedral and St Leonard’s Church are in the background.

This talk will take place online on Zoom. Details will be emailed to you in advance of the date. Recording available to ticket holders by request to RAMM until 6 Oct.

Image Work on The Goring, Belgravia, London 2019