Neil Fitzpatrick-Reeves

Neil was not a high academic achiever in school, however he excelled in Art and in Technical Drawing. His Art Teacher was inspirational, introducing a wide range of activities within the classroom until he found one that the pupils were genuinely good at and also enjoyed, they were then encouraged to take this skill as far as they could. Neil enjoyed working from his imagination, and technique was encouraged as well as freedom of mind. Showing typical signs of Dyslexia, something that was not recognized, Neil managed a CSE Grade 5 in Maths, a U in English but A grades in his Art and Technical Drawing. He didn’t start to read for pleasure until he was 21, when his then time girlfriend introduced him to “Return of the Native” and since then he is rarely without at least two books on the “go” (ask him what he’s reading at the moment!)

Leaving school at 16 he was unable to settle into a permanent job, Neil enjoyed working with Young People, volunteering at local Youth Clubs and he went on to qualify as a Community and Youth Worker at Derbyshire’s Matlock College of HE in 1982 after gaining sufficient qualifications in his spare time.

Neil has always traveled, at the age of 16 he “ran away from home” and traveled across Europe for 3 months. While working in a factory, he would finish work on a Friday, and spend his weekends hitch hiking around the UK and Mainland Europe. He took this one step further and took a three month trip around Canada and the United States. This wanderlust shows in the many places he has lived, from Birmingham to London, Ross on Wye to Beltoft, Matlock and Chesterfield, Sheffield to Clonakilty, Eire, before having settled in Llanidloes, Mid Wales.

Following a meeting with David Gross, a chainsaw sculptor from the northeast, who had a four month residency at Lea Green centre in Derbyshire, Neil was introduced to large-scale woodcarving. He had no opportunity at that time to take part in what he saw as a fascinating way of working, until 2 years later when he enrolled at his local college onto the only wood working course available at the time – wood turning. By chance no lathes were available (typical of Further Education (FE) the class was oversubscribed!) and was given a project to carve, some chisels and a block of wood – leaving the first class having come up with an idea of a dragon – the original project of a Yorkshire Rose still remains unfinished.

Having discovered a natural talent, he found his skill and ability increasing in leaps and bounds and that people actually wanted to buy his carvings. Initially the range of carving went from a small 2” running hare to a twelve foot history tree.

Neil then began teaching Open College Network Woodcarving Courses within FE in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, having developed and had the courses validated by Nottingham University, based around the four principals of Proportion, Form, Balance, and Texture. The courses over three levels, led to formal qualification for the students, enabling some students to successfully apply to University.

Now having carved professionally for over twenty years, his work has gone all around the world from America to Saudi Arabia, and public works can be seen as far apart as Lincolnshire to London to Cheshire to Mid Wales.

Moving to rural Mid Wales seven years ago, Neil has been able to devote more time to themed studies, and exhibiting work more widely, including RHS Hampton Court, Tatton Park, and Westonbirt Sculptree Festival where for the first time in 2008 he demonstrated his carving skills to produce “Light Worship” as one of the group of twelve talented wood sculptors from around the world, and last year is produced the Art Deco figure “Waiting”

His sculptures in form come entirely from his mind, looking at wood and seeing what is inside, his smaller works are often from off cuts from his larger pieces.

The future

Neil’s commissions are increasing constantly; He has been joined by his new wife Maggie Fitzpatrick-Reeves, they got married on August 1st 2009, who sorts out the