The evidence: The stone-designer's studio

Belinda Eade is a grotto- and lettering- artist. She works mainly by commission and is currently working on a design for Alnwick Castle, the home of the Duchess of Northumberland

"The stone fountainhead (1) is for a water feature I am currently working on. The model (2) is for a private garden commission in the country, I make models of everything first. The bowl (3) is made from Purbeck marble. The slab (4) was given to me yesterday by a lady who came into the studio. It's from Zimbabwe, there's another piece somewhere. Basically, she just loved what I do and said I could carve anything I want, which is a luxury. It's just finding the time. The piece of Siena marble (5) is about to become a bowl. The bike (6) is the shared studio bike. On the shelves (7) are stone samples. You have to have a wide selection, although as you can imagine, there is such a vast variety you can't have them all. The skulls (8) are from Wales. I would like to eventually do something with them - the one with the long horns was a white mountain goat.I buried them in the garden in order to bleach the bones, but I don't think I left them there for long enough. I suppose they could be whiter. On the other shelves (9) are grotto materials, shells, coral, stone and remnants from jobs. Everything is on wheels. I'm wheel-mad, it means I can work outside. You also get covered in dust after about two minutes in the studio."

Interview by Aoife O'Riordain

Photograph by Darren Regnier