About
Ward Salomon Studio is a new partnership founded by stonemason Ian Ward and multidisciplinary artist Gigi Salomon, bringing together more than 45 years of combined craftsmanship and experience. The studio creates sculptural monuments, carvings, memorials and works of art that unite traditional techniques with contemporary sensibilities. Ward and Salomon share a deep respect for historical context, sense of place, and the innovative use of materials. They have extensive experience delivering both large and small scale installations, working outdoors in the landscape as well as within gallery and domestic settings across Britain and Europe. Their public and private projects are informed by architecture, archaeology, geology, astronomy, conservation, and fine art. Building trust and collaboration with clients is at the heart of their practice.
Ian Ward
PROJECTS (HIGHLIGHTS)
2025 The Guards’ Chapel, Chelsea Barracks
2025 The Deanery, Wells Cathedral
2003-25 Camerton Court, Bath
2006-08 Ilam Holy Cross, Ilam Hall, Ashborne
1997-2001 Stirling Castle
1994-2000 St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
QUALIFICATIONS
2002 – 2024 Partner, I. Ward & Sons Ltd.
1982 – 2000 Director, Boden & Ward & Co. Ltd.
BA (Hons) Fine Art Sculpture, Winchester School of Art
Apprenticeship in Masonry & Carving, Cathedral Works Organisation
AWARDS
1997 National Stone Awards
St Giles Church, Totternhoe
2000 Natural Stone Awards
Woburn Abbey
2004 Natural Stone Awards
Perseus & Andromeda Fountain, Witley Court
TEACHING
Guggleton Farm Arts Project (founded by Isabelle de Pelet), Dorset
Stone Carving Creative Commissions and Courses, Somerset
PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
Commissions for notable clients
Ian Ward is a stone mason, carver, restorer and conservator with over 30 years of experience. He has carved and installed many memorials of national significance including The Guards Chapel at Chelsea Barracks and private family memorials of public figures. Other long-term projects include many churches, as well as the fabric and monuments of Chichester and Wells Cathedrals, Wells Cathedral Deanery and notably St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and the Schorn tower carving ornament and statuary. English Heritage commissioned Ian to restore the fountain monument at Witley Court. Private commissions include landscaping and carving for Camerton Court and Althorp. He has successfully fulfilled large scale briefs which include management of a team of engineers, surveyors, builders, stone suppliers and skilled craftsmen in other disciplines such as lead work, bronze casting etc.
Gigi Salomon
Gigi Salomon is a multidisciplinary artist working across a range of media with a specialism in stone carving. She took the Sculpture Diploma at Heatherleys School of Art which included drawing and printmaking. She has exhibited widely throughout the UK, notably at the German Embassy in London, Sotheby’s London and the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. With her grounding in formal skills, Gigi has developed experimental techniques incorporating optics, light, found objects and natural materials; her work makes use of stone, linen, metal, wood and natural pigments. Central to her practice is an investigation into the parallels between our contemporary present lives and the past lives of our ancestors seen in reliefs uncovered in archaeological trenches, features embedded in the landscape, and the accumulated layers of occupation on any one site.
EXHBITIONS
2025 Dorset Open, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, Dorchester (stone carving)
2025 Green & Stone Summer Exhibition, London (stone carving)
2021 Dark Skies Festival, Central Australia (sculpture open air animations)
2020 Strategy Get Arts at Summerhall, Edinburgh
2019 Sotheby’s (exhibition of contemporary art), London
2018 Doorways, Bath Arts Festival, Bath
2018 In a Country far, far away, London; travelled to Germany
2017 Frieze Art Fringe: Taste the Future, German Embassy, London
2017 Human (contemporary British artists), German Embassy, London
2016 Art Attack Exhibition, St Pancras Parish Church, London
2015 Berlin-London Contemporary Art by Women, German Embassy, London
2015 Remembrance, St Martins Church Gospel Oak, London
2014 The Second Half Centre London
2013 Open Studio, Hewer Street
ARTS CAREER
1991-94 Callander Communications – Founder of public relations and marketing for the Arts
1982-91 Radio 3 & 4, Producer / Writer / Presenter – documentaries and features on the Arts
1979 John David Mooney Sculptor – part of installation team of ¼ mile long land light sculpture for the exhibition American Art in ’70s, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
1977-8 Jonathan Phipps Contemporary Prints – dealer to British art galleries, museums and schools
RESIDENCIES
2022 Dark Skies, Cornwall
2020 Watching the Sun, Royal Astronomical Society & Mayes Creative
AWARDS
1982 BAFTA for Best Educational Film
1979 Kathleen Edwards Prize for History
QUALIFICATIONS
2012-25 Printmaking, Photopolymer, Bas relief, Stone carving
2010-12 Sculpture Diploma Heatherley School of Fine Art London
1982 BBC Radio Traineeship
1978-82 MA (Hons) History, Aberdeen University
1975-76 Cambridge University, Archaeology Digs