Johnathon Whittaker is an artist and sculptor based in Plymouth Devon, carving and sculpting from his workshops at home. His mediums are wood, stainless steel, concrete and other metals, combining them in unique and beautiful abstract shapes.
Growing up in the island of Barbados, he started his working career as both a recreational and commercial diver. It was through this, and the Caribbean beauty he grew up in, that he found his love of the ocean and nature, and it swiftly became the core of his inspiration in his carvings today.
As a Civil Engineer, Johnathon is able to use his knowledge of both natural products and building materials to make the best use of new techniques and practices, creating bespoke pieces and frequently works with architects and interior designers.
Johnathon works instinctively, allowing each piece to describe itself; he finds the symmetry and flow hidden within the raw material, often highlighting the balance between shade and curve. Sometimes polishing to a gleaming finish, adding bursts of vibrant colour, or creating a more textured surface, he highlights the similarities of his pieces with the depths of nature’s beauty.
Johnathon has been featured in multiple wood carving magazines, won several awards, been written about in newspapers and has done a number of live interviews.
His most recent celebrated work was during the pandemic, when he went on a carving marathon in an effort to thank the NHS for the hard work they have done. He created and donated plaques to NHS trusts in England and his work currently resides in 736 hospitals, ambulance services and related medical facilities across the country. For his efforts in this, Johnathon was recognised by the Prime Minister at #10 Downing street and declared a “Point of Light” for the United Kingdom, celebrating his exceptional carving services during the pandemic.
