President Ann Middleton was please to welcome Jean Parker fellow Soroptimist from Coventry as her first dinner speaker.

Jean planned talk was changed due to events in Coventry the previous day when vandals had pushed over and damaged the Peace sculpture, this had been Jean’s first commission and it led Jean to talk about how she became a sculptor.

Jean had brought many of her small clay pieces, these are the designs which are then converted into the stone sculptures, she spoke about the process, with clay, you are adding to the object, but with carving you are taking away. There were also newspaper cuttings of the finished pieces which are on display especially around Coventry.

Jean has had health problems and one of her ways of dealing with the issues was to sculpt her emotional response to the disease, with a series of alabaster heads this has had resonance with many other people and the exhibition is toured.

Jean works with school children who have shown an affinity with the stonemason tools and seem to enjoy the creative process.

Members had the opportunity to handle the very tactile metal sculptures and to ask many questions.

Soroptimist International is a service organisation supporting women and children worldwide.

The Stourbridge club meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at Hagley Golf and Country Club. To find out more please contact the membership officer 01384 832451