John Neilson

John Neilson is a lettercarver in stone and a lettering designer. He first trained as a calligrapher, then learned lettercarving with Tom Perkins in Cambridgeshire. Since 1992 he has had his own workshop in north-east Wales.

Original lettering design is central to all his work, which ranges from memorials and tablets to architectural and more sculptural pieces using lettering, which is nearly always hand carved. John also undertakes some book design/typography. A qualified teacher, he has taught lettering courses and demonstrated in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Japan, Lebanon and the USA, and has trained several people at his workshop. He teaches a 4-day module every other year at the City & Guilds of London Art School. Since 2003 he has been editor of the lettering journal Forum, published by Letter Exchange, and was an advisor on lettering to the Crafts Study Centre in Hampshire for 19 years until 2023. He has published many articles and reviews. In 2021 his book The Inscriptions of Ralph Beyer was published by Lund Humphries and the Crafts Study Centre.