Matthias is from Dresden, Germany and has worked as a mason and carver for over 20 years. Following his apprenticeship in one of the most prestigious workshops in Dresden, Matthias spent 6 years working throughout Europe in masonry and carving workshops before moving to England in 1998 to join Wells Cathedral Stonemasons. He joined Dick Reid’s workshop in York the following year, where he stayed for more than 5 years.
In 2001, Matthias was accepted as a William Morris Craft Fellow with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. He then received a QEST Scholarship along with funding from the York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship which enabled him to complete the German Qualification of Master in Masonry, Carving and Conservation. In 2004, Matthias returned to York to set up his own business. In 2011, he gained an MA in Historic Conservation from University of York, King’s Manor.