“What I noticed is people in galleries, they look at the aesthetics they are impressed by the object but never think about the poor bugger who sweated over making it, how was it put together ­— that I find is the most fascinating part of it,” says Shaun, who is now sharing his passion of how artworks came to be created in a new BBC Series Handmade in Bolton.

He created four historical objects for the programme using traditional methods and materials.

All four items ­— a jewelled eagle brooch, an alabaster carving, a ceramic plate, and a rock crystal bottle ­— are now on display in Bolton Museum’s foyer.

“I agreed to do it, to put out there that there is more to art than just than the finished object.

" It’s the guys and gals behind them who make them, no one ever thinks of Bernini in his workshop covered in marble dust, blisters on his fingers,” said Shaun, who cites Bernini as his favourite artist.

“If I could have been any artist, he is the one,” he said.

Shaun says he is a “copyist” rather than an artist.

“If you are not original , you are not an artist, you are a copyist and that is what I am I have never thought of myself as an artist, just someone who is really interested in how they were made,”he explained, “I’m interested in demonstrating the techniques of these great masters.”

He added: ““Most artists start out copying, that’s how you learn your craft, looking and imitating and you move on after a few years. I never moved on so I don’t really have my own style, I try, and think it looks like such-a-body’s work so I don’t even try anymore to find my own style.

“Michelangelo’s first sculpture was a fake of a cupid he sold. He was noticed by such good work and got commissions. That was the beginning of his career.”

Shuan, who first interest was in architecture added: “I once said to my mum, I had been to Durham Cathedral, and I said I reckon if I could live for 500 years I could build one of those.”

He said: “When I was a child I was more fascinated in architecture than I was in art, but as I went through school I got this daft notion that somehow I wasn’t bright enough to be an architect.

"I deeply regret because I think I could have done it.

“I think we all have regrets, I think most of us would probably do our lives differently, not just me.”