Sprout Bench & Paul's Park

I am way behind on posting to this blog. This is what happened in the last week of June (two weeks ago).

I began a functional sculpture for Germantown, Tennessee. I had been included as one of seven people for their first temporary Outdoor Sculpture Show. This is the raw block that measures 45" wide by 21" high by 18" deep and weighs approximately 1,500 lbs. at this point.

I used a 4" grinder with a diamond blade to make cuts for major stone removal. (kind of has a cool look to it).

Then I began to shape the preform of the sculpture.

I turned it around and roughed in the other side.

Then, I carved the negative spaces in the ends. You can see the small clay model sitting on the top for comparison.

Friday, June 29, Meg and I rode up together to the dedication of Paul's Park near his old studio on Frankfort Ave. Meg snapped this shot on the way.

From left to right: Matt Weir (who made the bronze plaque of Paul Fields), Al Nelson (who made the stone base to hold Paul's sculptural vessel and plaque, and Master of Ceremonies), and Rich Williams ( who has tirelessly devoted huge amounts of labor for landscaping and maintenance). Seated on the right is Gordon Brown, CEO of Home of the Innocents, which has a major sculpture by Paul (finished posthumously by students and past apprentices). (photo Meg White)

The centerpiece of the park is this functional sculpture carved from North Carolina Granite by Paul Fields. (photo Meg White)

This is the bronze relief of Paul by Matt Weir, which is on the front side of the centerpiece. Matt did a great job - that's Paul! ...and we all miss him very much. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without him. He made Kentucky history by being the first to carve monumental scale works in stone. The park is a fitting memorial. (photo Meg White)