"Brevity" and "Let Your Light Shine" installed

I made a private sale of 2 mid-sized stone sculptures from a contact during the Cherokee Art Fair in the last weekend of April.  The 3rd of July was the date set for the delivery and installation of the 2 pieces.

Frank Otte Landscape and Design Group prepared the site.

Meg loaded and drove the pieces up from the studio with her crane truck.  Then she set one at a time on the ground (not shown).  The landscape company supplied a small forklift called a Dingo and several people to help the installation.

The forklift handled the 800 lb. sculpture with ease.

Lots of hands make for easy work.  We level the base for the 2nd piece.

"Brevity" is sitting on its foundation and awaiting final landscaping.

This is "Let Your Light Shine" in its new home, as well.

I like this shot that Meg took through the foliage right before we left.

"Mother Nature" finds a new home

I made this 8' tall stone sculpture of Mother Nature many years ago.  It was more of a personal piece; I never really tried to sell or exhibit it.  In fact, it served as a wildlife feeding platform for all the time that I had it.  A high school friend took an interest in the piece and bought it.

Mike Sondergeld was in my small circle of high school friends.  We used to party together at all our old hang-outs like "the circle", the "40-acre field" etc.  He spoke for the sculpture on a recent visit.

So, on may 30, Dereck Sheroan showed up with the 23 ton crane truck to deliver the piece.  The proper way to rig this piece would be to hang a 4-way from the hook (4 equal lengths of nylon or cable slings).  Then, basket-hitch my slings under the piece and use 4 shackles to attach to the 4-way.  We didn't have the 4-way and only 2 shackles, so we tried this set-up.  It was too dodgy for me as the pivot point was too low, being at the top of the eyes of the choker hitch.

Finally, we figured out the safer way - which was with a basket hitch to get the pivot point almost to the top of the piece.  We could have lifted the other way, but it would have needed a safety sling to prevent it from flipping.  I was much more comfortable to go this route.

The piece was too tall to haul on Dereck's crane truck, so we loaded it onto Meg's truck.

We tied her down and...

got both trucks ready for the short trip to Mike's place.

He has a little corner of Heaven on a wooded hilltop out in the Kentucky countryside- about 20 miles from my studio and home. (this photo looking back down his driveway) 

Earlier this year, he'd also bought a bench and a small sculpture from me.

Dereck moved the sculpture into its site.

That's Mike on the right - watching the lift.  I'll have to get final pictures when I go back over to sign the piece.  I'm pretty bad about not signing my work - none of my big pieces are signed... (some kind of personal hangup, I'm sure.)

...and ending this post with a photo that Meg took of a jet trail in a convergence with the boom and cable. (all photos Meg White)

 

4 small Marble sculptures

January and February of 2024 were mild and I was able to get some work done in the studio.  I began to make small marble pieces that could be used to embelish memorials.  All 4 pieces are made from Georgia White Marble.

The first piece that I made was this Tree of Life.  It measures 13"H x 8" x 8" and weighs approx. 40 lbs.

This is "Sacred Flight" and it measures 22"H x 8" x 6" and weighs approx. 60 lbs.

This is "Victory Rose".  It measures 12"H x 10" x 6" and weighs approx. 44 lbs.

This is "Mourning Dove".  It measures 10"H x 16" x8" and weighs approx. 44 lbs.

 

"Metamorph" stone sculpture

The last quarter of 2023 was spent on creating a large garden sculpture. (There was lots of other "stuff" happening, but nothing that I want to share on this blog...)

This piece is called "Metamorph" and it is about Transformation.

as you walk around the piece...

It is carved from Indiana Limestone and measures 40" high x 48" wide by 18" deep and weighs around 1,000 lbs.

Here' a detail photo that shows different textures.

This photo shows some of the detail on the back...

...and a detail of one of the spiral forms on the front.

My cat posed with the piece to help visualize the scale.

 

Two Sculptures leased to Frankfort, KY

Josephine Sculpture Park of Frankfort, KY put out a Call to Artists for sculptures to be chosen for a 2 year lease.  I had 2 pieces chosen for this opportunity.

On Monday, Nov. 27, Dereck Sheroan of JBB, inc from Hardinsburg brought out their 23 ton crane truck for the delivery / installations.

We loaded up both pieces and made our way to Frankfort.

The first piece, "Determination" was to be sited at the corner of Wapping st. and Catfish Alley.  Mollie Rabiner (orange hat) was my contact person for the installations.  I also met Mel VanHouten who is the owner of Josephine Sculpture Park.

More hands make light work.  Always happy to have the extra help.

Then, we made our way to the 2nd site which is in front of the Frankfort / Franklin County Tourist Commission and visitor center at 300 St. Clair street.  We took up the entire brick road (and then some...)

We set the base first...

...rigged up the top piece...

...and set it onto 2 stainless steel pins.  Both pieces look good at their new sites.  I hope they find a permanent home in Frankfort.  Time will tell...

 

"Brevity" Functional Sculpture

My morning routine, I go out into the stoneyard for "Cat and Coffee" time.  I stare at stones, trying to envision new sculpture projects, while the cat jumps from one to the other.

I'll usually do sketches and then a small clay model from what I saw in my head.

I now have an extra 35,000 lbs. of carving stones that we hauled from my old studio this summer.  

I came up with an idea for this 1,200 lb. block.

You can see the preliminary forms emerging...

Here's the other side.

Meg flipped it upright with her crane truck after I'd finished the bottom.

Here are 4 views of the finished piece.

It is Indiana Limestone and measures 43"W x 24"H x 19"D and weighs approx. 800 lbs.

...and ending this post on a totally different note, Meg cooked an apple pie from the first harvest off my trees.