Busy! Busy! Busy! ...and more to come...

I've had 3 existing sculptures acquired and 2 commissioned for the Schaumburg Sculpture Park in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Friday, June 15, We hired Dereck Sheroan to use a 23 ton crane truck to remove 4 major pieces that were on display at the University of Louisville Alumni Center.  The piece on the right is one of the existing pieces that was acquired.

Tuesday June 19, I picked up a diesel flatbed truck from Louisville and Dereck met me at the studio to load 2 pieces to go to Schaumburg.  This is "World Berries".

It weighs 4,200 lbs. and measures 6'H x 3' x 3'

This is "Heave Ho"

It weighs 2,600 lbs. and measures approx. 5'H x 6' x 2' 

 

The next day, I drove through Chicago and scoped out the sites.  I also checked up on this sculpture "Awaking Muse".

Meg White and I installed this piece over 20 years ago and it's holding up great.

These last 3 pictures are courtesy of Phillip Seifritz who works at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts in the Village of Schaumburg.  Thursday, May 21 at 7:00 a.m., I met a 35 ton crane from Whitey's Crane Service.  I was VERY happy with the operator - smooth and intuitive!

First, we set the "World Berries" onto a concrete pedestal that had been provided.

Then, I set "Heave Ho" not far away.  

All I had left to do was drive back through Chicago traffic in a big truck and make it home before dark.  I get to do something very similar in less than 2 weeks to set a big piece of Meg's in nearby Mundelein.  Then, back to Schaumburg in late August with the last 3 pieces.  Driving through Chicago 3 times in 4 months to deliver and install 6 large stone sculptures... I'll be happy to get safely on the other side of all that.

 

Sculptures from fall 2025 to spring 2026

"Flying Monkey Gargoyle"

Indiana Limestone, 16" x 10" x 24"H, approx. 300 lbs.

Hummingbird  Water feature

Indiana Limestone, 20" x 28" x 27"H, approx. 300 lbs.

"Watcher of the Garden"

Indiana Limestone and red concrete pavers, 18" x 16" x 53"H, approx. 300 lbs.

"Phoenix Reborn"

Indiana Limestone and red concrete pavers, 18" x 16" x 44"H, approx. 300 lbs.

"Hidden Talent"

Indiana Limestone and red brick pavers, 19" x 16" x 50"H, approx. 300 lbs.

"Nature Notes"

Indiana Limestone and red concrete pavers, 20" x 16" x 46"H, approx. 300 lbs.

What's in a load of stone?

The last load of stone that I bought was 5 years ago - on my 59th birthday June 15, 2020.  I'm getting ready to order another load, so I asked myself, "What'd ya do with the last one?"

The block with 11.2 painted onto it weighs 11,200 lbs.

I cut it into 2 preforms: this one...

...and this rectangular piece from the top right of the block.

The main piece became "One Way or Another", which was sold to the City of Pfugerville, Texas.

The other piece became "Go With the Flow" which is on exhibit at the University of Louisville Alumni Center.

This 10,000 lb. block became...

"Thunder & Lightning"

and the top right corner of the block became this KY Ridgeback Dragon.

This 6,000 lb. block became...

"A New Dawn"

I had a quarry block cut into slabs.

The 16" slab and 3" slab made the base for "Hope" which was installed at a private estate in Oldham Co. KY.

A piece off the end of the 16" slab became the base for "Boost".

The two 8" slabs and scraps from the 3" slab became benches and bird baths.  

This is "Growing Together".

"Geyser"

"Mushrooms"

"Cloud 12" which is the only one that hasn't sold yet.

"Wild Rose" is the only bird bath that hasn't sold yet.  All the others found homes in the Louisville area.

"Quadrillium" 

"Carpe Diem"

There are various smaller corners that might have become smaller pieces or bases. Some are still laying out in the weeds waiting for their turn to be carved. But this accounts for the main bulk of the load.

 

Stone Dragon Sculpture

While I was making my motorcycle sculpture, I split off a large 800 lb. corner.

It was an odd shape.  But when I flipped it onto its flat side, I could "imagine dragon".

It's not just any dragon.  This is a Kentucky Ridgeback.

It measures 24"H x 37" long x 20" side-to-side and weighs approx. 400 lbs.

...and moving cautiously around the beast...

This is a juvenile - only about a year old.

Adults get MUCH bigger!

 

"Thunder & Lightning" monumental sculpture

I bought a 10,000 lb. block of Indiana Limestone on my 59th birthday, June 15, 2020.

It was delivered to the studio, along with 35,000 lbs. of other stone.

It laid there for 3 years while I worked on other projects.

During the winter of 2023, I came up with this clay model for the block.

I had even started to cut a preform for the piece in early spring.  Here's a post about this

restless rocks: "Flight of Fancy" monumental sculpture

But, I stopped - it just didn't "feel" right...

A good friend died in November of 2023.  While designing his memorial, I'd briefly considered doing a full-sized motorcycle based on a 1956 Harley-Davidson hydra glide.  I made a clay model and drew the design onto this block over the existing preform (because it was a perfect fit).  Ultimately, I decided to go with a marble memorial.  Here's the post for that

restless rocks: Paul Allen Monument

During the winter of 2024, I came up with this crude clay model for fun because motorcycles were still on my mind... I had motorcycles as a young man and still have a motorcycle license.  For me, they represent freedom.  It felt "natural" to use lightning bolts and thunderclouds to make up the forms.  

After living with the model for a couple months, I was sure that I'd prefer a motorcycle of lightning bolts and thunderclouds over the "Flight of Fancy" idea.  On August 22, 2024, a crane stood the block onto its side...

...and moved it over to the shady side of the studio.

You can still see the drawing from the original Harley.

But I wanted to do my own thing and not make something that already exists.  The model was a good starting point, leaving lots of room for coming up with the details as I worked.

So, a year later, here's the finished piece. 8' long x 4' high x 2' (life-sized to a real Harley) and 4,000 lbs.

Here's the other side before carving...

...and after.  I'm happy with the piece.  I can't wait to get it moved out into the grass where I can get better pictures.