Exposure and a trip to Bloomington

There was this wedge-shaped scrap of Indiana Limestone left over from making a base for a birdbath. After staring at it for a long time, an idea came to me.

I made the bottom flat, stood it up and made a half of a lens shape. I drew lines onto the preform in a gentle geometric progression.

I put a bush texture on a portion of the piece, to make it look like an inner shape that is revealed after a protective shield has been retracted.

This is the final form. It is entitled "Exposure" and measures 40" wide by 21" high by 12" thick. The concept is about facing the fear of success / failure when you try to do something new. It's exactly that fear that keeps most people from achieving their full potential.

The sculpture is intended as a crown element on an earthen berm. This isn't the best computer-generated image of a grass covered mound, but you get the idea.

Friday, June 22, Meg and I took off work and went to the Bloomington, Indiana Rock and Mineral show. Lots of great stuff to see.

On the way home, Meg wanted to check out Milltown. Supposedly, there was a house for sale for $6,000.00. We didn't find the house, but we saw this old ruin - I'm guessing an old iron furnace from the civil war era?

Taking state highway 64, we came across this old underground quarry.

As we looked for a place to eat in downtown Corydon, we came upon a band concert on the lawn of the old state capital. The life-size bronze of Governor O'Bannon by Raymond Graf listened in. (photos 2012 Meg White)

Kentucky Stonehenge

On my birthday (June 15), Meg and I went to see Kentucky Stonehenge in Munfordfordville.

After taking the main exit off I-65, travel east on the main street and look for this small sign. It is located on the south side of the road.

This 1/3 scale replica was created by Chester Fryer, a former Mayor, Magistrate and business owner of Munfordsville. It is located on his private property, but he is happy to have people check out his creations. We had the pleasure of talking to him in person - he's a very interesting man.

Inside the stone circle is a center stone with orientation marks. It is aligned for soltices, like the real stonehenge.

As you walk around his property, you can discover many huge and interesting stone installations.

On an adjacent lot is a 13 foot high stone cross and a couple stone tablets with the 10 Commandments. Mr. Fryer said that the Christian installations receive a lot less attention than the pagan stone circle. I thought that was interesting, considering that we're in the heart of the Bible Belt.

There were a number of large, naturally sculptured stones.

Across the road from Stonehenge is a huge lot that he calls "Cannon Hill".

There are a few carved stone cannons to check out. Overall, it was a fun experience. It inspires us to create large stone installations on the studio property. People love big rocks - it's an instinctual reaction. (all photos copyright 2012 Meg White)

Two Birdbaths & Two Birthdays

There were two birthday celebrations last week...but business first.

I made two bird baths in the first week or so of June.



The first one has a base with a natural split stone surface and a polished channel that leads the eye upward to the basin.  It measures 24" x 22" x 35" high and weighs approximately 1,000 lbs.

The basin has a polished cubic form that emerges from the natural

rock-pitched matrix.  It has an overflow channel in alignment with the vertical channel in the base.  The bush textured bowl has radial cuts that add visual interest.

The other birdbath's pedestal has a layered look that was created with a diamond saw.  The depth of the layers are in a gentle geometric progression - slightly thicker layers in the middle where it waists inward.  It measures 30" x 20" x 34" high and weighs approximately 350 lbs. 

The top is an eclectic array of polished faces, like clusters of crystals.

Friday June 15 was my 51st birthday.  I didn't have any solid plans.  Meg and I took off in the car and we found ourselves at a new road cut near Flaherty, KY.  We found a number of flint balls.   While collecting rocks, we were spotted by some friends - Shannon Mitchell honked at us and Eddie Franke and Loretta Young stopped and chatted as they were on their way to Bardstown for a Civil War Re-enactment. 

There were quite a few of these Iron Pyrite cubes in the rock cut.  I don't think Meg was too impressed with them - she called them 'rock ticks'.

Then, on a lark, we went to Kentucky Stonehenge in Munfordsville, KY.  I'll make a whole new post to cover that portion of the day.

On the way home from Munfordsville, we took an unexpected side trip through Glendale, KY.  It's a real cool little town with lots of historic buildings.  It's worth a visit.

My Birthday supper was Korean food in Radcliff.  Before heading home, we swung into the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery between Radcliff and Fort Knox to check out the memorial by Rich Griendling.  These are life-size cut outs in 1 inch thick steel plates.

Hidden behind a solid plate is the life-size bronze of what they call "the old man".  (all photos above are copyright 2012 Meg White).

June 16 was Tom Mitts' 50th birthday, held at his house in Newport, KY.  Left to right: Tom, John Kaiser, Paul Breslin, and 'your's truly'. (photo courtesy Newport Police Dept.)