Happy Labor Day!!!
The main activity for the month of August involved working on a private memorial commission for a family from the Danville area.
I began the project with a small "Thumbnail" clay model. This was based on a drawing that had been created by one of the family members.
I started with this 350 lb. block of Alabama White Marble that we already had.
After about 2 weeks of work, the major shapes have been carved. It measures 16"H x 23"W x 11"D. There is a sun shape in the bottom that will hold an urn and any small items that someone may decide to place there. You can already see 3 leaf forms as they near their final shape.
The back side is already receiving final honing with about 2/3 being sanded to 120 grit. The left leaf is completely unsanded, but otherwise matches the right leaf that you can't see in this picture. Marble is hard to photograph as it tends to "White out" all the details while inside the studio When I finish, I will take it outside where indirect sunlight will help me get better images.
I spent the first part of August creating this "Sun Bird" sculpture in Indiana Limestone. It has bush texture between the polished sun rays. It measures approx. 22"H x 20"W x 11"D.
This is the back view. The base and the tail have the stippled bushed texture that compliments the polished wings and tail feathers. Behind it, is "Resonate Journey" which will be delivered and installed at a private residence in the near future.
On August 24, we had Dereck bring the 23 ton crane out to move some pieces for us. One of the items to get moved was this 13,800 lb. granite piece that used to be a base for a map making machine at Ft. Knox. We are now using it as a work table up near the studio building. This was the first stone ever moved onto this property (1997?)
This is a piece from a large 60' long x 5' diameter (approx. 100 ton) granite roller used to make paper. I've been whittling pieces off the original 12,000 lb fragment for years. This 2,000 lb. piece is all that's left.
