Evolution
My work unfolds intuitively; something within a stone captures me and I feel a compulsion to tell our story. There is an immediacy in this ancient craft, and with great devotion, it seems almost magical...a performance, with a certain rhythm I find very soothing.
Stones, normally sourced from sculpture stone warehouses, are bought by weight; they are chosen for colour, size and shape.
In order to reveal the story within; I begin to work with a round, hardened steel mallet, and either steel or carbide tipped chisels; whatever the stone’s hardness dictates. As work progresses, rifflers, steel and/or diamond files, frosting tools and bush hammers come into play. My finishing tools of choice are files, various grades of wet sandpaper and diamond hand pads, beginning with the highest to lowest grit, so as to smooth the stone’s surface, preparing it for the polish. To complete the process, there is a final hand application of marble wax or beeswax; in all, a very long and painstaking process of up to 40 hours, quite apart from the fabrication of the sculpture.
Most of my sculpting is done by hand, however, at times, a grinder, drill or dremel must play a part.
The bases for my sculptures are done in collaboration with Architectural Metal Designers.
Prices for my work vary from 850 to 10,000 dollars.