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Limestone Sculpture

 

Stacked Cats

 

Five years ago, sculptor friends invited me to tag along to collect some limestone blocks.  The three of us piled into a large pickup and drove 80 miles to Bedford, Indiana -- Limestone Capitol of the World.  At the edge of town we pulled up to a dusty mill which had a huge 12’ x 20’ pile of limestone.  My friends spent the next two hours carefully loading several 400 pound pieces.  I offered to help many times but they kept telling me that it was under control.  From boredom, I started sifting through the pile and began making small serendipitous sculptures.  When it was time to return to Louisville, I asked to have a few of my pieces loaded up.  Fortunately, they agreed.

What began as a simple artists outing has turned into a full fledged passion.  Since that day, I have created over 85 limestone sculptures, held five solo exhibitions and sold over 70 pieces.  My goal for the past few years has been to produce and sell very quickly so that I could establish a stylistic reputation in limestone.  I was well known in the local art community before, but for other media.  I have succeeded in this initial goal, by disseminating 70 pieces out into the public domain.  In the near future, I want to shift gears and focus on obtaining public commissions.

This work represents a departure for my art in subject matter, media and purpose.  In the past, my art often dealt with conceptual constructs regarding the human condition.  The work was often political and intellectual in character.  With these limestone sculptures, I have sought to make objects of beauty which also have a soul. 

The sculptures span a variety of subjects including architecture, abstraction, and the figure. These sculptures are held together with gravity and stainless steel threaded rods which run through interior holes to a buried setting stone.  When working, I use hand chisels, hammers, grinders, and a hammer drill.  Most works are 36" to 72" tall and weigh between 150 and 700 pounds.

Stone sculpture is physically demanding and hard on your fingers, wrists, elbows, knees, and back.  In fact, last year I broke and smashed my right index finger.  To avoid abrasions, long sleeves and leather gloves must be worn at all times.  During certain phases of the process, earphones and a respirator are utilized.  Sometimes I question this choice of media.  For example when I have to load, unload, dig holes for setting stones, and then set a full exhibition of sculptures, I begin to think painting is much easier.  But, paintings don’t get hung outdoors and they’re not made with 350 million year old Devonian materials.  Placing art outside in a landscape is a thrill.  Knowing these sculptures will be around for a long, long time is also exciting. 

The limestone work has its limitations.  The weight for example keeps me from entering juried exhibtions as there is almost always a 100 pound limit.  I want these pieces outdoors and that restricts the venue possibilities. Given that, I have really enjoyed showing with the following galleries.  My sculptures looked good at their sites and the work was well cared for.

 

Solo Exhibtions:

2002 and 2005   Hidden Hill Gallery, Stone Sculpture, Utica, IN,  U.S.A.
Hidden Hill is a new regional gallery space created by Bob and Janet Hill.   The space combines exotic landscape plants and outdoor sculpture.  My shows were the opening exhibition for the 2002 and 2005 seasons.  For each show I exhibited 20 or more limestone sculptures.

*Gallery Dealer, Penny McGinty, reviewed this work at my studio and accepted it for exhibition.

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2003 and 2005   Amex Gallery, Stone Sculpture, New Castle,  KY  U.S.A.
This exhibition venue mixes wine and art.  Ya gotta love that.  The Smith-Berry Vineyard and Winery hosts my sculptures on a year round basis.  Every two years I have a full fledged exhibition.

*Gallery Dealer, Mary Berry Smith, reviewed this via portfolio and accepted it for exhibition.

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2003    Bittners Gallery, Garden Temples, Louisville,  KY  U.S.A.
Bittners, a 152-year-old Louisville business, is the most prestigious interior design firm in the region.  A one of a kind arrangement was made to display my sculptures in the firm’s interior courtyard.  The exhibition ran for one month. 

*CEO, Claire Alagia, reviewed this work via portfolio and accepted it for exhibition.

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