Howdy Folks...We've been working shorter, colder, but still productive days building a custom courtyard fountain, which will be around 7' tall with a flagstone waterfall spilling into a beautiful natural stone basin. The same stone will climb up the wall to the protruding flagstone and we plan to light the waterfall from the bottom. Since I am much more a granite sculptor than a stone mason, I brought in Master Mason Brian Kennedy, who has built many projects over many years in Santa Fe and beyond....

click images for larger view....





This was an ugly square concrete basin (surrounded by curves all around the courtyard) that we knocked out. Sometimes it's better to start over than to try to make something work. In this case, it was absolutely necessary!






Mr. Kennedy forming up a new underground pump box that will house the "controls"...







We like curves in Santa Fe!






With Brian's guidance, I am learning how hard this ancient craft is. Next time you see a natural stone wall, look at how tight the seams are...then look at these! The basin picture has my stack on the right side. The picture below it is a close-up of Brian's exceptional work. We will mix our stacks to keep a consistent look throughout.
This is hard but fun! I'll post pics as it's coming along. Cheers!

let's work on this now...

The finished installation "Reciprocity" in private front courtyard, Santa Fe. 74" x 27" x 15", Granite, of course. When you are standing at her front door, you can see the Aspens through the cutout. This was originally going to be inside her home, against a wall. After seeing it finished in my shop, she decided for the outdoor space. I love it there!


The mighty forklift! The loaders at the Loveland sculpture show had never seen a sculpture picked up like this, with the boards acting as handles.


The flamed side with polished concave circles. A little color sealer will bring the flamed color out just enough.


The polished side before I flamed the circles. The flaming gives it a "crackled" texture, sort of like a chiseled texture but different. All stones react differently to the flaming. This granite flamed beautifully.


Me polishing the inside of the cutout. All the little curves are tricky which entail using different kinds of polishing pads at different angles.


1" steel rod


The base, with the top and bottom layers polished and the middle layer flamed.

New Commission

Hey Friends. Now I'm working on a custom six foot sculpture for a woman in Eldorado, based on the "Raincatcher" fountain seen a few blogs ago. Here you will see drawings, templates and the actual piece starting to take form on the table. The piece will be polished granite with flaming techniques in the concave round bits. Feel free to ask any questions. Enjoy...

          

The Finished Piece

The Finished Piece "Eclipse". She loved it!

Another Background...

Eclipse sculpture

Here's how the "Eclipse" sculpture is coming along...Click on the pics for a bigger size.





I have to clamp my grinder to the table to carve the granite and marble spheres. You can go through a lot of gloves this way...


My earlier sculptures played with round, flat shapes. I'm finding the spheres to be a nicer feel, more three-dimensional, especially in a piece like this



This is the general piece. Now to make a base...







This shape was a departure from the more symmetrical forms in my "Paths" series. In those pieces, I wanted to convey a feel of steady-ness, adverting obstacles with grace. This piece, to me anyway, shows a sliver of time, or perhaps a very long passage through ever moving surroundings. The piece is quite literal compared to my other work, but I have had so many wonderful analogies while working on it. The blue stone is quite captivating.


This was a little Jedi trick I learned...












All photos ©2009 Lara Sanchez/Dancing light Photography

Lately...

Hello Friends

After a successful show at the 26th Annual Sculpture in the Park show in Loveland, CO., I have been a busy boy with some new commissions. First is a 22" tall table sculpture based on the "paths" series, but a little more random in shape. It will have a Black Galaxy granite body (with bits of reflective laboradorite) and Gold (the sun), blue (Earth) and white (moon) stone spheres tucked into the curves. I'm liking what I'm calling the "Cosmos" pieces very much, the first of which sold in Loveland.

After I finish that, I will be working on a larger 6' free standing sculpture that's based on the "Raincatcher" fountain design seen below. This was originally going to be a wall installation but the client and I agreed on a piece that she could move if she wanted. The granite is very busy with red and brown colors and swirly features. I'm excited to make it! I'll post pics when it's done...

Rock Blog

Hello friends. Blogging, eh? OK, sounds fun. Since it is very difficult to haul large granite sculptures around the country or the world, I will bring them to you via the vast abyss of the internet. Then, you can come to me. Santa Fe, where you can't throw a (granite) rock without hitting an artist.
Please do not throw the sculpture.
Stay tuned for dusty insights and humorous randomness.
Thanks...Greg