Beauty Girl

Andrew an I finished construction on the dry stone sculpture "Beauty Girl" recently.
Not a moment too soon.  Winter temps and wind chills descended on the work site yesterday. The landscaping around the piece may be delayed until more suitable conditions reappear.  Until then, here are some snapshots of the piece in its final, if not fully comfortable, resting place.

More on Beauty Girl

Work on "Beauty Girl" continued this week. With the able assistance of DSWA Advance certificate holder Andrew Pighills, the second third of the sculpture took shape. After the guide frame was rolled forward and the "plumbas" rehung, fieldstone was set vertically to describe the robes that blanket the figure in criss-cross patterns.

In the first photo, the profile of the clay model can be seen reflected in the finished form.

The interior structure behind the carved marble, lower back, section of the piece is exposed in the second photo.

The curves of the legs and foot is seen in the last shot.

Beauty Girl

My current project, "Beauty Girl", is a dry stone sculpture of a reclining female figure.  It's being constructed on the grounds of a residence in Connecticut.
Measurements from my 1/12th scale, clay model were transferred to a movable guide frame.

 Weights on lines determine the points that define the form. Vertically-set fieldstone is fashioned into the four blankets that robe the figure. Horizontally laid, carved marble slabs make up the figure's exposed portions. When finished, the sculpture will be 36' long x 14' wide x 5' 6" high.

 

 

Two Moongates

The moongate has traditionally been employed in garden and landscape settings as a symbolic threshold between worlds.

Mike Panos of Maywood, NJ recently sent me a photo of a moongate he constructed on his property. It was built with 7.5 tons of Pennsylvania Endless Mountain fieldstone.

In Rochester, NY Chuck Eblacker recently showed me a moongate (pictured above - top 2 images) he'd built into a curved section of wall, a difficult task beautifully conceived and executed.

Worksite Safety

There aren’t that many components in the creation of a dry stone wall. There are the stones and the land, of course. And the basic building principals that, when applied, add up to a strong and enduring structure. Once those elements are thoroughly understood and consistently brought together, what refinements can an experienced waller bring to his or her workplace?

One aspect to be explored is that of personal care and safety. You are your own best construction tool. Your body deserves the best working conditions you can provide.

Ask anyone who’s experienced back injury to trace the mishap back to its origins and you are likely to hear a story of lost footing.

Without a clear, level place to stand alongside the wall, the risks in lifting and shifting stone are compounded. It takes a consistent and concerted effort to keep a worksite in trim. Pathways through the stockpiles of stone need to be established and maintained.

Picture the entire workspace as a production facility and the waller’s immediate groundscape as the factory floor. The development of an attitude that places worksite safety high on the must-do list is an important step toward mastery of dry stone walling skills.

Still Mountain Center

I will be traveling to the Litchfield Hills area of Connecticut this coming weekend to present a program entitled "Evolving as an art maker through the medium of dry stone". The event is sponsored by the Still Mountain Center at their Annual Celebration Dinner in support of the arts.

Reception, dinner and program will be held at the historic Washington Club Hall in Washington, CT.  Please contact info@stillmountaincenter.org for more information.

"My art is a response to the call I get from the land to go outside and play. I gather up loose stones and tie them together with gravity and friction. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing."

Parmelee Farm Stone Wall Workshop

Thanks to organizers Michelle Becker and Andrew Pighills for inviting me to join them at the Parmelee Farm in Killingworth, CT for a 2-day stone wall workshop. Participants worked together to restore a section of wall.  Pictured above are Andrew and Michelle; a "before view" of a section of wall; the finished wall; along with a group photo of stone-enthusiasts Julia (stone-woman extraordinaire) McCurdy, Steve North, Ted Greiner, Andy Greiner, Michael Phillips, Richard Leng, Robert Slover, Bruce Harang, Keith Hoffer, Frank Tracano, Alison Peters, and John Tweed. Not pictured - but there in spirit - are Guido Liberatore, Edward Foote, Peter Griswold, and Marty Raffone. 

Well done every one - it's a beautiful wall!

Parmelee Farm Stone Wall Workshop

Heading to the Parmelee Farm in Killingworth , CT this weekend. 

Andrew Pighills and I will be instructing a workshop on the art of dry stone wall building. Please contact Michelle Becker at 860-322-0060 or mb@beckerco.com for more information.

Scott Farm Stone Wall Workshop

Folks traveled to Dummerston from all around the Northeast and as far away as Kentucky and New Brunswick, Canada for two days of dry stone walling. Heavy rains (4"!) didn't dampen the spirits of our intrepid group on Saturday. A dozen workshop participants made good headway despite the mud.

By Sunday morning the sun came out and the stones dried off, making it a perfect autumn day for walling. Besides completing a smart looking length of restoration work on the Scott Farm wall, participants tried their hand at splitting granite using "feathers and wedges." Grateful appreciation to all for making the weekend a rousing success.

GRAI Scott Farm Stone Workshop 10/24-25

Fifteen people are registered for the upcoming two day, hands-on workshop. The setting is along-side a quiet road overlooking the orchards of Scott Farm in Dummerston, VT. A one-hundred year old wall in derelict condition will be examined for its structural qualities, dismantled and rebuilt.

Participants will be given one-on-one instruction by Dan Snow and Jared Flynn. The workshop is sponsored by the Great River Arts Institute. For directions and questions, please contact Kristen at openart@greatriverarts.org, 802-463-3330 or 802-896-6898. Directions to the workshop site at 255 Dutton Farm Road can be found here.

Pre-registered participants should bring:

Water and water bottle

Hot drink mug

Bag lunch

Eye protection/safety glasses

Gloves

Rain gear (in case!)

Sturdy work boots

Tools - if you have them: any personal stoneworking tools - hammer, prybar, etc. - there will be some tools available

Snacks and drinks will be provided. Let's hope for sunny weather!