Direct Carving of Marble Stone

Dear Art Lover,

     Beginnings are often dramatic since change happens quickly and memorably.  Let me share with you today the beginning stone carving stages of the contemporary marble sculpture Back to Back.  A special and limited time offer follows at the end of this blog post.  Please share with friends and fellow art lovers.  

The Creation of the Stone Carving Back to Back Contemporary Art:

    This stone was cut from the marble quarried for the artist's carving of the Gymnast. There was a block cut from above the head of the Gymnast.

     I am a direct carver. That means that I draw directly on the stone and cut what I wish to not have there. The other method is to create a sculpture in some other, more forgiving, material and then "translate it" (copy mathematically) into stone by taking measurements from the original. 

You may see the Gymnast as a work-in-progress (WIP) on the right in the background.

    Is it not easy to fall in love with marble? Even though the two images below were taken during the final sanding and polishing stages, her beauty is quite evident. She looks soft with the right curves in place and the little crystals (seen easier in the image on the right) are such a subtle splendor. 

     The next image showing the lower part of the male torso also gives you an idea of how translucent this Colorado Yule Marble can be when thin enough. I like the contrast that gives me so much change in the light interacting with the stone. The image on the right shows "the wet look." I was having a bit of fun while I was washing off a layer of fine marble dust after sanding, preparing for the next finer level of sandpaper. This sculpture is very touchable, even after the sealer has been added for protection. Enjoy touching and looking! 

     Typically, the Colorado Yule Marble will have either gold or a silver/grey veining. This stone has a thicker and harder grey material the quarrymen call "churt." While some people may prefer a solid white stone, I do not. I like knowing that the original art is a real rock with its own personality. I include here some of my favorite detail shots. They show the uniqueness of this marble, as well as the sensuality and softness of one form melding and changing into another. This next image looks like a meteor shower zipping through bodies of snow -- gorgeous! Enjoy!

Back to Back

Colorado Yule Marble
one of a kind
14" h x 9.5" x 9.5"
© Kelly Borsheim

Ships from Austin, Texas USA

$4600, but if you make at least a down payment before 30 September,  I will also add a 12-inch tall female bronze figure Ten, or the bronze male figure Valentine mounted on stone.  Feel free to share this blog post offer with anyone you think might be interested in it. Thank you!

http://www.borsheimarts.com/sculpture/2002/ten.htm

http://www.borsheimarts.com/sculpture/2002/valentine.htm

 Ten - Left

 Valentine - right

Both bronze wall-hanging sculptures with stone base

For more views of the marble sculpture “Back to Back,” please click here: 

http://www.borsheimarts.com/sculpture/2011/Back2BackMarbleCarving.htm

Tanti auguri di buon compleanno, Nori! 

Peace,

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor

http://BorsheimArts.com

Selling Stone Marble Alabaster Texas

Dear Art Lover,

     It pains me to say that I have to sell some stone.  I have a huge block of 36” x 18” x 18” Colorado Yule Marble.  It was cut from the quarry in Marble, Colorado, in 2003 near where they were searching for stone replacements for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.  It is a lovely piece of rock and I had wonderful plans to carve a male torso from it.  The block weighs almost 1200 pounds and the price is $1200.  I drove this from Colorado to my (now former) home in central Texas (Bastrop County, SE of Austin).  Pickup only, although we will help you load the stone into your truck or van.

 

I am also selling the large {Texas) limestone block that you see here being lifted with an A-frame and chains.  [The Colorado Yule block is the white one in the background.]  I do not know the weight or dimension on this stone, but is it larger than the Yule.  However, limestone is less expensive than marble… I will accept $600 for that stone… a mermaid, can you not see her?

I also have several smaller stones.  The next featured is a gorgeous piece of the famous quasi-transparent white Italian alabaster.  I paid $600 and that is what I would like to receive for this beauty.  She is 244 pounds.  There is another piece of Italian alabaster that I started to carve into a giant snail shape… if interested in that one let me know and we can see what we may work out.  And you see a piece of marble in the foreground.

I will be returning to Texas in early April and deciding on the fate of a lot of my belongings there as I prepare to move most of my life to my new home in Italy.  I am sure that I will have other art materials for sale, but until I return and have some time, I may not know.

If you are interested in being contacted once I have more information, please let me know soon.. this trip is short and packed with so much travel and visiting along with work that the more organized I am before I arrive, the more I may help you receive something you want.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me and reading along!   

Peace,

Kelly

P.S.  Subscribe to the art newsletter here (it is FREE):  http://www.borsheimarts.com/contact.htm

Marble Carving Gymnast

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Many years ago, I had an idea . . . yup, just one ;-) It began back in 2003 or 2004. I created a maquette (French word for a small sculpture that will be used to create a larger one) in plastilina of a gymnast in a pike position. I needed to make it so that I could calculate what cut of marble I needed. I had been itching to work larger for a while now.

I then contacted the quarry in Colorado and ordered my marble. I had them cut out a block of stone above the gymnast’s head to save me the effort, but more importantly to save the stone for another project. Until I can get enough of the proper tools (for example, a diamond-bladed chainsaw), it is best to outlab these kinds of things. The idea for this sculpture is a symmetrical vertical composition, with a bit of asymmetry in the feet for a fun element (the way no proper gymnast would pose).

I have been collecting stone whenever I have my van with me and a few bucks (or more) in my pocket. The Colorado Yule Marble for "The Gymnast" (center) sat around for many years, but it is the second of the three large stones that I brought home over time. Going to Italy for extended stays postponed this project. In the summer of 2008, I decided to work on the stone a little bit, knowing that I may have to finish this over a long period of time.
Unfortunately, the railroad ties I bought for support and height began to rot and, as you can see in the 1100-pound block of marble to the right, some leveling needed to be done.


Despite the years of dust covering this raw marble and the impending storm (leaving only a diffused and subtle light for my photography), one can still see some translucency in this marble near the top edge of the block.


After cutting away some of the marble block, I had to redraw my design. I am a direct carver. That means that I do not make a large sculpture out of plaster, clay, or wax and then measure and copy it into a block of stone.

Instead, I draw directly on the stone and cut what I do not wish to have there. Yes, I have my maquette, but that is only a tool to help me determine my basic proportions. Soon, I will abandon it and work only with the stone.

And now, for a little self promo of another kind:
Wow -- something I wrote made the # 1 Business Tip on MorenaMedia's blog. So cool!
http://blogmorenamedia.blogspot.com/2009/11/amanda-strong-top-10-links-of-week.html


(Click on the image to enlarge.)

Happy Birthday, Lexi!