Hi, and welcome to my page! My idea with these posts is to open a conversation about my art. I am a sculptor currently working in stone. As my pieces are largely worked by hand, I generally choose relatively soft stone, alabaster, chlorite, calcite and soap stone for example.
All I can tell you about my reasons for choosing a particular stone is that beyond colour, I am attracted to a certain gravity in a particular stone. I'm really not sure how I would describe 'gravity' other than that it is a feeling that a particular stone is for me. I know that sometimes I see a curve or an angle on the outside of the stone that I know will act as a 'way in' or starting point in uncovering the final form of the sculpture.
Other times it is something that I sense from within
Sometimes this 'gravity' speaks strongly and clearly right from the beginning, other times it takes a while to understand where I need to go. When I'm not quite sure of my direction with a particular stone, I usually set it up where I can see it (sometimes that means bringing it into the house) and I watch it for a while. I don't usually sit and stare right at it. I usually continue with other work and consider it with sideways glances every once and a while. I pause, I turn the stone, I try to empty my mind. There is something about the sideways glance that works better for me than staring it down. And then one day it attracts my attention and I know what needs to be done.
Every piece is a problem solving activity. At least once in most sculptures I reach an impasse when I am not sure where I should go next. In that case I just set it aside and wait for it to talk. When it does, I feel as though I have just solved a clever riddle and I wonder what took me so long, or I feel that some gentle teasing has come to an end and I know a little bit more about myself.