6600 lbs of stone

[tobias]

Hey Chris. I posted this one for you. I thought this is what you were looking for. As for the second one I might cut into her hair a bit and her face needs more polish but other than that she is done. I left the bottom just drawn with the saw and a polish over that and I'm so stoked on the way it looks. I had a bunch of people over on Friday and most of them liked this second one better. I was sort of surprised by that. Any how. I'm most of the way through roughing my 6 ft by 12 inch column. I think I will start polishing it tomorrow. It might surprise a few people but the theme of the show is developing very well.

[rika]

The polished girl looks fantastic like this! It's the best so far in my opinion.
There seems to be a slight problem with the second one that is hard to pinpoint. Is it her face that is too sunken (if so, more work on the hair might help) or too much stone removed from her neckline? Not sure but something seems to be off. Compared to the rest of her body the neck and face are not rounded enough, too reliefy. I love the cuts made into her waist, very nice. And the breasts are very finely carved on both.

[Robson Valley]

Basalt loves you, sir.
The inclusion of found surfaces certainly reveals where these girls have come from. While #2 appears to have more polish, there's more visible found surface.
I refuse to pick one.

[tobias]

This is pretty much the end of the carving for my show on the 3rd of may. I will install 16 pieces +\- depending on how you look at it. Since my last post I carved an octopus that's 6 ft long, the last 3 ft column and this week I carved 7 sets of legs 8 torsos and 9 heads to make a build your own sculpture kit.
The legs are aprox 2 1/2 ft tall. They are all drilled for base pins and top drilled so a person can choose a torso and a head and assemble a piece to their own liking. I haven't gotten photos of the octopus or last column yet been busy.

[rika]

I like the pick-your-own heads and torsos, I'm sure it will be popular with folks. You pulled this huge job off wonderfully, congrats! Can't wait to see the octopus! (and pics from the show, hopefully).

[chris 71]

ya i would love to see the octopus too i liked the other one you showed sometime ago. great work T

[tobias]

Thanks Rika and Chris. It's been pretty damned fun carving all this beautiful stone. It's a bit sad tho that all the big blocks are gone. These mini columns are just to full of fractures to be good for much other than simple shapes. I will post some pics of the octopus in a few days. Now I'm going to BC to relax for a few days then I install the show on the 1-2. I've already got a commission to make 11 stainless cowboy hats with stainless hands holding them on a little walnut base. I will post some shots of that. I've built a press and dies to make the hats.

[Robson Valley]

No shortage of rocks around my place. Most interesting
outcrops are slate +/- fossils and +/- pyrite crystals.
Plan a visit, I have space. I have few essential travel plans.

[tobias]

A few good pics of pieces you haven't seen


Build your own sculpture kit

I have been pretty burnt out since the show and I'm hard at work on 11 awards for our tourism co

[Robson Valley]

Thank you for the pictures. I regret I can't get there.
The DIY sculptures, I wanted to see that. If it was "hands on,"
I think it's a most appealing way to engage the public in sculpture _and_ stone.

[rika]

Wonderful, huge, huge job in such a short period of time. Love the girl and even more so that abstract piece next to her. Polished versus unpolished works very well on your figures. Congratulations!

[Biomorph]

Is it possible to see a pic of the show in place? We have a lot of visual and emotional energy tied up in the basalt and would be curious to see it in place.
I like two things particularly. The way in which you preserve and enhance the basic feel of the natural basalt columns, and the very evident confidence and sure hand with which you sculpt the shapes. From beginning to end it was a good trip for the spectators and clearly seemed to be for you as well.

[tobias]

Robson ,Rika thanks again and thanks for following this process. Biomorph these are actually in place in the gallery. The shot of the three pieces just has a paper backdrop. The DIY sculpture kit is right against the wall in the gallery. Are you looking for a shot of all the pieces together?

[tobias]

Yes it was a great experience I would definitely do it again! I will be putting a blog post together of all the pieces and some of the opening. I just need some time to chill out first. Just finished a big commission right after finishing the show so I'm a bit burnt out.

[suburbanartists]

T, Well done. Everything in these b&w shots is working. Great work, display, idea and photos.

[tobias]

Thanks Sub and thanks to all of you for following and commenting. Here is a photo of the gallery as it looks today.

[GarryRicketson]

When I first saw this thread, you had just gotten the stone, I missed it as it developed, but just now had the chance to look thru it, pretty impressive, and your blog too....
It is impressive , the amount of work you accomplished in a relatively short period of time, and nice work too,..the videos are great,..Do you have the camera enclosed, or how do you protect it from dust, and "flying" debris (pieces of stone),...?
from Garry

[evaldart]

Looks amazing T, I like them all, yes indeed - an impressive amount of energy expended in the name of pure aesthetics ...the most important thing there is. And on a lesser level of importance...I hope you make some sales.

[Robson Valley]

This entire opus is most encouraging to a neophyte such as I. TL went to considerable effort to demonstrate. I have been infected by his brash enthusiasm. GR has done the same. My sincere thanks to you both.
If there's any appetite to invite others into the realm of stone, I'd like to see that. I will try stone. Certainly brick is a useful beginner's mass.
I want a 50lb block of pasture salt, too. I have some weeds that need killing.

[tobias]

Thanks Gary it was a huge amount of fun to create this body of work. I will do it again. I have an underwater/dust proof camera that I took the video with. Just a cheap fugi on a tripod.
Thanks E I have sold 3 of the large pieces and two of the build your owns. It's actually been a crazy month I've sold ten sculptures 7 just last week. Pretty stoked about the whole art career right now. I got money to do some more fun stuff!!!
On a side note. The gallery owner says he will fund another project for me if we sell 2 more pieces!
Thanks for the encouragement every one

[ironman]

Hi Tobias,
The work looks great and there's nothing like some sales to get your motor going.
Wonderful things are happening for you and I hope it keeps up.
Sell em all T!!!
Jeff

[obseq]

Awesome news all around. Yeah!

Have to add again: I'm definitely taken by what you achieved with the faces on these figures. Found myself staring for a good bit... They're beautiful!

[suburbanartists]

T, i might be in the market for one of your stone pieces. Would be going to utah, 1 hour north of salt lake. Maybe a trade of some kind? PM me if interested. Thanks E (Sub)

[rika]

Great news, Tobias! You deserve it all. Congrats!

[tobias]

Thanks Ironman the sales do help! Obseq that is huge praise thank you! Sub I've been out of town but a PM is on it's way now. Thank you Rika!