Big piece of rock

Gargoyle

Official Cafe Stone Carver
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
744
Location
Chicagoland
Howdy. I haven't been around much lately, but don't worry- I've been keeping out of trouble. Main thing I'm working on is this big piece of rock.

It started out as a 23,000 lb (5 metric tonne) block of Indiana Limestone. I worked with a stone mill near the quarries in Indiana to have them rough it out; they got it down to about 10,000 lbs (4,500 kg) and then I had it trucked to my shop, I've been slowly whittling it down since then. Installation is scheduled for Aug. 10th., so maybe I should stop goofing around and get to work...

The starting block:

Fr_Damen_block.jpg

Early roughout, with my small model in the foreground:

damen-initial_roughout-1.jpg

A couple of months ago. You'll see my full size model of the head on the scaffolding behind the stone.

Damen_Statue_Mar13_15_b.jpg

Current state of affairs, I'm working on the hands this week. The red hands are plastiline models.

Damen-June11.jpg

This was a couple hours ago:

Damen-June11-hands.jpg
 

DakotaDocMartin

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
1,835
Location
Grand Forks, ND
It's amazing to watch the creation of such wondrous works of art that you do. Art that will last for thousands of years after we are turned to dust and long forgotten.
 

Gargoyle

Official Cafe Stone Carver
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
744
Location
Chicagoland
who's the subject?
Father Arnold Damen (1815-1890). He founded Loyola University of Chicago and built Holy Family Church in Chicago. It will be placed on the campus of Loyola University this summer.
 

Marrinan

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
2,917
Location
outside Albany in SW GA
Arnold, That is just beautiful. Your work always amazes me. I'm from South Dakota mostly and we have Mount Rushmore of course and there is work going forward on Crazy Horse (as long as the folks can raise money), Here in GA where I now reside (was riding home from Daytona and my Wideglide ran out of gas, and I drank all my gas money up LOL) is of course Stone Mountain. There are a few, in different places, other stone statues to various Southern Heroes from The War of Northern Aggression, I think up in Atlanta there are some memorials to what Sherman destroyed and a small plaque on an out house damning him to enteral flames.

Because stone naturally falls victim to the elements some I have seen in places have had stone gazebos built over them to protect the stone while many all over the old world are exposed. Rushmore has a crew that continually does patchwork. I was curious as to how many of you guys are out there doing this type of work. I know that there used to be a lot because the did tomb stone and memorial work but mot many left as modern graveyards use plaques so they can mow over them. I know the stones they still do are sand blasted lettering and even murals. While we have never meet in person you are the only stone cutter I know of except the man working on Crazy Horse as he has a studio at his mountain where he sells his sculpted work. Thanks and again beautiful work. Fred
 

Dan W

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
122
Location
Yuma, Arizona
Another example of "subtractive art". Sculpting in Stone, Wood Carving, Engraving, etc. It's a different way on thinking and and different way of life.
Dan
 

Gargoyle

Official Cafe Stone Carver
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
744
Location
Chicagoland
He got a little further along this week...

Damen-June17.jpg

Damen-June17-a.jpg
 

atexascowboy2011

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
997
You need to hand out copies of the hymn, which should be sung during the dedication,

"How great your art,
Your work divine."
 

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