Carving grapevine on a limestone cross

[Gargoyle]

Outstanding Walter !
Do you seal the limestone when you are finished?
It looks awful porous
Ed

A sealant isn't necessary, but I do use one just to give a little protection for the first few years as the stone hardens up. The stone is softer when first quarried since it has been sitting in ground moisture for a few hundred million years. It dries out considerably in the first couple of months, then more slowly over the next years. The sealant is transparent and breathable, meaning moisture that gets in isn't trapped but can permeate out. It also only lasts for perhaps 3 to 6 years outside (it lasts much longer on indoors pieces), so it basically helps avoid staining and makes cleaning a little easier until the stone matures.

 

[mitch]

That's very interesting. It reminds me of reading about Michelangelo spitting on the marble as he carved details to temporarily soften a spot in the stone.

So do you prefer carving newly quarried stone or should it be 'seasoned' like wood?

 

[allan621]

It's just plain beautiful. I couldn't imagine the stress of getting the pieces assembled after getting it through the courtyard obstacle course. And a big sigh of relief after its all placed and the pieces fit perfectly.

Government protection? I'm not sure the government will allow you to retire. You're like one of the heritage craftsmen like they have in Japan.

 

[Gargoyle]

That's very interesting. It reminds me of reading about Michelangelo spitting on the marble as he carved details to temporarily soften a spot in the stone.

So do you prefer carving newly quarried stone or should it be 'seasoned' like wood?

That story about Michelangelo is nonsense. There are some very soft stones that carve differently if you soak them. With marble, wetting it can help you see the grain and any surface flaws, but that's about it.

With limestone, I prefer anywhere from two months to three or four years out of the ground, but with good stone, depending on the conditions and climate where it was stored, it's still fine for carving for a very long time after that.

 

[mitch]

That story about Michelangelo is nonsense. There are some very soft stones that carve differently if you soak them. With marble, wetting it can help you see the grain and any surface flaws, but that's about it.

With limestone, I prefer anywhere from two months to three or four years out of the ground, but with good stone, depending on the conditions and climate where it was stored, it's still fine for carving for a very long time after that.

I was curious about that. I could see maybe wetting the surface for polishing, or even soaking an area of detail with a wet rag overnight, but wondered how such a small amount of moisture would make any difference in carving. Thanks- I learn so much around here. Very little I can use, but still...

 

[Gargoyle]

Thought you might like another of my recent pieces, installed earlier this month (March 2021) at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, and Phoebe, who modeled for the dog that I carved in the knot in the tree, is very pleased.

Tree Stump Tombstones were very popular in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, part of the Victorian Rustic style. They often symbolized sincerity, the end of life, or a life cut off. Many were made for members of Woodmen of the World, a fraternal benefit society founded in 1890 that paid for the carvings as an insurance death benefit. I love the form and have been fortunate to be able to carve a number of trees.

 

[John B.]

What a beautiful model Phoebe is. A gorgeous creature.
And your carving did her proud in her ears forward, attention mode.
One of the best tombstones I have ever seen.

 

[Gargoyle]

What a beautiful model Phoebe is. A gorgeous creature.
And your carving did her proud in her ears forward, attention mode.
One of the best tombstones I have ever seen.

She's a Weimaraner. In early discussions with the client, we considered doing something like this 100-year-old tombstone in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, but we simplified the design, and I have her looking out of a knot in the tree.

 

[John B.]

She's a Weimaraner. In early discussions with the client, we considered doing something like this 100-year-old tombstone in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, but we simplified the design, and I have her looking out of a knot in the tree.

View attachment 47725

 

[John B.]

I like your design much more, and especially the flowers at the base.
And my dear departed Weimaraner, Prince, being the usual male, would have attempted to "refresh" them.