A start . . .

After the above photo was taken, I worked a bit on the other side and, to get the sides roughly parallel, I had to take off a significant portion of the stone. So, this one will end up being a bit thinner than the previous two orange alabaster pieces. That's okay. I'm kind of anxious to see how I like the thinner look and how the reduced mass might suggest a change in the type of base I use.

1st work on a new piece

After finishing "Compass" (and selling it!), Lori and I took a vacation to Montana to visit our dear friend Karen. We had a fine time and returned relaxed to Illinois on the 14th. Yesterday, I planned to start a new piece, working with a 60lb. slab of orange alabaster that arrived before we left. However, the heat / humidity combination was just too much and I didn't get out to my south-exposed studio until around 10:00 a.m.  -  too late. Montana was hot too, but the humidity was much lower. I managed to get a much earlier start today and got quite a bit accomplished. First, I cut the slab into three pieces and then started to work the largest one - the only one that could contain a circular piece, since this will be the sixth sculpture in my Mandala series, which I started last year. The original stone and the result of the first day's work are shown in the photos above. Remember to click on them to see a large version.

Compass - the 2nd finished orange alabaster piece

As it turns out, my plan for the second side of this stone worked beautifully. I was able to keep most of the un-pigmented translucent surface, and it creates a really interesting effect. It is called "Compass" and sold almost immediately.