Carving stone is an intricate and detailed process. It would seem obvious that the moment of completion should be the most satisfying but upon further reflection, this is not the case. When I first begin, this is the stage of wide open discovery and stone removal to create movement and define the overall shape. As I witness this, there is the thrill that my idea is now becoming real. This is such a satisfying moment as an artist. There's nothing like it! Then I'll begin to define details, decide which aspects of the piece speak to me the most, and allow them to guide me in my next direction. With my latest work in progress, I am experimenting with new shapes and textures but I still adore lines and shadows primarily. Designing a cohesive work as well as making sure it reflects my emotional intent is crucial and a challenge that I love with each step of the process.
I shape and sand my sculptures completely by hand so during this stage I spend many hours in the mode of perfecting the lines and texture of the stone. As I move further along there is yet another stage of satisfaction that I feel as more decisions and experimentation with ideas are made. Once the finished work begins to reveal itself and the moment finally arrives when I can sign the work and call it finished, I am starting to wrap up my energy in this piece and before long I can't wait to begin another piece to experience the thrill of "making" all over again.