ROCK TALK
MONTOYA SCULPTURE & SUPPLY
Interesting sculpture related news, technical tips, special offers and
other important information
By Jeff Halverson
Sculptor and Owner of Montoya Sculpture & Supply
www.MontoyaSculpture.com
June 15, 2003
Issue 1
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Editor's Note
2. The 7 Easy Steps in Selecting Your Sculpture Stone
3. Clay Tips by Shari
4. Current Sale
5. Upcoming Events
6. Please send sculpture quotes (maybe win $25 gift certificate)
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“EVERY TIME I MAKE A SCULPTURE IT BREEDS TEN MORE AND THEN TIME IS TOO
SHORT TO MAKE THEM ALL” -David Smith (1906-1965)
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1. EDITOR’S NOTE
I am introducing Montoya’s new eNewsletter as part of our 30-year
celebration. I have tried to include some interesting items for you. Some
trade secrets and inside information will also be coming out in future issues
of this monthly eNewsletter. I welcome your comments regarding content.
Some of the items we will address in future issues include interviews with
our sculpture workshop teachers, stone and bronze sculpture mounting tips, the
foundry process, patinas, stone restoration, power tools, safety, book reviews,
Sculpture history, mastering volumes and other stone and clay related topics.
Please let me know if there are other topics you want addressed in future issues.
Doing an eNewsletter takes a lot of work (like sculpture), but the calls
I get and the questions my customers have, have motivated me to launch this effort.
I hope you find it informative and interesting.
Because you have given us your email you will soon receive an entry form to
enter a free drawing for on of our 18th Season Sculpture Workshops. The value
of the workshop is usually a $375 value. I hope you will take advantage of the
opportunity to enter. They are unique and interesting events.
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2. THE 7 EASY STEPS IN SELECTING YOUR SCULPTURE STONE
We deal with a lot of people everyday when helping them select their sculpture
stone. Here are some helpful pointers you can use when selecting your sculpture stones:
HARDNESS- Select a stone with a hardness you are comfortable with. The hardness
will affect not only the time it takes to rough out the work but also the finishing,
texturing and polishing. Generally from softest to hardest, the sculptor selects
from Soapstone, Alabaster, Calcite, Limestone, Marble and Granite. As you grow in
experience you will want to try harder stones. Hardness is rated on the Mohs
hardness scale, which you can find on the Internet or call us for a copy of my
special report on stone hardness.
PLACEMENT- Is the stone to be placed outside or is it to remain inside,
sheltered from the elements. Generally Soapstones, Alabasters and Calcites
should be sheltered form the elements. This ties closely to the hardness of
the stone because the harder the stone the better it will perform outside.
SIZE- Consider the size of the stone. You want a stone that you, or you
and your helper can move. Be careful in selecting a small stone, you could
end up chasing it around your workbench as it may not provide enough mass
and resistance to chisel blows. I recommend 40 to 60 lbs for beginners. For
stability, small sculptures should be worked while attached to a larger
mother stone then cut off and finished up. Are you looking for a boulder
(basic round), a slab (as in sliced boulders), a long narrow stone (for a
tall work) or a square or rectangle? Size of course affects shipping costs.
We can ship single stones up to 150lbs by UPS. Larger stones or shipments
of many stones will be palletized and shipped by roadway freight lines.
VISION- Consider your vision for your work. Are you looking to create a
tall work or a squat, chunky work? If you are in our stone room and selecting
your stone it should help to stimulate the shape of the work. When orders are
placed or called in we work with you by giving you the approximate dimensions
of the stone (18”x12”x8”), but we rarely carry exactly square
stones except in African Wonderstone, limestone or marble.
VEINS- If the stone has veins or sedimentary layering, will its direction
visually support the lines of the work. If your work is tall and slender do
you want the veins to run in the long direction of the work or to cut across
the work? At times veins may indicate weak planes of the stone, which should
be tested, buy test chiseling to see if it looks like it might split.
COLOR- Is the stone of the color that reinforces your vision for the stone.
Wet the stone with a water spray bottle or a hose to bring out its color. If
there is a cut flat side on the stone this is a good area to wet.
COMPACTNESS- is the stone “tight”, does it have mud in it or
fissures. The stone selected for sculpture rarely include these imperfections,
but it can happen. For certain stones you can tap it with a chisel and it will
ring. This can’t be done with softer stones like soapstone. One of the
best stones to listen for a ring is Italian white alabaster. Marble will also
ring. You will develop a sound recognition as you go around tapping the stones.
This is not 100% trustworthy but it helps.
A parting thought. Each stone holds its own secrets. Often our sculptural
vision changes to accommodate the stone. Did you know that Michelangelo’s
DAVID was carved from a stone that was discarded by another sculptor due to an
imperfection. He simply worked around (carved out) the imperfections.
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3. CLAY TIPS BY SHARI
Lizella Clay
(http://sculpturesupplycenter.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=57)
is excellent for throwing and very structural for hand building. When fired
to Cone 6 the clay turns a toasty brick red. With certain glazes the iron in
the clay will turn the glaze into a waterfall of color with a very pleasant effect.
The clay tool of the month is Michael Sherills Mud tool ribs, five different
shapes and five different hardness’. Great for so many clay applications.
The clay shredder is excellent for trimming on the wheel or hand built pieces.
And there is the clay cutter used when extruding clay or used when cutting
blocks of clay efficiently.
Call me if you have any questions.
Shari
About Shari- Shari is very experienced ceramicist who we are lucky to have
working at Montoya. She has been working at Montoya for over three years. When
you call us it is very likely Shari answers your call. She has completed over
250 pieces. She has been teaching pottery for over three years at local adult /
evening schools. Feel free to email her or call her at info@MontoyaSculpture.com
or call her at (1-800-682-TOOL (8665)) if you have any questions regarding clay or
clay tools.
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4. CURRENT SALE
Through June 29th 2003 we are having a great two part sale going on. You have to call us
(1-800-682-TOOL (8665)) or fax us (1-561-833-2722) to place an order. Our hours
are Monday-Thursday 9-4, Saturday 10-3, closed Friday and Sunday. But you can call
any time and leave a message on our recorder. Or simply email us with your preliminary
order AND phone number and we will call you to confirm everything.
.
FIRST- buy a regular priced stone of 40 lbs or more and get 50% off of a second stone
of equal or lesser weight. Buy a third stone of 40 lbs or more at regular price and
get a fourth stone of equal or lesser weight at 50% off, etc. This includes soapstone,
alabaster, limestone, calcite, and marble. Check them out in our online catalog that
includes pictures http://sculpturesupplycenter.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=89_90
Sorry our large selection of Zimbabwe stones are not included in this offer. They are
great stones and you can see pictures of them in our online catalog under African Stones.
These came directly from Zimbabwe and were hand picked by Kennedy Musekiwa who taught our
Shona Sculpture course in April. We are planning on having him back again in 2004.
PS--our recently ordered 5 tons arrived on June 12 to supplement the selection. This
includes Italian Crystal/white boulders and slabs, African Wonderstone and Kiss Stone,
Harvest Alabaster and Sungold Alabaster, Chlorite and Mexican Translucent Orange Alabaster----
They are included in the sale offer above.
SECOND- All of our Italian stone carving chisels, riffler rasps and wax tools are
on sale at 15% off (that’s hand and pneumatic). If you have experienced the quality
of these tools you know this is a great buy. As yet I cannot prove it, but I am pretty
sure we have the largest selection of Italian power and hand tools in North America.
Please call soon as the sale is already half over and some of the stock is
being reduced quickly. The large hand made Italian rasps, 8”,
10”, 12”, & 14”, regularly $24.95 to $38.95. You save
from $3.74 to $5.84. Stock up with these great savings.
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5. UPCOMING EVENTS
August 8, 9, & 10, 2003 - Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show &
Sale, Colorado. Over 300 sculptors and their works on display. Billed as the
largest of its kind in USA.
http://www.lovelandsculpturegroup.org/
Montoya’s 18th Season, Workshop & Class Schedule Nears
Completion. I am preparing our class schedule for the upcoming season.
I think you will enjoy the selection. Watch for interviews with our
teachers in upcoming issues. See our last years schedule at
http://www.montoyasculpture.com/workshops.html. You can also find
area accommodations from this page.
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6. PLEASE SEND SCULPTURE QUOTES (maybe win $25 gift certificate)
I have included a sculpture related quote at the top of this issue.
I hope it is inspiring or at least interesting. If you have an
interesting sculpture related quote please send it to me. Please
include the name of the person who said it. The quote at the top
of the page came from “The Quotable Artist” by Peggy
Hadden, ISBN 1-58115-226-4. It has some great stuff but the brevity
of the sculpture related quotes surprises me. I would like your
help to build a more comprehensive list of quotes directly related
to sculpture. Quotes can be from recognized sculptors of the past
or from a teacher or friend.
Send me your sculpture related quote by July 1, and if it is selected
I will send you a Montoya Sculpture & Supply $25 gift certificate
and put the quote in the next issue. Email me at Jeff@MontoyaSculpture.com
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(c)Copyright 2003 Jeff Halverson
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