The vision for 'Legacy' emerged 6 years prior to actually carving it.
I really wanted to create some larger work but as an independent artist it would take some investment.
Smaller and medium-sized work keeps the inventory stocked, sales turning, and cash flowing.
Investing large sums of money into big blocks of stone and then spending months carving them with no new inventory to sell is more of a risk and requires some upfront investment.
I reached out to the owner of the gallery I worked with and explained my situation. We agreed to an advance against future sales and I purchased 3 large blocks of stone.
One in particular, a large 3,000-pound block of Italian marble, was the crown jewel of them all, which would eventually become 'Legacy'.
It was the perfect size and shape for a walking polar bear on a nice sized base.
I was quite excited.
I carved the smallest boulder first and it took me about 2 months. A bit longer than anticipated. I jumped right into the next largest block and it took around 4 months.
2 pieces in 6 months.
I was getting behind in my inventory now, though luckily my other pieces were selling well and I had the advance paid off before the second piece was complete.
I decided to build up my inventory again before jumping onto the largest block.
A month or 2 passed, then 6, then a year, then 2 years. The block sat there in rain and snow as life happened.
Covid happened,
My wife and I had our first child.
This was now 3 and a half years after purchasing this big block of marble.
What should I do with it now?
Maybe it would be better to sell it.
I looked around and contacted some other carvers.
I almost sold it.
Fate would have other ideas.
I reluctantly loaded the block onto a truck and it made the move to the new city and new life we were beginning in Prince George, BC.
We dropped it in the tree line (out of the way) at my parents' 5-acre property in the country until I decided what to do with it.
Again it sat.
Another summer, fall, winter, spring.
One morning I was walking by the stone nestled in the trees and decided to grab my tape measure.
I took some measurements and thought perhaps I could cut this thing up into 4 nice-sized chunks.
But in my heart I felt one large monumental piece would be better for the world. Lol. It's true. I had done a lot of medium-sized and small work but I wanted to do something unique, special, and that would have some impact. It would also challenge me as an artist.
around 5 years after buying this stone I made my first cut
That would initiate a 2-year process and 7 months of carving to actually complete this piece.
It's fascinating to look back at the transformation of my life from the time I purchased this block until the day it finally arrived in the gallery.
The journey of 'Legacy' will continue when it connects with the right collector and becomes a part of their life story.
I wonder where this piece will be in 500 years. Where it will stand, who will be looking at it.
Then we decided to move across the province, 8 hours north, to my hometown where I grew up.
