IN THE COMPANY OF STONE

Summer Dry Stone Walling Workshops in Newfoundland

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:50:00 +0000

Are you interested in learning the art and craft of dry stone walling in a beautiful northern coastal setting this summer?

If so, please contact Deb Wickwire for more information or to register:

deb@englishharbourartsassociation.com
or jwick911@yahoo.com
cell 860 558 0449

But do it soon - currently there are only a few spots left in the Newfoundland workshops. Workshop descriptions below. Click here for more information.

5-Day WORKSHOP July 29 - Aug 2, 2012
TITLE: Dry Stone Design and Construction
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION: A collaborative design process culminating in the hands-on creation of a dry stone structure. Instruction in design will include site assessment, 3-D modeling and guide frame set up. Instruction in building with loose stone will include identifying each stone’s best use, applying the four basic principles for strong construction, and practicing safe methods for shifting and lifting stone. One day of the workshop will be devoted to working in nature to create a temporary environmental art piece.
PARTICIPANTS: Max 8

2-Day WORKSHOP Aug 4 - 5, 2012
TITLE: Stone Fence Building
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION: Group construction of a free-standing dry stone wall. Participants will learn basic skills for building a straight section of 4’ high fence. Three different styles of construction will be instructed; Galloway, doubling and singling. Skills learned can be applied to retaining wall construction, as well.
PARTICIPANTS: Max 8

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

The Stone Eye - Three Dry Stone Building Styles

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:50:00 +0000

Showers every day added up to 2” of precipitation and sloppy working conditions at the stone eye project this week. Safety glasses fogged and the mud sucked at my boots but I was glad to be outside making progress on the construction. The lead-sinker hanging guide-point system is proving to be very reliable and flexible. When I need to move a group of points out of the way to pitch stone into the center, I simply swing them up to the wire grid and hook them there temporarily. As I finish an area of stone work I unclip and remove the point lines.

Moving into a new area of the construction I string up more sinkers. The distance they drop down from the overhead grid is determined by their master-plan X/Y/Z coordinates. For instance, where the #74 X axis intersects with the #15 Y axis the sinker hangs 34” below the grid, that point being the height of the stone work at that specific location. I’m always looking toward the next two or three points in space as I set a stone because it has to be aligned to conform with the developing curved surface.

Creating compound curves in vertically set dry stone requires most pieces to be hammer trimmed. Sometimes the face needs shaping. More often the sides need work to create a more pie-shaped piece to fit snugly with the stone coming before and the one coming after. The stones rest on each other’s edges, or, as the curve leaves the side of the construction and becomes the top surface, they rest on the crushed-stone center packing. In the case of this sculpture, the style of walling goes from horizontal coursed walling, to vertical random walling, to edge-set paving.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Stone Eye Passage Roof Stones

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 06 May 2012 14:40:00 +0000

A recent chance drive-by along Vermont Route 15 led to the discovery of Jeffersonville Quarry, and a way forward with the stone eye. In less than 36 hours, I’d sourced stone for vaulting the ceiling of the passage, ordered the pieces (which were quickly quarried out by Ken Gillilan) trucked them to the building site, and installed them.

From the bucket of the loader, I slid a slab onto planks, got two fiberglass electric fence rods under them and rolled them across the passage opening, repeating the process four more times to complete the coverage.

On another day this past week I laid up 30 sq. ft. of curved retaining wall (indicated by the dust covered section in the foreground of photograph above).

Many thanks to Ken and AnnMarie of Jeffersonville Quarry and their sons, Keegan, Kaydan and Kaleb for a good lesson in family farming.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Gardening on Graniite

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:58:00 +0000

In late autumn of 2011 Gordon Hayward called to say that Teddy Berg had asked him to write a book about her gardens on Rice Mountain in Walpole, New Hampshire. He wanted to know if I’d care to contribute a few essays, and, of course, I said I’d be pleased and honored to do so. ‘Gardening on Granite’ is hot off the presses this month. It’s a large-format book packed with gorgeous photographs and a lovingly told, personal history of a very special place and time.

Peter and Teddy’s mountain top home has been the subject of a previous book by Jeffery Simpson, titled, ‘The Accidental Architect.’ In that volume, the stories of the Peter’s many building escapades on the mountain were well chronicled. This new book is a companion piece, with Teddy’s stories of creating the gardens that grace the grounds around the home, guest houses and outbuildings.

Gordon and I became involved in the design, construction and planting of the gardens beginning in 1987. From practical terrace gardens of perennial flowers to fantastical folly gardens, wild with native shrubbery, the planting scheme and style of stonework evolved over the next twenty years. We were lucky to work with clients who encouraged and nurtured our creativity, and ultimately, became our dearest friends.

The book is currently not available at bookstores, please direct inquiries to:
Rice Mountain Publications
P. O. Box 566
Walpole, NH 03608

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Stone Eye, Hot and Dry

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:24:00 +0000

Clouds are banking in from the west, bringing the first significant precipitation to Vermont in months. April’s weather has felt positively ‘Southern Californian.’ Under intense sunshine, in powder dry conditions, I got started laying stone on the Stone Eye Project this past week.

This is my first experience working with stone from Mitchell Quarry. The Waits River phyllite is a medium to high grade schist.The parallelepipeds (ET’s term for prism shaped stones with six faces, all parallelograms) took some getting used to, especially their propensity to shatter along the bed-plane lines when any hammer-trimming is attempted.

By taking it as it comes, I’ve made friends with the material and can now appreciate its strengths. The stone is generally flat-bedded; allowing for even, level coursing and broad, solid surfaces to build upon.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Sand Trap Zen

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:32:00 +0000

An Asian dry garden? That’s what it looks like to me. But I’m not a golfer, so unable to fully appreciate the true value of a sand trap. This section of wall was swimming in a sea of mud when I built it last fall. The grass has come in, and now the ‘third hole’ is looking pretty.

Another stint last week at Cochecho Country Club in Dover, New Hampshire. With Tony P. at the helm of the mini excavator, I laid up another length of Galloway style wall reusing the stone from an adjacent derelict wall. The beauty of what Tony had in mind when he called me last year to begin the project is now clear. With the original wall line shifted away from the trees that had grown up in it, the new wall and mature trees have space to breathe.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Woodland Stone Tables

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:10:00 +0000

Another dry stone landform has begun to take shape at Hogpen Hill Farms. Three dozen “tables” have been assembled along one of the long ribs that constitute the high ground in the woodland park. The directive by Edward Tufte for this piece is to create the illusion of stones floating along the ridge top when viewed from the low ground along each side of the rib, and to establish a strong linear pattern from the bird’s eye view.

A variety of means are being employed to give the tabletop stones their “lift.” Some tables have two wide “legs” for support. Others have three stones, with their top points making a triangle of support. The top surfaces are flat and wide, forming an elevated path with short hops between stones. The tables have individual character. Linked together, they comprise a singular event.

Edward observed that the tables have an awkward stability. Not awkward in a negative sense of the word, but just as a descriptor of their personality; in the same way that it might be said trees have a graceful stability.

This most recent work has been carried out with the help of Jared and Joshua from Vermont. Local Connecticut team talent includes Tom, John and Edward.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Dry Stone Wall Workshops at The Stone Trust in Dummerston Vermont

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:39:00 +0000

A physically challenging and intellectually stimulating day of group, outdoor activity that’s not a competitive sport? Yes, it’s possible, and happening this spring on the bucolic grounds of Scott Farm, Dummerston, VT. The Stone Trust is offering workshops in the time-honored craft of building dry stone walls. Participants come from all walks of life to develop and sharpen their skill in creating structurally sound, “stone-only” constructions.

Instructors, certificated with the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain, guide students through the hands-on techniques that can be applied to any type of stone or landscape situation. In addition to the two-day outside workshop May 19-20, the new indoor facility in the farm’s historic barn will host a one-day event on May 6.

For more information and registration go to the Stone Trust website, or contact Zon Eastes, zon.eastes@thestonetrust.org, 802.380.9550.

Established in southern Vermont in 2010, The Stone Trust seeks to preserve and advance the art and craft of dry stone walling through education, events, and outreach projects.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

The Zig Zag Wall Takes a Final Turn

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:38:00 +0000

The zig-zag wall at Hogpen Farms has taken its final turn. Five entrance/exit ramps provide communication with the elevated wall top. A path, wide enough for a person and a dog to pass each other along its length, weaves its way across a forest glade.

The perforated construction style allows light and air to flow around individual stones, and through the wall. Building in such a manner goes against basic tenets of sound, dry stone construction. Joints aren’t tight and stones are laid “trace”, that is, with their length along the face of the wall. But since it was the Edward Tufte’s goal to create a piece of stone art that included many “blocks of light,” a compromise was struck between craft and creativity. Oddly enough, it takes extra skill to make an insubstantial dry stone construction compared to one that is solid built. My walling compatriots and I were able strike a balance between loose and strong. Heavy cap stones bind the filigree together.

Thanks to Jared, Chuck and Andrew for bringing their superior walling skills to bear on this unusual project. The day-time labors were shared equally, as were the evening ping pong wins and losses.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

The Tarriance

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:57:00 +0000

I’m pleased to announce that my competition proposal to create a sculpture on the grounds of Central Oregon Community College has been selected by the Art Acquisitions Committee. The 201-acre Bend campus, with views of the beautiful Cascade mountains, has been growing since the 1960’s. Over 18,000 students are enrolled at COCC this academic year. This is my first stone art commission west of the Rockies. I’m very excited to be creating a piece in, of and for the great Northwest.

In early autumn, the sculpture titled, “The Tarriance,” will be installed on a plaza next to the, soon-to-be-finished, science building. The process of coordinating, collecting and assembling all the needed components, now begins.

But, not before the maple sugar season ends! These days, family and friends join Elin and me gathering sap in the bucket orchard and boiling it down in the sugar house to the golden nectar that is pure maple syrup. We’ve produced 28 gallons since the sap started running in mid February. Last night we boiled until the moon was high in the clear night sky. The firewood supply is nearly exhausted (and so are we).

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

ET Modern Gallery Presentation - Stone and Art in Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:23:00 +0000

Blustery winds carried a host of folks into ET Modern Gallery for my presentation, ‘Stone and Art in Nature’ on Saturday. So many of them were old friends that it felt more like a party than a slide show. Edward Tufte’s Chelsea gallery is a fantastic venue for informal get-togethers. His latest sculpture series, “All Possible Photons”, shimmers and shadow-dances on the walls.

My talk highlighted contemporary artists whose works explore varying aspects of the natural world. The work of geologic time on the earth’s face was also discussed, as was it’s influence on my constructions in stone.

Thanks to Mahmoud, Andrei, Don, Alex, Ben and Grant for pulling it all together. And special thanks to Edward for the invitation and the inspiration.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

The Tarriance Sculpture Proposal

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Being chosen as a finalist in a competition, and asked to submit a sculpture proposal, got me thinking. Here’s an institution of higher learning looking for a piece of art to grace the exterior of a new building on their campus. What could I offer that would enrich the sensory experience of students, faculty, staff and visitors? Equally important, how could a sculpture settle comfortably into the physical constraints of its surroundings? Landscape architect Todd Lynch and I put our heads together and came up with a proposal, now being reviewed, that I hope answers these questions.

The TARRIANCE: a sculpture proposal for Central Oregon Community College’s Science Building Entrance Plaza
My desire is to assemble a collection of unique stone features, set amidst plantings of medicinal herbs and flowers, that contrast the surrounding hardscape and compliment the architectural elements of the building.
Two naturally smooth-contoured stones, 1-3 tons in size, will rest on cribbing constructed of rough-split, quarried stones. The sculptural features will seem to float above plaza surfaces, and also interact with existing stone walls by coming into direct physical contact with them at precise points. One of the natural stones and many of the quarried stones will lend themselves to seating.
The Hardiness Zone 6 plants chosen for this installation all have medicinal properties. Incorporating healing plants into the walk-way extends the mission of the science library beyond its walls and provides a reflective metaphor for those passing by. As one ascends the steps from the road to the library, the clinical uses of the plants become more complex. Plants create a dynamic relationship with the rock through seasonal change, motion and texture.
Elements of the sculpture will present a variety of shapes and sizes, creating compliments of scale within the piece itself and with surrounding architectural features. I see the building entrance area as a conduit for pedestrian traffic, a meeting place, and an island of natural beauty and tranquillity. It’s my hope that the plaza terraces, steps, walls, stone features and plantings will merge and become one holistic, environmental art experience.
Dimensions: 18’x22’ (includes one existing wall)
Materials: 2 natural shaped stones (1-3 tons), 30 quarried cribbing stones (4’-10’ long), fastening hardware, plants.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Diamond Mines Frosted with Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Birgit, Elin’s Danish aunt, took a walk in the winter woods of TICKON recently to find my “Diamond Mines” frosted with snow. Only having seen the piece in autumn, when I completed it, it’s exciting for me to have a glimpse of how it looks in a different season. Thanks, Birgit, Lars, Susanne, Thomas and Soffie!

Unlike the majority of the world’s art pieces, displayed in controlled settings of four walls and artificial lighting, environmental art works are not fixed in time or static in space. They develop a life of their own beyond their moment of creation. To view a piece of environmental art over a span of time is to connect what was known with what is new, to accept what’s been lost and celebrate what’s been found. Environmental art doesn’t stand outside of our experience. It’s sympathetic to the human condition.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Light and Shadow Boxed in Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:04:00 +0000

Another spurt of mild weather found me back in Connecticut for more work on Hogpen Hill. Chuck, Jared, Matt and Brian joined me in continuing the walling events begun on the previous visit, three weeks ago, and in starting something new.

Edward Tufte’s thinking about what he’d like done on his land evolves as the work progresses. Derelict portions of old agricultural fence are being removed and replaced with dry stone features that introduce new elements of light and shadow to their lengths. The traditional concept of a wall creating a barrier between spaces is turned inside out.

Opposite sides of the wall talk to each other through these new constructions. Walls have become windows and doors to the other side. And in the case of the latest construction, the wall becomes an elevated, zig-zag pathway with entry and exit ramps allowing communication from end to end, and side to side.

One tradition is being kept. All the stone for creating the new events is harvested on the property. Friable ledge outcrops are being jiggled apart by the back hoe bucket and transported a few hundred yards with the track dump to the building site. Thanks to Tom and John for keeping us supplied with fresh goods.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

English Harbour Arts Centre Workshops and Stone Maze

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:34:00 +0000

The dates have been set for the two English Harbour Arts Centre workshops I will be instructing this coming summer. Five-day and two-day long courses, July 29 - August 2 and August 4 -5, will focus on constructing new dry stone walls on the grounds of the art centre. The finished works will represent pieces of a grand puzzle that EHAC hopes to realize in the near future. The dream is to build a dry stone maze on the majestic headlands of Trinity Bay.

Dry Stone Maze Proposal
by Dan Snow and English Harbour Arts Centre
A maze built of dry stone at English Harbour, Newfoundland would be an exciting landscape feature and special attraction to the Trinity Bight area. Exploring the paths and “art courts” of the maze would be an intriguing adventure for visitors of all ages. The stone maze would be offered to the public in the spirit of healthy inquiry and good fun.
The maze, designed by Dave Phillips, would cover 7,300 sq. meters of ground and have 2.5 kilometer of walls and paths. While a number of routes would allow exploration of alternative destinations within the maze, only one route would lead to its center. Along the paths, and at large open areas, art works would be displayed.
The proposed site is approximately 2 kilometers from the bay at English Harbour. From the site, one can view a broad sweep of Trinity Bay, 40 meter-high sheer cliffs, and a natural, sea-arch grotto. Seasonal wildlife in the area includes eagles, otters, moose and whales.
To my knowledge this would be the first, open-to-the-public, dry stone maze ever built. Dry laid stone is a method and material eminently suited to such a project. Newfoundland offers many potential sources for natural and quarried stone, suitable for dry laid construction. The finished construction would blend well with the natural surroundings and stand the test of time.
English Harbour Arts Centre's Stone Maze would be a significant piece of landscape art, attracting a wide range of public interest. Appreciated for its hand-crafted beauty, environmental sensitivity and bewildering playfulness, the stone maze would be both a contemplative and interactive work of art.

Maze illustrations by Todd Lynch.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Winter Walling in an Art and Nature Park

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:29:00 +0000

An unexpected weather-window opened up this week allowing Chuck, Jared and I to begin work on a new project. A wooded mountaintop plateau in western Connecticut is the site of an art and nature park being created by Edward Tufte. His monumental sculptures already grace the open meadows at the south end of the property. Now, a series of new dry stone walls has begun to appear along the north end of the mountain spine. Edward and I co-direct the design and layout. A team of DSWA certified craftsmen build the walls and feature pieces.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Authors of Dummerston

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:35:00 +0000

This Sunday, the "Authors of Dummerston” exhibit opens at the Historical Society Schoolhouse. The exhibit will showcase local writers. I am honored to be a part of an exhibit that includes not only Rudyard Kipling but many talented living writers as well. Stop by and check it out if you are anywhere nearby.
Details below and more information here.
"Authors of Dummerston” Exhibit
Opening Reception
Sunday, January 15, 2-4 PM
Dummerston Historical Society Schoolhouse
Dummerston Center, VT

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Stone and Art in Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:56:00 +0000

I will be giving a talk at the ET Modern Gallery in NYC in February.
Here is the announcement. With thanks to Edward Tufte for the invitation to give a talk. Hope to see you there.

ET MODERN GALLERY
547 West 20th Street, (corner of 11th Avenue)
NYC, NY
FEBRUARY 25, 2012
2 pm

STONE AND ART IN NATURE
Vermont stone art builder Dan Snow will give a talk about outdoor art installation, the process of its creation and long-term integration into nature. The presentation includes images of Snow’s and other environmental artists’ work.

Poet Wendell Berry advises those who practice his craft to “make poems that don’t disturb the silence from which they come.” The same suggestion could be made to the builders of environmental art because their work is often performed in places that are already perfectly at peace.
Creators of outdoor art risk disturbing an existing balance when they go to work on the land. Artists in the environment might achieve their finest work by doing nothing more than pointing out the facts of what is already there. But then again, that may be work best left to poets.
Three-dimensional artists engage the physical world spatially, and the spatial world physically. In “Song of Myself”, Walt Whitman expressed a sentiment shared today by environmental art makers; “Earth! you seem to look for something at my hands.” We can’t help getting our hands dirty when our hearts open to a place on earth.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Twenty-Eleven

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:27:00 +0000

Going back through the year 2011 in my iPhoto files, I was drawn to those depicting family and friends, new and old. A collection of recollections dear to my heart. From maple sugaring season and projects at home in Vermont and New England, to travels in Finland, Newfoundland, Norway and Denmark, the fun began when we all got together.

© All rights reserved Dan Snow In the Company of Stone

Stone Eye Guiding Grid

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:59:00 +0000

Despite temperatures in the 20’s Fahrenheit and a steady north wind, progress continued this week on the stone eye sculpture. The guide frame and 6” grid are in place, waiting now for a day warm enough to allow bare fingers to function properly for hanging the lines and weights that will establish the ‘points in space’ needed to begin the stone construction.

Thanks to Jamie for traveling from Lincoln, VT to help erect the frame. The area we’re working in is quite remote, evidenced by what we witnessed Monday morning; a coyote following a small herd of whitetail deer across a field, and into the woods, near the building site.

The Stone Trust: Up and Running

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:28:00 +0000

While wallers in east-central USA have had the excellent Dry Stone Conservancy as a beacon for the craft for many years, stone workers in the northeast have had to go it on their own. Until now. After only one year in existence, The Stone Trust has become an important regional resource for all things dry stone.

The Vermont sanctioned, not-for-profit, organization has already established an indoor centre for training and testing. It has hosted an instructor’s course with the result that there are eleven new DSWA (Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain) certificated instructors in the US and Canada. This past year, outdoor workshops offered one and two-day courses to a total of 39 participants who rebuilt 60 metres of historic fence. And the test days saw 15 candidates trying for Level 1, 2, and 3 certificates. Workshops in 2011 were instructed by Jared Flynn, Andrew Pighills, Dave Goulder and Dan Snow. Examiners included Michael Weitzner, Dave and Dan.

Along with the activities at the centre, outreach included the creation of web and social media sites, DSWA books and videos being placed in public libraries, and presentations offered to touring groups. The Stone Trust even became a corporate member of the DSWA!

The Stone Trust’s mission is to promote and advance the art and craft of dry stone walling. By all indications it is well on its way to doing just that. As a director on the board of The Stone Trust, I want to welcome all wallers, dykers and dry stone enthusiasts to the centre. Please join us in making The Stone Trust’s second year even more lively than the first.

Stone Eye Sculpture Site Preparations

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:10:00 +0000

In their later years, my parents enjoyed belonging to Vermont’s “251 Club.” Members travel around the state visiting all 251 towns, checking them off a list, just for fun. Maybe someday I’ll join, too, making my personal quest to see all of Vermont in a more organized way. For now, I’m satisfied to explore different townships through my work.

Over the past few days I assembled the materials for a sculpture installation in Morrisville, VT. I checked out marble blocks in Rutland, bought building stone from a quarry in Plainfield and lumber from a mill in North Hyde Park.

On site in Morrisville, I outlined the piece with sticks and ribbon to get a sense of its presence on the land, began excavation and finished the foundation work. The stonework will rest on a 3’ deep base of crushed stone. When completed, the sculpture will enclose two burial plots. The addition of a sand-filled,wood coffer will allow the second grave to be easily hand-dug at a future date.

Thanks to Tim Stone for trucking and to Buckwheat, Tom, Brian and Larry of Green Mountain Landscaping for their fine work preparing the site.

A Stone Eye

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:11:00 +0000

A trip to Plainfield, Vermont in the F450 last week netted a dump load of wall stone from Mitchell’s Quarry. The quarry’s bedrock is a layered mix of quartzite, a granular metamorphic rock, and phyllite, a slaty rock with minute scales of mica.

Yesterday, I built some of the stone into a short wall to test its quality. The hope was that it would be good material to use in the stone-eye sculpture construction because the quarry is located a reasonable distance from the project site, and because the stone is generally planar. Since the construction will be vertically bedded walling, the stone needs to have flat surfaces for maximum contact. I must also be able to trim and shape its edges with a hammer. The test walling proved the stone acceptable in most aspects, but thicker pieces tended to fracture along cleavage planes when I struck an edge with multiple hammer blows.

Today I’m transferring information from 60 pages of data onto a master plan for the stone-eye construction. Corner points in a grid of 6” squares are given numerical values that correspond to their position on the surface of the sculpture. The 32’ diameter sculpture will require more than 3,000 points-in-space to guide the construction.

Points in Space

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:46:00 +0000

Every new idea leads to an adventure. In the past when I’ve wanted to record and transfer “points-in-space” from a clay model to a full scale construction I’ve made a grid-style guide frame and physically measured the distance from the frame to the surface of the model. To build the horse eye sculpture I will need thousands of measurements on a 6”x6” grid. My new idea was to find someone who could digitally scan the model for the measurements I would need.

Jim Greene, and his wife Jane, own JMR Systems in Derry, New Hampshire. I tracked them down through my connections in the model-making world. On Monday I took the clay model to them, and in a just a couple hours Jim was able to scan it using a Konica Minolta Range5 Non-contact Digitizer and give me a list of X,Y and Z coordinates that correspond to points on the surface of the sculpture.

Trying something different in my sculpture-creating process has taken me to a region of New Hampshire I haven’t visited before, introduced me to two very interesting people and given me an insight into a new technology.

Disturbing the Silence

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Snow) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:10:00 +0000

Poet Wendell Berry advises those who practice his craft to “make poems that don’t disturb the silence from which they come.” The same suggestion could be made for the construction of environmental art. It is often made in locations that are perfectly at peace. Creators of outdoor art risk disturbing an existing balance when they go to work on the land. An artist in the environment might do his, or her, most refined and sensitive work by finding a way to do nothing more than point out the facts of what is already there. But then again, maybe that’s the job best left to poets. Artists working in three dimensions engage the physical world spacially, and the spacial world physically. We can’t help getting our hands dirty when our hearts open to a place on earth.

My next project is a piece of figurative sculpture in the landscape. It’s an art piece and a piece of utility. The dry stone construction will enclose a burial site on private property in north-central Vermont. A former horse pasture will be the site of a memorial in the shape of a horse’s eye. In phase 1, the shape will be open to the grave plots. In phase 2, to be completed at an unknown time in the future, the central portion will be covered over with a dry stone mound that will represent the iris of the eye. Completed, the crypt will be sealed by the polished pupil of a heavenward-gazing eye.

The 1:50 scale model I sketched in clay will soon be 3-D scanned to establish the points in space I will need for transfer to a full-scale, guide frame.