Many artists have certain rituals or times in which they set aside for creative thought. For them, creativity is something to be conjured or formed from the recesses of one’s mind. I’m not here to thwart their artistic endeavors or the methods to which they glean them. I do know that for me, creativity is something that comes after hours or days of hard work in a moment of rest when I am able to contemplate what it is that I can do to make the world and my craft better. I’ve worked very hard my entire life and there is for me no greater way to break into the beauty of the mind than the sweat from my brow or the burning in my biceps.

Being a large man of 6′2″, I have taken my strength for granted, thinking that since my body is built to be a work horse, it seemed logical that I should work at stone with the same brute force. Yet time, as water does a mountain, erodes the hard chips of our thought and minds to mold it into the vessel it needs to be. You cannot brutalize stone or any other medium from which you create. You must respect it, appreciate it, and nuture is as the beautiful and delicate thing that it is. The sweat of my brow now comes not from the hitting of the chisel or the screaming of the wet saw as much as the caressing and gentle stroke of the sandpaper and polishing pads I use to soften and awaken the beauty within the stones. Age has place the gray at my temples and the gentleness in my hands along with the hard callouses that still cover them. And, although I do miss the energy of youth at times, I wouldn’t trade the lessons of a lifetime that have made me the man that I am and the artist that I’ve become. The hard work now is not in the physical as much as the mental. It is where the true strength lies and where my real creativity flows.

Designing in stone is an interesting process that takes concentration and a focus on what is functional and beautiful. In designing my stone table, I wanted a design that was simple, elegant, and yet uniquely functional. The pieces of the table easily disassemble and the table can be used indoors or outdoors. The beauty of the rich travertine colors blend well with many decors.

Travertine Stone Tile Table

What I have found as I design my pieces is that there is beauty in simplicity of design, an esthetic that you only get by letting the materials tell their own story rather than forcing the ideas. I let the stone tell me and there you have it, a beautiful piece of furniture from three slabs of stone. One could say I made something from nothing, but is it? Did I form the stone or has the stone formed me? I’m not really sure anymore.

As I tilled my garden with hand tools only today, I stared around me at the most beautiful October sky and wondered how it is we all forgot the most basic of joys. Working with your hands gives you a feeling that nothing else can offer, a sense of passion that’s hard to describe. When I create my accents from stone, I get the same sense of pride. Feeling the stone in my hands, I can sense the earth it was formed from molding, conforming to my will. The colors and curves of nature slowly show their hidden secrets as I watch the design unfold. It’s magical and spiritual. Nature has a voice, a living quality that shines through when you unlock the secrets it carries. Carving out of stone is an ancient craft and one I feel I am discovering again for the first time, making something ancient new again.

It makes me wonder what other lost arts we have forgotten along the way. Do we truly appreciate the splendor of the natural world and what it gives us? Are we so far removed from what life should be that we fail to see wonder and awe in those arts so long a part of who we are? This has become more than just a business to me, it has become a part of who I am and how I define my place in the world.

I originally started this business because of the needs of my customers. The options for any accessories in the industry are limited and usually either mismatched ceramic or gaudy and awkward composite resin materials. That’s not what I’d call “options”. I’m very proud of the beautiful accessories that we’ve created, however, I feel there’s still more to do. I am welcoming any and all suggestions to get some ideas as to what you’d like to see. I look forward to hearing from you.