Stone Sculpture Marble Nude Adam

Sculpture / Stone

(More photos below)

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Figurative Sculpture by Borsheim

"Adam"

Shunaya Marble
(from Canada)
One of a Kind
10.5" h x 21" w x 8.5" d
© 2003
Kelly Borsheim

(Collection in
California)

[male nude art in stone]

(More photos below)

More Views of the Stone Carving "Adam":

[figurative art Shunaya marble stone]

Adam

This stone carving was sculpted out of a lavender-gray marble (with many colors running through it, including red, yellow, and green) called Shunaya by the Canadian stone quarry from which it hails. This one-of-a-kind stone artwork weighs about 37 pounds and may be displayed indoors or out.

[male nude figurative art stone carving]

Carving the Marble Stone

People often ask me, "How long did it take you to carve that?" This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. Although it is possible to determine physical carving time, it is the conception of the idea that is harder to measure. Often, coming up with the idea is the more time-consuming end of the artistic pursuit.

"Marble Man," as I referred to "Adam" up until about a week before the carving was completed, originated from an unusual shaped stone that weighed 97 pounds. As is my way, I had the stone sitting on one of my carving stands so I could see him throughout my day. My bedroom window faces out on my carving area and one morning in April 2002, I looked out and saw the shape in the stone.

Below, I have tried to recreate for you how the idea for the sculpture shaped up. The image on the left is of the Shunaya marble as received from the quarry. The smooth areas (bottom horizontal section and the top right shape) are cuts made by the quarry. The rough section in the middle is a "natural" break, meaning that the rock was split in those sections were the blades did not reach. In this case, it was the blade marks from the quarry cuts that suggested the outline of the right arm and the triangles of the legs of a sloping figure. When I get a stone that has unusual protruding parts, I like to incorporate them into the overall design. I like the idea of collaborating with the stone to create art.

[Shunaya marble stone]

[Shunaya marble stone]

[Shunaya marble stone]

The images on the left were taken before any carving began. I probably had seen the figure in the stone the day before and was getting ready to start the physical work. The date on these images is April 13, 2002. I must have taken these digital images in the morning, since I had to finish a mold for another piece that afternoon. I remember the date clearly since later that afternoon, my companion Zac died peacefully at home with me. That may explain why my next "photolog" images were not taken until May 26th.

In the pair of images below (top view), the red arrow on the right denotes the top edge of the stone. I really tried to use as much of the original shape of the stone in the composition. I apologize that these images are not taken from exactly that same point of view, but I hope you get the idea. This marble is much harder than the Colorado Yule Marble and even other Canadian marbles that I have carved before. I broke a couple of my favorite chisels and ended up buying quite a few carbide- and diamond-tipped tools. I worked on this stone whenever I had some time leftover from completing other works and this stone carving was finally completed on January 8, 2003. "Adam" is my first full figure completed in stone and certainly the most complicated composition I have tried to carve from stone to date.

[Shunaya marble stone]

[Shunaya marble stone]

View from the Top of Stone Carving:

[Shunaya marble stone]

[Shunaya marble stone]

[Shunaya marble stone] [male nude figurative art stone carving]

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[Borsheim Arts Studio]

Kelly Borsheim -- Borsheim Arts Studio
P. O. Box 340
Cedar Creek, Texas 78612
(512) 303-3929
Web site: www.borsheimarts.com

Copyright © 2003 Kelly Borsheim
All Rights Reserved
Most recent revision: 13 January 2003