(More images below)

Figurative Sculpture by Borsheim

Get Out!

Utah alabaster

(one of a kind)
18" h x 24" w x 14" d

Private Collection of
Mike Harrill and Jennifer Kahn
Indianapolis, Indiana USA

More Views of Figurative Stone Sculpture:

[figure art stone sculpture]

Figurative Sculpture: Sculpting in Stone

Alabaster \'al-eh-'bas-ter\ from the Greek alabastros 1: a compact fine-textured usually white and translucent gypsum often carved into vases and ornaments 2: a hard compact calcite or aragonite that is translucent and sometimes banded

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by Kelly Borsheim © 1999-2000

In February 1999, I bought 2000 pounds (in 8 stones) of various colors of Utah alabaster. Every day after I finished working on my Moray Eel stone sculpture, I would uncover the Utah stones and look at them. I often just sat in my backyard staring at the stones, sometimes walking around them. Occasionally I would try to roll them over and look at the other views of the rocks.

May 22, 1999: Thank goodness for cedar trees! (I understand the trees here are actually junipers, but everyone calls them cedars.) Their branches are always strong--since they know how to get the water they need to survive the Texas summers. My husband John (blue shirt) and his brother Rick used one of the cedar branches and a winch and strap system to hoist onto my sculpting table the first rock in which I could see a shape.

May 22, 1999: The stone was rolled onto its side so that I could create a flat bottom. You can see here the cuts the quarry made around the edges to score the rock, as well as the broken stone in the center.

Late May 1999

I sketched in pencil on the rock so I could envision the figure better. This figure is sitting and "kicking" with his feet, while leaning on his arms for support. In the photos below, I have colored over the pencil lines (roughly) so that you can have an idea of what I see.

stone sculpture

spider web

After taking an electric grinder to score the stone in several places before hammering the pieces off, I turned around and realized that a spider had designed a beautiful "place mat" right behind me. I had managed to cover the web entirely with alabaster dust! I am sure the spider was not amused by my treatment of his handiwork, but I was enchanted with my discovery. As luck would have it, a stong gust of wind later destroyed this natural wonder, so I was glad I photographed it right away.

In June, I ended up spending the next two months totally redesigning my Web site. (I couldn't believe it took me that long--what a publishing bug!) And then I went to Colorado the first two weeks in August to study anatomy again at the Loveland Academy of Fine Arts. I didn't seriously get back to sculpting this stone until October 1999 (and only briefly).

April 2000: I finally got a chance to get back to this stone. After shaping the legs more and starting in on the shoulders, I decided it was time for some serious cuts. One great thing about carving stone is that the closer you get to finished, the lighter the sculpture! The image at right should show some teeth marks from the chisel.

After this step, I decided to hire a model for the arms. They will be disproportionately small for the figure, but I am not interested in the support the arms give as much as I am in the kicking motion.

stone carving

30 June 2000: This may sound strange to you, but I recently became aware of a possible reason I was struggling with this stone. I began this idea and the implementing of it to help me rid myself of some anger towards a friend of mine. Although I thought we had worked things out last year, I have discovered that I am still angry about what happened and I am not yet ready to "kick out" my feelings on this issue. Whether this new "revelation" is true or not, only time will tell. In the meantime, I have started another idea with the next rock from Utah. This one is a marine sculpture -- a welcome challenge and a much more peaceful experience for me.

by Kelly Borsheim © 2004

November 15, 2004: I have created several artworks that served as therapy for me. Therapy through healthy expression is just one of art's perks. Hindsight has shown me that once the strong emotions that have created the need for some resolution have become memories, I am able to look at the artwork in a new way. I often enjoy what I have created, especially if I can remember that the situation I was not happy with has been resolved to the best of my ability. That has been the case with this stone art therapy, "Get Out".

After having spent my spring and summer traveling to various art events and to Italy, I promised myself I would spend the rest of the year 2004 finishing many of the near-complete artworks that have been hanging around for various reasons waiting for my attention. Often, for me, the best therapy, is completing a work of art and sharing it with you. I find this stone carving to be a bit of fun and it makes me smile. I hope you enjoy this work as well.

29 April 2008: This was cool -- received by my Web site Dear Kelly:

Thank you so much for the lovely post card from Italy. Also, thank you so very much for creating the beautiful sculpture we purchased at the Franklin Barry Gallery in Indy. We love it. It makes me feel "fun"-"happy"-when I look at it. Hence why I chose it (after seeing it for 2 years) welcoming us into our home as we enter.

I'd love to host you in our home if you get to Indy in the future. So you can see our new addition. By the way, Don [Elliott, owner of the Franklin Barry Gallery] is wonderful to work with . . . great studio to visit with beautiful works of art.

My husband (Mike) and I were in Florence in November of '07. It is so alive, beautiful, intentionally inspiring . . . no wonder you chose to work there.

Please feel free to contact us if you are in the area of Indianapolis or for any reason.

Again, thank you for the note. It truly felt special and we were touched by your thoughtfulness.

Art is the act of giving,
Kindly,
Jennifer

[Borsheim Arts Studio]

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