The Power is in the Stone

I have completed more then twenty public sculptures in stone. For gallery and studio work, I have completed several hundred sculptures in stone. My preference is to work with the harder stones as much as possible, although I have worked with many types of stone, including alabaster, granite, limestone, marble, soapstone, onyx, basalt, and others. I have used pneumatic as well as electric tools but prefer to do as much hand carving as possible. Although I often work from drawings and models, my preference is to work directly with the stone to capture the essence of the feeling from the moment of creation. I find that drawing and painting enhance the three-dimensional carving process, color is power and sculpture color is human emotion. My creation show variety in style, depth and form, as I combine the earth quality of the stone with personal vision. Natural stone is the most powerful and enduring expressions of our environment.

I have experimented with representational and abstract art to come up with an individual approach to stone sculpture. This is my art. I would describe it as North American Expressionism: the power is in the stone.

Patrick Sullivan