Ron Geitgey       P H O T O G R A P H E R    —    S T O N E   S C U L P T O R Home     Background     Sculpture Gallery     Photo Gallery     Private Photo Sessions     Stone Queries     Merchandise     Contact S T O N E  Q U E R I E S    Over a two year period I wrote a column entitled "Stone Queries" for Sculpture Northwest, published by the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association, answering questions given to me by various members   Contents   Stone Query 1  TAPPING STONE – I have noticed people choosing stone to carve by tapping the stone and listening. What are they doing?   Stone Query 2  CARVING MARBLE – As an alabaster/limestone kind of person I find the prospect of carving marble intriguing but a bit intimidating. Would I need a different set of tools, carbide or diamond for example, to work in marble?   Stone Query 3  OUTDOOR SCULPTURE – I would like to carve some pieces to place in my garden. What types of stone can be placed outside?   Stone Query 4  QUARRY SAP – In the book "The agony and the ecstasy", Michelangelo is said to have draped the David marble in damp cloth after every carving session. What was he doing?   Stone Query 5  COLLECTING STONE – Where can I go to collect my own stone for carving or for bases?   Stone Query 6  ROTTEN GRANITE – Someone told me they were carving rotten granite. What is that?   Stone Query 7  BANDED AND LAYERED STONE – I was told that as a beginning carver I should avoid stone that has a lot of colored bands or layers. Why? Is colored or banded stone more difficult to carve?   Stone Query 8  CONSEQUENCES – Recently I was asked to contribute comments to a university panel discussion on environmentalism and the materials used by the design professions: architecture, landscaping, and fine arts. One specific question was whether I lost any sleep knowing that I carved irreplaceable marble extracted from the mountains of Italy. This was my response.   Stone Query 9  STONE NAMES – Why are there so many different names for stone? Which ones do I have to know?   Stone Query 10  TRAVERTINE – What causes the holes in travertine and do they affect carving?   Stone Query 11  PIPESTONE – What is pipestone and does it come only from Minnesota?   Stone Query 12  FREESTONE – I have seen the term "freestone" used in describing Gothic sculpture. What is freestone?     BACK TO TOP   Photos by Ron Geitgey  |  Website design by Anne Rutherford  |  © Ron Geitgey, 2009  All Rights Reserved.