Carruth Studio’s “Beautiful Gardens 2010” Contest Winners
August 23rd, 2010
In June we launched a contest on the Carruth Studio Facebook fan page. The idea was to encourage our fans to post images of their gardens and how they used Carruth sculptures as accents or decorative elements. The “Beautiful Gardens 2010” contest has been popular and we have all enjoyed viewing each picture; admiring the flowers and plants and the creativity displayed in the use of my work.
We truly appreciate the feedback we receive from our customers and Facebook friends and fans. It has always been rewarding to see how people use my sculptures as gifts, expressions of sympathy, decorative elements–both inside and out–and as architectural installations. Our little contest produced some beautiful imagery. Thank you to everyone who participated. We’ll be doing another contest in the next few months and will ask you to submit images showing us all how you use your Carruth sculptures to decorate your rooms and offices.
The winner of our “Beautiful Gardens 2010 Contest is Carole Tannehill, whose creative use of the color blue around each of the plaques mounted on her garage was both impressive and visually pleasing. As the first place winner of our contest, Carol will receive a gift certificate for $200 worth of Carruth products. We look forward to seeing what she will do next!
My wife Deb was so impressed with some of the other entrants that she created additional awards and recognition for them. The second place winner of the “Beautiful Gardens 2010” contest is Pam Anderson for her beautiful photos of “Kindness Makes Friendship Blossom” and the “Hope Angel”. As the second place winner, Pam will receive a $50 gift certificate for Carruth products.
The third place winner is Chris Shannon for the artistic shot of “Ornithologist”: surrounded by grape vines. Chris will receive a gift certificate for $25 wort of Carruth products. And finally, we awarded an Honorable Mention to Nicole Heban for her Dad’s unforgettable photo of a chipmunk perched on the head of “Fairy of Lost Things”.
You can view all of the contest images on our fan page or on our Flickr channel. Tell us, which one was your favorite? Please share this post with your friends, and “like” it if you are active on Facebook!
Tags: "Beautiful Gardens 2010" contest, $200 gift certificate, artist, arts, Carruth Studio, client closing gifts for realtors, contest winners, garden art, Garden Smiles, George Carruth, George Carruth's blog, GeorgeCarruth.com, prizes
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News from the Carruths and Carruth Studio
August 6th, 2010
The Carruths are in the process of moving to a new house in Portland, Oregon. Their three children and grandchild live in Portland so George and Deb plan to spend half the year in Portland and half the year in Waterville, Ohio. George maintains a studio in each city; sculpting and creating new designs. Deb manages the business of Carruth Studio and its gallery and retail store, Garden Smiles, from both Portland and Waterville. We’re filling in for them while they unpack…
Deb has shared the following updates on the unpacking and settling in process:
George and I are setting up house in Portland Oregon…all three kiddos are here, as well as our grandson. George is frustrated that he hasn’t been sculpting…moving is something else! Wherever we go, we play a game called ‘Plaque Patrol’ where we look for George’s work in your gardens & on your homes….tonight we went to “Last Thursday” on Alberta Street…throngs of people, bands, art, food. Low and behold, on a house on 25th, there was “Follow Your Bliss” on someone’s front door. And so ‘Plaque Patrol’ begins in Portland.
George started sculpting in his new studio space. He looks out at Mt.St Helens and there are four skylights. Meanwhile we are buried in boxes! Oh my, I never want to move again. I’m learning about gardening here in the northwest. I think I may have caused the black spot on my roses by watering the leaves. And the hydrangeas need LOTS of water. One website says cut them back before August 1…when they are full of blooms?! And a neighbor says cut back in the fall, but the website says ‘no no’ to the fall. What to do?
For those of you who may not be familiar with George’s sculptures, Carruth Studio manufactures hand-cast stone sculptures based on George’s work. These whimsical pieces are prized as garden art, interior decorations, wedding decorations and gifts for all occasions. You can find Carruth Studio online and see George’s collection of more than 250 sculptures. You can also visit Carruth Studio on Facebook and join the often lively discussions about how the sculptures are used and enjoyed.
Our “Beautiful Gardens 2010” contest is in its last days. The contest is designed to feature Carruth sculptures in beautiful garden settings and the response has been very positive. We are enjoying new photos every day. Participating is easy. Post your digital photo, or video, of your beautiful garden on our Facebook page. George and Deb will choose one winner at random at the end of the contest and announce the winner on this blog. The winner will receive a gift certificate for $200 worth of Carruth products! It is not too late to enter. The contest ends on August 13th and the winner will be announced on August 16th, so post your pictures quickly. You can also see all the photos from the contest on the Carruth Flickr page.
Carruth Studio will be announcing several new designs over the next few days so make sure to stop back to learn more about them. Please help us by “liking” this blog and sharing the information with your friends and family.
We all appreciate your support!
(MAM)
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Stone Carving of Saint Clare: an update…
July 25th, 2010
George Carruth carving the Saint Clare memorial
Thanks for coming back to check on our progress and welcome to those of you who are visiting the blog for the first time. I have been documenting the process of a new stone carving commission I’m working on. The process calls for a combination of creativity and intense concentration, not mention long hours of hard work, but I love it.
You may know of me from my sculpting work, which my wife, Deb Carruth, and I market through our little studio in Waterville, Ohio. Carruth Studio is our online store and we have a gallery and retail store called Garden Smiles, also located in Waterville, Ohio. Garden Smiles is Deb’s inspiration and great delight and she takes pride in featuring my work there as well as that of other artists from all over the United States. You can also find my hand cast stone sculptures in garden shops, gifts shops and floral shops throughout the country.
George Carruth carves Saint Clare of Assisi memorial stone
Back to stone carving though. Now that all the elements are roughed out and in their proper places, at their proper depths, I start refining with home made hand chisels. The chisels are made from masonry nails that I heat, hammer, file teeth into and re-temper. The steel shaft is then inserted into a small home made wooden handle. The handles are reusable and the chisels only take 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish. The trick is getting the right angle, tooth spacing and bevel on the tip so that it cuts accurately with the control required. Otherwise, it shatters and crumbles the stone instead of cutting smoothly. By making my own tools, I always have exactly the correct shape for difficult areas.
Now for the imagery. Saint Clare was a follower of St. Francis of Assisi and had similar qualities relating to nature and the environment. The moment in time depicted in this scene portrays Saint Clare protecting the town of Assisi. An invading army had made it’s way to the city gates and was ready to capture the city. Legend has it that she appeared in the cloister door, just to the left of the round window of the basilica. Holding a monstrance in her right hand, she faced down the enemy from high in the basilica. The enemy withdrew and the town was spared.
Other elements include two birds in the upper border, a rabbit and the bright shining sun to depict her close relationship with nature. All of this was refined with small home made hand chisels. Tedious but rewarding. My typical carving day starts at 8:30 in the morning until 9:30 or 10:00 at night.
George Carruth chisels stone carving of Saint Clare of Assisi
Once the imagery is complete, I will rough up the other surfaces of the stone to give it an old, hand carved appearance. The base will match as well. With time and weathering, this texture should pick up a natural patina that enhances the detail. In a year or two, this stone should have enough patina to give it that old medieval appearance I’m after.
In a few days, you can see this stone completed and mounted on it’s base. It will then be strapped to a pallet and delivered to the memorial garden in Parma Ohio.
We’ll post images of the end of the project soon so check back in a few days. And, visit us online at Carruth Studio or join us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
Tags: American crafts, art, art commission, artists, Carruth Studio, Deb Carruth, garden art, Garden Smiles, George Carruth, memorial garden, Saint Clare of Assisi, sculptor, sculpture, stone carving, stone carving tools
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Stone Carving of Saint Clare: the process continues…
July 13th, 2010
I’m working on a stone carving of Saint Clare of Assisi for a memorial garden. We have been documenting the project in order to share it with you since many of you are unfamiliar with stone carving. I started as a stone carver but now spend most of my time sculpting whimsical designs for the garden art we sell through Carruth Studio and our retail gallery, Garden Smiles.
It’s great to be carving again.
George Carruth making a hand tool for stone carving
A word about the tools I use during the carving process. I use a variety of tools including electric saws, pneumatic drills and hammers and many different types of hand tools. I tend to manufacture some of my hand tools because I have specific requirements for them.
After the stone has been prepared for carving, the next step is to develop a rough sketch of the carving. I use the sketch to think through which elements of the design must be carved first. As I carve back different things have to be carved out at different levels. For example the first thing that may need to be carved is the nose or the hand, which in this piece is stretched far away from the body. The sketch helps me clarify the spatial relationship of each element in the design and where it comes into play. After I have finalized the sketch I transfer it onto the stone.
George Carruth traces the sketch onto the stone.
At this point I begin to slowly take away the surface using pneumatic and hand tools. This step is usually a little unsettling because I’m trying to get a handle on how deep to carve. I know it all looks very shallow, but if too much is removed in an area, it totally affects the relationship of how everything else relates in space. Once the stone is removed, there is no magic tool that puts it back. The only option is to make everything deeper into the stone.
This might not sound like a big deal, but depending on how far along the carving has progressed, it all has to be re-sculpted at a deeper depth, face, hands and everything else.
The scene is of Saint Clare holding a monstrance in her right hand with her basilica in the background. As the carving unfolds, I’ll describe exactly what all of the images mean. Remember, this will have a rough medieval appearance. But until then, I’m just trying to put all of the elements in position at the correct depth. Saint Clare’s nose will be a little smaller when completed, but for now, a little extra stone is left on in case I accidentally bump it with a chisel while working on an adjacent area.
That’s all for today, but if you enjoyed this, check back in a few days to see how we are progressing. And again, if you liked this post please share it with your friends and networks. If you’d like to learn more about our company, visit our website or join us on Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks.
Tags: arts, Carruth Studio, carving, chisel, garden, garden art, Garden Smiles, George Carruth, hand tools, memorial, memorial gardens, plastic arts, saint, saint clare, saints, Sculptor George Carruth, sculpture, stone carver, stone carving, stones, the process, visual arts
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Stone Carving: Saint Clare of Assisi for a Memorial Garden
July 1st, 2010
Sculptor George Carruth with Carved Stone Panel
I’m starting a stone for a school in Cleveland. I haven’t carved in quite a while. The stone is a block of limestone that measures 5 feet tall and weighs about 1000 pounds.
This is a departure from the work I do at Carruth Studio . As much as I love creating the whimsical sculptures people enjoy using as garden art, I am excited about getting back to carving.
The carving will be an image of Saint Clare of Assisi and will be placed in a memorial garden. I’m a little bit nervous but that’s normal when you start carving away on a stone. I’ll be taking photos every step of the way so that I can share the process with you. These photos document the very beginning of the carving process. Here we go!
Sawing the stone in preparation.
Sawing the base for the new memorial carving.
The first stage of carving this memorial stone is to cut the base block, then round the top of the vertical stone. I’m using an electric cut-off tool with a 12” abrasive disk. The belt has a fan with air filters that pump filtered air into the helmet. I begin by notching the top of the stone, then snap off the remaining nubs with a medium hammer.
George hammering the stone in preparation.
Creating work like this is incredibly fulfilling and I enjoy watching the form take shape. You may also. Check back in a few days for the updates and new photos.
Would do me a favor? If you enjoyed this post, please click the Facebook “like” icon and share it with your friends.
Thanks. We’re working to build readership for this very new blog.
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WBGU-PBS Video About George Carruth and Carruth Studio
June 22nd, 2010
But in a few short years he took his love for animals, insects, flowers and the beauty of nature and transformed it into a thriving multi-million dollar company. Many of his themes come from medieval carvings and folk art, all gentle and light-hearted forms that blend innocence with serenity.
He left behind the security of a job in corporate America and, along with his wife, Deb, took a leap of faith and started carving stone, first in Cleveland and then in
his driveway in Waterville, Ohio.
George Carruth: An American Sculptor, a WBGU-PBS documentary, tells the story of how he and his wife created Carruth Studio, and how this shy, soft-spoken man from Ohio has become one of the nation’s premiere sculptors.
Carruth designs are featured in dozens of art galleries and catalogs and sold in hundreds of gift shops nationwide. His stone sculptures decorate homes and gardens across the country; one is even displayed in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.”
Source: WBGU.com
Watch the video here:
Tags: American crafts, art, artist, Carruth Studio, client closing gifts for realtors, fundraising programs, garden art, Garden Smiles, George Carruth, installations, Marlene Harris-Taylor, nature, pet memorials, sculptor, sculpture, stone, stone carving, sympathy gifts, table decorations for weddings, WBGU-PBS, wedding decorations, wedding gifts, YouTube video
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From George’s Studio…welcome!
June 21st, 2010
George Carruth in the 80's
“Plant a Smile in Your Garden” has been our desire from the beginning.
It all started when I carved a cherub face into a rough piece of sandstone using only screwdrivers. It was a gift to my wife Deborah who immediately placed it in the flower bed and saw the potential of hand carved stones as garden accents.
A year or so later, Deb was promoting our new little business and I was sculpting stone full time. We began by participating in art festivals and selling to galleries. Commissions included The National Cathedral in Washington D.C., an ornament for the White House Christmas tree , Home and Garden Television, Botanical Gardens and even a few gravestones.
In those early days, a typical schedule went like this: I would carve stone Monday through Thursday, then load the van on Friday. I’d set up at an art show early Saturday and sleep in a tent or the van. I would sit at the show all day Sunday. I made one call each day from a phone booth to inform Deb if anything had sold. Then I’d chat with the kids. I’d arrive home after midnight Sunday and start all over again Monday morning. I did 32 art shows the first year and a day at the quarry once a month looking for interesting stones that I could lift into the van.
Anne, Libby and Deb in the early days
Later we began casting smaller images that were sold in craft shops and appeared in a variety of mail order catalogs. Attention to detail and unique imagery landed them on the coveted covers of at least 13 catalogs. Our classic and lighthearted designs are now some of the most collected sculptures in America. Its truly a privilege to make art that touches so many lives for such a variety of reasons.
Currently I sculpt images that fascinate or challenge me. These original carvings are sought out by collectors, sent as gifts for weddings, holidays, bereavement, birthdays or any event that needs a little character and whimsy. Although many of these sculptures are displayed in sun rooms, kitchens and indoor areas, they are designed to give many years of pleasure when displayed outdoors in the garden.
I guess it’s appropriate the ”Garden Smile” plaque has become our signature piece and captures the essence of that very first cherub face I carved into rough stone, simply as an unusual gift for Deborah.
Found these old photos from the mid 80′s. The early days when Carruth Studio was out of our house and Deb and I were the only employees…
Tags: American crafts, art, artist, Carruth Studio, carving, client closing gifts for realtors, fundraising programs, garden art, Garden Smiles, George Carruth, installations, nature, pet memorials, sculptor, sculpture, stone, sympathy gifts, table decorations for weddings, wedding decorations, wedding gifts
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