Archive for January, 2011
My Special Valentines
Friday, January 28th, 2011
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and my Valentine is the sun. Oh Froggieo, Froggieo, wherefore art thou, Froggieo?
For Valentine’s Day this year, I wanted something special. Something different and something lasting. We have several designs that are popular as Valentine’s Day gifts already but I wanted to offer something new.
So with a little red paint, and a lot of patience, I painted, signed, and numbered 50 of two of my favorite sculptures, “Froggy Dreams“, and the “Love Mini Stone“. What a difference a splash of color can make!
”Froggy Dreams” has long been one of my favorites, and now with a tiny stroke of color, it comes to life for Valentine’s Day. The ”Love Mini Stone” is a classic, but the addition of red makes the heart feel contemporary and vibrant. Amazing how such a small amount of color can transform a design and give it more personality.
Happy Valentine’s Day, I hope these two sculptures remind you of that ”special someone” for many years to come.
Join us on our Facebook page. We’re launching a contest where you could win the first of the signed and numbered, hand painted, and hand-cast stone, “Froggy Dreams” or “Love Mini Stone”.
And, as always, if you’ve enjoyed this post please “like” it and share it with your family and friends. We appreciate your support.
Tags: Carruth, Carruth Studio, George Carruth, gift, hand painted Carruth sculptures, special Carruth valentines gift, Valentine gift ideas, Valentine Gifts Ideas, Valentines Days Gift
Posted in George's Blog | 4 Comments »
The Influence of Stone Carvings in Cemeteries
Friday, January 21st, 2011
I like to visit cemeteries every now and then. In the early years, when I only did one-of-a-kind carvings from rough quarry stones, I studied the wonderful stone carvings in cemeteries. Here you could find everything from grand monuments to modest little family plots. My favorite cemetery is near Bedford, Indiana. This is the home of Indiana limestone. Near the turn of the century, Indiana limestone was an extremely popular building material. It was used extensively on churches and government buildings.
Any time you see a soft colored gray stone on a building, especially if it has lettering carved into it, there is a good chance it came from Bedford. What makes the little Bedford cemetery special is that it is the final resting place for many of the stone carvers and their families. Many were immigrants that had come from Europe. These were tough people, working in tough times, with little or no extra money. When a carver or family member passed, a friend or relative probably carved the headstone. As a result, there are highly personalized headstones that range from a full size carver’s bench, complete with tools and half-finished stone, to delicate angel images on the graves of young children.
During that period of my career, I was honored to carve several headstones for families that were familiar with my work. After that experience, I study headstones more closely and appreciate the thought and emotion that goes into designing and carving these incredible objects. Every detail must be perfect.
Although I no longer carve headstones, many of my cast stone images are used as bereavement gifts. Some are placed in cemeteries either on or near the headstone. Others are used in flower arrangements or sent as gifts. Again, I feel very honored to have designs chosen for such an important occasion. Some of the designs chosen for memorials include “Memories of You“, “Tree of Life“, and “Cherish Life and Family“. Oftentimes, an image more specific to the individual is used. Either way, these weather resistant sculptures are a lasting tribute, whether used in a cemetery or flower garden.
If you liked this post, please “like it” on Facebook and share it with friends and family. And, if you know someone who needs to find a really special sympathy gift, suggest that they consider a Carruth design.
Tags: Carruth Studio, cemetaries, Facebook, George Carruth, memorials, stone carvings, sympathy gifts
Posted in George's Blog | 2 Comments »
Help Me Name This Design?
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
I just shot a short video with a few additional thoughts about this new design. I appreciate the comments and ideas the previous post has generated.
I’m still looking for the perfect name for this new design though. Want to help me? Post your suggestions here as comments or on our Facebook wall. Thanks!
Tags: art, Carruth Studio, coffee, George Carruth, new design, video
Posted in George's Blog | 13 Comments »
For The Love Of Morning Coffee!
Saturday, January 15th, 2011
COFFEE, gotta have it, can’t start the day without it! Are you, like me, a non-morning person? Then you know coffee is the one major food group that allows us to function before 10:00 am.
My current sculpture reflects this influence. I have depicted a loving, cheerful couple…well, that’s how they will appear, after their morning coffee. For the moment, they are still waiting for their coffee to brew. Not much conversation while they wait.
Until they have their coffee not even a smile is possible. Thank goodness their pets are available to lighten the mood until that coffee is ready. You can see that each of the pets has an expression reflecting their basic personality. The dog is absurdly cheerful and energetic, the bird seems to be considering his next comment, and the cat is patiently waiting to see if anyone spills the cream. If you look closely, you can see the texture in the coffee cup itself.
My inspiration for this sculpture is based on our love of coffee and the ever-growing number of coffee shops popping up. From the upscale cozy building, the tiny roadside drive-thru or our familiar kitchen table, we gotta have our coffee. And many of us just don’t want to talk until then…
So next time you and your spouse are shuffling around in bathrobes and pajamas, morning hair and all, take time to acknowledge the house pets. Our pets are on duty every morning, purring and wagging their tails simply because they love us–even before coffee is ready.
We’re still deciding on a name for this piece. Have any suggestions? This design will be available in late spring. Do you like this post? If you do, please share it with your family and friends.
Tags: birds, Carruth Studio, cats, coffee, dogs, George Carruth, pets, sculpture
Posted in George's Blog | 5 Comments »