CRAFTER of the MONTH!

Gary DuBois — in his own words:
"Working from my modest workshop, I find inspiration in the beauty of the stone itself and in the natural world around my Kentucky home. 

When I first begin carving into the stone, it quickly becomes a mess of broken shards and jagged edges. But after hours of dust and striving, surfaces finally smooth and begin to clear and a window opens up letting me see into the heart of the stone. New and beautiful features, hidden from time immemorial, are revealed for the first time. 

Every piece of natural stone is unique, presenting fresh opportunities for discovery and wonder as each new carving unfolds.

Over the course of working with stone from discarded scraps, I’ve come to see this work as a redemptive metaphor — beauty and value restored to the broken and rejected. In a society full of broken and hurting people the story of these stones reminds me that there is hope. Hope of redemption even for broken people, like me."

In the YouTube video "The Secrets of Carving Stone"
you can hear (or read the captions) for part of Gary's description of basic processes... but once he turns on the fan for his helmet and the water trough, you will just have to imagine what he is saying!!!  Gary explained privately that he made this as a joking tongue-in-cheek "secrets of the trade" video — the whole joke being that you can't hear anything he says, yet he acts 'in earnest' as if he has just divulged the core secrets of his craft.