the search for stone

honed granite

for the past three weeks i have been learning all about stone. on my drafting table are eleven samples of granite, two chunks of sandstone and a square block of something red with one side honed, one side polished, one side hammered, and a cleft finished top. it is remarkable to see how different finishes bring out different qualities in different stones. i also learned that stone is heavy...very heavy. each stone will weigh approx. 5,000 lbs -- roughly the weight of my pick-up truck. the finished dimensions will be 5-6 ft. tall, 18" wide, and 12" deep. the stones must be massive in order to register as both objects and places within the vastness of the park environment. for this reason, i am leaning towards using a dark grey granite that will have a bit of visual contrast among the natural grasses and trees, but not be so dark that it will become too hot in the summer sun. hopefully the sun will come out one of these days, so that i can test the samples. more pictures coming soon...