This project was a commission for collector that wanted a pocket stone that was unique. Again, much like Rocktopus, I choose something soft to carve into the stone. Little Fish was carved from a pebble I found while walking home one afternoon. It was a different color from all the other rocks around it and so I snagged it and immediately saw the form come to life in my hands.

This piece is held in a private collection and is not for sale.

It starts with the rough stone.

I feel the stone and it's shape. As I turn it over and over it comes to life in my hands, showing me what it will become. It's my job to get the extra material out of the way to let the form out of the stone.

Roughing In

I then rough in the silhouette of what I'm seeing in the stone. Often my work is wet when I photograph it. This is because I am always working it in water, as it requires the constant flushing and lubrication to carve without burning up my bits.

Cutting the depths

After the silhouette is carved, I then begin working into the stone, forming and shaping the details. here you see the raw stone, after it's dried so the machine marks are all clearly visible. A cleaning pass goes over this to reduce the marks before final texture and detail are applied.

Getting closer

This is the nearly finished piece. Just a few more details and some clean up.