From Nun to Deaconess..

It turns out that Sister Emily Cooper was a Deaconess, not a nun. So she would not wear a habit,
but working clothes. So first the sleeves, wimple, etc are removed, and the lower part of her garment is changed from the full gathered appearance of a habit to that of a skirt.
Her hair is now loose and flowing and I feel gives her a lot more life.

This outfit is based on a day dress from 1872.

Japanese Macaque in Georgia Pink Marble and a Christmas Card

This is a Japanese Macaque (or Snow Monkey) I am carving in Georgia Pink Marble. It is a juvenile monkey grooming it's leg. It was roughed out with an angle grinder using a 5" diamond wheel. It was then shaped using the same angle grinder with a masonry wheel. A large and small die grinder were used for shaping the interior spaces and detailing the fingers toes and face. A rolok (an air sanding tool) with a tapered cartrige roll is being used to polish the hands, feet and face. A bush hammer chisel is used for fur texture, though only as a light, final touch. The marble is too brittle to put up with much chisel work.

I will further refine the details of the monkey with fine die grinder bits and apply a fur texture to the interior sections with a channeling tool which is a type of chisel.

A side view....

This is the Christmas card that we will be sending out this year. The photo, poem and design are by Meg White Copyright 2008.