I'm finally back to posting, here is what I did for the Yew Dell sculpture show...

I have had an idea about doing a predator and prey sculpture for some time, years in fact.  In the right block would be a big cat, in the left block a hooved animal evading capture.  The sculptures would be emerging with stone supporting the more fragile areas - legs, tail, etc.

This is my original model for the sculpture - it is a cheetah - the front leg fell off the model, but I know generally where it is.  I use the model to start the profile of the big cat.

I begin by cutting the profile then carving around the head.

after the head comes the front leg and paw.

I determine the other front leg of the cat roughly (just barely carving into the stone) being careful to stay off the final form of the leg until I am sure of what I want.  I hold a wax model of the fleeing deer (this is called sight sizing) against the stone to see how it will fit.  This sculpture was originally going to be a cheetah and gazelle as there are so many videos of cheetahs pursuing prey, but I reconsidered mid carve and changed it to a cougar and young deer.

The deer is partially carved, I start by cutting down to the profile then working out where everything (legs, tail, etc.) is.



This is Leda and the swan another sculpture for the Yew Dell show.  I started this piece with a sketch directly on the stone. Leda looks down at the swan (Zeus in disguise) her hair cascades down at her side and splits across the swans back.  This alludes to their union which results in the twins Helen and Polydeuces.

First I cut the lines in with a four inch angle grinder...

I also use the grinder to shape the form...

I work from the top down beginning the neck of the swan.

A die grinder is used to define clothing and the profile of the face.  These photos are from a partial time lapse on youtube -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7Z2WyF6w6k

I also have some real time videos of predator and prey on youtube here -

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=possmom8

KYANA Geological Society will have its annual show this weekend - the photo above shows a small sample of the crystal samples that will be for sale.  Also fossils and hand made jewelry will be available. The show is at Camp Crestwood, 7206 Clore Lane, Crestwood, KY
Here is a link with more info -
http://kyanageo.org/showflier.htm