(very un-original) concept of a "lovers ring" consisting of two abstract face figures connected by an open loop (see sketch).The first couple hours were spent with a point chisel removing roughly half of the stone's overall bulk.
This was then followed by a "pusher" chisel consisting of a wide toothed tip. This chisel leaves a distinctive combed texture.
Right away I'm faced with a challenge: there's an enormous tendency to drift away from the abstract design toward a more realistic proportioned design. By noon, I have begun to realize I've totally disconnected from my original concept. I will fight back with some furious chiselling. I really want for this piece to be an artistic abstraction of some sort. Lorri, the Poudre High Art teacher and accomplished sculptor is also taking -- and assisting -- the class. She relays to me her extreme difficulty in breaking away from the "Loveland Realism" style of ultra-realistic sculpture. This helps me break a little farther from my current direction toward realism.
