Mother’s Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday of May. Since 1914, when it was officially recognized as a national holiday by President Woodrow Wilson, families have been gathering to celebrate mothers, and celebrations typically include thoughtful gifts.
With respect for Lawrence Strouts, I will keep this short.
The Council Grove Rotary Club visited Martin Cooney Stoneworks, located at 121 Liberty St. in Council Grove, on Wednesday, April 23. During the tour, Martin Cooney demonstrated his unique method of splitting marble by hand. He had drilled 11 holes into a 3-ton block of Colorado Yule Marble, then inserted wedges and struck them with a single-jack hammer. As he pounded the wedges, the pitch of each strike varied based on the rock’s density—until the massive block split in two. Cooney explained that marble weighs about 165 pounds per cubic foot. However, through a method he calls Revolutionary Reductionism, he removes 80 to 90 percent of the original bulk, allowing him to sculpt pieces weighing just 25 to 50 pounds. His approach makes marble sculpture far more portable and accessible than traditional methods. “My rule is simple,” Cooney said. “If I can’t carry the sculpture, it’s not finished.” Among his most popular works are hand-carved marble bowls, shaped with what he describes as a commitment to Curvilinearism. Some are carved so finely that light passes through them, revealing the inner beauty of the ancient stone Martin Cooney Stoneworks is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. More information can be found at mcstoneworks. us or by calling 785-561-0326.
P.O. Box 237
302 W. Main
Council Grove, KS 66846
Email: cgnews@cgtelco.net
Phone: (620) 767-5123
FAX: (620) 767-5124
