Riebel Fireplace

This beautiful fireplace is a direct collaboration between the client, myself, and my crew. Matthew carved the figures and the filigree work, I did the bronze medallions and the overall design and installation, Erin did the backing panels and the mantle, Rebecca did the filing and sanding, and we nailed it. This was almost a year in the making.

 

The client wanted models of sexual intent that matched today’s styles and tastes, but within the context of an otherwise traditional style. We went with it. Thanks for the opportunity, Mr Riebel. This piece will always be a standard bearer.

I hired models who posed while Matthew sculpted the clay masters to scale (they were about 41 3/8″ tall- there is no room for error in marble), and then we launched in with the measuring device which dates back to the Renaissance , the macchianetti di punto. This particular marble is nasty, brittle, and hard to work. We all became epoxy masters along the way with these figures. Some say the mark of a craftsman is his/her ability to cover his/her mistakes… If you can find one, you are making it up.

This is 100% hand made in America. Anyone that says there are no  qualified American carvers needs to look a little deeper. Whatchoo got, yeah you?

I challenged the crew to be every bit as good as anybody has ever been. What do you think? How did we do?

The thing about work like this is that every single second of every bit has to be an act of care. It’s the only way to do it. Once in a while that is okay, but it is far too sharp a razor for anyone to stand on very long. The thing is, with carving, only the last thing that you’ve done is what will show. Being a carver is stepping into the ring knowing that the other guy, the marble, can punch back. The pursuit of perfection is demanding of both the viewer and the creator, and I, as the creator, assume the viewer is as demanding of him or herself as I am of myself.

I like this view. The bronze hearth has undoubtedly changed over the years, as it was intended to, but it seems to fit this setting perfectly. I would love to see this piece with a fire in it. The way the bronze hearth must light up… priceless. I just talked with the client today, January 2014, and asked for pics. He invited me out to take them and said he’d build a fire for it. I plan to take advantage of this.

I am very proud of this, and of my crew. We were capable of damn near anything. The economy… what can be said? We’re all well, but damn, with a bit of a wind, what we would have accomplished!

The bronze button lily accents are absolutely intended as point/counterpoint humor. I chose the lily in this context because it is the traditional symbol of virginity. I am sure there are layers of meaning in traditional works that we, as  later generations have missed. It was fun to put these buttons in, and I am POSITIVE that that part of the design process- mockery- has always been there.