Ruin marbles, Tuscany, dust jacket of The Writing of Stones
In the show that I recently participated in, the Art of the Land, I had to submit an artist statement along with my work. I put a statement in there about how things I pick up in nature can be infinitely more beautiful, crafted by nature, than pieces I can spend hours on, created in the studio. This book is a wonderful illustration of that statement. The polished rock and stone featured are masterpieces.
“Septaria,” Spain, from The Writing of Stones
Caillois’ writing is the perfect, poetic commentary to be absorbed and enjoyed along with the Art of the Stones.
“Meanwhile the tree of life goes on putting out branches. A multitude of new inscriptions is added to the writing in stones. . . The scrolls and laces of ferns are imprinted in coal. Ammonites of all sizes, from a lentil to a millwheel, flaunt their cosmic spirals everywhere. A fossil trunk, turned jasper and opal like a frozen fire, clothes itself in scarlet, purple, violet. Dinosaurs’ bones change their petit-point tapestries into ivory, gleaming pink or blue like sugared almonds.” – Roger Caillois
“Jasper,” Oregon, The Writing of Stones
Primitive painting, fine line illustration, carved sculpture and pop art — the stones illustrate and speak their stories.
An eye agate from Uruguay, The Writing of Stones
Caillois lived from 1913 to 1978, and left behind an interesting legacy. See a list of publications on Amazon. There are quite a few sites that discuss this man, his work, and his philosophies, and I leave you today with one I found pretty interesting: http://www.inthemedievalmiddle.com/2008/07/roger-caillois-among-nonhumans.html
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