COMMISSIONED PROJECT

Carved By Martin Cooney

Contemporary Traditional Celtic Cross / Kansas Creme Limestone

Private Commission / Roaring Fork Riverbank / Woody Creek, Colorado

When I received the commission to carve and install a seven foot contemporary Celtic Cross to occupy a wide and slow moving bend in the Roaring Fork river, my first thoughts was to take the best of both worlds and create a sculpture that would combine the best of both worlds – the ancient and the new.

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My mandate was to include sixteen panels each containing the symbol of a major religion, and to this end I was given the names but allowed to interpret the imagery whichever way I wish. And so after much research and selection I opted for generally the more simplistic and iconic versions rather than the more fanciful as I imagine these will stand the test of time.

The overall design was set in motion by the footprint of the plinth, the taper of the shaft, and the height of the cross itself. All subsequent measurements radiate from these points so as the hole fits neatly within the edge lines, and the cross – or so it appears – is actually represented by a few shallow edges designed to soften the completed shape in a modern manner.

Several tons of concrete went into securing the base, and the whole thing is actually ‘locked’ into a giant underground boulder. The whole affair was a family event, with me, Kris and Joseph putting our backs into the job and pulling off the whole thing with aplomb. Not a scratch or nick did the cross suffer, either in the carving or installation. And I would say that, unless catastrophe strikes in one form or another, I fully expect my Contemporary Traditional Celtic Cross may just shock and hopefully delight all who see it from the river or along the bank for many, many years to come.

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COMMISSIONED PROJECT

Carved By Martin Cooney

Contemporary Traditional Celtic Cross / Kansas Creme Limestone

Private Commission / Roaring Fork Riverbank / Woody Creek, Colorado

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thanks for visiting martincooney.com

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