LIMESTONE SCULPTURE

Carved by Martin Cooney 

Bird Mountain Fountain / Winterset Limestone / 27 x 12 x 14″ / $2,400

This Carving is Available For Purchase at the KMJ Cooney Studio Gallery

Located across from the airport and fronting Highway 82

111 Aspen Airport Business Center, Suite D. Colorado 81611

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The challenge I set myself at the outset of carving Bird Mountain Fountain was how to keep the water from spilling off the bird’s back in a cascading waterfall that would have created a great deal of splashing as it fell to the water below, thus destroying the peaceful nature of the fountain I had in mind. I had studied this piece for quite a while and always imagined how beautiful the water would look as it glided across the surface of this beautiful piece of stone.

The actual surface of the bird’s back was in fact created by Mother Nature herself and was produced by millions of years of water action as moisture made its way through the limestone causing the distinct coloring and intriguing shapes you can see in the photographs – which makes the reintroduction of water all the more apt.

The angle of the slope was already in place but my immediate task was to calculate exactly where to introduce the water and how to stop it from spilling over the edge as it rushed down hill. Eventually I made my predictions, drilled my hole, carved out the well, and sculpted the edges according to my best guesses – and guess what? When I switched on the pump the water obediently rose in the pipe, filled the well, and obligingly began to circulate with nary a drip to be seen. The one or two anomalies were soon dealt with. A bit of tinkering here and there, and the fountain you see in the pictures and video was off and running.

In effect the Winterset Limestone is virtually encased in a ‘bubble’, or film, of water that covers practically every inch of exposed stone, and it is the tension caused by this that ensures the water clings to the stone – even when overhanging at what seems to be a quite impossible angle.  Needless to say I was both relieved and proud when Bird Mountain ran so smoothly. The last thing I wanted was a cavalcading avalanche of water pouring over the edges and splashing here there and everywhere. I always intended this fountain as an indoor/outdoor sculpture and, as with all fountains, the degree and intensity of sound is a very important element – perhaps even the most crucial of all!  So when Bird Mountain began to circulate the water produced exactly the effect I had desired at the outset – a nice, pleasant trickling that provides a lovely relaxing backdrop to any interior space where people relax, or perhaps wait, or pass through – a hallway, a waiting room… even a living room or den would provide the perfect environment for this calming water feature.

Ideally this fountain is designed to run on no more than 3 inches of standing water, but to decrease the tinkling sound of the splashing simply increase this amount to the desired sound level. The pump by the way is incorporated in the fountain’s base, is easily accessible for the very occasional routine maintenance of wiping clear the filter, and is served by a single cord that can easily be camouflaged with one or two conveniently placed pebbles, river rocks or whatever fits the decor of the room.  The basin in the photos by the way was used merely to show clearly the fountain – any waterproof basin, such as a plant saucer, may be used. Or Bird Mountain Fountain may be added to an existing water feature.

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PLEASE CLICK ON A PHOTO TO ENLARGE

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Bird Mountain Fountain in the Cold

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LIMESTONE SCULPTURE

Carved by Martin Cooney 

Bird Mountain Fountain / Winterset Limestone / 27 x 12 x 14″ / $2,400

This Carving is Available For Purchase at the KMJ Cooney Studio Gallery

Located across from the airport and fronting Highway 82

111 Aspen Airport Business Center, Suite D. Colorado 81611

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thanks for visiting martincooney.com

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