Prairie Schoolhouse / Web Page / COLLECTION SERIES MARBLE SCULPTURE by Martin Cooney / For Sale

Posted on July 26, 2025February 28, 2026 by Martin Cooney, Stone Sculptor

COLLECTION SERIES MARBLE SCULPTURE

Carved by MARTIN COONEY

Prairie Schoolhouse / $4,200 / The Liberty Collection / Colorado Yule Marble

14.5 x 11 x 10.5″ / 38.8 lbs / SN250701

Currently Displayed at The Martin Cooney STONEWORKS

121 Liberty Street, Council Grove, Kansas 66846

Please email martincooneysculptor@gmail.com for purchase information

Prairie schoolhouse.

Now that kris and I have been re-located here in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas for two years, it is perhaps not too surprising that the landscape, the buildings and culture, the mood and feel of the place is now establishing itself well within my current sphere of cultural influences. The first sign of its presence was in the emergence of ‘Prairie Twist’, seemingly out of nowhere, two sculptures ago in The Liberty Collection. That was carving number 5. This is carving number 7, and who knows how it will manifest itself next? Who’s to tell? But this ‘Prairie Schoolhouse’ carving came at me quite unexpectedly as I suddenly caught sight of a rough block (that had been sitting there minding its own business) in a whole new light, when the direct rays of the sun suddenly burst through one of the big open windows of The Martin Cooney Stoneworks, and bingo – there it was.

An uncarved block of white stone with rough edges, resting on a surface in a workshop setting. The block has a partially smoothed top and features vertical cuts on one side, suggesting the beginning of a sculpture.

Close-up of a rough, sculpted block resembling a prairie schoolhouse, showcasing carved pillars and a textured surface.

Please click on an image to enlarge.

A hand-carved white marble bowl resembling a prairie schoolhouse, featuring a compact design with a rough exterior and a polished interior, set against a dark background.

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A detailed view of the 'Prairie Schoolhouse' marble sculpture by Martin Cooney, showcasing its unique carved design with a smooth, curved interior and rough exterior edges.

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Influence is a profound and mysterious element; a force of nature that I have yet to fully understand, although I appreciate its mystic qualities and have called upon its beguiling ways many times during my sculptural journey – way too many times to list here. But nonetheless, there it is, shapeshifting and morphing as each successive phase in my life passes from one era to the next. For twenty years prior to our recent upheaval to the Flint Hills of Kansas, my major influence was generated by the peculiarly jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains’ beautiful Elk Range. And as I progressed from one carving to the next, sure enough those craggy summits, steep cliffs and intense clouds hustled their way into my creative stream seemingly at will.

A marble sculpture titled 'Prairie Schoolhouse' by Martin Cooney, featuring a smooth, organic shape with a blend of white and gray tones, displayed on a textured surface outdoors.

'Top O' Th' World', Collection Series Marble Sculpture by Martin Cooney.

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‘Elk Mountain Bowl’, ‘Top O’ Th’ World’, ‘Reversed Equation’, ‘Oblique Perspective’ and several other Collection Series Marble Sculpture, plus lots of limestone pieces, all bore the unmistakable imprint of vast mountains in their sculptural DNA. But even the places from further back – way back to my upbringing in the North West of England, to years spent in London, Bath, Portland, Oregon … places such as Thailand and Greece, Israel and Alaska, California and Canda … all have chimed in with my world view, now having taken up residence in the back of my mind – the breeding ground for ‘Direct Method Carving’, founded by Constantine Brancusi and adapted by me as my chosen mode of stone sculpting.

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Perhaps this vision of an old abandoned single room stone schoolhouse should not have come as such a surprise, given their abundance just about everywhere here in North East Central Kansas. In fact, just about every trip from here to there seems to produce them, often covered in brush and trees, but they are there, nonetheless. And what interesting and slightly mysterious relics they are. Sometimes they are even found in a state of preservation, complete with stair-stepped desks ranging from front to rear, the teacher’s desk, blackboard, maps and charts, and the ubiquitous wood-fired stove plumb center of the classroom. Often though, it’s quite difficult to even imagine that generations of children trekked their way across fields and roads, hitched rides on farm wagons, and spent their entire day learning their ABCs, the Three Rs and the stunning revelation that there was a whole big world out there that they would one day get to discover themselves.

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The carving process went well, the big question being what to carve and what to leave. The large ‘windows’ were created by the holes I drilled to accommodate the plug and feather wedges that served to carve the split-faced exterior, along with the bell tower. The bowl presented a slight challenge, it being so compact and steep sided, but nothing of a problem that served to hamper the hollowing-out and finishing of the bowl’s surface.

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In fact, the whole bowl carving process went so well that the bowl’s surface comes within a fraction of an inch to the ‘window glass’, to the point that light entering the bowl actually shines through the window to rather translucent effect, even the rough and ready walls themselves emit a soft glow, which I hope you will enjoy when you place it somewhere flooded with sunlight, or hit by a spotlight’s tight beam. It really is a most attractive look, and one I can imagine you showing off to great effect to friends, family and visitors alike.

A rough, uncarved block of white stone with three vertical grooves, resembling the beginning of a sculpture, set against a dark background.

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A sculptural piece titled 'Prairie Schoolhouse' carved from Colorado Yule Marble, featuring a geometric shape with rough edges and vertical lines reminiscent of a schoolhouse structure.

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With the overall design being so very compact, ‘Prairie Schoolhouse’ is not tippy in the slightest, but a rather sturdy and tough structure exhibiting a rather charminly strict charisma – rather like the schoolhouses of old, upon which it is based. I did think, as I carved it, that the triangular flat space adjoining the bell tower quite resembled a flag – perhaps a Stars and Bars for 4^th of July. But I quite wisely left that to your imagination, as I didn’t want to overdo it.

A hand-carved marble bowl shaped like a prairie schoolhouse, featuring rough stone textures and distinct window openings, set against a black background.

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Carved marble sculpture of a stylized schoolhouse shape, showcasing rough edges and stone texture, set against a grassy outdoor background.

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As with all my Hand Carved Marble Bowls, ‘Prairie Schoolhouse’ is as practical as it is lovely and unique. An invisible impregnating Italian sealant protects the interior surface, leading water to bead up and roll around its symmetrical surface as if for fun. And as with all Collection Series Marble Sculpture, my Mark, its Serial Number and relevant information is carved on the underside of its base. And although this is definitely not one of my lightest bowls, it is nonetheless easy to pick up and move around. Just clear the path, make sure that pets, children, rugs and furniture are not allowed to get in the way, hold her close to you … as you would a baby, hug her and walk her carefully to wherever you want. Its sturdy shipping box will provide shelter for her whenever you need to protect her, and so, as far as displaying ‘Prairie Schoolhouse’ … the world is your oyster, take her wherever and whenever you wish.

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