Sheer Strength: Exquisite Marble Sculpture by Martin Cooney

COLLECTION SERIES MARBLE SCULPTURE

Carved by MARTIN COONEY

Sheer Strength / $3,750 / The Liberty Collection / Colorado Yule Marble

16.5 x 11 x 9″ / 27 lbs / SN251002

Currently Displayed at The Martin Cooney STONEWORKS

121 Liberty Street, Council Grove, Kansas 66846

Please email martincooneysculptor@gmail.com for purchase information

Marble sculpture titled 'Sheer Strength' by Martin Cooney, showcasing elegant curves and light translucency, displayed on a dark surface.

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One of the sheer delights of sculpting marble, as opposed to any other carving/building stone that I am aware of, is the element of translucence that offers itself as a free gift; a bonus, as it were, from the strange and mysterious ‘Spirit of the Stone’, an invisible force that accompanies all attempts to carve this most majestic and downright moody metamorphosed limestone.

A marble sculpture titled 'Sheer Strength' by Martin Cooney, displaying smooth curves and a translucent quality, illuminated by natural light.

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Please click on a picture to enlarge.

A sculptural piece made of Colorado Yule marble, showcasing a sleek, curved design with a pronounced stance, backlit to highlight its translucence.

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It is the unimaginable pressures, astonishing temperatures and geological time required to transform limestone, a distinctly ordinary sedimentary rock, into marble, a gleaming gem of a ‘semi-precious’ stone. For after all, ‘Sheer Strength’s’ small sliver of marble – so luminous and intriguing, with its hidden hues and secretive inner world of swirls, streams and mysterious veining – is the very same marble that is carved into the form of The Lincoln Memorial. That’s right. The same stone that was prized for its incredible strength and beauty on an immense scale is, when closely inspected via a carving such as ‘Sheer Strength’, as beautiful and mysterious as, well, a semi-precious stone ought to be.

She was split and carved from a rough block split from The Liberty Slab with the specific purpose of creating two distinctly similar but subtly contrasting sculptures. For next up is ‘Sheer Folly’ (of course), who’s angular and distinctly masculine form will be taking his place as Liberty Collection Sculpture number 15 any day now. He’s already carved, and all I have to do is sit down, as I am doing now, and compose my thoughts, accordingly.

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And so, splitting these two twins apart turned out to be something of a breeze, due to the fact that I packed the drill holes for the plug and feathers so close to one another the dust from one hole vibrated into the next hole along during the hammer drilling. But it didn’t matter. A few quick taps with the mallet, and the block parted like the Red Sea, with markings so neat and tidy that I chose to utilize them and incorporate their imposing columns into ‘Sheer Folly’. In fact, they inspired the concept of ‘Sheer Folly’, but that’s for the next installment.

A marble sculpture titled 'Sheer Strength' by Martin Cooney, characterized by its smooth, flowing form and luminous surface, displayed on a dark background.

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A marble sculpture titled 'Sheer Strength' by Martin Cooney, featuring a sleek, abstract design with smooth and textured surfaces, illuminated by natural light.

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A black and white marble sculpture titled 'Sheer Strength' by Martin Cooney, featuring a sleek design with pronounced shapes and curves, displayed against a soft background.

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Her sleek design, pronounced stance and flamboyant ‘winged formation’ was actually inspired by the astonishing number of huge eagles that make the numerous lakes around this part of Kansas such fascinating wildlife sanctuaries … along with the herons, kingfishers and gulls, deer, leaping fish, lurking monsters within the deep, etc. In short, there are no shortage of animals to draw inspiration from out here in the rolling Flint Hills, and the massive reservoirs contribute an important and beautiful element to the timeless natural beauty of the area. All of which came as something of a surprise when Kris and I rolled up here, just over two years ago. We never imagined the place would be so …. well, wild! But, needless to say, we are thrilled that it is.

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All that’s left to say is, be sure to place ‘Sheer Strength’ in strong, direct light. She loves to bathe in sunlight, but will appreciate spotlights if that’s all that’s available. She prefers windows, obviously, but make sure to account for evenings – a single spot will do.

Pick her up and move her around, often. Enjoy her from each and every angle! She was made to be moved, in fact, she demands it.

A close-up view of a marble sculpture titled 'Sheer Strength,' showcasing its sleek design and smooth surfaces, illuminated by soft lighting.

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‘Sheer Strength’ was born to be wild, so remember to set her free … don’t fence her in. She’s tough enough to resist the turbulence that would perhaps threaten lesser carvings. Take her to work, why not? Display her as an entrance hall focal point, or flaunt her in the living room, dining room, even the master bedroom, why not? Let her out onto the patio now and then. She can look after herself, I can assure you.