Good Dogs / For Sale / Web Page / COLLECTION SERIES MARBLE SCULPTURE by Martin Cooney

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Martin Cooney, Stone Sculptor

Good Dogs / For Sale / The Liberty Collection

Colorado Yule Marble / 25 x 3.5 x 7″ / 28 lbs / SN260101

Currently Displayed at The Martin Cooney STONEWORKS

121 Liberty Street, Council Grove, Kansas 66846

Please email martincooneysculptor@gmail.com for sales information

A white sculptural representation of a lying dog, showcasing smooth, curved lines and a minimalist design.

~ ‘Good Dogs’ ~

‘Good Dogs’ arrived as somewhat a surprise; the first carving of a New Year, 2026, that saw The Liberty Collection reach twenty sculptures as this, the fourth COLLECTION SERIES, approached its halfway point. And, having recently completed a series of tall upright sculptures that arose from the vertical potential induced by ‘Lofty Perch’, four carvings prior, I had been eyeing a particularly intriguing sliver of marble that had presented itself quite unexpectedly while my attention was drawn to several larger blocks to which I had growing plans to explore the ‘Standing Stone’ format that is quietly asserting itself upon The Liberty Collection, as a principle visual style.

And yet, here was this odd piece – a shard; a sliver of Colorado Yule Marble that slipped off The Liberty Slab with no intentions of being carved in the vertical aspect. Being so very thin and with no realistic base, it held no possibility of standing upright, and so I set it aside and let The Direct Method induce its own plans for the piece. I had better things to do. So, I let it sit there, right in the middle of the stoneworks, in full view, upon the huge layout table, where it wouldn’t get in the way, and where I could cast a watchful eye over the piece – glancing at it often as I went about my day. And there it sat.

A close-up view of a large, flat rock or fossil specimen, showcasing its rough texture and natural lines.

~ Good Dog rough block ~

It soon became so familiar that I didn’t really give the piece much thought to be honest. But one day, the eureka moment happened, as they do, quite unexpectedly, and as they always do, quite permanently. For there on the left-hand side of the block I saw it – I saw it in a way that I could not unsee it. A dog. A pointer. A hunting dog, complete with saggy jowls and well used body, head crooked forward … laying in the grass … or on the rug? Anyway, he was certainly attentive to something or someone. From his huge glistening nose, I followed the outline back towards his alert and intelligent eye. I saw the dome of his tough old head, the slump of his neck, the ridge of his raised spine and the fall of his lower back as it slinked into a curved tail tucked neatly against his rear legs and well-fed belly. Immediately, I had my carving. I would carve this dog at the very next opportunity – which was after the prolonged Christmas and New Year interlude, but this only whetted my appetite to reveal this good old dog to the world and release him from his 30-million-year journey to get here.

A sculpted stone representation of a lying dog, intricately carved from a block of stone.

~ ‘Good Dogs’ carving process ~

And so, without further ado, upon returning to The Martin Cooney Stoneworks shortly after the break I set about releasing him from the wedge-shaped block of Colorado Yule Marble. As I always do with lifelike carvings I began with the tip of the nose, slowly working left to right. I made my way from nose to tail by first carving the profile, then sculpting out the details – ears, legs and torso, after which I went back and rounded the curves with abrasive pads, until my initial vision was realized in the sculpture I had just completed. “All but the eyes” I hear you say. Yes, those reveal themselves in your mind’s eye – I just think it’s better that way, no need to complicate things. Besides, this way he can be staring off into any direction he wishes.

~ Old Dog ~

But strange as it may sound, during the entire process of carving ‘Good Old Dog’, my thoughts never once strayed to the matter of what to do with the reverse side, or ‘the back’ as I had come to think about it. Then, one night – or early morning, to be precise, as I was mulling the issue in my mind, as I am prone to do whenever sleep evades me (I always set my mind to some sort of sculpting decision, it helps me happily drift off…), I thought, why not? A Young Dog, on the other side: which is why I presented ‘Good Dogs’ as somewhat a “surprise” in my introduction. No way did I imagine when I set out to carve this sculpture that I would in fact be embarking not one, but two sculptures carved from this one sliver of a rough block.

~ ~ ~

~ Young Dog ~

And so that’s how ‘Good Dogs’ came about. No doubt you were wondering why a picture of a single dog would be entitled ‘Dogs’, but essentially this is a two-for-one offering that presents two carvings; one left to right, and one right to left. This could be the same dog at both extremes of life, a father and son, depending on which side you give prominence. And when placed in a window – which I suggest is a good place for them (as of course Colorado Yule Marble is impervious to even the hottest rays), you can present either dog, ‘Old Dog’ or ‘Young Dog’ to your neighbors depending on your mood.

~ Old Dog ~ ‘Good Dogs’ ~ Young Dog

Weighing in at a mere 28lbs, these ‘Good Dogs’ are easily picked up and moved around, so you may enjoy them any place you wish; carry them upstairs and let them sleep in your bedroom, park them on the front porch and watch for the reaction of passers-by. Place them in the middle of your dining room table, why not? The fireside would be a good spot for them, as would the entrance hall, where they would greet you upon every return home.

~ ~ ~