Stepping Stones / Web Page / COLLECTION SERIES MARBLE SCULPTURE by Martin Cooney / For Sale

Posted on February 1, 2026February 28, 2026 by Martin Cooney, Stone Sculptor

Stepping Stones / For Sale / The Liberty Collection

Colorado Yule Marble / 23 x 11 x 5″ / 20.5 lbs / SN260103

Currently Displayed at The Martin Cooney STONEWORKS

121 Liberty Street, Council Grove, Kansas 66846

Please email martincooneysculptor@gmail.com for sales information

A minimalist white sculpture resembling a curved dish, placed on a textured dark surface with soft lighting.

~ Ribbon of Marble ~

With The COLLECTION SERIES Catalog standing at 89 sculptures, it came as something of a surprise when I checked my records that upon completion of ‘Stepping Stones’, no fewer than 43 are designated as Hand Carved Marble Bowls. You can view them by clicking the Marble Bowl Gallery tab in the header, and when you do you will see for yourself just how varied they are. Some don’t even look like bowls, but I assure you they are, for each one has a hollowed-out center enabling form to seamlessly meet function in the most Curvilinear of ways. These cut outs also relive the finished carving of a great deal of dead weight, meaning they may easily be picked up and moved around, unlike traditional sculpture that often weighs as much or more than a full-grown man.

A smooth, modern ceramic dish with a wavy design, viewed from the side, resting on a wooden surface.

~ Stepping Stones ~

Some bowls are tall, brash, attention seekers, others rather demure and conform to familiar notions of bowl traditions. Some are deep and narrow, others wide and shallow, some are a combination of characteristics – but all of them flaunt their tantalizing curvature to great appeal, and most are carved so very thin that direct light illuminates their walls, creating a rare marble lightshow that really must be viewed first hand to be fully appreciated.

Please click on a photo to enlarge.

Lemonworld, with ice, Collection Series Marble Sculpture by Martin Cooney.

~ ‘Along The Way‘ top left, ‘Lemonworld‘ bottom left, ‘Biretta‘ right ~

Photographs inevitably downplay this sumptuous effect, with viewers often mistaking the source of light for light being shone onto the surface, as opposed to light penetrating the marble and being emitted through the wafer-thin walls. But upon reaching the approximate half-way point of The Liberty Collection (the 4^th in the series), at 22 sculptures, I had garnered enough experience and confidence to carve this particularly – awkward – rough block of Colorado Yule into a handsome COLLECTION SERIES Marble Bowl.

A close-up view of a textured, light-colored stone on a surface, showing its angular edges and rough surface details.

Close-up of a block of white stone with rough edges and a flat surface.

~ ‘Stepping Stones’ Rough Block on the Banker in the Workshop ~

Truth is, I found myself with some mental gymnastics to overcome when it came to this particular rough block. It was split from The Liberty Slab on the two largest surfaces with a very inconvenient hole drilled into the face of one side, and a raggedy edge going right down one of the two narrow edges. But, as I stared at the hole, the idea came to me to carve not one, but two bowls, in one, as it were. I could have simply carved around it, but, well, that would have been too simple, wouldn’t it? Better to face the challenge and realize the vision that had presented itself. In other words, I was hooked on the challenge. Why not? This was going to be a slender rendition – something to sit and display well on a well-lit shelf, preferably on or near eye-level.

~ Eye-Level Profile, with illumination effect in full view ~

The way I see it, ‘Stepping Stones’ would sit beautifully on a raised shelf – with sufficient lighting, of course, because the most visual aspect of her design is the semi-circular arch that I carved when ‘cutting out’ the hole.

The shallowness of the two bowls also facilitates eye-level placement, as the contents they hold will not get lost to view, as would be the case with a deeper contour. Any sort of fruit would sit nicely in their tidy coves – grapes always look good. Tangerines look marvelous too against the pure while stone. Nuts, pine cones and shells come to mind … just get creative. The bowls can take it. I seal all my bowls with an Italian invisible impregnating sealant; meaning they simply wipe clean, and if anything sticks to the marble, a light wipe with a soapy cloth or sponge will do the trick, just wipe dry with a clean cloth or paper towel before you put it away or back on display.

A smooth, white decorative bowl with an asymmetrical shape, resting on a dark textured surface.

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A smooth, white, abstract ceramic or molded object with two rounded depressions, placed on a dark textured surface.

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A smooth, abstract white marble bowl with curved edges, placed on a dark textured surface.

~ Two Bowls in One ~

As with all my COLLECTION SERIES marble sculpture, ‘Stepping Stones’ has my signature, its name, serial number and my own personal Mark etched on the underside of its base – or in this case … its two bases.

Please enjoy this pleasant, unassuming, cheerfully tidy bowl wherever you wish. She is a cinch to pick up and move around. Simply clear your path, make sure pets and young children don’t get under your feet, embrace her close to your body and walk her from one favored spot to the next, placing her down gently wherever your mood or whim dictates. I think that of all the canny ideas for display items, sea shells would take to this bowl like a fish to water, which is not just a natty pun, but a factual reunion. You see, marble is metamorphosed limestone. And limestone is created by warm shallow seas; coral reefs, fossils of fish, tiny vertebrae, skeletal remains and, of course, shellfish. Meaning, these lucky shells would simply be reuniting with their ancestors, in a strange sort of way.

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~ The Carving Process ~