why carve?

[Norman Watts <Norman_Watts@zzzzzzz>]

It was interesting to hear what folks like about stone carving and the
obvious cross-connection to aesthetics. My original questions was, what
is it that Especially motivates you at certain moments (like when you
can't wait to get at it, or when you can't stand it anymore but have
to)? I figured that that one act or image would be the core and nut or
what you really truly like about carving stone (as opposed to knitting
rugs maybe??). In retrospect though I think the question was mostly
directed at myself as a reassess my course. Still, it was interesting
to see how people have come to their life.

On another issue. I was just away for three days attending a meeting
held near Gettysburg, PA. For the non-Americans out there, Gettysburg
was the site of the major battle of the Civil war. It covers some 42
square miles, and was the scene of thousands upon thousands of deaths
(at one point, I calculated, 1.5 people dying every second).  It lasted
three days and one can only wonder how the soldiers felt as morning was
coming and, having seen the previous day, they new another like it was
about to begin. There are innumerable statues and memorials, and some
areas look like a cemetery. One thing that struck me though was this. A
small, blurry b/w photo of dead sniper, and a case of surgeon's
amputation tools moved me immensely, but to all those many, many stone
monuments I didn't react at all. Just cold stone and short change.

Yet another question, there is a huge memorial, for Pennsylvania I
believe, near the center of the battlefield, displaying Ionic columns.
It occurred to me, there is so much symbolism that has been carved into
this memorial (oak leaves, laurel leaves) but what do Ionic columns
mean, as opposed to say, Corinthian?

n

Norman Watts, Ph. D.
National Institutes of Health
50 South Drive, Rm. 1509
Bethesda, MD 20892-8025
Phone: (301) 402-3418
Fax: (301) 480-7629