Snake Charmer - 2023



I am often inspired by primitive artifacts encountered when reading about archaeology and ancient cultures. Moved by a limestone carving from Turkey, I created Snake Charmer out of beautiful granite from Brazil.



Reaching back 10 thousand years



Where we ended up - a smooth, glistening piece of stone with mesmerizing inclusions. Dimensions: 14x7x5 inches, about 45 lbs.



The inspiration - a broken artifact with a missing face, pronounced ears and a rising snake.



Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period, found at Nevalı Çori in south-eastern Turkey, site with some earliest known monumental sculptures.



Shaping the form with angle grinder. In a nod to the artifact, the facial features are muted, subdued - if not exactly missing.



Using a trickle of water to cool the diamond blades and help reduce airborne stone dust.



Shaping with grinding cup, cutting eyes with a core bit. Am reminded of Boris Karloff's Frankenstein, but it's not where we're going.



Shaping the ears, adding some neck jowls and softening the head.



When wet, the true color of the stone comes through, even before polishing.



Polishing with 15, 30, 50 and 100-grit diamond polishing pads. Much time is spent with 15-grit, to erase most grinder scratches.



Intense gaze of The Charmer: either in a trance as part of a spirit ritual or just now realizing that there is indeed a snake on his head.



Close-up of snake's head & fangs, looking almost walrus-like.



Snake's body rising up the back.





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