Maximilian Crothers
I was put here to live a life of ultimate chaos, and find ways to see the order in it and work with that flow. With a background in Environmental Horticulture, I worked directly with the Earth for years, I was a sparky for some years after that and learned to weld and carve stone in the meantime. I currently work as an Engineering Fabricator in Port Angeles, Washington where I reside, and garden ;). My ancillary fixations include beer, cider, and wine making, hiking, carpentry, rock whispering, all things art, and did I mention gardening.
The Process
People often ask what I use to make sculpture and the answer is anything I can get my hands on. Anything I can imagine that may help me change the shape, texture, or finish on stone is called to the studio. Sometimes tools are made or modified per project to meet the needs of the imagination. I tend to hand pick my material which allows me to select the character, integrity, color, and shape of each piece. This process is greatly where visions arise for what that stone wants to become.
“There's nothing remarkable about [playing an instrument]. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself." - J. S. Bach
I feel stone sculpture is half like this and half about what I have in mind. When working I often think about how to peel back layers until the stone speaks for itself. The beauty and therapeutic aspect in the process for me is that I can turn all of my feelings into a raw form of creative motivation. Often tears and laughter are poured over my work because it heals me. At the end of a day in the studio, it all turns into a beautiful process, as much as a beautiful result.
I always tell people its okay to touch the sculptures because I believe this kind of work is meant to be interacted with, not just seen. I also believe that all stones when presented well, deeply inspire people. This world has such a vast amount of creative force and when an artist makes these attributes presentable, a great deal of the viewer's experience comes from the awe that mother nature has made something so beautiful, and someone has made the gesture to show us what this world is capable of.
The art is just a compliment.