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Back view of contemporary stone carving :  a marble torso of a woman curvaceous butt and angled shoulder blades, art sculpture by Kelly Borsheim
Curvaceous arch of the back into the bum a view in profile of a marble torso of a woman, Colorado Yule Marble sculpture by Kelly Borsheim
This point of view looks up towards the marble torso of a woman to show the elegance of several viewpoints in this sold work of art by Kelly Borsheim
Here you may see how the top of the female marble torso follows the shape of an open book.  This is intentional by the artist sculptor Kelly Borsheim.  Shown here at her first, and last exhibit with a large female nude painting in the background. The work sold immediately.
The art booth exhibit of bronze nudes of men or women, as well as this white marble nude torso of a woman.  Art by Kelly Borsheim
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Back view of contemporary stone carving :  a marble torso of a woman curvaceous butt and angled shoulder blades, art sculpture by Kelly Borsheim
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Curvaceous arch of the back into the bum a view in profile of a marble torso of a woman, Colorado Yule Marble sculpture by Kelly Borsheim
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, This point of view looks up towards the marble torso of a woman to show the elegance of several viewpoints in this sold work of art by Kelly Borsheim
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Here you may see how the top of the female marble torso follows the shape of an open book.  This is intentional by the artist sculptor Kelly Borsheim.  Shown here at her first, and last exhibit with a large female nude painting in the background. The work sold immediately.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The art booth exhibit of bronze nudes of men or women, as well as this white marble nude torso of a woman.  Art by Kelly Borsheim

zSOLD ~ Marble Torso 2004

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  • "Marble Torso"
  •  Colorado Yule Marble sculpture
  • one-of-a-kind
  • 24" h x 13" x 11"
  • © 2004 Kelly Borsheim
  • Private Collection, Austin, Texas

Marble Torso 2004, Carving the Stone:

 

As a direct carver, I draw the design on at least three sides of the marble block, and then I start to cut away what is not part of the form. The very beginning of my stone carving, at the MARBLE/marble Symposium in Marble, Colorado, near the quarry.

It is important as I carve to keep the energy of my design, in this case, the subtle twist of the upper torso of a woman. Artist Kelly Borsheim uses a pneumatic hammer to chip away at her marble sculpture of a female torso.


    Above: This marble torso was started in July 2004. I had the idea for the piece as I was driving up to Colorado to carve in the mountains near the Yule Marble Quarry. I remembered a sketch I had done of a dancer during a performance of the Harlem Ballet in Austin, Texas. I did not have the sketch with me, or a maquette, but I was pleased with my crayon sketch on the stone itself (see image on the left).

 

     Note in the finished piece how the top of the torso is shaped like an open book.

 

     I had a slab of marble cut off the back since the stone was too deep for my drawing and I will use the leftover stone for some other works of art. The second image is of my carving site. I get great energy from the mountains and the surrounding marble and trees.

 

     The third image shows how I am removing stone based on the silhouettes of my drawing on each side. I am constantly redrawing as lines emerge. Colorado-based carver Jack Haggerty took the fourth photo. I am using a pneumatic chisel to remove scored stone fast.

 

Refining the Shape:

 

Here you see the drawing marks made by the artist on the marble. Using her Bantam pneumatic chisel, artist Kelly Borsheim carves marble, refining the sensual curves of the torso Using a green stone pneumatic tool, artist Kelly Borsheim starts to smooth the stone surface, removing her chisel marks from the marble sculpture.


    Above: The image on the left shows my markings on the marble. I use different colored crayons to tell me different kinds of information. Of course, the color of the markings often is determined by what is within reach at the moment I see something.

 

     The image in which I am wearing a flowered sari was taken by California-based carver Bob O'Neill and the image on the right is a self portrait taken two days later.

 

More Refining the of the Torso Sculpture:

Back in her studio in Texas, sculptor Kelly Borsheim trims the left hip of the female torso with a diamond disc blade. Here using the light and shadow lines to see how to file the form to develop the perfect shape.

    Above: August 2, 2004. My brother Steve took the photo of me slicing off some the hip of the marble torso just 2 days after I turned 40 years old. He flew in from North Carolina to surprise me and we had a great visit. I let him help with the cut, so now he has some stone carving experience, too.

    I included the image on the right so that you could see the difference a great file makes in removing tool marks and creating a wonderful soft form to the stone. I tilted the torso on her back and have filed and shaped most of the breast on the top half of the image. The bottom half (rib cage) shows the tool marks that I have since removed.

    This finishing work is what takes the longest for me. It is almost a love-hate relationship at this point. I hate that it takes me so long because I work and I wait -- watching how the sun moves across the sculpture, how the changing light falls across the form. I reshape what I find displeasing.

     On the other hand, this is the most intimate stage of the sculpting process because I examine every inch of the stone. I caress each part, knowing that my fingers often give me more information than my eyes can. And I remember what drew me to this idea and to this stone in the first place. For me, the sweetest step is actually bringing the work to what I consider complete.

    This marble torso was completed on October 6, 2004.  And sold at the next exhibition shortly thereafter.   However, if you would like a similar torso, I would be happy to carve this elegant form for you!


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