Becoming a stone carver in modern times is often seen as a peculiar choice, given the high cost and difficulty of working with stone. However, for many, once the idea takes hold, it becomes an undeniable path, driven by an inherent passion.

Every project typically begins with a sketch. If a live model is available, a clay model is created first. This allows the carver to explore the form, understand the subject's features, and work out ideas in a malleable medium before committing to stone. Clay's ease of manipulation means mistakes can be quickly corrected without preciousness.

The transition from imagination, through the eyes and hands, into a block of stone is described as an incredible feeling. Stone carvers often find deep satisfaction in taking raw earth and transforming it into something beautiful and enduring, a unique experience compared to other art forms.

Carving relies on instinct, keen observation, and the ability to translate vision into physical action with a chisel. The process is mentally demanding, requiring constant decision-making and problem-solving, leading to exhaustion by the end of each day. The sound of a well-sharpened chisel smoothly entering stone is incredibly satisfying.

When carving a human face, the carver must understand that skin is a continuous, undulating surface, with tension and slack in different areas. Attempting to create stark differences, such as at the edges of lips, can make the face look unnatural.

Stone carving requires extensive training and continuous learning with every new project. The payoff lies in creating something that takes up physical space, possesses permanence, and will hopefully outlast the creator. The carver desires their work to show the material pushed to its limits, for viewers to see themselves in it, and to provoke thought and discussion about its meaning and purpose.