Listening to Stone - Hardcover

Snow, Dan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1579653715 ISBN 13: 9781579653712

Publisher: Artisan Books, 2008

Synopsis

In his highly anticipated second book, Dan Snow once again proves that he is not just one of America's premier artisans, but also one of the most articulate voices on the natural world and our relationship to it. Snow's medium is stone: He is the nation's premier dry stone wall builder. Schooled in this ancient craft, he painstakingly creates structures as breathtaking as sculpture with nothing but gravity as their glue. In "Listening To Stone", Peter Mauss' tactile photographs of Snow's artistry are matched by the artisan's quietly compelling prose. Snow demonstrates astonishing range as he touches on such subjects as geology, philosophy, and community. We learn that stone's grace comes from its unique characteristics-its capacity to give, its surprising fluidity, its ability to demand respect, and its role as a steadying force in nature. In these fast-paced times, Snow's life's work offers an antidote: the luxury of patience, the bounty and quietude of nature, the satisfaction of sweat. 'Work with stone,' he ultimately tells us, 'because stone is so much work'.

About this title

Synopsis

Stone structures elicit a true sense of wonder and are admired for their timelessness, beauty, and landscaping uses. The labour and artistry that go into Dan Snow's creations are just amazing - he is an artisan who builds walls, terraces, sheds bridges, and other beautiful and harmonious forms out of dry stone. Stone's engaging, rhapsodic prose reveals the nuance and beauty of this craft - and of an artist's relationship to nature. In thoughtful musings and detailed accounts of projects, "With Every Stone" explains the how to of stonework, but also the why.We learn that stone's grace comes from its unique characteristics - its capacity to give, its surprising fluidity, its ability to demand respect, its power to keep time and memories, and its role as a steadying force in nature. The reflections touch upon themes including family, nature, home, solitude, and endurance. Above all else though, "With Every Stone" tells a story about life's lessons - one of inspiration and history, art and nature, labour and love.

About the Author

Peter Mauss is a photographer of architecture, interior design, and landscapes. He lives in Vermont and New York. Since 1976, Dan Snow has been hand-building unique drystone constructions for clients in New England and abroad. He is one of only a handful of Americans certified by Great Britain's Dry Stone Walling Association. He lectures and leads workshops and is the subject of the documentary film Stone Rising. He lives in Dummerston, Vermont.

Edition details

• Publisher: Artisan Books
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1579653715
• ISBN 13: 9781579653712
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160