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The owl of Minerva flies at dusk
Without the use of power tools, carving becomes a gradual scraping away of the stone. I use files, rasps, knives, and dental tools, and then polish the piece with various grades of steel wool and rubbing compounds. Finally, a coat of carnauba wax is applied to provide some protection and to enhance the colors. Soapstone is a hydrous magnesium silicate, a form of dolomite, geologically named steatite, and commonly known as talc. Metamorphic in nature, it is usually found at altitudes of 5,000 to 7,000 feet, and is mined in both open-pit and underground mines. The mineral has a smoothness which makes it pleasant to touch, and its name comes from the fact that it is as slippery as soap when wet. It is used in the cosmetic, paint, paper, and ceramic industries, and is the basic ingredient in talcum powder. Soapstone is very soft, (#1-3 on the Mohs scale with diamonds at #10), and excellent for carving, but if care is not taken, it can easily be scratched or chipped. At the same time, it loves to be felt, and oils from the hands only enhance its beauty. Found all over the world, soapstone is best known through the unique carvings of Inuits (Eskimos), Chinese, and some African tribes. I have carved soapstone from the Appalachian states, Washington, India, Africa, and Australia. But most of the soapstone I use comes from Montana. It is called dendritic soapstone and the dark blue-grey, mossy patterns are called dendrites. Dendrites were caused by manganese seeping into the soapstone sometime during its formation. Unlike the veining in marble, the dendrites do not run all the way through the piece. The sculptor has little control of their placement as they disappear and reappear during the carving process. Dendritic soapstone is rare (especially large pieces) and it is, thus far, only found in southwestern Montana—by coincidence, near a town named Cameron. Within a quarter-mile area, along with the white, dendritic soapstone, there are patches of mauve (pink), blue, and gold dendritic soapstone. These colors are even more rare and in some places the basically white stone mixed with them to produce still other colors. The stone is asbestos-free and is highly coveted by sculptors, despite its relatively higher price. Care should be taken to display the pieces in a protected location. Oils from handling cause no harm. An occasional dusting is all the cleaning required. Washing, and especially soaking in water, is discouraged.
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The photographs below and on the three other Soapstone pages represent several of my owls currently for sale. Many of my owls are freestanding. Those on bases are pinned and epoxy glued to the base for added durability. I should have all of the owls not marked "SOLD," but once in a while, I forget to mark one. Watch this site for periodic updates. And remember, these are all one-of-a-kind, so don't expect, look for, or want to order a duplicate. The NOTE: If you have any large pieces, 20 pounds or more, of Montana dendritic soapstone, I will pay top price. |
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MOONSTRUCK * Perhaps it is wondering why the moon is so full or why the moon is there at all. Carving this Montana dendritic soapstone owl used most of the stone, and you can click here to see what the rough stone looked like. When sold, I still hope to be able to submit this owl to a few exhibitions in the next year or so. Price: $7,500.00 |
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PLEASE NOTE:In 2016, Moonstruck was included in the invitational exhibition of Wisconsin's Native American Art, In Our Midst, at the Scarabocchio Art Museum, 800 Main Street, Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Moonstruck was one of 94 works of "bird art," selected from over 800 entries, to be included in the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s 42nd annual Birds in Art exhibition in 2017. After the close of Birds in Art at the Woodson Museum in Wausau, Moonstruck was one of sixty works chosen for the annual tour. Venues included: The Chicago Academy of Sciences In 2019, Moonstruck was accepted in the Society of Animal Artists annual exhibition, at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas.
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THE GLEANER July 28, 2017 The Gleaner has been chosen from the 57th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Animal Artists for the 2017-2018 Art and the Animal National Tour. The tour venues are:
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THE GLEANER The Gleaner was selected for the 2015 Birds in Art exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin. This prestigious, international "bird art" exhibition is a highlight in any artist's career and this was my thirteenth time (the fifth time in a row!) to have a sculpture accepted. MAY 1, 2017 : GOOD NEWS MAY 1, 2019 GOOD NEWS
Price: $9,500.00
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In October, 2016: I was extremely honored to report that my steatite (soapstone) sculpture, "Not in My Backyard," was chosen from the 56th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Animal Artists, currently at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, for inclusion in the 2016-2017 "Art and the Animal" National Tour. After the exhibition closed in Houston on January 1, 2017, NMBY traveled to these venues: THE HIRAM BLAUVELT STERNBERG MUSEUM MUSEUM OF THE
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NOT IN MY BACK YARD Not in My Backyard was selected for the 2014 Birds in Art exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin. This prestigious, international "bird art" exhibition is a highlight in any artist's career and this was my twelfth time (the fourth time in a row) to have a sculpture accepted. Not in My Back Yard, was selected for the 56th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Animal Artists, to be displayed from September 23, 2016 through January 1, 2017 at The Houston Museum of Natural Science. NIMBY is another piece of dendritic soapstone that I received from a sculptor in Montana. The piece was a bit intimidating. I looked at it every day for over a year, and it didn't talk to me. Then I decided to just rough it in and, suddenly, it offered me three ways to carve it. (I hope I chose the best way.) The owl is approximately 12.5" high, 12" wide, and 8.5" deep. It is sitting on a dark-stained cherry base that is 2.25" high, 9" wide , and 13.5" deep. (This is one of the last, large pieces of Montana dendritic soapstone available to me. Large pieces are extremely rare.)
Price: $8,250.00
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PENNSYLVANIA
What a huge rush! What a sublime justification for the very existence of the stone. Unlike that which usually happens, the wanting and expecting were much outdone by the having. Thank you very much. |
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SOAPSTONE #1 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #1 While this is a tiny owl, with attitude, the small piece of soapstone has just a touch of iron to produce its color. This is dendritic soapstone with all of the manganeze dendrites on the sides and back of the owl. The owl is 2.75+" high, 1.25" wide, and .75" deep. The dark-stained walnut base is 1" high and 2" square.
Price: $150.00
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SOAPSTONE #2 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #2 A nice, small piece of Montana, dendritic soapstone revealed this owl. The back is smooth and polished, This owl is 2.75" high, 1.75" wide, and only .75" deep. It is on a 2" square by 1" high dark-stained base.
Price: $100.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #3 click owl for larger images
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After being roughed in, sometimes the piece of stone says, "Go ahead, make me a little bizare." Such is the case with this very angular owl. This owl definitely has attitude or, perhaps, I will just say, "character." It has nice dendrites but only a few on the back.
Price: $395.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #4 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #4 The dendrites are here and there and very distinct. I really like the lines of this owl, but that is just my taste. You don't have to agree. The owl is carved on three sides. Be sure to look at the larger photos. He is 5.75" high, 3.75" wide, and 2.5" deep and mounted on a dark stained oak base that is 2" high and 3" square. Price: $325.00 P |
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SOAPSTONE #5 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #5 This owl is carved in Montana dendritic soapstone and ended up, not only on a triangular wooded base, but an acrylic base below that. He sits backwards, looking over his wing. Carved on three sides, the back is smooth and polished. It stands 4.75" high, 2.5"wide and 1.75" deep. The dark-stained cherry triangle sits on an acrylic base which is 3" square and 1" high
Price: $250.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #6 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #6 As you can see, the coloring is entirely different on this small, tactile piece. There is evidence of dendrites, but the manganese created some swirls, as well. It is carved, more or less, on three sides with the back smooth and polished. The owl stands about 1.75" high and is 2" wide and a little more than .75" deep
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SOAPSTONE #7 click owl for larger images |
SOAPSTONE #7 A rather interesting pose and a rare piece of Montana stone makes this little owl a keeper. With its face hidden behind the wing, and extremely thin, there is only enough owl to prove its very existence. It is actually carved on three sides. The owl is about 2.5" high x 2.25" wide x .5" deep. The dark-stained oak base is .5" high x 1.4" x 3" long.
Price: $145.00
Price: $995.00
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click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #8 This owl has quite an angular approach. Its personality, however, is quite different. The owl is about 2.75" high, 3" wide, and a little over 1.5" deep. It is carved on three sides, and the back is smooth and polished. The base is walnut and 3" square. 1.5" high.
Price: $250.00 P |
click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #9 This is a rather "subtle" owl, simply carved and, as is evident, the dendrites are nice and the back is smooth and polished. The larger photos show the image much better. The owl is 3.5" high x 2.25" wide, and 1.25" deep. The walnut base is 3" x 2" x 1+" high.
Price: $950.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #10 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #10 This is another returned piece, carved in 2009. The owl is carved only on the surface you see here. The rest is smooth, as the larger photos reveal. Maybe I shouldn't be the one to say it, but I love its simplicity. The sculpture is a good representation of dendritic soapstone and is a little over 3" high, 2"wide, and 1.25" deep. It is mounted on a dark-stained cherry base, 1" high x 3" x 2.5" . Price: $175.00
Price: 250.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #11 click owl for larger images
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Things are looking up for this owl. As you can see it is looking up. It was a rather flat piece of dendritic soapstone, but turned out to be a beauty. The owl has a lot of character and is 4.5" high, 4.5" wide and 1.25" deep. The back is smooth and polished. It is mounted on a walnut base which is 4" x 3" x 1.5" high.
Price: $175.00 |
ENGLAND Just a short note to let you know that your soapstone owl arrived safely this
morning. It is a wonderful piece and beautifully carved. I would also like
to thank you for your generosity with the postage and for enclosing the
note cards. Hopefully you will be hearing from me again soon!
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SOAPSTONE #12 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #12
(MMoCA) |
SOAPSTONE #13 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #13
The piece stands 4" high and is mounted on a dark-stained cherry base 3" x 3" x 1.25" high.
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SOAPSTONE #14 click owl for larger images
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Looking at the photo, this owl appears quite small but it is a pretty hefty piece. The larger photos show the coloration much better than I can describe, being a bit colorblind. Some would say that the face of the owl shows better from another angle. but you can be the judge of that. The owl is 6.25" high, 4" wide, and 4" deep. This would look nice on a low table or shelf. Price: $895.00
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SOAPSTONE #15 click owl for larger images |
"You say, what?" This little owl has attitude, as it gazes at the moon. It is a nice example of Montana dendritic soapstone. The manganese is shown in a variety of "uses," as the dendritic pattern and swirls. The owl is 3.5" high, 3" wide, and 1.75 " deep. Since it is rather triangular, it is carved on two surfaces and the back is smooth. The owl is mounted on a walnut base that is 1" high and 2.5" square.
Price: $250.00CA |
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SOAPSTONE #16 click owl for larger images |
SOAPSTONE #16
Price: $150.00
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SOAPSTONE #17 click owl for larger images
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This is a very thin slab of dendritic soapstone. It is carved almost the same on both sides. The pupil of the eye has been drilled out. The owl is 3" high, 4" wide, and .75" thick at its thickest point. It is mounted on a walnut base.
Price: $175.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #18 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #18 The face might resemble a barn owl but the body says otherwise. Check the larger photos to see the way the manganese colored this owl. There are streaks as well as well-defined dendrites, adding up to a nice piece of stone. The owl is about 3.75" high, 3" wide, and 2.5" deep. It is mounted on a dark-stained oak base that is 3" square and 2" high.
Price: $295.00 |
SOAPSTONE #19 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #19
This one is about 5+" high, 3" wide, and 3" deep. It is mounted on a walnut base, 1.75" high and 3" square. Check out the larger photos for this one, too.
Price: $375.00
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SOAPSTONE #20 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #20 "Never look back" is certainly not the motto of this owl, for that is exactly what it is doing. The odd-shaped piece of stone just took me along to create this owl. The dendrites are well-defined and the owl is carved on the side, shown, and the two ends, while the back is smooth and polished. It is 3" high, 5.5" wide, and 1.25" at its deepest point. The base is cherry and is 1" high, 6.5" long and a little over 2" deep.
Price: $395.00
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SOAPSTONE #21
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SOAPSTONE #21 This is another, more abstract piece. As I have said, the stone just dictates what I am to carve and it does offer some variety in my carvings. The larger photos show it off much better. The owl is a little over 3.75" high, 2.75" wide and 1.5" deep. It sits on a cherry base that is 2.5" square and 1" high.
Price: $195. .0 |
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SOAPSTONE #22
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SOAPSTONE #22 Is this owl thinking that everything is "looking up?" or is it seeking a higher power to make things better? You can see almost all of the carving, as the back is smooth and polished. The dendrites are numerous but not intrusive. The owl, itself, is about 2.25" high x 2.75" wide x 3.5" deep. It is mounted on a walnut base which is 3" square" and 1.75" high.
Price: $ |
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SOAPSTONE #23
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SOAPSTONE #23 A rather tall and thin owl, it embodies a very fine example of dendritic soapstone. The back of the owl is smooth and polished. It is mounted on an oak base that is 2" x 2" x 1" high. The owl is about 2.25" wide, 2.25" deep and 4.75" high.
Price: $175.00 |
SOAPSTONE #24 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #24 This piece of stone has just a touch of iron in it, which gives it a golden color. This is rare. It also has a few dendrites, here and there, as seen in the larger photos. The owl is alittle over1.5" high, 2.25" wide, and about 1.25" deep. The back is smooth and polished. This is a "touchy/feely" piece (if you aren't too rough), so it is not on a base.
Price: $22Price: $100.00
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click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #25 Talk about large eyes, this owl has them. But only one of them shows. This owl is not carved all the way around, but it comes from a nice piece of soapstone with nice dendrites. The owl, itself, is 3.75" high, 3" wide, and 2.5" deep. It is mounted on an dark-stained oak base that is 3" x 3" x 1.75" high. Price: $350.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #26 click owl for larger images |
SOAPSTONE #26 The owl has dendrites and swirls on manganese with a streak of iron coloration on the front and a splotch of the color on top. Hiding behind its wing, it is a signature piece, too, and has a smooth and polished back. The owl is about 3" high, 2.5" wide, and 2" deep. It sits on a dark-stained cherry base, 2" square x 1" high. Price: $195.00 e: $165
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SOAPSTONE #27 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #27 With its very light color and simple carving, this owl possesses a delicate impression despite its stern look. There are no dendrites and only a hint of manganeze on the back. The owl is 1" high, 1.25" wide, and a little over .5" deep. Check out the larger photos.
Price: $75.00 |
SOAPSTONE #28 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #28 This owl is carved on three sides and the back, such as it is, is smooth and polished. The owl is 3" high, 2 " wide, and about 2" deep. The dark-stained cherry base is 2" square and 1" high. Price: $150.00 i |
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SOAPSTONE #29 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #29 I love to polish a finished piece and have this combination of colors pop out. The manganese swirls in a dark purple or slightly mauve (for me, anyway) on a lighter background. Mounted as it is, perhaps this should have been a fish rather than an owl. However, I like to put them in odd poses, if the stone allows or insists. The owl is 2.5" high, 4.25" wide, and 2" deep. It is mounted on a cherry base which is 4.25" x 2.25" x 1" high. Price: $225.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #30 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #30 There are dendrites almost everywhere on this owl and I have no control over where the dendrites appear. However, this owl seems to have them in all the right places and its detail shows up just fine. It is carved all the way around. The owl is 5" high, 3.5" wide, and 3" deep. It sits on a walnut base that is 2" high x 4" square. Price: $375.00
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SOAPSTONE #31 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #31 As the larger photos reveal, this is a nice piece of stone representing a quite angular owl. The dendritic pattern varies from intense to subtle. This owl is pretty much carved on the front with the rest of it smooth and polished. The owl is 3.5" high, 5.5" wide and 3" deep at its widest point. It is mounted on a natural walnut base, 3.75" x 3 " x 1.25" Price: $295.00 |
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SOAPSTONE #32 click owl for larger images
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SOAPSTONE #32 Another signature piece with half the owl's face hiding behind a wing, this is a nice example of Montana soapstone. Even though there are no dendrites, there are nice flecks of iron, here and there. As the larger photos show, this owl is carved on the front, and the back is smooth and polished. The owl stands 3.75 " high, 2.25 wide, and 1" deep. It is mounted on a stained mahogany base that is a 2.5" square and 1" high.
Price: $175.00 |
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To go to Soapstone |
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If you would like to see some owls I have sold
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Cameron Owls
Clarence P. Cameron
633 Cedar Street
Madison, WI 53715-2117
608-770-5684
clarowl@charter.net
Copyright ©1999-2021
Cameron Owls
Clarence P. Cameron
All Rights Reserved
label next to an owl reflects the fact that the owl is new to the Web site. It is usually a new carving, too, but not necessarily. 
CLICK ON THIS OWL