Going into his fifth year as M S Foley Stoneworks, Michael Foley is entering 2015 with renewed focuses on the creation of functional stone products and fine art stone sculptures. There has been some retooling and relocation of equipment happening to facilitate larger wet processing which was previously possible only as outdoor work. Necessity may be the mother of creation, and the winter of 2015 has created some real necessities!
Michael is in the process of ramping up the production of granite, slate and marble products such as rolling pins, soap dishes, cheese boards and mortar and pestle sets, with a few new products coming on line this spring. The gallery and studio separation is now complete, allowing a larger display area for these items, as well as a more presentable studio/work area for the upcoming Open Studio Tours, as well as other events in the early planning stages.
At the same time, his sculpture work is focusing more closely on nautical and marine subjects. Completed in the fall, his Humpback Whale sculpture, a 23 inch long three dimensional carving in Black African granite, will be first displayed for sale at the North Shore Arts Association’s 2015 New Members show in March. A new series of high relief marine animal wall hanging sculptures has begun with an 18 inch long Atlantic Cod carved in beige Indian granite, and a nautilus shell of the same format has been started.
In addition to being on display, many of his sculptures and stone products will appear on the newly recreated M S Foley Stoneworks website which may be seen at http://msfoleystoneworks.com. Michael, his wife Ann, and their hound Madonna are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors on the 2015 Cape Ann Artisans’ Open Studio Tours!
