The Andamooka Tiger
Feature in the April, 23 edition of Artist Close Up magazine
Cal the Stoner and The Andamooka Tiger feature in the April, 23 edition of Artist Close Up magazine. A monthly digital magazine that features contemporary artists from around the world. Cal features on page 74/75.
Latest news, March 2022
Work on The Goddess commences.
Cal the Stoner commenced on The Goddess, his 16th Intricarved stone sculpture.
The Goddess will stand am imposing 6'9 the sculptors modern take on the classical nude style.
As always the devil is in the detail and it's the intricate details undertaken by Cal the Stoner that places his body of work as truly unique.
is Intricarved - cosa mia
Intricarved stone sculpture description
When pressed to illuminate Intricarved, Cal replied "to the crux of it, I'm a creator, not a copier. If someone thinks they can find this anywhere else in the world they couldn't be more wrong. This here..." he flicks his hand towards his 16th - The Goddess "...is Intricarved - cosa mia."
Intricarved is a sculptural technique that contains a picture/image or patterns in two or more colours created by Australian sculptor Cal the Stoner (Prohasky) in 2011. The lines, textural features and colour changes in an Intricarved sculpture are those found naturally within the stone.
Differently coloured stones cannot abut one another, only the same colour can. The lines and colour variations needed for each separate stone in the sculpture are found in larger pieces of stone, Cal then uses his hammer and chisel to get the piece out and then shape it's features to form the next interlocking piece. The process repeated until the sculpture is completed.
In The Andamooka Tiger’s case over 2000 times.
Though some individual stone faces are the size of a small coin they have a depth of 25mm (1 inch) to 100mm (4 inches). No stones are a thin facade like a tile, they all have depth and strength where each added stone compounds the inner strength.
A stone coming loose is impossible!
Intricately carved stone art
Up close and personal in this image from The Andamooka Tiger. You can see how each rock contains lines of red and cream-gold pigmentation occurring in the unique vein of Australian Grampians sandstone that Cal predominately works in. You can also see how the stonemason has chiseled each rock to interlock tightly into the sculpture, whilst continuing the sculptures desired image.
Four more rocks to make and nearing the end to 8,000 hours work. Not counting the hours I was building it in my sleep
Sculptor’s log November 2021 The Andamooka Tiger
Latest news, 29 Feb 24
Cal the Stoner wrote the storyline....in the news again.
A flood which isolated the outback town of Andamooka from suppliers for two weeks is being remembered through a performative puppet show.
Andamooka artist Cal the Stoner wrote the storyline for the puppet show.
(Photo: Leila Day)
Latest news, April 23
Planet Zep on exhibit at the Dine-a-Mite Cafe, Andamooka
Planet Zep, the 14th Intricarved stone sculpture is orbiting a while at the Dine-A-Mite Cafe, Andamooka. Thanks to the Alex Theatre, St Kilda, for taking good care of it for the last couple of years, and a special thanks to Suzi Q for setting that up for me.
View Cal the Stoner's body of work on the sculpture gallery page
A bit about the South Australian opal mining town Andamooka
The outback opal mining town of Andamooka
Andamooka is a quirky opal mining town in the South Australian outback. Andamooka is located 612 kilometres north of Adelaide. Famous for it's rainbow matrix opal and the quintessential Australian desert lifestyle. In this photo Cal's tiger pal Roary, the model for The Andamooka Tiger, sits on a small rocky outcrop. Recreating a bygone scene of 'the executioner' lounging on his moss covered rocky outlook awaiting a thirsty, though wary megafauna victim.
Andamooka rainbow matrix opal
The Andamooka Tiger claws flash the vivid colours of the Andamooka rainbow matrix opal. The sculpture features rainbow matrix claws and tail tip. Matrix opal teeth and pupils. Honey matrix eyes and black matrix nose.
The Andamooka opal field is one of the oldest opals fields in Australia. Discovered in the 1930’s. It contains a significant variation of host rock producing numerous opal variations. Observing the aptly named rainbow matrix opal. Movement of your gaze or changes in light can ignite a display of vivid flashing colour. The rainbow seemingly plays across the stone. A spectrum of light energy.
Opal mined from the Andamooka opal fields dates to the cretaceous period, when the desert was an inland sea. Andamooka derives from the Indigenous name meaning ‘large waterhole.’ When the great ancestor rainbow serpent came down to earth, the stones and pebbles turned to opals wherever its belly lay.
Andamooka obervatory tours
Tour the Andamooka opal fields by day or under the desert skies with the crew: Leila, Conan and Dave the Mad Scientist from The Andamooka Observatory.