Artist bio, Cal the Stoner
Cal the Stoner is an artisan stonemason turned sculptor and creator of the sculptural technique, Intricarved stone sculpture.
Over the many years working and travelling Australia Cal had been pondering… he needed a sculptural technique to commence the host of creative concepts that were persistently fermenting.
It was in 2010 that Cal’s creative planets aligned.
Cal came across a unique vein of stone that contained all the characteristics required to commence work on his concepts. Cal then received a commission to create a sculptural work at a property in Kyneton, nearby Melbourne.
The 1st Intricarved stone sculpture Cal completed is Stone River #4. Stone River #4 is 2.6 meters long by 1.74 meters high. Weighing approximately 3 ton.
This initial large-scale work led to the development of smaller, ‘portable’ sculptures. The first portable sculpture and 2nd in the Intricarved series is the scaled down Stone River. #6 death adder.
Walls became cubes. Cubes became planets. Planets became pyramids.
Pyramids became animate objects. Free forming patterns and images became carefully constructed detail.
During this time Cal completed numerous live installations. Sculpting to live audiences at The Laneway Artspace and the Lost Trades Fair and exhibiting around Melbourne with the St Kilda Art Crawl and Sculptors Association of Victoria.
Each new Cal the Stoner Intricarved stone artwork presents an investigation into the construction process and further propels Cal’s skills as a sculptor.
Family, friends and the many who are drawn along the way ensure Cal’s creative momentum keeps rolling. However it is Cal’s sheer determination that is the driving force.
Each sculpture by Cal the Stoner bears a Cal brass plaque of authenticity. Handmade by collaborator Ben Feyen.
In 2022 following four years full-time sculpting, Cal completed his masterpiece and 15th Intricarved stone sculpture, The Andamooka Tiger.
Work has commenced on the 16th Intricarved stone artwork, The goddess.
Cal draws on his many interests and conversations for inspiration.
In 2010. Cal, as they say, downed tools on his trade. Focusing his hammer, chisel and expertise gained over 30 years as a stonemason purely on sculpting.
In September 2022, Cal the Stoner has commenced work on his next piece and the 16th Intricarved stone artwork, The goddess.
All of Cal's work is self-funded.
Cal sculpting the first ‘portable’ work. Stone River #6 death adder at the Kyneton Lost Trades Fair.
Cal the Stoner sculpts primarily in a unique vein of Australian Grampians sandstone
Cal sculpts primarily in a unique vein of Grampians sandstone ... Sandstone forms near to the earth’s surface. It is the single most useful sedimentary rock type for deciphering earth’s history. Sandstone may often contain fossils or biological materials. Grampians dimension stone is particularly hardy. It’s durability makes it the perfect medium for sculptural artworks that can be placed in outdoor settings to to take advantage of the stones beautiful natural features in the changing light. Hewn from such a material it is little wonder that the faces and the gaze are constantly encountered within Cal’s intricarved sculptures.
Acknowledgments
Photography: Marygold Meager, Rebecca Tayler , Jono Johnson, Leila Day, Conan Fahey, Sandy Kanell, Ally Smoker Video: Zed Horn, Gerard Stainsby, Jono Johnson , Rebecca Tayler, Leila Day Drone pilot: Dylan Hancock Opal: Peter Tauber, Conan Fahey, Griff Smoker. Claw & tail-tip touch up & polish: Emma Metal works: Josh (steel Jack) Jones, Duncan Felton, Ben Roberts, Morry Ginn Brass plaques: Ben Feyen. Neatly fitting brass plaques – Peter Denning R.I.P Plinths – Nigel Creighton & Nathan. Painting tiger base: Mary Ames Website – Jim Foster & Stealing Pallets. Logo’s & card design – Sian Bundock. Social media – Sandy Kanell Driving his Ute many times helping move stone artwork and giving me six of my seven grey hairs: Greg Malloy Mates I could always rely on with moving and placing damn awkward and heavy stone artwork: Andrew (Fazz) O’farrel R.I.P, Mathew (Mattio) O’loughlin, Nigle Creighton, Greg Malloy, Mark (Stevo) Stevens, Coner O’meara, For many, many things, you name it, that and more. -Zed Horn, Sian Bundock, Sandy Kanell, Rebecca Tayler, Jono Johnson, Leila Day, Gerard Stainsby, Sandy Kanell, Conan Fahey, Zed Horn, Ally Smoker, Griff Smoker, Bret Prohasky, Mick Jones, Dean Pridham. Justin Boheme (jewellery The Goddess). The Andamooka observatory, Conan Fahey & Leila Day. The driving force of bringing Andamooka back to life. RoxbyLinks Cassie Weir and crew for promoting and pointing people to me and Andamooka.
Feature on Backroads TV show ABC
January 2025
Cal the Stoner was visited by the ABC TV series Backroads. The series featured on the 9th January, 2025.
Feature on The Project Channel 10
April 2023
The Andamooka Tiger will feature on an episode of The Project TV on Channel 10 at 7pm Sunday 23 April, 2023.
Planet Zep on exhibit at the Dine-a-Mite cafe, Andamooka
April 2023
Planet Zep moves from its previous home in the Alex Theatre, St Kilda. To the Dine-a-Mite Cafe in Andamooka
Feature in the April edition of Artist Close up magazine
April 2023
Cal the Stoner featured in the April edition of the published and digital edition of Artist Close Up magazine. refer page 74-75.
Cal the Stoner's Deviation live music exhibition
Feb 2023
Featuring live bands, market stalls and gallery exhibition, this event was held at the Andamooka open-air sculpture studio/gallery.
Feature in Season 1 episode 4 of Opal Hunters: red dirt road trip
August 2022
Opal greenhorn James “JC” Caruana and veteran miner Rod Manning go on an Aussie adventure through the brutal outback. Their mission: to earn as much as possible and to teach JC all about opal mining before he becomes a father in just three months’ time.
Feature on ABC breakfast radio
Feature in The Lead South Australia & In Daily
May 2022
Headline: Andamooka Tiger roars into opal town
The Andamooka Tiger grand unveiling
Apr 2022
This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia and sponsors from the Andamooka community.
South Australia living arts festival (SALA)
Aug/Sep 2021
Cal the Stoner presents: The Good, The Twisted and The Unearthed
This eclectic mix of artworks curated by Cal the Stoner, stone sculptor, showing the diversity of known and unearthed artists from the desert.
SALA is a state-wide showcase and celebration of South Australia's living visual artists.
Youtube feature Death by Carrot
8 Sept 2020
On the first Infinity Loop, The DBC Road Dog Division journeys to the small South Australian outback Opal Mining town of Andamooka, to find Stonemason Cal The Stoner and his legendary Andamooka Tiger...
St Kilda Art Crawl
Sep/Oct 2016, 2017 & 2018
Cal joined artists; Jackie Ralph, Marko Magliac, Emmanuel Santos, Phil Voodoo and Anthony Breslin in St Kilda's Christ Church for a mixed media installation, Symmetries Shadows. St Kilda Art Crawl
Toorak Village art walk
May/June 2017
A ‘Street Gallery’ where businesses offered their front windows to artists from all over Australia to display their gorgeous paintings and artworks on easels of all sizes.
Toorak sculpture exhibition presented by Association of sculptors Victoria.
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Sculptors Exhibition
Mar/Apr 2017
The Sculpture Exhibition is located in the Sculpture Precinct of the show. During the show, artists were on site to explain their work and to answer any questions.
Visitors can meander through the sculpture walk and interact with the artist and even some of the sculptures. Presented by the Melbourne International Flower & Garden show and the Association of sculptors Victoria.
Herring Island Summer Arts Festival
Jan/Feb 2017
Presented by the Association of Sculptor's Victoria, The Herring Island Summer Arts Festival is held annually at the Herring Island environmental sculpture park and gallery during the summer school holiday.
Kyneton Lost Trades Fair
March 2014 Live installation of Stone River #6
March 2015 Debut of The Cube
March 2016 Live installation of new sculptural work Hedron Resurrection and a solar system of Planets from Galaxy Z
March 2017 Live installation of new sculptural work 888
The Lost Trades Fair was established as a platform for traditional makers and master craftspeople to demonstrate their skills and share their knowledge.
The Lost Trades Fair is an opportunity to meet real makers, learn how things are made, experience craftsmanship, skill, artistry and talk with the makers themselves about what they do and how they have mastered skills.
The Laneway Artspace
Feb-Apr 2015
Curated by creative director Geoffrey Williams, Cal sculpted through live in a St Kilda laneway through a summer arts residency. The Laneway (formerly The sandpit, St Kilda)
Pumpkin Lane Gallery
2015
Planet Zod was purchased by Pumpkin Lane after exhibiting and can now be seen in the front forecourt. Pumpkin Lane Art gallery
Kuki, Trentham
Various intricarved stone art works have been exhibited during 2015 to 2018 in KUKI, Trentham, VIC
Cal the Stoner artist bio photo gallery
