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Cal the Stoner portrait photo at the Kyneton Lost Trades Fair by photographer Fred Kahlo

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.

The artist talks about his first sculpture 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 is the scaled down Stone River #6 death adder. Weighing approximately 800 kilograms Cal undertook and achieved the challenge of assembling dry stone wall inspired artworks that could withstand the rigours of transportation. 


The Stone River wall series grew to include; Stone River #4, Stone River #6 Death Adder and Stoner River #7 Phoenix and cat

Cal often has to correct the misconception and say - No, It ain’t no mosaic

Not that he has anything against mosaics, in an Intricarved sculptures construction, the process is the complete opposite.


In the initial works. The images, patterns and lines depicted in a Cal the Stoner Intricarved stone artwork emerged organically as the work progressed. The artists process was a fluid yet intense contemplation. Identifying, shaping and fitting the stones as the images formed across the sculptures faces.

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 the Stoner sculpts the first portable Stone River #6 Death Adder. Kyneton Lost Trades Fair

Cal sculpting the first ‘portable’ work. Stone River #6 death adder at the Kyneton Lost Trades Fair.

The Grampians mountains, Victoria, Australia.

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. 

Cal the Stoner with friend and collaborator metal sculptor Josh Jones, Kyneton Lost Trades Fair

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.

The Andamooka Tiger sculpture unveiling event photo gallery

    01/11

    Exhibitions

    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.

    Watch the video

    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

    Dine-a-Mite Cafe, 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.

    Read the April edition of Artist Close up magazine

    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.

    Click to find Opal Hunter series streaming information

    Feature on ABC breakfast radio

    Broadcast Tuesday 10 May 2022 at 6:30am

    Breakfast 

    By Stacey Lee and Nikolai Beilharz

    Listen to Cal's ABC breakfast interview 1m34s

    Feature in The Lead South Australia & In Daily

    May 2022

    Headline: Andamooka Tiger roars into opal town

    Watch Death by Carrot visit the studio

    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.

    View the grand unveiling photo gallery

    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.

    Poster for The Andamooka Tiger grand unveiling event April 2022 supported by SA regional arts

    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 intricarved stone sculpture exhibitions


      Cal the Stoner artist bio photo gallery

      "solid precision hand-cut rock...next level art right here..." comment by studio visitor Jeremy Carn
      Cal the Stoner & collaborator Josh Jones at Kyneton Lost Trades Fair posing with Planet Zor
      Cal the Stoner receives daily visitors. A Kookaburra visits the Burwood studio to inspect progress
      Cal the Stoner in a photo at a scenic location that looks out over Athens, Greece & the Acropolis.
      Cal the Stoner carving Hedron Ressurection at the Kyneton Lost Trades Fair
      Cal the Stoner completed a residency in The Laneway Artspace, St Kilda. Progress photo Stone River#7
      Cal the Stoner receives daily visitors. Two Kookaburra's sit perched on a Planet of galaxy z.
      Cal the Stoner brass plaque of authentication handmade by collaborator Ben Feyen
      Cal and Yiota pose in black Cal the Stoner singlets, Greece 2022
      Close-up detail of the dry stone walling on Cal the Stoner commission piece, The Fireplace.
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      Cal the Stoner

      82 Grosser Street, Andamooka South Australia 5722, Australia

      Phone +61 403042973

      Copyright © 2025 Cal the Stoner - All Rights Reserved.

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