Art Gallery: Pipestone Sculptures

Ben's Art Gallery:

This is a collection of my pipestone sculptures. I have created many pendants over the last several years. Originally I made them for myself, and I wear or look at those ones almost every day. After a while, I started crafting and giving pendants as gifts to my friends and family. In the last few years, I have been selling them. Many of the pendants on this page have either already been sold or are available for purchase. You can check the status of each pendant under the explanation for it. If you have a desire to purchase one of the available pendants, feel free to contact me. I include with each pendant an authentication page which contains original drawings of the piece, my description for it, text, and graphics. I also include some basic information on how to keep the pendant in good condition. I have a price list up for all currently available pendants. Any piece in my personal collection can be thought of as a model on which a fairly similar work can be based. The Auryn is one piece which I have successfully reproduced and sold for a commission several times. I also greatly enjoy creating custom designs. After an initial discussion, I work off of a few suggestions or guidelines to make a price proposal and produce a basic design sketch, which is allowed a minor revision. If one doesn't have a specific design in mind, I can come up with a design based on a few parameters such as size, texture, or formal elements; that way I can make it fit with the client's personality and appearance. That's what custom design is all about, so go ahead and send me your ideas. I will continue to post new works that will be available for purchase, word of which will be available on my blog page, so you can subscribe to it if you like.
For information on my history with pipestone and my artistic considerations, check this page in my writings section.
Concerning the dimensions: if the object is cylindrical, there are two listed; the diameter and thickness. For irregular shapes, the dimensions will be listed in descending order; basically length by width by height. Also, be sure to check the alternate views of the sculptures.

=U= Works from after Winter 2003 =U=

=U= Works from after June 2003 =U=

=U= Works from 2004 =U=

=U= Works from 2005 =U=

=U= Works from 2006 and 2007 =U=

Works from up to Spring 2003

-V- Click on the images to view the larger versions -V-

"Yin-Yang"

This was the first pipestone pendant that I ever made. I was inspired by a "magic eye" greeting card that my grandmother sent me which contained a flat yin-yang symbol which was cut and had the portions rotated out of the plane. It gave me the idea to make the 3d yin-yang sculpture you see here. I took a small rectangular prism shaped scrap that I had bought at the Pipestone National Monument, used a file to form it into a cylinder, and divided it in half. I drew my design onto the surfaces using a compass, whose point marks you can see on the raised dots. Other than the indented dots, I used only my exacto knife to shape it, which allowed me to get such a precise shape.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 3.6 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created 1997 or 1998
Status = in personal collection

"Auryn"

I used the leftover half from the block used to make the above piece to craft this pendant. It took quite a while to make. I bored holes through it with my rotary tool so that I could shape the insides. I based its design on the Auryn from "The Neverending Story". I had a copy of the book by Michael Ende which was printed after the movie was released, and it had an image of Auryn that I could use as a reference. The Auryn is actually based on the Ourobouros, a mythical creature. You can learn more about it and see many interesting interpretations of it here. This pendant is definitely the one I have worn the most, and the one above is a close second.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 3.6 cm x 1.0 cm
by Ben Scheele / created 1997 or 1998
Status = in personal collection

"Turtle"

Excluding my initial try at the peace pipe, this was my first [non pendant] pipestone sculpture. I used my rotary tool along with a tungsten carbide toothed bit to remove the material around the legs. There was a lot to remove, as you can see from how far the legs extend from the body. I wore that bit down quite a ways. This stone had some flaws in it that made the carving process very interesting. After I was done, a large piece from the bottom of one of the feet broke off. I realized that I had actually left the feet too thick in the first place, so this "accident" helped me to create a more elegant sculpture. I thinned down the feet from the top on two and from the bottom on the other two to give it the appearance that it is walking.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 4.3 cm x 3.7 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created 1997 or 1998
Status = in personal collection

"Terrace Branche"

For this piece, I did a more freeform design, with my initial conception changing as the piece progressed. I love the fractal look and interesting texture of this piece. Since the main piece was rather small, I added a few beads to it which I made out of tiny scraps.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 2.2 cm x 2.2 cm x 0.9 cm (for main piece)
by Ben Scheele / created 1998 or 1999
Status = in personal collection

"Heart"

This piece was started by my mom, who used a file to roughly shape it. She did not take the time to make it very symmetrical, so when I got a hold of it, it was rather odd looking. It also had a lot of impurities in it. I took it back to symmetry in a way that kept it as large as possible. I added a little curvature to it. The impurities are more difficult to carve since they are much harder. I didn't have the heart (hehe) to drill a hole into it, so I left it as a pocket stone. The curvature and smoothness make it very fun to feel, and the impurities give it an amusing look.

Dimensions = 3.3 cm x 3.2 cm x 0.6 cm
by Ben Scheele / created 1999
Status = broken

"Toyis' Heart"

This piece came from stone that was very close to the previous piece's, as is evident from the similar grain to it. It was also made from a rough-hewn heart my mother gave up on. I made this as a gift for the Mexican exchange student, Victoria, who stayed with us for several months. One of the tips was accidentally broken off by the girl's sister in the time between when it was crafted and when this picture was taken; however, I am still very pleased with the design.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = compared to scale of thumb,
about 3.9 cm x 3.3 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created Winter 2000
Status = given away

"Polar Sine-Wave"

This is a re-make of a piece that I had made a couple of years earlier as a "Secret Santa" gift. It was actually a fairly simple piece to make, due to its symmetry, but for this one I added some extra details and made it a bit more smooth and polished. I like experimenting with geometric forms, and new attachment methods such as this one. I made it within a 24 hour period. I got careless and was carving without my safety glasses on, and a small fragment flew up into my eye. It was stuck under my eyelid for a couple days, and was very annoying. I always wear safety glasses when I carve now.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 2.3 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created late Fall 2002
Status = in personal collection

"Wisdom and Power"

Sometimes I can go a bit overboard in my endeavors, and end up with an impressive, yet not fully suitable result. This Christmas/Valentine's Day gift for my girlfriend Maggie is large, intricate, and striking. It has the face of an owl represented in the front side, wise and sagacious, while the back echoes forms of a warrior's helm, with an expression of determination. I went back and polished it later, so I'll post some more images of it sometime. I also documented it's transformation from rough stone to finished product. If enough people are interested in seeing a bit of how I sculpt, I may make a page using this work as an example.

Dimensions = fairly large, about 5 cm x 5 cm x 1.5 cm
by Ben Scheele / created January 2003
Status = given away

Works from June 2003

"Tri-Scribed"

I drew out the plans for this, just from a top view; and then as I was working on it, I modified the design slightly. I was amazed to look back at the original sketch and see how much it had changed. That will often happen when going from a quick 2D sketch to a 3D sculpture. The stone has a subtle banded pattern to it that is not easy to see in the photos.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 3.5 cm x 3.4 cm x 0.8 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

"Knowing Death, Holding Life"

For this piece I took three flat pieces that looked good together, and drew a sketch of how they would lay on top of each other. I used that as a reference as I worked to shape the surfaces to fit snugly. The design for the carving seemed to present itself from the configuration. From certain angles it appears to be trees holding fruits, and from other angles, skull motifs are visible. This duality led to the name. It is a rather large and remarkable pendant, for when it is tapped, it makes a clacking sound like a castaneta as the separate pieces hit each other.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 5.5 cm x 3.7 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

"Stone Leaf"

This pendant's form was influenced by the initial shape of the chunk it was sculpted from. I really like this one, as it looks good from all sides, and has a nice unity to it. I also figured out a new way to hang pendants on this one, which I have used on several others since then. I sold this piece last Fall, and it was given as a Christmas present to a young boy. I hope he has enjoyed wearing it. The card that is shown with it in the alternate view is something I plan to include with all pendant sales, to serve as a proof of the artist's hand. I decided to do this because it doesn't make sense to carve a signature into the side of a small pendant. The card will have the name of the pendant, my signature and approximate date carved, a couple sketches of it, and my descriptions of pipestone and the pendant. I also include the cord and any beads that make sense as accompaniment, as in this case and for Braidstone, below. Note that many of the pendants have not yet had cords attached, but will upon sale.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = (can see scale in alternate image)
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = sold, then broken *sigh*

"Geom Teeth"

I used a diagonally cut cylindrical end section scrap to make this odd piece. I did not intend for it to look like teeth (See the alternate view), but when I was finished carving I turned it over, noticed that, and just had to laugh.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 2.2 cm x 1.0 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

"Plateau Vulture and Stone Cat-House"

Here are a couple of fairly quick ones made from oddly shaped pieces. They do have their charms, though. I tried to leave highlights on the first one, and include a hexagonal prism in the middle of the second one.

Dimensions = 3.5 cm x 2.7 cm x 0.8 cm, and 3.5 cm x 2.3 cm x 0.4 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available, available

"Whale and Macaw Forms"

The pieces that I am most pleased with aren't necessarily the ones that turn out exactly as I had envisioned. This one turned out to have some very interesting and recognizable forms in it. The two pieces interact to make a wonderful pendant. Try to see what I have seen in all the different views, including a whale, and two birds.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 4.8 cm x 2.0 cm x 0.9 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = sold

"Wisdom and Power II"

This is another piece that came from scraps of the peace pipe that was my first attempt at pipestone carving. It came from the joint of the two cylinders, and it resulted in an difficult to use shape. I got the idea to preserve the central point, and carve spheres around it. This led to the formation of a couple different faces, one upside-down and one right-side-up. They resemble owl faces slightly because of the beak-like central portion, and the circular eye areas. I also made a pit on the back side that fits with the front point.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 2.5 cm x 2.2 cm x 1.5 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

"Geom Tooth"

You can see how I started with this pendant if you take a peek at the alternate view #2. I like how it transformed, and what I figured out as I went. Improvisation is a wonderful thing. One would not likely think that term would apply to stone sculpture, but with my work, it often does.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 4.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 0.5 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = given away

"Braidstone"

I had a lot of fun with this one. It is a multi-piece pendant that I assembled from a bunch of smaller chunks, which you can see in alt-view 2. There is one main piece that I put the most work into, plus a few beads that I carved to guide the cord. One bead took a while, because I made so many small, precise cuts into it. I also included one non-pipestone bead that really seemed to fit with it, which I found in my mom's old bead box. This is a really comfortable and fun pendant to wear. It has a lot of different interesting visual and tactile elements.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 6.3 cm x 3.3 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = sold

"Holding the Flow, Falling Rain, Fire and Water"

A series of three pendants I made in one day, in similar styles. I thought of combining them into one necklace, but I sold one of them already. I may revise "Fire and Water" a bit, like I recently did with another piece to great success. I like what is going on in it, and it's pretty cool as it is, but I want to give it more cohesion and unity of design.

Dimensions = 2.9 cm x 1.9 cm x 0.7 cm, " " " , and 2.5 cm x 0.7 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = sold, available, modified (available)

"Fire Shroud"

When you are improvising designs, sometimes you get cohesion and unity of design right off the bat. I was very pleased with this one, and I thought of selling it for $85, but I have enjoyed wearing it too much. It was a turning point in my carving abilities I think, as I then started to understand more about what makes a design a good one, and I also started to trust my design intuition a lot more.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 2.8 cm x 2.5 cm x 0.8 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = in personal collection

"Ciclaluna"

This one is different from my other pendants up to that point because the shapes were left in their initial configurations for the most part, and they were put together in an odd fashion. I used my rotary tool to rough them out initially, and I did some carving to make the shapes match up better in a few places. I drilled the holes through them carefully, and put a couple of metal springs in between to separate them. I think it turned out nicely because it has an interesting composition and a very polished look. It has a thin cord, and an elegant look that would fit well on a woman, I feel.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 4.3 cm x 3.2 cm x 1.2 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

"Vision"

This one had an odd shape to begin with, and I just went crazy with the design. It was a lot of fun to see the different eye elements pop out of it. It is a rather large and striking piece, but it is subtle enough to look good in most situations. My dad even wore it around his office for a while. It has a kind of egyptian feel to it, and is fun to wear and feel.

| Alternate View |
| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 5.5 cm x 4.6 cm x .9 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

"Waterfall Tree"

This one took a while to make because of the intricate detail. It has a distinctive triangular shape, and a lot of contrast, dynamic lines, and good balance. It definitely has a fluidity to the design, but also the solidity that comes with being made of stone. Very cool.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = 5.7 cm x 3.6 cm x 1.0 cm
by Ben Scheele / created June 2003
Status = available

Works from after June 2003

"Twiststone"

I started working on this piece last July while visiting my brother in treatment. I ended up giving it to him as a Christmas present, and to honor his continued recovery. It's a design I had wanted to try for a while, and I think I pulled it off fairly well.

| Alternate View |

Dimensions = approx. 3.0 cm x 2.5 cm x 1.0 cm
by Ben Scheele / created July 2003
Status = given away

"Pentaswirl"

When I got back from Ohio, I had an urge to do some pipestone carving, so I made this one for my mom, and she liked it a lot. She even wore it at a party in Mexico, and an acquaintance there complimented her on it. So, she gave it to her, as per the Mexican custom. It was good that I got a picture of it when I did. I recently made and sold an even better one to her which she promised me she wouldn't give away. Too bad. ;)

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 2.5 cm x 0.9 cm
by Ben Scheele / created during Christmas vacation 2003
Status = sold, then given away, (now, ??)

Works from 2004

"The Bird King"

In the winter of '04 I decided to make another multi-piece pendant. I wanted to use up all of my small scraps, so I picked a few that looked good together and started working. I carved the three pieces to match up a bit and to have similar styling, and then drilled some holes for the cord. I figured out a very cool way to suspend the pendant by using a stopper bead. Not until I put it together after the initial rough-in did I see what forms my unconscious mind had created. It had the form of a bird with a blue eye when viewed horizontally, and the form of a regal looking anthropomorphized bird creature when viewed straight on. I thought this was very decent, and I look forward to creating more pieces in a similar way.

"Angel Temple"

This was a piece that I made while working off of a couple sketches. I ended up modifying my plans quite a bit to make it work well in 3D form, like I usually do. It looks good from any angle, and can be worn just as well with either side facing forward.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 2.2 cm x 0.8 cm
by Ben Scheele / created late February / early March 2004
Status = sold

"Stone Mountain"

I crafted this pendant when getting ready for a Peruvian shamanic healing ritual in the spring of '04. I didn't know yet what purpose it would serve, just that it made sense to make it and bring it. I ended up giving it to a man named Emil after a very cool and powerful initiation ritual for him, in which I served as one of his guardians. It will serve as a power object for him, to help him remember that event. I think also that any of my pendants have a certain power to them, and can help the wearer in some way. It may be because of the intrinsic nature of this sacred stone, or because of the inspiration that transforms them through my work. This pendant is very cool because it has the form of a mountian or of clouds, depending which way you look at it. I just let the stone speak to me and show me how to carve it, and this is what came about.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |
| Alternate View 3 |

Dimensions = approx. 5 cm x 3 cm x 1 cm, can see scal in picture somewhat
by Ben Scheele / created late March 2004
Status = given away

"Vortexswirl"

I actually started this one in June I think, and then because I was dissatisfied with the front of it, I went back and revised it. It now looks just as cool on both sides, so it doesn't really have a designated front or back any more. I really feel that the design is consistently awesome throughout, and I am very proud of this pendant. I also came up with a new suspension method that I personally feel totally rocks.

| Alternate View 1 |
| Alternate View 2 |

Dimensions = 2.4 cm x 2.2 cm x 0.8 cm
by Ben Scheele / created July 2004
Status = available

"Trilobite for Dad"

This project was done as a long overdue gift to my father. He had hinted that he would love to have a trilobite pendant, so I agreed to make him one as a christmas gift for 2002. I worked on it in the few days prior to, and during, my family reunion trip in the summer of 2004. It was a very challenging piece that required a lot of research and careful design. I didn't copy any specific fossil, but made up my own design based on several different trilobites. I was careful to make it a good size, and keep the form fairly closed so that it would be less susceptible to damage. I added a lot of detail, including the first segment of the legs on the underside. I polished it up well, and then etched in a few final details that really made it come alive.

Works from 2005

"Swirl Fleur"

This piece started with a small cylinder, which I sketched a few lines on and then carved all on last Sunday evening. I tried soaking it in water for a long time before carving it to see if that would make it slightly softer, but I don't think it helped. If anything, it seemed more difficult to work with because it fragmented easily. I made this pendant in a fairly improvisational manner, and just carved what came to mind as I went. I started with an idea of doing a hemisphere in the middle with spirals around it, and it transformed into a hurricane. On the back, I carved a fleur de lis (flower) motif. I think the connection of the two halves worked well, and I managed to make the connection point fairly interesting (see alternate view 1). For details on the sale of this piece and another view of it, see my weblog.

"Bodiscape"

I crafted this pendant a week or two after my girlfriend and I decided to go back to a chaste, platonic friendship. I crafted it in sort of an improvisational manner, just fitting some cool forms inside of the initial shape. I didn't realize until I was almost done that those forms that I had crafted were very feminine in nature. I guess that making this sculpture expressed some of what I was feeling that I was missing, and was therapeutic in nature. It is a very balanced, sensuous pendant that has some nice textures, colors, and patterns.

"Auryn II"

This is a pendant that I started as a commission for someone. I used my original Auryn pendant as the model, and made this one slightly larger. The texture of this particular stone made it rather difficult to carve. I had to rely on my tungsten carbide and diamond bits for a lot of the material removal. It turned out very well.

"Flowriver"

I started this pendant soon after I finished my Auryn II pendant. I was still in sculpting mode, and in a mood for a more spontaneous design. This stone was nice and soft and smooth, and it went quickly. I laid out the design to highlight the natural band of lighter material in it, and also to preserve the layer of pink stone at the bottom. I modified the design a bit as I went, and some interesting forms emerged. It has elements of clasped hands, a river cutting a canyon, and a swirling vortex that pours back out the front in a splash of water. It is a very lively, solid pendant.

"Tri-Flower"

This was a fun little experiment. I used the thin layer of light colored stone on one side to create a pattern. I cut the corners off the original chunk of pipestone and shaped them into the beads for it.

"Braidswirl"

I crafted this as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend Maggie. This is one of my favorite designs. I loved how it turned out. There are so many cool elements to it. Too bad she doesn't wear jewelry very often.

"Balance Of The Elements"

This is a two sided pendant, with a wind motif on one side, and a water motif on the other side. The red stone being fire and earth, this pendant has four elements in harmony. The detail work was difficult, but definitely worth it. I gave it to my brother Scott for Christmas; he wears it very often, and it looks really cool on him.

"Sacred Sun - Three Sisters"

My aunt commissioned a pendant, and this is what I made for her. My mom ended up paying for most of it, so it could be more of a gift. It was a difficult and time consuming pendant, because it required research, careful execution, and a lot of material to be removed. I like how it turned out, and my aunt loved how I blended all the symbolism into such a beautiful form.

Works from 2006 and 2007

"Caduceus Auryn"

I created this pendant as a commission. The inspiration was to combine the elements of a caduceus symbol from medicine with the auryn or ouroboros symbol that I have worked with in the past. I got the idea to do a figure eight configuration, which resembles the snake wrapping around the staff and also works quite nicely for a circular pendant. I changed a couple of other things from the previous versions. I only used a single snake, and also turned its head to make a distinct front and back. I worked harder at making a smooth transition in diameter throughout. The client had originally wanted an engraving on the back, but we both decided it would look best to go without that. I liked the size and feel of this pendant a lot. This was another successful commission, which went much more smoothly than the last one.

"Pentaswirl II"

This was an odd transaction. First, the client purchased "Flowriver", and then returned it because they felt it was too large for them. Then, they requested a re-make of "pentaswirl". It all worked out just fine, and I produced a very nice pendant for her.

"Auryn III"

I created this Auryn pendant as a commission for someone from North Carolina. It turned out that he wanted to give it as a gift to someone. I thought this was very sweet, and I was glad to hear that it would go to someone who would appreciate it so greatly. Maybe they were a big fan of The Neverending Story? That's definitely why I made my original Auryn pendant. It polished up really nicely.

"Auryn IV"

Yet another commission. This is by far my most popular pendant design, and I guess I understand why. I took a slightly different approach with the execution of the design this time, and it turned out nicely. I changed the proportions of the gaps in order to make it easier to carve, but that just ended up making it more difficult in the end, since more work had to be done with a knife instead of a drill. Oh well. At least it's a solid, beautiful pendant. For the first time, my client sent me a picture of himself with the pendant. That was pretty cool. I finished it just in time for him to wear it with his Halloween costume, and everybody thought it was great (although he didn't send me the picture with his costume). On the authentication sheet for my Auryn pendants, I write:

This pendant is a symbol
of the wearer's ability
to make their dreams come true.

"Trilobite II"

I created this pendant for someone in Switzerland of all places. It was my first international commission. It turns out that her band has a trilobite as their theme, because of the ages of a few of their members. They are called "The Thrillobeats", which I think is a fairly creative name for a band. Here is what I wrote about this sculpture on the authentication sheet.

Trilobites are ancient, extinct arthropods,
with a very complex, easily fossilized structure.
They are highly diverse and geographically dispersed,
and led a wide variety of different lifestyles.

I guess it's a poem? I think this pendant turned out very well, although it took a lot longer than I had hoped. Bilateral symmetry with fine detail makes for a very difficult design. It also took longer to make this pendant because I started over part-way through due to poor stone quality. I'm glad I did, because it produced much better results. You can see the differences between this one and my first trilobite pendant in the picture below. You can also see the initial design sketch.

"Coming Soon"

Soon to Come

| Nothing here yet |

Dimensions = i cm x i cm
by Ben Scheele / created 2008

Silmarillion: Ben's World