Stone Forest | Blog

Our New Small Antique Millstone Fountain | Photo taken by Eric Swanson

 

Yes, spring is near, but winter still has it’s hold.

I’m already daydreaming of sprouts emerging in my edible garden, of my crabapple trees budding and blooming, and of turning my Stone Forest fountain back on to hear that soothing sound of water streaming over it’s smooth stone surface.

Many of our clients who inquire about our fountain and basin collections ask us “what does it sound like?” or “how loud is it?”.  These are tricky questions to answer, since there are many factors that contribute to the sound that your fountain will create.

 

1. Size & Shape | Are you looking at one of our Ishi Basins?  Sure, this is our smallest fountain, but when it is set up with a trickling bamboo spout that stands 10″ above the piece, the thin stream of water hits the inner pool creating a concentrated waterfall that gives out a deeper-toned splashing noise.  Using a bamboo spout over a basin is based on traditional Japanese tea garden design, and can be used with any of our basins.  As the size of the “pool” in the basin gets larger, the tone of the falling water deepens too.

Because of their tall, columnar shapes, one of our Basalt Column or Natural Boulder Fountains has water that bubbles from the top/center of the piece and clings to its sides as it falls to the bottom and drops down into the underground reservoir for recirculation.  Although they still create wonderful sound, it tends to be a little more subtle because the movement is gentle and gradual over the stone’s sides.

In contrast, our Natural Millstone or Sky Mirror Fountains have a large surface area and elevated tops, so the water is moving with a greater amount of motion overall, as well as dropping a farther distance down into the reservoir.  Noise is created when the water hits the surface of the pool underground.  Our stunning Curved Waterwall also boasts great noise because the water flows over the entire 6-foot long surface, and simultaneously falls in one long sheet of droplets into the reservoir below.

2. Pump Size & Flow | Our submersible pumps push a certain number of gallons per hour (or gph).  We match our various pump sizes with the stone piece based on overall height and dimensions to allow for proper flow.  Should you desire more/higher flow, you can always bump the pump size up a notch.  You can also play with the way the water flow appears, like a higher “geyser” coming off the top (as seen in the Natural Millstone Fountain video below), or an almost still, “glassy” look (as seen in this image of our Water Table Fountain).  Moving water is easily slowed or “glassed” down by setting some of the surrounding beach pebbles into the “pool” of the fountain.  This is the easiest (and most fun!) way to play with the water level that emerges out of the top.

3. Environment | Where will your fountain live?  Will you place it in your backyard, or a quiet courtyard?  Do you live near a street with heavy traffic?  Is it for indoor use?  These questions also apply directly to the level of sound that you will hear from your fountain.  If the piece is indoors, or is near a wall, the sound tends to bounce off of these surrounding surfaces and seem louder or more present.  If your fountain is placed in a front yard on a busy street, traffic might occasionally drown out the sound of the water.  This is something to keep in mind when selecting the piece, aside from the usual question of design & aesthetic.

In response to your inquiries, we decided to take videos of a few of our most popular outdoor fountains in action.  The third video is a good example of the sound created with the bamboo spout, as discussed earlier.  Hit the “play” button on each below to view them:

So as you daydream of your emerging spring spaces, try to imagine the calming sound of water alongside your blooming plant life, outdoor patio, front entryway, or any other space calling for a more alluring atmosphere.  Not to mention the drinking, bathing, and fluttering birds you’ll attract!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Shide | Photo taken by John Kinkade of Columbine Gallery in Loveland, CO

 

This traditional Shide (pronounced she-day) is a folded zig-zag shaped white paper sculpture that hangs in the entryways of Japanese temples and shrines.  Hung for the New Year, they usually adorn these twisted rice ropes, or Shimenawa, which are said to separate the sacred from the profane, keep impurities out, and purify the space within.

Shide paper strips are also attached to a wooden “wand” and then used in a Shinto ritual called harai, or “sweeping” to remove unwanted spirits or impurities.  I love how Timothy Takemoto (sourced below) theorizes that the shape “resembles lightning” and the sound is a rustling that “hangs in the air” and wakes the spirits.

On a recent visit to Stone Forest, our friend John Kinkade brought some of these Shide for us to see in person.  In honor of the new year, I leave you with this powerful, delicate, cleansing symbol.

Here’s to new beginnings.

 

Sources |

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shide_%28Shinto%29

To learn how to fold a Shide, and read more about their significance, visit this site created by Timothy Takemoto.

my thin-skinned wandering by Piper Leigh | Book cover

 

Piper Leigh came to Stone Forest with a vision.

Having just completed a book of her own poetry and photographs, she was seeking a space to host the release & reading of her new work, including the installation of her hand-sewn kimonos.  “I just knew this was the perfect place,” said Piper when we sat down in the sunshine on a natural granite boulder bench to brainstorm on the event planning.  Perfect because the event was to combine word, voice, image and installation together to create an atmosphere for the attendees to experience.  In other words, Piper wanted to bring her book to life, and reinforce the fact that she “sees poetry as a conversation- listening and giving voice to the weave of story, community and land.”

Invitation | Left: Kimonos and photo by Piper Leigh | Right: Granite Wabi Basins by Stone Forest

 

About the Book |

Renée Gregorio of Tres Chicas Books describes my thin-skinned wandering as a book that “embraces image, language and texture through poetry and photography.  It is a powerful invitation for the reader to become more than a reader of poems-to engage with transparency, the literary fragment and the image in such a way that the book becomes felt-experience, both physically and emotionally.  The poems are a testament to what is born of loss, to the abiding natural world, and to embracing the intensity of longing so that the door can be opened to what mystery reveals.”

About the Author |

The reading took place on the evening of October 6th, with strong attendance that filled the interior gallery space (a few guests even sat in our marble Papillon Bathtub because of limited seating).  Beautiful, translucent kimonos suspended from aspen tree branches billowed in the breeze outside against a dramatically stormy sky, and some spun slowly inside the gallery from strings.

The kimonos’ dancing movement outdoors was a contrast to their floating movement indoors.  They spread their beautiful, light-weight arms like ghosts or clouds over the weighty carved stone, crafted wood, and cast bronze objects arranged throughout the spaces.  Guests buzzed with excitement as they waited in line to purchase their own copy of the book, walked throughout the garden, and found seating.  As I flipped through mine, I noticed that the text is printed in dark gray, the pages contain more white space than text or image, the photos are black & white with soft borders, sheets of translucent vellum veil the words and images, and then reveal them crisply underneath.  Colorless.  Yet full of color, continually sparked by phrases like “dusty blue” or “scarlet saturation” or “inside an indigo kimono”, letting your mind’s eye envision it’s own hues.  The book is delicate and tangible and intimate.

Suddenly voices quieted down, and a screen was projected onto the large adobe wall above the Curved Waterwall Fountain.  Piper read a selection of poems that were carefully coordinated with the images and words emerging and dissolving quietly over the wall behind her, mimicking the layered movement through the pages of the book itself.  The photography depicted moments in nature in both expansive and detailed states, as if to remind the stone, wood, and metal sculpture in the room of their own journeys and origins.  This sense of observation and reflection permeated the room; all remained hushed and attentive until her last words were spoken.  Shortly after applause, a long queue formed for author signing and congratulatory remarks.

 

Q&A with Stone Forest & Piper |

SF:  Was there a particular event or moment that sparked your desire to write this collection of poems?

P:  I was invited by Tres Chicas Books to create a book using language, poetry and image.  I had been making installations and different forms of artists books (small editions of scrolls, Japanese bindings like flutterbook, mobiles).  I saw it as a challenge to create a trade-publication that could invite people into an experience which included white space, fragment, image, and poems.  Could I create transparency in such a book?

 

SF:  Tell me about the title of the book.

P:  I continue to wonder: what will it take to travel in the world unarmed, without armor, and allow my self to be touched by the world?  What will it take to commit to respond to the call of what meets me…without a plan or predictions?  This is my thin-skinned wandering.

 

SF:  What inspires your photographs?

P:  I am fascinated by unexpected connections and encounters in the wilderness, in community, at my desk and in travel.  The images spark and trigger poems.  The poems often surprise me in the meaning that surfaces out of the direct experience of writing.

 

SF:  What inspired you to hand-craft kimonos?

P:  I kept wanting to go bigger. See the words in different layers, textures and contexts.  Kimonos came to me out of the wish to wear my words.  They have an inner lining and a public side…elements of mystery, dance and music.  What if they were transparent?

 

SF:  Name a few of your favorite poets.

P:  Jane Hirshfield, Seamus Heaney, Adrienne Rich, Eamon Grennan, Mark Doty, Linda Gregg, Lynda Hall…I could go on and on.  And, of course, poets we are lucky to have in our own community like Tres Chicas (Renée Gregorio, Miriam Sagan, Joan Logghe) and many others.  There is a strong and very much alive poetry and art community here.  We are very fortunate.

 

SF:  Why did you choose Stone Forest as the location for reading and book signing?

P:  The work of Stone Forest is an exquisite combination of nature and the work of human hands.  The qualities of water, movement and beauty in stone very much resonates with my experience of poetry and art.  I have always delighted in this unexpected, secret garden right next to busy St. Francis drive.  The “showroom” is warm, intimate AND spacious; a place people could listen, perhaps even dream.  The connections between our small town, faraway places and artisans is the best of the concept, global.  It seemed a perfect setting.  I could see the kimonos in the garden and we got to see them with plenty of wind, movement and changing stormy twilight light.  It was great!

 

After leafing through the long, smooth pages of my thin-skinned wandering in the cozy quiet of my own home, I’d like to share a couple of my personal favorites:

 

To purchase a copy of my thin-skinned wandering ($30, 250 pages  7.75″ x 11″), please contact Piper directly at piperleigh@comunica.com.

Picture a small, dirt yard brimming with traditional Japanese hand-carved granite lanterns in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the year 1989.  Picture the owner of this small business, who has just returned from a life-changing trip to Japan, and who envisions a show-stopping, landscaped garden gallery full of running fountains, lanterns, water basins, benches and a koy pond, complete with blooming water lilies and a granite bridge.

Fast-forward to 2011.

Not only did his vision of a lush, outdoor display garden come true, but by 1993 his design concepts for functional sculpture for the kitchen & bath also took off.  Think pedestal sinks carved from multi-colored onyx and massive, solid stone bathtubs weighing 1,800 pounds.

Here we are, 22 years later, and our garden brochure has gone from looking like this to this:

So why are Japanese Lanterns, along with other traditional garden elements, so darned enchanting?  Let’s take a closer look.

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1. Ornament and Tradition |

 Traditional bronze Japanese temple lanterns in Kyoto, Japan | Photo by Carl Parkes of San Francisco, CA

 

The temples and shrines of Japan used lanterns made in bronze, iron, and stone to hold votive candles as a decorative, spiritual, and symbolic element in these sacred spaces as early as 6th Century AD.  These traditional lanterns weren’t meant to provide functional light for pathways, but as the Japanese tea ceremony started to develop in the 16th Century AD, they were borrowed and placed in the garden for ambiance and reference to transcendence.

Opinions vary as to whether tea ceremonies were regularly practiced during daytime or night-time hours, but most sources agree that the evolution of the stone garden lantern design resulted from tea masters seeking elements for the environment where they would practice.  It was important that these items be in keeping with the concepts of transformation and “wabi-sabi”, or the aesthetic that embraces finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence.  This speaks directly to the desire to be surrounded by objects from the natural world, made of natural materials.  Sukiya Living Magazine suggests that some tea masters “may have sought a subtle, slightly ‘man-made-looking’ lighted object to distinguish the mood of the tea garden from that of a dark and raw mountainside” but bring up tea master Soh’hen Yamada’s comment that “lanterns are not street lights”, explaining that appearance was far more important than functionality, and that other sources of light, such as torches or hanging paper lamps, were used to light these spaces.

 

2. Beauty and Design |

Types of Japanese Stone Lanterns  |  A Japanese Touch for your Garden  |  Drawings by author Kiyoshi Seike

 

Stone lanterns are carved in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles.  The book A Japanese Touch for Your Garden presents a general classification of the more well-known styles under these categories:

-Tachi-gata | Pedestal Lanterns:  Larger, show-stoppers, usually comprised of about six stacked pieces, feature a base pedestal.  The Stone Forest lanterns inspired by this type of style are:

 

-Ikekomi-gata | Buried Lanterns:  Lack base pedestals, so they are buried directly into the ground like emerging light posts, but still boast height.  As the image shows, some mimic the complexity of the pedestal lantern, while others have a simpler, less ornate design.  The Stone Forest lanterns inspired by this type of style are:

 

-Oki-gata | Small, Set Lanterns:  Small, low, subtle, and often placed “on the edge of a pond, at the side of a path, or in very small courtyard gardens.”  The Stone Forest lanterns inspired by this type of style are:

 

-Yukimi-gata | Snow-Viewing Lanterns:  Elegant with open legs and wide roofs that are usually round or hexagonal in shape.  Usually placed “near water elements”, and “so named because of the delicate way they hold snow on the roof.”  The Stone Forest lanterns inspired by this type of style are:

An interesting tidbit |  The beige granite lantern on the left, and the two blue-grey lanterns on the right are called “Yukimi” lanterns.  Sukiya Living Magazine explains that it is “related to the term uku, which means ‘to float’,” and refers to the idea that the reflection ‘floats’ on the water’s surface.  Contrary to popular belief, Sukiya Living Magazine argues that the word yukimi is not related to snow at all, and that it’s Japanese characters were misinterpreted.  “Yukimi style lanterns have always been used in sub-tropical regions where it never snows, and they are not used in tea gardens- a garden style famous for its expression of winter beauty.  At the same time, there are countless examples of yukimi lanterns being used correctly at the water’s edge, displaying their light, cheerful, and ‘floating’ character.”

 

3. Functionality and Placement |

Although traditional Japanese stone lanterns were not designed with the intention of providing enough light for seeing at night, Western civilization has often adapted these designs to provide functional lighting.  “In Japan putting an electric light bulb in your stone lantern might be seen as somewhat humorous,” writes Sukiya Living Magazine.  Indeed, you’ll find that most U.S. Japanese Gardens or private enthusiasts are more likely to point a spotlight toward the stone lantern so that it can be admired, versus installing bulbs or candles inside.

Here at Stone Forest, we core-drill most of our lantern designs to accommodate electrical  wiring so that you can choose how you use them.  You’ll find that our few exceptions to drilling are the more ornate pieces, like the Kotoji, which don’t take the drilling due to their shape, delicate size, or overall design.  Since we are “core” drilling, the hole is hiding on the interior of the piece, so it’s not a hindrance to the overall appearance.

Assembly is also important to stone lantern display.  Sukiya Living Magazine explains the names and positioning of the different sections of a large stone pedestal-style lantern, all carved carefully for balance and easier moving.  We’ll use our Kasuga lantern here as a visual reference:

You can see that the small set and snow-viewing style lanterns have similar sections at a smaller scale (shown in part 2, above).  Stone Forest’s buried-style lanterns have extra length in the post for anchoring in soil or cement.  When installing in soil, pack rocks tightly around the buried base.  Bonding the individual pieces together with an epoxy is optional, and provides further stability.

So which design would you choose?  Once you make the big decision on which type of stone lantern(s) would show best in your space, you’ll want to find the perfect spot to showcase it.  Nowadays, with a seemingly endless array of options for landscaping style & materials and electrical resources & aesthetics, the residential garden is a blank canvas to be colored for your enjoyment.  No rules!  Since we are adopting and adapting a centuries-old tradition, it’s nice to reflect upon the evolution of stone lantern placement, and perhaps incorporate some of these ideals.

Sukiya Living Magazine explains that in Japanese tradition, “although stone lanterns are ornaments, they are often positioned in spots where they appear to be useful or at least usable.  This practice is intended to remind visitors about graceful living and the wabi lifestyle.”  This etiquette dissolved when the tea ceremony began incorporating more and more decorative elements into the space, and “tea style and tea taste spread into society.”  Suddenly, lanterns were deemed worthy of being the focal point in a garden view instead of blending into their surroundings.  Indeed!

 

4.  Personal Experience and Preservation |

All images in this section taken by John Kinkade

 

John Kinkade, owner of Columbine Gallery in Loveland, CO and Executive Director of the National Sculptors’ Guild, took a trip to Japan in December of 2010 to visit his son, who moved there to teach English.  They connected in Kyoto, and embarked on a two week trek through the shrines, temples, castles and ancient cities of southern Honshu Island and the Island of Kyushu.  “I was especially interested in experiencing the landscape architecture of Japan’s gardens,” says Kinkade, who participates in design teams that collaborate for the placement of public art throughout the United States, including the one-acre sculpture garden on grounds at Columbine, which serves as the host to the NSG’s incredible collection, or as he calls it “his pride and joy.”

Placed throughout these landscapes that Kinkade visited were thousands of stone lanterns.  Their first stop was the Shinto Shrine of Fushimi Inari, known for its 10,000 bright orange torii gates at the entrance.  Kinkade recalls, “I was surprised to also discover the first of many paths lined by stone lanterns.  This is where I learned that during festivals and ceremonies rice paper is cut to fit the windows in the stone lanterns to increase the reflection of the candles placed inside them.   This isn’t done with any permanence and these paper lenses soon blow away or fall from the lanterns, but for one perfect evening or event, the glow is magical.”

After continual touring, Kinkade says that one of the most memorable stops on his trip was Iso-Teien, which is located in the city of Kagoshima.  In 1658 (and expanded to its present form in 1848), Shimazu Mitsuhisa, ruler of this region, created his grand villa and gardens “to encompass the view of the Kinko Bay in the foreground and the towering volcano Sakur-jima on the far side of the bay.  Perhaps the most striking of the hundreds of Iso-Teien lantern designs is the monolithic Lion Lantern, which sits near the restored villa  at the top of an outcropping of natural stone silhouetted against the bay.”  Kinkade explains that the “roof” of this lantern alone measured at least 6 x 10 feet!

Kinkade says that he is looking forward to a return exploration of this land and culture.  “I draw design elements into our projects almost every day that are influenced by what I saw and experienced in Japan.  And yes, the National Sculptors’ Guild Garden has seen some [inspired] changes as well.”

 

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So here we are today, continuing to carve stone lanterns, from classic to contemporary.  The integrity of granite gives Stone Forest carvings a material presence not realized using man-made materials such as cement or cast stone, making our pieces a timeless investment to be cherished and passed down for years to come.  Since each piece is hand carved using hammer and chisel, the individual character of the rock as well as the inspiration of the stone cutter lend each sculpture a unique quality.  Collected by enthusiasts, botanical gardens, and U.S. Japanese Gardens, our traditional Japanese stone lanterns are made to exacting Japanese specifications, and can be custom-carved in any style at your request.

“We still carve some designs from our original collection from over 20 years ago,” says owner Michael Zimber.  “One of our unifying themes is that we work with all natural materials.  The other is ‘less is more’.  We want to emphasize the underlying natural materials over the design.”

 

Sources |

Itoh, Teiji. Space and Illusion in the Japanese Garden. John Weatherhill, Inc: © 1973.  “To Capture with a Stone Lantern.”  Pgs 54-56.

Kinkade, John.  Owner of Columbine Gallery in Loveland, CO | Executive Director of the National Sculptor’s Guild.  Written interview.

Parkes, Carl/FriskoDude of San Francisco, CA.  Source for image:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/friskodude/1188078/.  Further information: http://friskodude.blogspot.com/

Roth, Douglas M.  Sukiya Living Magazine, The Journal of Japanese Gardening.  © 2010.  March/April issue, No. 74.  “Why JGardens Aren’t Lit…and why we don’t put bulbs in stone lanterns.”  Pgs 20-27.

Roth, Douglas M.  Sukiya Living Magazine, The Journal of Japanese Gardening.  © 2009.  November/December issue, No. 72.  “Yukimi Placement.”  Pgs 18-19.

Roth, Douglas M.  Sukiya Living Magazine, The Journal of Japanese Gardening.  © 2008.  September/October issue, No. 65.  “Lantern Assembly.”  Pg 21.

Seike, Kiyoshi, Masanobu Kudo and David H. Engel.  A Japanese Touch for Your Garden. Kodansha International Ltd: © 2008.  “Stone Lanterns and More: The Legacy of Tea.”  Pgs 54-59.

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi