Sedimentary Journey, Colorado Alabaster, 14"X9"X5"
Picture
Beaked Bird Head, Colorado Alabaster, 7"X10"X4"
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A Spire, Black Chlorite, 17"X8"X7"
Picture
Amphora with Inscription, Indiana Limestone
Green Boy, Italian Aosta Verde Issorie Marble
Picture
          Sphinx, Heather Green Alabaster, 12"X6"X5"
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Mapping Stone, Picasso Marble
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Separated After Birth, Silver Could Alabaster

 

Wedded Two, Utah Red Sandstone
Picture
Ball Peen Sisters, Silver Cloud Alabaster
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                 Strata Various, Raspberry Alabaster
            Sentry, Arabescato Marble
                 Dyad, Heather Green Alabaster, 14"X8"X6"
                         
                 Reimagined, Blue Ice Alabaster, 13" x 12" x 8"
                      Outside In, Colorado Alabaster
Bird Sentry, Ming Marble, 27" x 5" x 4"
                Rhombus Evolving with Tail, Zebra Marble, 15" x 7" x 3"
Light Stone, Italian Alabaster
Field Stone, Indiana Limestone
Whale Stone, Brazilian Soapstone
                Bird Woman, Orange Alabaster, 11"X4"X6"
                Whale Walk, Brazilian Soapstone
Mesa Stone, Raspberry Alabaster
Leaning Tower of Goose Neck, Silver Cloud Alabaster, 30 x 7 x 3
Picture
N - Becoming Bird, California Marble

Soapstone
Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a metamorphic rock, a talc-schist. It is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich in magnesium. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occurs in the areas where tectonic plates are subducted, changing rocks by heat and pressure, with influx of fluids, but without melting.  It has been a medium for carving for thousands of years.  Steatite is relatively soft (because of the high talc content), and may feel soapy when touched, hence the name.

Travertine
Travertine is a banded, compact variety of limestone formed along streams, particularly where there are waterfalls, and around hot or cold springs. Calcium carbonate is deposited where evaporation of the water leaves a solution supersaturated with the chemical constituents of calcite.

Tufa
Tufa, a porous or cellular variety of travertine, is found near waterfalls. Coquina is a poorly consolidated limestone composed of pieces of coral or shells.
Jeff Arnett has a BA in Art from UC Santa Cruz in 1972, a BA in Creative Writing in 1981 from UCSC, and an MA in Creative Writing form the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1985.  He taught writing at UCSC for 26 years.