Hand Sculpted Stone Garden Bird Baths

Our family has always had our hands on craftsmen. Our Great Grandfather worked with the WPA building stone walls in Bluefield, WV.  Various members of our family have created art and works that still exist. My nephew Justin Jerome is the newest generation to carry on tradition and show wonderful talent. I wanted to write about his newest works and get the word out he is making these for sale.

At first he was hesitant to become a subject of my blog...he is a modest fellow. I hope I don't embarrass him too much but we are very proud of him and he needs to get the word out about his latest endeavor.  So I talked him into letting me write about him, his new studio and his bird bath stone sculptures.

His work career has been quite unusual and extensive.  He has had unusual jobs such as worked helping with wolves rehabilitating them for the wild. Helped with studies working with eagles, and birds and worked in iron work.

But his greatest pursuit is stone work. He is a journeyman stone mason. He has helped build and refurbish stone walls on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

He recently last year worked on buildings at Virginia Tech creating the corner stones for a new building. Tech has their own stone quarry and their buildings are of a style all their own. Over the years he has worked on several projects at Tech as a stone mason.

Recently he moved to Ashville, North Carolina to assist family members and has opened a small studio part-time in West Ashville creating these beautiful garden bird bath stone sculptures.

These are one of a kind works of art. Not mass produced. Elegant and simple, using natural stone and making them stand out of the ordinary. I'm sure the pictures do not do them justice.

I hear they are frog approved! Justin says he has a couple of frogs that show up at his studio every evening to test them out.  He's suppose to get me a picture of that. But then Justin has always worked with his hands and is so talented.

Here is head of my walking stick he carved for me.

 Here is a natural stone trivet he created for my kitchen. Best trivet in the house!

 If folks appreciate his work, he would love to work at this full time.

Several of his pieces can be seen at various other venues. One at Hipps Stone in Ashville, NC Click HERE for the website and address. He sent a couple of pieces north to Blacksburg to his friend who is at Eucalyptus Massage on Main Street in Blacksburg, VA. The Steppin Out festival is coming up August 1 and 2nd in which the whole town of Blacksburg turns into a festival. Pieces should be able to be seen then if they are not sold by that time.

So pass the word. And if you have questions or would like to contact him, contact me and I will pass the word.