Talent, skill, inner fullness give birth to masterpieces. Russia can be proud of masterpieces cut out of stone.

Ural is considered to be a birthplace of stone-cutting and jewellry art. Good deposits of precious metals, and special Ural spirit contributed to it. Ural artists cherish traditions and improve their skills. Today I want to introduce you modern Ural stone-cutters from the Studio "Svyatogor" and their incredible works, which impressed me a lot.

Artists work mainly in three-dimensional mosaic technique. These are assembled figures, composed of several kinds of processed stones of various breeds. Especially popular are fabulous and mythological characters, historical figures. Stone cutters reveal stone potential in every single detail. Just look at how the inclusions on the stone make skin look realistic.

This work is called "Manitou" — an animate force of nature or spirit in the traditional representations of the Indians
Artist and author: Ivan Golubev, Alexey Zefirov
Grinder: Fedor Vagizov and Alexey Klevakin
Jeweller: Dmitry Evdokimov
Materials: moss agate, Brazilian agate
62 cm

"Demon"
Artists: Ivan Golubev, Alexey Zefirov
Author: Ivan Golubev
Frinders: Fedor Vagizov Oleg Nikolaev
Ironwork: Evgeny Belan
Materials: smoky quartz, amethyst, steel
50 cm

"Angel"
Artists: Ivan Golubev, Alexey Zefirov
Author: Grigory Ponomarev
Grinder: Albert Klevakin
Jeweller: Dmitry Evdokimov
Materials: amethyst, moss agate, chrysoprase, piezoquartz, hairy, purple, enamel gold
70 cm

"Satyr"
Artists: Ivan Golubev, Alexey Zefirov
Author of the model: Ivan Golubev
Grinder: Albert Klevakin
Jeweller: Dmitry Evdokimov
Artist: Eugene Belan
Milling Operator: Sergey Ulyanov
Casting: Dmitry Brezgin
Metal: Nadejda Beshitrova
Materials: flint, agate, moss agate, chalcedony, amethyst, Jasper, tiger's eye, citrine, uvarovite, smoky quartz, brass, silver, moss agate, jade, silver, amethyst, citrine
195 cm

"Gollum"
Artists: Alexey Zefirov, Ivan Golubev
Author: Ivan Golubev
Grinder: Albert Klevakin
Jeweller: Dmitry Babushkin
Materials: piezoelectric quartz, calcite
34 cm

"Elephant"

Artists: Ivan Golubev, Alexey Zefirov
Author of the model: Ivan Golubev
Grinders: Fedor Vagizov and albert Klevakin
Jeweller: Dmitry Evdokimov
Materials: black jade, green jade, white jade, moss agate, silver
32 cm

"Baba Yaga"
Artist: Andrey Pavlov
Author: Grigory Ponomarev
Grinders: Alex Atamanov, Sergey Tsygankov
Jeweller: Victor Sobolev
Materials: flint, moss agate, chrysoprase, petrified wood, jade, chalcedony, silver
42 cm

"Young Baba Yaga"
Author and artist: Ivan Golubev
Grinders: Fyodor Vagizov, Roman Vagizov
Jeweller: Victor Sobolev
Materials: 3 blocks of flint
48 cm

"Pan"
Based on the painting by Mikhail Vrubel's "Pan"
Author and artist: Ivan Golubev
Grinder: Albert Klevakin
Jeweller: Daniel Brewers
Materials: 4 blocks of Brazilian agate, silver
26 cm

"Mermaid"
Author and artist: Grigory Ponomarev
Grinders: Alex Atamanov and Sergey Tsygankov
Jeweller: Victor Sobolev
Materials: agate, chrysoprase, carnelian, jade, flint, quartz, smoky quartz, moss agate, silver, bronze, gilding, silvering, palladium, blackening
37 cm

"The Swan Princess"
Artists: Stanislav Shiryaev, Grigory Ponomarev
Author of the model: Grigory Ponomarev
Grinders: Alex Atanasov and Konstantin Kotkov
Jeweller: Victor Sobolev
Materials: chrysoprase, Jasper, marble, moss agate, calcite, quartz, Topaz, aquamarine, diamonds, silver, palladium, rhodium
34 cm

"Alkonost"
Artists: Alexey Zefirov, Ivan Golubev
Author: Ivan Golubev
Grinder: Albert Klevakin
Jeweller: Victor Sobolev
Materials: agate, amethyst, bronze
42 cm

"Ivan Tsarevich on the Grey Wolf"
Artist: Andrey Pavlov
Author of the model: Grigory Ponomarev
Finishers: Igor Manturovskiy, Roman Bakhtin
Jeweler:Victor Sobolev and Dmitry Babushkin
Materials: chrysoprase, chalcedony, tiger's eye, carnelian, flint, mother of pearl, agate, Jasper, moss agate, marble, sapphire, crystal, cubic Zirconia, Topaz, bronze, silver, gilding, silver, blackening
43 cm

"Russian Guslar"
Author and artist: Ivan Golubev, Alexey Zefirov
Grinder: Fedor Vagizov
Jeweller: Dmitry Evdokimov
Materials: agate, jade, silver
43 cm

"Suvorov"
Author and artist: Grigory Ponomarev (pictured)
Grinder: Alexey Atanasov
Jeweller: Dmitry Babushkin
Materials: Belarusian flint, jade, quartzite, dolerite, chalcedony, silver, petrified wood
53 cm

This is only a small part of the works that fit into the article. But this is enough to enjoy the magic art — the revival of stone. Now I want to reveal the veil of reincarnation and show how this process is laborious. One work takes up to 10 months.

First of all, the idea is born, according to which the author makes a pencil sketch, draws the image and details of the composition.

The next stage is visualization. Craftsmen sculpt a full size clay figure to see all the details and to adjust the idea.

After you start casting model of a modern polymeric material — plasticity, which replaces the plaster.

The next step is the selection of materials for the sculpture. This stage is very important. The artist must know features of each stone well to choose the right texture and shade. There should be a rather big collection of stones to choose the right one for a particular sculpture.

The model is ready, the minerals are selected and the artists start carving. To give the primary form of the sculpture, stone cutters use large saws, and for the development of small parts — specialized cutting machines with diamond discs. At this stage, the artist works out all the details, folds, gives the conceived form to individual parts. Next in the work includes a drill. Using diamond burs, lapidary artist draws hairs, pet hair, wrinkles.

A grinding and polishing to a mirror shine reveal true color and pattern of stone.

Finish line — assembly and gluing parts into a stone sculpture. For more realism, the eyes are inserted separately through the back of the head.

I'm a very sentimental person, and I get goose bumps from some of the works, from the highest skill.
I wish all the masters to find their way!