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Artist Perry Brent Davis on the Great Wall of China.
Perry Brent Davis' story runs from numerous locations along Colorado's I-70 all the way to Manchuria in upper eastern China.
We're talking about 6,000 miles from here to there.
Perry started with an initial location at Copper Mountain Resort's Village Square, a jewelry store called Gemsetter, following his leaving Illinois and Wisconsin in the early ‘80s.
Between seasons, he often took major trips to the Orient, gathering experiences in Tibet, the Himalayas, Thailand and China.
He then had a place in Silver Plume at the old Virage Ski Rental in that wooden tower structure right on turn by the on-ramp.
Next was Idaho Springs on the main drag, adjacent to Dennis Weed's Clear Creek operation of Raftmasters, across from McDonalds.
Four years ago, after stashing artworks, sculpting tools and other belongings in a used semi-trailer near Evergreen, it was off to China for the Geological Institute of America Graduate Gemologist degree-holder.
“I'm becoming Chinese,” says Perry in a recent landline phone call with such a smooth, clear connection, you think it's not real.
He follows a few calls up with some e-mails, detailing his art and business ventures in Jinzhou, a city of nearly 3 million inhabitants, located about a 3.5 hours' drive north of Beijing.
Learning a large scale carving factory had recently shuttered it doors and a small studio had emerged, Perry decided to take advantage of the situation, partnering with one of the plant's former design directors. They hired six of the most skilled carvers from a factory that had once employed 1,000 craftsmen, making their 9,000-square foot studio hum like a hive.
“My carvers average over 35 years of experience in carving stone,” Perry remarks. “It would be difficult to employ six stone-carvers in the USA, let alone any with that kind of experience.”
Finding the right technicians was not easy. Re-training stonecarvers to craft “jumbo jewelry”gems of quartz, agate and jasper to such a high quality level has been a unique endeavor, Perry explains.
“Even historically, to our knowledge, this level of cooperation has never been experienced before in China,” notes Perry.
This blend of the historic traditional Chinese carving with modern western ideas and techniques, he says, results in a new direction in modern design style.
Perry often puts most of the weight of the stone at the top of the sculpture, versus typical carvings being heavy at the bottom, making them look like they're floating unsupported.
“When selecting materials for sculpting, I choose stones that exemplify the power of nature, and possess the natural rainbows provided by the elements in the minerals,” says Perry.
His email: pd@perrybdavis.com
Your social info may be emailed
to milesfporteriv@aol.com.
We're talking about 6,000 miles from here to there.
Perry started with an initial location at Copper Mountain Resort's Village Square, a jewelry store called Gemsetter, following his leaving Illinois and Wisconsin in the early ‘80s.
Between seasons, he often took major trips to the Orient, gathering experiences in Tibet, the Himalayas, Thailand and China.
He then had a place in Silver Plume at the old Virage Ski Rental in that wooden tower structure right on turn by the on-ramp.
Next was Idaho Springs on the main drag, adjacent to Dennis Weed's Clear Creek operation of Raftmasters, across from McDonalds.
Four years ago, after stashing artworks, sculpting tools and other belongings in a used semi-trailer near Evergreen, it was off to China for the Geological Institute of America Graduate Gemologist degree-holder.
“I'm becoming Chinese,” says Perry in a recent landline phone call with such a smooth, clear connection, you think it's not real.
He follows a few calls up with some e-mails, detailing his art and business ventures in Jinzhou, a city of nearly 3 million inhabitants, located about a 3.5 hours' drive north of Beijing.
Learning a large scale carving factory had recently shuttered it doors and a small studio had emerged, Perry decided to take advantage of the situation, partnering with one of the plant's former design directors. They hired six of the most skilled carvers from a factory that had once employed 1,000 craftsmen, making their 9,000-square foot studio hum like a hive.
“My carvers average over 35 years of experience in carving stone,” Perry remarks. “It would be difficult to employ six stone-carvers in the USA, let alone any with that kind of experience.”
Finding the right technicians was not easy. Re-training stonecarvers to craft “jumbo jewelry”gems of quartz, agate and jasper to such a high quality level has been a unique endeavor, Perry explains.
“Even historically, to our knowledge, this level of cooperation has never been experienced before in China,” notes Perry.
This blend of the historic traditional Chinese carving with modern western ideas and techniques, he says, results in a new direction in modern design style.
Perry often puts most of the weight of the stone at the top of the sculpture, versus typical carvings being heavy at the bottom, making them look like they're floating unsupported.
“When selecting materials for sculpting, I choose stones that exemplify the power of nature, and possess the natural rainbows provided by the elements in the minerals,” says Perry.
His email: pd@perrybdavis.com
Your social info may be emailed
to milesfporteriv@aol.com.
