European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                It in t just tombstones by Marialisa Calta new York times Jerry Williams left Art school to make his living As a Ston Carver Chisling finely wrought images of the Virgin Mary and the saints into slabs of Barre Gray Granite in Barre vt., to be used As cemetery headstones throughout the United states. But while tombstones pay the Bills his heart is in the Large Geometric sculptures of Black Granite and Neon that he creates on his own time. Three of his works Are on display in an exhibition that Williams says is the first to feature the personal work of the City s Stone Carvers a show that proclaims the Carvers to be artists As Well As artisans. The Stone Carvers of Barre a Small Blue Collar City that has been a Granite quarrying Center for 175 years have always been known for their skill. Many were recruited in the 1950s from Carrara Italy which is famous for its Marble and skilled sculptors. They pretty much stuck to tombstones Williams said but they received some commissions for Public monuments or statues or pursued their own artwork As a Hobby. Now Williams is one of a growing number of former Art students who Are pursuing their individual artistic vision in the Granite Sheds of Barre. Their work is As diverse As Giuliano Cecchinelli s portrait of Pope John Xxiii in White Marble and Bill Kelly s whimsical child s seat carved in the shape of a fish. Bill Kelly carves Pink Granite into a children s seat in Barre it. Many of the artists Learned their skills from Frank Gaylord 63, who says he was the first Stone Carver to have an Art degree from Temple University when he arrived in Barre in 1951. Aside from tombstones he has carved Many Public sculptures including the statue in the Connecticut statehouse of the late gov. Ella Grasso and a Shakespeare in the lobby of the old Globe theater in san Diego. Six of the 10 Carvers whose work is on display apprenticed under Gaylord. His own sculpture god s fool a statue of St. Francis of Assisi singing to a Sparrow is on display in the show. I m not sure i want to be known As the Damn fool who spawned his own Competition said Gaylord a trim Man in a Blue Smock and a Burgundy Beret. But when a Young Man came to me wanting to work i wanted to help. It reminded me of  when George Kurjanowicz came to study with Gaylord in 1983, he had a degree from the Academy of Fine arts in Cracow Poland and was desperately in need of  i never wanted to do this said Kurjanowicz now 35, gesturing toward an ornately carved Tombstone. But i was forced to make a living and i became Good at  Kurjanowicz works As do most of 18 Carvers in one of the Many Granite Sheds around the City s six quarries. The Sheds Are Chilly cavernous buildings where Granite is Cut and polished and made ready for use. They hold huge cranes and cutting tools. Four Carvers including Williams work in the Barre sculpture studios housed in a former shed. The building part of which has been transformed into a gallery for the exhibit is a 6,500-Square-foot space strewn with slabs of Granite cacophonous with pneumatic hammers and suction devices vacuuming hazardous Granite dust from the air. At work in the studio Eric Oberg uses a Carbide chisel on a Bas Relief of St. Jude which he is carving on a Tombstone destined for a cemetery in Westchester county. I Learned How to sculpt on Granite he said. I Learned Anatomy this  Granite seems like such an unyielding material he added. I have Learned to make it  for himself he is working on a sculpture of a horse in Black african Granite. Williams sees Stone carving As a Way to learn the basics learn Anatomy learn the tools of Art. School was a playground he said. Video performance Art earthworks that was what was in. I had to come Here to learn the  he and True other Stone Carvers also make a Good living commanding $30 to $50 an hour he says. Williams 37, is the founder of the Barre sculpture studios and a moving Force behind the newly formed Barre sculptors and artisans Guild. He Calls the exhibition a Celebration of Stone which he says is coming Back into favor As a building material and an artistic medium. Along with the work of 10 Carvers the show currents in Stone features the Stone work of 12 regional sculptors. It will continue through Jan. 1. The use of Granite in buildings has increased Twenty fold in the past decade says Philip c. Marshall director of the architectural artist try program at Southeastern Massachusetts University who has spent a year researching the $70-million-a-year Barre Quarry Industry. Eclipsed in recent times by steel and Glass Granite is once again in use because technology has made it cheaper to extract from quarries and because it is valued for its endurance and sense of purpose he said. He said the Carvers maintained a vital link with Industry that could help restore old Bonds Between Art and Commerce. Williams agreed. We want people to know that we Are Here and that we know what we Are doing he said. We want people to know that this is where this Art started and this is where it  Erma Bombeck if there is a designer disease of the 80s, it s  you can dress it up or Down. You can take it with you to the club. You can suffer from it and still play Tennis. The higher your income and the More powerful you become the worse it gets. Well the japanese have been experimenting with ways to combat pressure in the marketplace and they be come up with a theory fragrant Aromas reduce stress. Here s the plan. They re going to pump various scents into the air conditioning system of office buildings and Gas pm into Mellow. According to their research the fresh smell of a Forest is supposed to help workers Deal with being uptight while Lemon and Jasmine Are said to have a rejuvenating effect helping workers overcome Post lunch drowsiness. My first reaction is one of suspicion. A few years ago for whatever reason they came out with an Auto  remember for an extra Buck the folks at your local carwash squirted a scent on the carpet of your car. There were Lemon Lime cinnamon Floral Orange Blossom Northern Pine Strawberry Cherry and even one called new car to choose from. The latter was a leather scent but someone said it smelled More like a new car and it had More Market Appeal. Anyway i m Here to Tell you the smell my husband had spritzer in my car did t relieve my stress. It created it. I Don t know what scent it was. My guess was a Cross Between an overripe Cantaloupe and a Possum in heat. I drove with the windows Down for two solid weeks and whenever i thought he forgot about it i reminded him. That is not to say there might not be some Merit to the japanese theory. I m not ready to admit smells can bring Down your hypertension but they can certainly make you have a better More relaxed Outlook on things. It s no great secret that if you re trying to sell your House just set a bowl of yeast bread under a Towel and a prospective buyer will Send for the kids. And if you want your husband to be in a Good mood when he opens the door at night have an onion in the oven. I guess we can look for All kinds of spinoffs on the Market to reduce stress. Look for a new Cologne for men called faithful husband or a car perfume called paid in full or even a Home Deodorizer called no  it la be interesting to know if the japanese Experiment works. Will the fresh smell of the great outdoors relieve stress or will people figure out that before they spend All that Money All they have to do is open a window c 1988ermabombeck Page 16 the stars and stripes monday january 9,1989