 "The Children of Abraham" |
Charlie Kleiman passed away in an auto accident in March, 2016. Charlie truly loved working in stone. He loved that he could create soft, smooth, caress-able art from a rough stone. He is survived by his wife Dorothy Slattery.
A POEM FOR CHARLIE
Charlie
My stone carving friend
My fellow sculptor
My could-have-been mentor
Your smile has carved itself into my memory
Etched itself into my heart.
And when didn't you have a smile?
Even acquaintances, friends-to-be, strangers, a passer-by
Were graced with your radiance
Your unwavering cheer.
Only when you were carving
Lost in your elemental dream
Did your smile dissolve
Into a dusty reverie;
Your soul spoke in stone.
Charlie
We shared a weekAdorned with safety goggles, dust masks, ear plugs,
Guiding pneumatic chisels and angle grinders
On their incessantly vociferous mission
Tapping, whirring and purring
A dance of hands, a chorus of tools
Dust and chips flying
Creating beauty out of randomness.
We shared a piece of Portuguese marble
Cut into two sparkling rock palettes
One for each of us
And we are still connected
By stone.
Charlie
You lived your stone-dusted dream
And we honor your journey
When we pick up our rasps, our chisels, our grinders
You are there
Helping, encouraging, smiling
Always.
Heidi Temko 2016
"The Children of Abraham" The limestone pillars, 450 pounds each, are carved with symbols and iconography of the three major monotheistic religions that trace their roots to Abraham; Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The three metal unity bands (stainless steel, brass and copper) encircle and embrace the three religions. The rings represent the idea that each theology can embrace the others without interfering with the individual philosophies. The bronze radiant sphere represents the universality and oneness of all.
Charlie Kleiman
www.charliekleiman.com
