A PASSION FOR STONE

We often refer to nature as if nature is something separate from ourselves, when in fact we are a part of it. There is something about exploring nature - digging for rocks and stones, losing all sense of time, that is meditative. In slowing down to nature's rhythm, our own natural rhythm, we connect with ourselves.

As avid rock collectors, we were so excited to discover the stone work of Stephen Hutchins and are delighted to be able to offer you a collection of one-of-a-kind, hand-carved Indiana Limestone and Crab Orchard Sandstone soap dishes.

Stephen's passion for stone derives from his career as a stone mason, a career that began in New Hampshire in 2004. He's still working with stone but now in Nashville, Tennessee where he is a sculptor and architectural stone carver. 

Most of Stephen's work is made from stones he finds through his travels in the Southeast along riverbanks, hiking trails, sprawling pastureland, or abandoned quarries. With each of his pieces, he seeks to reveal the versatility and aesthetic of stone, especially stone from the South.

The Indiana Limestone used in our soap dishes dates back to the Mississippian sub-period 350 million years ago and is composed of 98% calcium carbonate, which is the main component of marine organisms. This stone is proof that Indiana and much of the Midwest was once covered by sea.

Indiana Limestone Soap Dishes

Nestled along the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee is the small town of Crab Orchard where Crab Orchard Sandstone is quarried. What was once considered worthless scrap in the early 1900's is now revered as one of the most sought after architectural building stones for its durability and color variance. 

Crab Orchard Sandstone Soap Dishes