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Upon inspection I noticed that the sculpture moved independently from the base it was mounted on and there was what initially appeared to be a failed glue joint between the two. I offered to bring it back to the studio to clean and service the fountain. I have some limited familiarity with soapstone, but thought it best to consult David Breeden before going to work on it. Susan agreed to provide the sculptor’s contact information via email, and by the time I returned to the shop Susan had learned that David Breeden passed away in 2006. But his web site, http://www.biscuitrun.com/ is still online. I called the phone number on the web site and ended up talking with a warm soul named Elizabeth, David’s widow. Elizabeth is the second person in two weeks to advise me, “Never ever polish dry stone without a ventilator”. Her husband’s cause of death was all the stone dust that filled the lining of his lungs over time. Admittedly, I have made the same mistake, turning my face upwind while looking sideways at my work. It is a nuisance to wear a mask, but coming from Elizabeth, this solid advice is hard to dismiss. I have promised my wife to heed it. Elizabeth was very much her husband’s partner and remembers selling the soapstone fountain sculpture to Susan two decades ago. She was pleased to hear that after all this time her husband’s art is still being enjoyed. I told Elizabeth I am honored to be entrusted with the revitalization of her husband’s creation, which is an enduring tribute to his artistic craftsmanship. David and Elizabeth used to travel from Virginia to Pennsylvania for the Mount Gretna Arts Festival. I doubt Elizabeth remembers everyone she and David ever sold a sculpture to, but Susan invited them to her home that year in advance of the Arts Festival for a little private showing. David’s work was such a hit with Susan and her friends that they cleaned him out, so the Breedens skipped the arts festival and returned home! Wow! Now that is what I call a good day at the office! Here is Susan’s original David Breeden fountain sculpture.
Upon closer examination I realized what I first thought was a failed glue joint was actually some sort of gasket that had dried out over time. Having consulted Elizabeth about the advisability of treating the limestone with a sealer, I suggested to Susan and Greg that all their fountain really needs is a good power washing to remove residual mineral scale from their tap water that accumulated over the years. That, plus it really should be re-installed over a plastic 60 gallon capacity in ground basin, which we did. Add to this a new pump and low voltage lighting assembly, and now David’s Breeden’s fountain sculpture should provide Susan and Greg many more years of pleasure. I enjoyed this experience, especially witnessing the pride of a woman whose late husband’s art lives on.
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