Wonderful and Unusual Carved Soapstone Folk Art "1603" Church war effort collection from strong brow to proud

from strong brow to proud nose to deeply carved  long whiskers--adding up to a sense that this cat is rather staring one down and clearly has the upper hand

all seams holding tights and mirror firmly embedded

including the stuff of a patient's nightmares

both lending a lovely warmth to an already warm portrait

Wonderful and Unusual Carved Soapstone Folk Art "1603" Church war effort collection from strong brow to proudI've seen a few miniature books carved of soapstone, and of course lots of Inuit sculpture, but I've never seen a house or a church or other sort of architectural structure as far as I know. This particular church feels close kin to the naive drawings of churches and houses and towns from long ago that I love so much, and with a compelling play of flatness and depth to it too, as if veering back and forth between drawing or sculpture. With a lot of