Eric Tepton - Soapstone Art
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Eric was born and raised in Anchorage Alaska. He started his artistic
career by working for his father when he was young- he was interested in
his father’s style of work.
After doing temporary carving two or three months out of the year, Eric
became a full time artist in 1990. He feels that art imitates life, and the
movement is a big part of the visual picture in his mind’s eye. Eric’s
fathers style influenced him, but he attained his own style by changing
those carvings to suit his individual taste. Eric sees the subject in his
mind every time he carves, and transfers his vision to the stone, using the
patterns and colorations to guide him towards a finished piece which is
truly alive.
HANAKA- this is the name of Eric’s studio, and also his mother’s maiden
name. The Inupiaq tradition of passing on a matrilineal name to a young
man has resulted in his distinctive and traditional signature. Eric's mother
is from Mary’s Igloo, Alaska. She currently works in fur, specializing in fur
dolls. His father is from Shaktoolik, Alaska, and works mostly in
soapstone, carving dancers and hunters.
career by working for his father when he was young- he was interested in
his father’s style of work.
After doing temporary carving two or three months out of the year, Eric
became a full time artist in 1990. He feels that art imitates life, and the
movement is a big part of the visual picture in his mind’s eye. Eric’s
fathers style influenced him, but he attained his own style by changing
those carvings to suit his individual taste. Eric sees the subject in his
mind every time he carves, and transfers his vision to the stone, using the
patterns and colorations to guide him towards a finished piece which is
truly alive.
HANAKA- this is the name of Eric’s studio, and also his mother’s maiden
name. The Inupiaq tradition of passing on a matrilineal name to a young
man has resulted in his distinctive and traditional signature. Eric's mother
is from Mary’s Igloo, Alaska. She currently works in fur, specializing in fur
dolls. His father is from Shaktoolik, Alaska, and works mostly in
soapstone, carving dancers and hunters.
SOAPSTONE
Soapstone is a common term for talc. Often, wood tools are used when
producing carvings from soapstone, as well as handsaws, files,
sandpaper, and acrylic finishing products. It takes anywhere from 30
minutes to 2 days to produce a carving from a boulder to a finished
product.
Soapstone is found all over the world. Alaska has curable stone, but it is
located in such remote and inaccessible locations within the state, that
the money spent to harvest it is not worth the profit made from carving it.
Also, it is a federal law that soapstone must be free of asbestos before it
can be worked on, for the protection of the artist’s health. Asbestos is a
close relative to soapstone, and deposits lie close to one another, so
harvesting it is a very specialized operation. Therefore, soapstone is
usually imported from Brazil, Italy, Washington state, Georgia, and
Florida. India, Sweden, and Africa are also sources. Soapstone from
different countries and regions varies in its coloring and patterns. For
instance, African soapstone is a velvety black to charcoal colored stone.
Soapstone colors range from black to white, and all the colors in
between, with tan and green being the most common. Depending on
where it is found, soapstone can have flaws like cracks, iron pyrite,
glass, and copper can be found in it.
Brazilian soapstone is nearly pure, with few flaws or other minerals. It is
revered as the best stone to carve, providing the best affordability,
availability, and quality.
A carving is formed by abrasion techniques, and the fine powder
produced from this process is actually talcum powder, albeit without
perfume, and unprocessed.
Soapstone has a hardness of one, as opposed to alabaster, which has
a hardness of two, and marble, a hardness of three. Therefore, it can
be broken and chipped if dropped, and a piece finished with acrylic
spray can be easily scratched. Display your soapstone in a safe place,
and handle it carefully when the need arises.
Soapstone is a common term for talc. Often, wood tools are used when
producing carvings from soapstone, as well as handsaws, files,
sandpaper, and acrylic finishing products. It takes anywhere from 30
minutes to 2 days to produce a carving from a boulder to a finished
product.
Soapstone is found all over the world. Alaska has curable stone, but it is
located in such remote and inaccessible locations within the state, that
the money spent to harvest it is not worth the profit made from carving it.
Also, it is a federal law that soapstone must be free of asbestos before it
can be worked on, for the protection of the artist’s health. Asbestos is a
close relative to soapstone, and deposits lie close to one another, so
harvesting it is a very specialized operation. Therefore, soapstone is
usually imported from Brazil, Italy, Washington state, Georgia, and
Florida. India, Sweden, and Africa are also sources. Soapstone from
different countries and regions varies in its coloring and patterns. For
instance, African soapstone is a velvety black to charcoal colored stone.
Soapstone colors range from black to white, and all the colors in
between, with tan and green being the most common. Depending on
where it is found, soapstone can have flaws like cracks, iron pyrite,
glass, and copper can be found in it.
Brazilian soapstone is nearly pure, with few flaws or other minerals. It is
revered as the best stone to carve, providing the best affordability,
availability, and quality.
A carving is formed by abrasion techniques, and the fine powder
produced from this process is actually talcum powder, albeit without
perfume, and unprocessed.
Soapstone has a hardness of one, as opposed to alabaster, which has
a hardness of two, and marble, a hardness of three. Therefore, it can
be broken and chipped if dropped, and a piece finished with acrylic
spray can be easily scratched. Display your soapstone in a safe place,
and handle it carefully when the need arises.
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