Two large abstract stone sculptures are stationed along 15th Street near the corners of the buildings facing Capitol Park.  Both works were selectively carved and polished so that weary visitors could sit and rest on them.  But user-friendly as they may be, they were conceived as unique works of art.  The sculpture at the south building is made from an unusually large chunk of Chinese writing stone, or calligraphy stone, found near Auburn.  This distinctive material is named for its crystalline structure, which resembles an explosion of Chinese characters, or short white lines, encased in a dark boulder. The polished portions accentuate the stone's contrasting colors and heighten its improbable graphic qualities. 

The second sculpture, in front of the north building on 15th Street, is made of a more familiar indigenous stone, Sierra quartz/granite.  Here, nature's patterns are more subtle, but no less intriguing.  The roughly curved contours and dark veins of the boulder resemble a compact, mountainous landscape formed over thousands of years, serving as a reminder that an entire world of beauty can be seen in a single stone.

Note:  To view photos in full size, please click on the image.

Chinese Writing Stone         

              Sierra Granite