Martin Cooney Stoneworks

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Martin Cooney Stoneworks Martin Cooney is a British-born stone sculptor specializing in hand-carved marble and limestone.

Martin Cooney is an internationally trained sculptor whose work bridges centuries of tradition with a contemporary vision rooted in beauty, craftsmanship, and authenticity. With over twenty-six years of carving experience and a background in traditional masonry, Cooney blends classical craftsmanship with a modern sculptural style. His signature curving forms emphasize balance, luminosity, and structural strength, inviting viewers to see marble as both elegant and surprisingly lightweight. Working through a reductionist process he developed over decades, Cooney selects and splits each raw block himself, revealing refined, tactile forms that interact beautifully with natural light. His sculptures are created to live comfortably in everyday spaces—objects of beauty meant to be touched, moved, and enjoyed. Cooney’s work is in private collections across the United States and abroad, and he continues to grow his Collection Series, a body of work dedicated to accessible, intimate marble sculptures crafted with museum-level technique.

09/26/2026

🎨 CALLING ALL ARTISTS! SethFest 2026 just keeps getting bigger and better! 🎨

There is SO much happening in the City of Council Grove on Saturday, October 10th, and now we’re adding another reason to spend the day with us : the SethFest Art Show at the Carnegie!

SethFest, put on by the Community Arts Council of Council Grove, is all about celebrating creativity, music, art, and community, and this year’s festivities are spreading throughout town.

If you’re coming for the live music, food, kids’ activities, local makers, fall fun, or simply a great day in Council Grove, make sure the Carnegie is one of your stops!

🖼️ ARTISTS — WE WANT YOUR WORK!
�Artists interested in participating in the SethFest Art Show should contact Leigh Coffman at 620-766-7345 or email [email protected]. Please include your phone number and let Leigh know what kind of art you create.

•SethFest Art Show at the Carnegie�•303 W. Main Street, Council Grove�•Saturday, October 10, 2026
•Artist setup will be available Friday, October 9, from 6:00–8:00pm, and Saturday morning from 8:30–9:50am.

And for everyone else : come see the show! Stop into the Carnegie during SethFest, discover the work of area artists, and make it part of a full day of art, music, food, shopping, and fall fun around Council Grove.

🎨 Artists, help us fill the Carnegie.�👀 Everyone else, come see what they create.

October 10th is shaping up to be one heck of a day in Council Grove!

09/23/2026

Centurion
Colorado Yule Marble — The Liberty Collection
Dimensions: 11 × 13 × 21″
Weight: 58 lbs.

‘Centurion’ marks a milestone: the 100th sculpture in THE COLLECTION SERIES—Martin Cooney’s “First One Hundred.” Conceived specifically for this moment, the sculpture brings together many of the forms and techniques that have come to define the series.

ColoradoYuleMarble YuleMarble MarbleSculpture StoneSculpture ContemporarySculpture AbstractSculpture StoneCarving FineArtSculpture KansasArtist CouncilGroveKansas

09/15/2026

TAKES TWO TO TANGO
SN260404
Colorado Yule Marble — The Liberty Collection
11.5 × 9.5 × 12.5 in. | 24 lbs.

What began as architecture became motion. In ‘Takes Two To Tango,’ Martin Cooney transforms strong triangular geometry into two sculptural forms that seem to lean, turn, and move toward one another, like partners caught in a dance. The title emerged from the moment the stone began to tango.

Architecture has fascinated Martin Cooney since childhood, when he grew up among the castles, cathedrals, and stately homes of northern England. That influence comes alive in ‘Takes Two To Tango,’ the 99th sculpture in THE COLLECTION SERIES.

As sweeping concave hollows emerged, the two forms seemed to lean toward one another, like figures caught in a dance. Architecture became movement, and ‘Takes Two To Tango’ was born.

Carved from brilliant white Colorado Yule Marble, its thin, intersecting walls allow light to pe*****te the stone, creating a subtle translucence and a changing glow throughout the day.

Carved fully in the round, the sculpture reveals a new composition of angles, curves, shadow, and light from every turn.

One final dance before a milestone: No. 99 in THE COLLECTION SERIES.

08/06/2026

‘Triaxial Twist’ takes its name from the peculiar dynamic created by three twisted columns — triaxial: “having or involving three axes.” It serves as an accurate visual description of a carving preplanned to achieve an architecturally sound result, a system that has served me well across many such pieces. Unlike many of my pieces,
What distinguishes this piece is its use of straight lines to create a visually curvy design.
‘Triaxial Twist’ isn’t demanding with light. Not particularly translucent, he’ll gobble up whatever light comes his way and look great from any angle — he was carved to be admired fully in the round. But give him a beam of light across his triangular face and watch the calcite crystals sparkle.

StoneCarving SculptureArt ColoradoYuleMarble MartinCooneyStoneworks FineArt

05/30/2026

In the previous reel, “One Piece Designed to Look Like Two,” Martin revealed an intriguing illusion. As the carving progressed, however, the stone revealed something unexpected. What began as an exploration of perception evolved into “When Opposites Attract,” a sculpture that speaks to the relationship between opposing forms drawn together in balance and harmony. Here, Martin presents the finished piece.

05/20/2026

One piece designed to look like two.

04/23/2026

Takes Two to Tango

Martin continues to push his exploration of form with a new direction—pyramid structures hollowed from within, leaving sharp edges that catch and carry the light.

This piece isn’t confined to a window. Wherever light touches it, the edges come alive—subtle, translucent, and constantly shifting.

It’s a study in balance, contrast, and movement… because sometimes, it really does take two to tango.



04/21/2026

Finishing Opposites Attract

Every piece is finished by hand.

Machines can polish the high spots, but they glide right over the subtle troughs. That’s where your fingers come in—perfectly shaped to reach what tools can’t.

And the real test? Natural light. Artificial light hides flaws. Sunlight reveals everything.

Because the eye is drawn to imperfections, finishing is about eliminating every anomaly—until nothing distracts from the form.

04/11/2026

After the split, the real work begins. Roughing out, carving, and now sanding.
This is where patience matters - don’t rush past imperfections. If you finish over a blemish, you’ll have to come back to it later. It’s better to address it now. Natural light reveals everything.

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Council Grove, KS
66846, 66873

Telephone

(785)5610326

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