Jean-Michel Garino

Born in Cannes in 1962, I have been a stone sculptor for many years. My main subject is nature and the world of animals, for their beauty and symbolism. The blocks are generally sculpted in a realistic style, with clean lines to preserve the elegance of the form, the softness of the touch and the natural luminescence of the marble (one of my references in animal sculpture is Francois Pompon). Some pieces are also carved in a rough style, retaining the stigmata of the carving process as well as uncut parts revealing the natural colors and crystals of the stone. Stone carving is direct, meaning that I draw the subject directly onto the block, which I then carve. Since there's no room for error in design and execution, the pleasure of sculpting is enhanced tenfold, right up to the polishing phase when the stone's colors finally reappear. As a result, I'm the only person involved from the artistic conception of the statuette to its polishing, all done in my workshop in Mougins. When the blocks are large, the choice of subject is independent of the block to be carved. On the other hand, I generally work with small blocks, and the shape of the stone determines the subject. I also take into account the specific characteristics of the stone, such as veining. My raw material is marble, mainly from Carrara in Tuscany.  I also enjoy discovering beautiful marmoreal stones to carve in the Provencal and Ligurian countryside.