CARVING THE FEMININE

Ellen with her sculpture of a Rubenesque woman — 1992-Ellen with sculpture at her Provincetown summer studio,
photo by Norma Holt

Among my favorite topics to carve were women–sometimes pictured alone, sometimes with a baby or more family members. Although I experimented with an abstract look (Mother and Child), I preferred a more naturalistic view (Woman Over a Wall).

An alabaster abstract sculpture of a woman holding a child. — 1987 *Mother and Child* (abstract)—alabaster

Alabster stone carving of a woman lying on a wall, with her hair cascading over its front. — *1987 Woman Over A Wall—*alabaster
Photo by Barbra Olcott

Sometimes the physical environment suggested a piece. Shivering Woman and Yurt Woman were both born from a freezing New Hampshire winter.

A larges soapstone statuary of woman shivering outside in the cold — *1994 Shivering Woman*—soapstone

Another recurring theme was women as angels.

1994 *Resting Angel*—soapstone
Collection of Frost Camp Family

The famed Shona sculptors of Zimbabwe were another important influence on my work. They rolled huge stones down their mountains and worked them into highly polished, life-sized family portraits.

The Shona carvers used unconventional tools—sharpened screwdrivers and sturdy iron hammers wrapped with duct tape around the handles. From these artists, I learned to vary an angular style with rough-hewn or textured sections, as in Suffering Woman, whose long braid trails down her back.

The front view of a large, black, carved soapstone figure of a woman wailing — 1986 *Suffering Woman*—soapstone
Collection of Anna Sidor, photo by Barbara Olcott

A view of a large, black, carved soapstone figure of a woman wailing. A long strand of braided hair hangs beyone her waist. — 1986 *Suffering Woman*—soapstone
Collection of Anna Sidor, photo by Barbara Olcott

Over the years, I have used a variety of stones—from alabaster and limestone to soapstone, and occasionally Arizona marble (Mother and Baby). When I lived in Tucson, driving to the quarries in Utah with my trailer was a favorite pastime. Utah’s alabaster comes in wonderful veined colors: coral, pink, and white (After Long Sleep).

While living in New Hampshire, I would drive to a quarry in Vermont to buy inexpensive pieces of black soapstone (Black Madonna).

A large sculpted figure hand carved from black polished soapstone, set in a desert landscape. — 1994 Black Madonna—polished soapstone

Vermont was also a destination for my favorite stone, Brazilian talc. Once, I came across a dealer in Rhode Island who sold talc. On his desk sat a pair of hand-carved candlesticks—one a soft, brilliant green and the other a robust golden yellow. He said,

“That stuff? Sure, I’ll throw a couple of crates on my next granite shipment.”

He sent a quarry in Vermont a crate with half a ton of talc stone in manageable sizes, mostly twenty-pounders. For years, my students and I worked that easy-to-carve stone, and it became my favorite (Waterjug Woman).

Brazilian talc carved in the image of a woman holding a water jug — *1991 Waterjug Woman—*Brazilian talc

Just before I retired, I was creating smaller pieces, mostly in white alabaster
(Woman Carrying Twins and Embrace).

Alabaster figurine of a woman holding twins. — 2021 Woman Carrying Twins—alabaster

An abstract image of a woman embracing a baby, hand hewed from alabaster. — 2021 *Embrace—*alabaster

To see more of my sculptures of women, check out my book Stone Song: Legacy of a Carver—available from my online store.

ellen sidorJuly 28, 2026Sidor StudioComment