TRACING THE HEAVENS

Tracing the Heavens captures a youthful barn owl paused in quiet attention, its gaze lifted upward as if following unseen paths across the night sky. The pose speaks to curiosity and emergence — a moment suspended between instinct and awareness, where the world above invites wonder rather than certainty. The owl’s upward motion suggests learning, growth, and the first stirrings of independence, echoing the ancient role of the owl as both watcher and seeker.

Carved from soapstone, the piece reveals subtle variations in tone and colour that shift with the light, emphasizing the softness of youth while retaining the quiet strength inherent to stone. The sculpture is mounted securely using stainless steel pegs that pass through the soapstone into a solid cherrywood base, creating a seamless and structurally sound union of materials. An additional glass base, with a rod extending into the wood, offers optional added stability while allowing the work to appear visually elevated — as though the owl itself is gently lifted, tracing the heavens it studies so intently.