MBNews / August 2017 / 1
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Richard L. Martin
MBNews EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD EC Liaison – Matt Worthington Worthington Monuments matt@worthingtontx.com
MBAdvocacy
EAB Chair – Alison Raymer, CM Emerson Monument Company alison@emersonmonument.com
By Marilyn Harris-Davis, JD
Dustin Anderson, AICA Dakota Monument Company dustin@dakotamonument.com Marc Arntzen Gem City Memorials, Inc. gemcitymemorials@sbcglobal.net Perry Giles, CM Giles Monument Company, Inc. perry.giles@gilesmonument.com
Every Life Matters By Brian J. Poirier
MONUMENT BUILDERS OF NORTH AMERICA
Intellectual Property and Creativity How to Create Artwork in Adobe Photoshop for Sandcarving Photographs By Darin Jones
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Kimberly A. Fantaci Executive Vice President +1.800.233.4472 X-106 info@monumentbuilders.org
Memorial Renovation The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
Krista Saul, CPA Accounting Manager +1.800.233.4472 X-107 James Perry Association Executive +1.800.233.4472 X-104 Cassandra Shaffer Association Manager +1.800.233.4472 X-115
Insurance Insights
Brian McKenzie Events Manager +1.800.233.4472 X-114
By Mike Windham
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136 South Keowee Street Dayton, OH 45402 +1.800.233.4472 FAX +1.937.222.5794 info@monumentbuilders.org www.monumentbuilders.org
HEADQUARTERS TEAM
By Walter S. Arnold
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Donald A. Mounce, APR +1.800.233.4472 X-473 mbnews@monumentbuilders.org
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Industry Calendar/New Members
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EDITOR
Tina Schneider Chief Administrative Officer +1.800.233.4472 X-101
Classifieds/Advertising
ON THE COVER
Staglieno, the Monumental Cemetery in Genoa, is one of Italy’s greatest overlooked sculptural treasures. Read more about cleaning, maintaining, and protecting these invaluable white Carrara marble sculptures on page 18 of this issue.
Closing date: Four weeks proceeding date of publication. We reserve the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Subscription rate is $70 annually for members, which is included in the annual membership dues. The rate for non-member subscriptions or additional subscriptions requested by MBNA members is $125 a year. Single issue price is $12.
Mission To define and promote memorialization in a viable, innovative and diversified way for the membership and to enhance the awareness of memorialization by the general public and the remembrance industry.
POSTMASTER – Send address changes to MB News, 136 South Keowee Street, Dayton, OH 45402. Telephone: +1.800.233.4472 Fax: +1.937.222.5794 E-mail:info@monumentbuilders.org Web: www. monumentbuilders.org
©2017 Monument Builders of North America
MBNews
MBNews (ISSN 0192-2491) is published monthly with the Buyer’s Guide in April by Monument Builders of North America (MBNA), 136 South Keowee Street, Dayton, OH 45402. Periodical postage-paid at Dayton, Ohio and additional mailing offices./ 3 / August 2017
4 / August 2017 / MBNews
By Marilyn Harris-Davis, JD
Cremation is Not Final The Annual Statistics Report Preview in May, 2016, revealed that the rate of cremations in the United States exceeded 50 percent. While the rise in cremations is not news to the Monument Builders of North America (MBNA), we need to consider what this means to our industry, suppliers, and the consumer. The decision to cremate is not a final one. It appears to be a viable economic decision for the family, but in reality it often does not provide closure and, consequently, is certainly not final. The memorialization of a loved one is critical. In fact, 60 percent of the families who make the decision to cremate have no plans for memorialization, according to the Cremation Association of North America’s 2016 statistics. High cremation areas indicate that some consumers’ interests meet the standards of a new non-religious population. Nevertheless, memorialization and religion are not intertwined. It is my contention that cremation rates will continue to grow and the need for memorialization will grow as well. Steps to Memorialization We all know that once a family has made the decision to cremate their loved one they do not necessarily know the next steps. Memorialization may be completely foreign to them. After the cremation process, the family may all walk away yet still have lingering memories of their loved one. They are not
aware of ways to express or acknowledge those memories. The services offered by the Monument Builders of North America may be completely foreign to them, and at that point, they put the cremains on a shelf or in a closet. More times than not, the cremains are not even picked up from the funeral home. Consequently, consumers need help to identify methods of memorialization. “The rise in cremation rates presents a major opportunity for MBNA members. CANA will be glad to work together with MBNA to raise awareness of the opportunities that exist to memorialize those loved ones having been cremated,” said Barbara Cremins, Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America. Opportunity Strategies The following are some strategies to assist MBNA members in enhancing memorialization opportunities. Establish relationships with the cemeteries with whom you do business. Let them know of your readiness to memorialize cremains and, perhaps, if necessary, negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement. The laws are silent on these issue, currently, relative to cremains. These conversations will benefit the relationship between you and the cemeteries on many levels. Attend your local cemetery association meetings. My research has shown that the MBNews / August 2017 / 5
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majority of cemeteries do not want to deal with cremation memorials. If we create nonadversarial relationships with the cemeteries (which will take some time), we can work on being perceived as a partnership in this arena. Establish relationships with crematories performing direct cremations. They can make recommendations to the families for their loved one’s memorials. Frequently, those facilities performing direct cremations are finished after the procedure. Create relationships with the Funeral Director Associations in your area. I know how busy we all are, but have someone on your staff attend their public meetings. Funeral Directors are often left with final decisions when it comes to cremains, and one call from them or a suggestion for memorialization strategy may prove beneficial to our members. As MBNA members, we need to consider the rise in cremation rates as an opportunity and not a disadvantage. We need to be creative, and we all know that creativity is what MBNA members do best! Members need to get “their foot in the door� of this opportunity, now, because cremation rates will only increase. These are strategies that we can begin to employ currently, that will not only benefit us today but also our future generations. MB Marilyn Harris-Davis, JD, is the Advocate for MBNAs MBAdvocacy effort. Ms. Harris-Davis is committed to serving both the members of the association and the consumers as well, to whom the members provide one of the most valuable services of their lifetimes. Her objective is to work in conjunction with other entities in the death care industry to address issues relative to anti-competitive practices and unscrupulous behavior in the negotiation, sales, installation, and maintenance of monuments and markers. She can be reached by phone at +1.800.233.4472, ext. 986, or by email at advocate@monumentbuilders.org. MBNews / August 2017 / 7
I N D U S T R Y
C A L E N D A R
SEPTEMBER 2017 19-22 Catholic Cemetery Conference 67th Annual Convention & Exposition JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa For more information, please visit www.catholiccemeteryconference. org
OCTOBER 2017 02-03 Northwest Monument Builders Laser Users Seminar Dakota Monument Company Fargo, ND +1.701.237.4343 Contact: Dustin Anderson, AICA dustin@dakotamonument.com or Tyler Francis, CM tylerf@dakotamonument.com
28-30 Tennessee Monument Builders / Kentucky Association of Memorial Dealers / Monument Builders of the Carolinas Joint Convention Marriott Downtown Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN Contact: Pam Schultz +1.615.712.9521 pschultz@schultzmonument.com
12-14 School of Hard Rocks Keystone Memorials Elberton, GA Contact: Scott Luken +1.605.665.3052 Kahuna127@gmail.com
29-30 California Monument Association Fall Meeting Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino Raymond, CA Contact: Joseph Mehochko | +1.951.943.4966 joseph@suncitygranite.com
N E W RETAIL MEMBER Choate Monument Company Contact: Chris Ross 1108 North Texas Avenue Bryan, TX 77803 PH: +1.979.775.7907 FX: +1.979.779.7593 Email: cross@choatemonument.us Web: www.choatemonument.us
8 / August 2017 / MBNews
NOVEMBER 2017 14-15 Casket & Funeral Supply Association Fall Conference & Trade Show JW Marriott Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Contact: Erin Russell +1.847.295.6630 erussell@cfsaa.org www.cfsaa.org
JANUARY 2018 12-13 Mid-Atlantic Monument Builders Convention Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Baltimore, MD Contact: Karen Gingrich registration@mid-atlanticconvention.com www.mid-atlanticconvention.com FEBRUARY 2018 23-25 MBUniversity Educational Conference Sheraton Airport Hotel Dallas, TX Contact: MBNA Staff +1.800.233.4472 info@monumentbuilders.org www.monumentbuilders. org/2018show MARCH 2018 15-17 California Monument Association & Pacific Northwest Monument Builders Association 28th Annual Joint Convention Holiday Inn Dublin-Pleasanton Dublin, CA Contact: Bobby Mattos, AICA | +1.510.581.5834 bobby@mattosmonuments.com
M E M B E R S BRANCH MEMBER WTC Granite Industries Contact: Paul J. Thomas 2042 Camaro Avenue Columbus, OH 43207 PH: +1.404.861.6008 FX: +1.603.444.0902 TF: +1.866.977.5312 Email: pthomas@wotrco.com Web: www.wotrco.com
By Brian J. Poirier
Coast Guard Veteran Plymouth, Massachusetts follows the mantra that Every Life should be Remembered. We recently helped honor a veteran with a burial spot and memorial. Cartmell-Davis Funeral Home in Plymouth, Massachusetts, contacted our company to mark the grave of Joseph Carney. Carney was a resident of nearby Bourne and a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, but with no known living family. The funeral home donated a casket and vault as well as performed a graveside service for Carney at Vine Hills Cemetery in Plymouth. The VA provided the cemetery plot and opening of the grave.
It doesn’t
It doesn’t take much take much time and money to properly mark a grave for time and someone who otherwise money to would not have been marked. Quincy Memorials properly used a small piece of black mark a grave granite to engrave his name and dates. for someone Marking the grave will who help with genealogy in the future. Even though otherwise he may not have had any would not known immediate family, he is part of someone’s have been family alive or deceased. marked. MB Bryan J. Poirier is Sales & Marketing Manager for Quincy Memorials in Quincy, Massachusetts. For additional information, contact him via email at bryan@ quincymemorials.com, by phone at +1.617.471.0250, or visit their website at www.quincymemorials.com.
MBNews / August 2017 / 9 AD-MBNA-3.5x4.75-prod.indd 1
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By Darin Jones
When it comes to sandcarving, successfully etched products stem from great artwork. Once the basics and best practices are mastered, the possibilities are endless. The following is a how-to guide in creating artwork for sandcarving photographs. Adobe Photoshop is the artwork program of choice, along with RapidMask photoresist film for sandcarving. RapidMask is the only dry process photoresist film on the market. It is engineered to hold high detail specifically for sandcarving halftones. Let’s begin. 1. Open the original photo file in Adobe Photoshop. It’s ideal to start with a high-resolution image around 300 dpi. The higher the resolution, the better. (Figure 01) With halftones, photo color is unnecessary. Whether you’re working with a photo with color, or even if it’s black and
Figure 01
10 / August 2017 / MBNews
white, the Image Mode must be changed to grayscale. 2. Within the top menu, click on Image then Mode and select grayscale. Photoshop will prompt to discard the color information. Simply click the Discard button. The image will be washed out in a grayscale color format. (Figure 02) 3. Take a good look at the grayscale image.
H OW TO CR EATE A R TWO R K I N A D O B E P H OTOSH O P FO R SA N D CA RV I NG P H OTOG RA P HS
Figure 02
Stay away from 100 percent black and 100 percent white areas as those will not convert to the halftone pattern during the process. There are a few tools in Adobe Photoshop that are designed to lighten or darken those problem areas: a. Adjust the Image Levels by going to Figure 03 Image>Adjustments and click Levels. (FIgure 03) b. Replace Color by going to Image>Adjustments and click Replace
Color. Use the Eye Dropper tool to select the desired color on the artboard. Then, in the Replace Color window, slide the Lightness level arrow up or down to find a happy-medium. MBNews / August 2017 / 11
12 / August 2017 / MBNews
H OW TO CR EATE A R TWO R K I N A D O B E P H OTOSH O P FO R SA N D CA RV I NG P H OTOG RA P HS c. Dodge & Burn tool— this tool allows for the most control over specific problem areas. This instance adds brightness or darkness to any selected area. Adjusting the Range and Exposure percentages is also helpful in adding or removing the brightness or darkness. (Figure 04)
Figure 04
Figure 05
4. Scale the image down to the correct size before the halftone process. After the halftone process has been applied, scaling or resizing the image will ruin the halftone pattern. Make sure the substrate size and exact sandcarving are known before the halftone process begins. Again, you must scale or resize the image before the halftone process. Also, when using RapidMask, there must be a black border around the final image. This step occurs later in the process. A 1/4-inch boarder is recommended—that measurement should be taken into account when sizing the artwork to fit the substrate. Size the image before the halftone process by going to the top menu and clicking Image then Image Size. Adjust the settings from there. (Figure 05) MBNews / August 2017 / 13
H OW TO CR EATE A R TWO R K I N A D O B E P H OTOSH O P FO R SA N D CA RV I NG P H OTOG RA P HS
Figure 06
Figure 07
5. Time to start the halftone process. Go to the top menu and select Image then Mode, and select Bitmap to start the process. The Output Resolution should be set to 800 pixels per inch. Next, the Method portion: Be sure to select, Halftone Screen, then click OK. (Figure 06) 6. We’re on to the Halftone Screen, and the Frequency should be anywhere between 45–65 lines per inch. The higher the number, the more detailed the halftone image, and a bit more challenging to sandcarve. This is exactly what RapidMask 2 mil photoresist film is designed for. Traditionally, Figure 08 the Angle is set to 45 degrees. It also really depends on the substrate, film and complexity of the artwork. Start at 45 degrees and if you’re not satisfied, try using 37.5 – 52 degrees. A bit of testing may be required to find the best angle. Lastly, the shape should be set to Round, then click OK. (Figure 07) 7. Review the halftone image and zoom in for inspection. Ideally, dots should be seen across the entire image. If you see an area without dots, adjust the black and white settings. Go back to Step Three and explore the lightening and darkening tool options to help eliminate those bright white and dark black areas. (Figure 08 and 08A) 8. Next, add a 1/4-inch black border around the final halftone image. The border is only needed when using RapidMask photoresist
Figure 08A
film. The boarder helps to achieve sharp and clean lines clean around the finished halftone image. MBNews / August 2017 / 15
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H OW TO CR EATE A R TWO R K I N A D O B E P H OTOSH O P FO R SA N D CA RV I NG P H OTOG RA P HS
There’s no need to worry about masking tape accidentally covering the halftone pattern when taping off the substrate. Instead, the tape can be placed easily on the precise boarder. (Figure 09) To add a black border to the finished halftone image, go to the top menu and click on Image then Canvas Size. From there, increase the canvas width and height by 1/4 of an inch. Note: We’re not changing the image size, only the canvas size. Make sure the Relative box is not checked. Next, toward the bottom you’ll see Canvas Extension Color. Make sure that is set to Black, then click OK. A nice, even black boarder will appear around the image. If a wider boarder is needed, go back and increase the canvas size to a 1/2 of an inch.
Figure 09
9. The halftone image is complete, ready to print, and then off to sandcarving. If the halftone file needs to be saved and imported into a different artwork program, the file should be saved as a .TIFF file, a highquality image format. (Figure 10) MB This article by Mr. Jones was reprinted courtesy of A&E magazine, and originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of A&E. For additional information on the magazine or this story, please visit www.a-e-mag.com. For additional information, contact Cassandra Green, Editor, National Business Media, at 2800 W. Midway Blvd. in Broomfield, CO 80020.
Figure 10 MBNews / August 2017 / 17
By Walter S. Arnold
Staglieno, the Monumental Cemetery in Genoa, is one of Italy’s greatest overlooked sculptural treasures. Built in the mid-18th century, this monumental cemetery is the largest outdoor sculpture museum in Europe and houses some of the finest examples of marble carving of the mid-19th to mid-20th century. These works represent a full range of styles, including Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco. Subject matter were very broad; some memorials were sentimental, others mournful, spiritual, macabre, or simply beautiful.
Some are simple, others are elaborate documentary dioramas, and many are virtuoso tours de force, displaying the incredible artistry of the sculptors and carvers. And protecting all the invaluable, white Carrara marble sculptures is vital, as they are in need of cleaning to maintain their quality and longevity.
Cemetery History The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno was conceived in the early 1830s and officially opened on January 1, 1851. As a result of the cholera epidemic in 1835, old church burial grounds scattered throughout the local communities proved to be insufficient, and the public health concerns triggered a demand for new, larger burial grounds on the outskirts of the cities. In addition, changes in society, including the growth of an affluent middle class, led to development of magnificent parklike cemeteries. Staglieno holds a special place among the greatest of these; in 1886, the Parisian newspaper Le Figaro announced that Staglieno was “the most beautiful cemetery in the world.” An angel’s wing, from Agostino Allegro’s 1872 Queirolo tomb. 18 / August 2017 / MBNews
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
This is a superb example of “Bourgeois Realism” a short lived and little known late 18th century style of art. A response to the earlier more romantic styles, this was an extremely detailed, realistic style generally depicting members of the middle and upper middle class. Up until the mid 1800s generally portraiture and statuary was limited to depicting royalty, military leaders and saints and other religious figures. With the Enlightenment came the emergence of a well established middle class, who could commission monuments to their families and their own success. Just a few decades later Modernism swept through the art world, and these artists and their work were brushed aside and forgotten. With more than 117,000 gravesites, it is so large that it has internal bus service. Over seven hundred monumental sculptures are housed in arcades and niches in the network of two- and three-story tall covered galleries. Each niche is flanked by smaller crypts with ornate carved marble reliefs. More sculptures and mausoleums are spread through the overgrown hills and tree lined paths of this 80acre cemetery.
figures. During the mid-1800s, Italy won its independence from the Austrian Empire and became a unified nation. With this new freedom came a new social perception. At the same time, centuries of marble carving tradition in Italy culminated in a period with an incredible quantity of extremely gifted, highlyskilled artists and craftsmen. Even middle class families could commission the finest sculptors of the day to celebrate and commemorate their new-found success and prestige. Social Changes Tourists dream of visiting Rome, Florence, Prior to the 1800s, monuments were reserved and Venice.; But Genoa isn’t on the “Grand Tour,” for the aristocracy, military heroes, and religious and a cemetery on the outskirts of the city MBNews / August 2017 / 19
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
The 1920 Remaggi Bargagliotti family tomb is an example of the Liberty Style, the Italian version of Art Nouveau. Domenico Razeti, Sculptor.
Leonardo Bistolfi was the leading Symbolist and Liberty Style (Italian Art Nouveau) sculptor in Italy. The Bauer/Bocciardo Memorial is one of his major works; he exhibited the plaster model at the Venice Biennale show in 1905. We sponsored restoration of this dynamic work of art, which was at serious risk from biological growth and neglect. 20 / August 2017 / MBNews
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
With more than 117,000 gravesites, it is so large that it has internal bus service. Over seven hundred monumental sculptures are housed in arcades and niches in the network of two- and three-story tall covered galleries. certainly isn’t on most people’s radar; even among Italians, Staglieno is relatively unknown. This is an active cemetery, and the City of Genoa maintains it as such. But it hasn’t had the resources nor the inclination to maintain it as an art museum until the past two years. As a result, over the past hundred years the galleries and sculptures have suffered greatly from neglect.
One of the best known and beloved sculptures at Staglieno Cemetery in Genoa is the 1881 monument to Caterina Campodonico, “The Hazelnut Seller”. A poor single woman, a street vendor, she worked selling nuts and sweets at fairs and festivals, and saved all her life to commission one of the most important artists of the time, Lorenzo Orengo, to sculpt her memorial. This is the most beloved sculpture at Staglieno Cemetery and is a symbol of the resilience of the citizens of Genoa, Italy. The delicate Statuary marble suffered from humidity, weather and time American Friends of Italian Monumental Sculpture sponsored her restoration.
Quality Degradation There is an abundance of virtuosity to be found throughout Staglieno; any one of these sculptures could be a treasured centerpiece for a museum collection, yet in Staglieno they are covered in dust and visited by only a few dozen people a day. These thick layers of dust, grime, and pollution, along with moss and mildew, are attacking the delicately carved surfaces of the white Carrara marble. Staglieno represents the epitome of Western cemetery memorial sculpture. In many other cemeteries around the world, you can see individual works of the same period and caliber, but none of those cemeteries have the sheer quantity, breath, and depth of collection to rival this one. MBNews / August 2017 / 21
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The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
The 80 acres of Staglieno spread over a steep, hilly area. The upper sections hold the family mausoleums, some of which are quite elaborate and dramatic. The Ottone family chapel at Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa, Italy was designed by M.A. Crotta and built in 1898. You can see the canopy of a niche at the bottom of this photo. The niche itself, not showing in the photo, is empty, because the statue of St. Maurizio was stolen some years back. It was not hyperbole Monumental Sculpture, (I)n 1886, the Parisian to work with the City of when, in 1960, the English newspaper Le Figaro Genoa and preserve these author Evelyn Waugh wrote, “It is as a museum of midannounced that Staglieno masterpieces. To date we nineteenth-century bourgeois have sponsored twelve was “the most beautiful art in the full, true sense, that restorations, with more the campo of Genoa stands cemetery in the world.” planned during the rest of 2017. supreme. If Pere Lachaise and the Albert Memorial were In the process, we have obliterated, the loss would be negligible as long stirred up interest in Genoa, helping reawaken as this great repository survives.” the city pride in this extraordinary place. , The city has thus started doing structural repairs, establishing weekly tours, and promoting Renovation Focus awareness. With this in mind, we established a 501(c3) Restorations are a slow and careful process. non-profit, the American Friends of Italian MBNews / August 2017 / 23
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
An Art Deco work from the 1930’s, this is the de Langlade family tomb sculpted by the Pessina-Scala company.
Before restoration his work was at risk of crumbling from the attack of dirt, pollution, moss and mildew. Now that it has been cleaned, instead of recoiling from the terrible condition, people stop to admire the magnificent carving. 24 / August 2017 / MBNews
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
Just one of over a dozen such galleries at Staglieno. There are over 700 of the the large niches, 16’ tall and 10’ wide, with major sculptures. In between each niche is a smaller 5’ tall marble crypt, often with stunning relief sculptures. The restorers we work with at Staglieno are very careful to not over clean the sculptures. They remove the biological growth, black crust, and chemical deposits from pollution that eats away at the surface of the marble, but they leave some of the natural patina. The end result is to preserve and protect the sculpture for many more years without trying to make it look too pristine and sterile. Restoration Process How are these masterpieces restored? There are many steps in the restoration process. Every restoration is different, depending on the peculiarities of the individual sculpture, the specific problems (dirt, pollutants, bird
droppings, moss, mildew, or bacterial growth) and variation in the type and condition of the marble. We start with specifications written by art restoration specialists from the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio, the provincial agency that oversees all artwork treasures. We issue a request for proposals to five or six different restoration firms with experience in this type of work, and select the most appropriate proposal. While price is a factor in the selection, we also need to ensure the chosen proposal is thorough, thoughtful and complete. Typically work will begin with lightly brushing off dust and debris, then cleaning with MBNews / August 2017 / 25
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The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
James Fletcher was the longest serving U.S Consul in Genoa (1883-1901). He lost his wife and daughter during his service there. He commissioned this memorial in their honor, and then he was also interred here. This commission helped the young artist Luigi Brizzolare start his successful international career. AFIMS sponsored this restoration in 2015. Raffaele Pienovi, who died at the age of 91, is mourned by his young wife Virginia Aprile, who lifts the covers of his death bed for one last tender look. The sculpture is still in very good condition, but the crumbling walls and leaking roof threaten it. MBNews / August 2017 / 27
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
The most famous work at Staglieno, copies of this 1882 angel on the Oneto family tomb were carved for dozens of cemeteries around the world, including Argentina, England, Romania, and Cuba. Among the copies in the United States are monuments at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, N.Y., and Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis. Note that the famous legend about that statue for the Herman Luyties tomb is an urban legend; it is actually a copy of this statue, which was originally created when Luyties was only 11 years old. Even the Bellefontaine website promotes the false legend, with the following statement: During a trip to Italy in the early 1900s, Herman Luyties, owner of the first proprietary drug store in St. Louis, met a voluptuous model for an Italian sculptor. He fell in love with her and proposed, but she declined. Heartbroken, Luyties commissioned the sculptor to render at 12-foot marble statue of his beloved. The statue was shipped to St. Louis, where he kept it in the foyer of his Portland Place home. The several-ton statue was moved, because of its extreme weight, to the family burial plot in Bellefontaine. When the weather began to deteriorate the marble, he had to enclose her in a glass-fronted case. Luyties died at age 50 and was buried at the foot of “the girl in the shadow box.� 28 / August 2017 / MBNews
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy
The Scala tomb, sculpted by Ettore Sclavi in 1913 in the Symbolist style, was a representation of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. The sensual young woman, hair loose in the wind, triumphs over everything as her horse slices through flowers and weeds, symbolically cutting through young and old, good and bad. cotton swabs and deionized water. Some areas are then gently washed with mild detergents, and poultices with biocides are applied to draw out the microorganisms and kill bacteria, mold, and mildew. The poultice also serves to remove salts from the surface. Some cracks and flaking may be repaired or reinforced and broken pieces reattached. The final stage is application of a water repellent sealer, which is not permanent; it has a two- to three-year lifespan. We schedule follow-up maintenance every six months, including a light cleaning and, when needed, reapplication of the sealer.
Maintaining Design Integrity In some cases, like the Fletcher Memorial by Luigi Brizzolara, a laser is used for some of the cleaning. The laser is calibrated to the exact wavelength that causes the dirt to come off without the device touching or harming the marble. This project was also the first time in Italy that lasers were used not just for cleaning, but also as a biocide on a marble restoration. It has proven 100 percent successful in such an application. As the white marble emerges from under a century of dirt, the original design intent of the artists re-emerges, and the sculptures gain a wonderful clarity and freshness. This way, we MBNews / August 2017 / 29
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The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa, Italy hope they will be able to continue to inspire and awe future generations, as they see what people were able to do with just a block of stone, steel chisels, and iron hammers. For anyone interested in cemeteries, monumental sculpture, or art, Staglieno is well worth discovering. You can see hundreds more photos, and read their stories, on the website of the American Friends of Italian Monumental Sculpture (AFIMS), http:// staglieno.com and on Facebook @ StaglienoSculpture. MB
The author, Walter S. Arnold carving frieze.
Born in Chicago, Walter S. Arnold began sculpting in stone at the age of 12. At 20, he began training as an apprentice in the marble studios of Pietrasanta, in Tuscany, Italy. Studying in the traditional manner, he carving portrait busts, Madonnas, and other sculptures. From 1980 to 1985 Mr. Arnold worked on the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Since 1985 he has worked in Chicago and Italy, creating architectural sculpture and ornament in limestone, marble, and bronze. His early mentors in Italy introduced him to Staglieno Cemetery, which holds works created by their grandfathers and uncles. This lifelong interest led him to publish a book, “Staglieno – The Art of the Marble Carver” in 2009, and then to found the American Friends of Italian Monumental Sculpture with the goal of restoring these masterpieces. You can learn more about it on their website at http://staglieno.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ StaglienoSculpture. Mr. Arnold’s sculpture can be seen at http://stonecarver.com, and he can be contacted at projects@staglieno.com. Contact: projects@staglieno.com Tel: 312-226-1141 MBNews / August 2017 / 31
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Incident Investigation My first accident can then implement Since nearly all worksite fatalities, investigation corrective actions, injuries, and illnesses are preventable, making sure a similar was simple. We followed the incident doesn’t OSHA suggests using the term four W’s. What happen again. “incident” investigation. happened… Who No matter was hurt…When how hard we try, did it happen…and, Where did the accident sometimes things go wrong. Sometimes, they happen. go horribly wrong, and people are seriously The investigation took about twenty injured or worse. In the monument industry, minutes and the report was stuck in a workers deal with a variety of hazards in the file somewhere. Times have changed. workplace. Management is smarter. Moving and working with stone always has Today, an incident investigation now the potential for pinch point incidents and involves “Why.” No investigation is complete dropped objects. High pressure air lines and until we know why the incident happened. A working with cranes and overhead lifts also thorough investigation to determine the “Why” have the potential for deadly incidents or will give us the “root cause” of the incident. damage to costly inventory. Accident Investigation In the past, the word “accident” usually referred to an unplanned, unwanted event. Some people think accidents are random events and cannot be prevented. Since nearly all worksite fatalities, injuries, and illnesses are preventable, OSHA suggests using the term “incident” investigation. A proper incident investigation provides a method to determine the root cause of accidents, on-the-job injuries, property damage, and close calls or near misses. The investigation also provides employees and workers the opportunity to identify hazards in their operations. Employees and workers 32 / August 2017 / MBNews
Manage the Process Every business should have an incident investigation process in place. Your company’s investigation process should focus on three specifics: 1) Determine the facts, don’t spend time finding faults or blaming. 2) Determine the true root causes of why the incident occurred. 3) Make changes in your process, so the event does not happen again. Another element for proper incident investigation includes investigating close calls or near misses with the same intensive review
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an accident requires. A proper incident investigation provides 4) Analysis and Close calls and near reporting. misses are indicators a method to determine the root cause of that something is accidents, on-the-job injuries, property Team Approach wrong and needs Incidents investigations damage, and close calls or near attention. are usually conducted Usually it’s a misses. The investigation also provides by a supervisor. The near miss because investigation should employees and workers the opportunity someone got lucky. also include managers to identify hazards in their operations. That’s no way to run a and employees working shop. together. Each person Make sure you have a training policy for brings different knowledge, understanding and new hires and for people promoted to new or perspectives into the investigation. It’s best to different responsibilities. use a team approach for investigations. The team looks beyond the immediate causes, Investigation Goals those four W’s of the past. It’s too easy to say Every incident investigation should have specific carelessness or failure to follow procedures goals to: causes incidents. The team’s job is to find what happened to allow the incident to occur, the root 1) Determine the cause of the incident. cause. 2) Prevent a similar incident from happening Look at these three examples: again. 1) If a procedure or safety rule was not 3) Improve health and safety conditions in the followed, why was the procedure or rule not workplace. followed? 4) Determine whether a violation of federal or 2) Did production pressures play a role, and, if state safety and health standards contributed so, why were production pressures permitted to the incident. to jeopardize safety. 5) Determine company or individual liability in 3) Was the procedure out-of-date or safety case of future legal action. training inadequate? if so, why had the problem not been previously identified, or, if 6) Determine the need for repairs or it had been identified, why had it not been replacement of damaged items or equipment. addressed. 7) Determine the need for additional training Do you see how these examples show why for employees. it is so important to properly investigate an incident to find the root cause. Finding the real A completed investigation will involve several root cause of an incident is necessary to truly steps, including: understand why an incident occurred. Once 1) Determine what was happening immediately you know the why, you can develop effective prior to the incident. Background corrective actions and reduce future incidents. investigation is important to determine what If you have questions, call or email lead to the incident. Mike Windham for a free consultation. 2) Determine what the incident site looked like Email amwindham@aol.com or phone prior to the incident. +1.601.750.6366. Dynamic Training Solutions LLC is located at 522 Natchez 3) Interview the witnesses and the parties Ave., Brookhaven, Mississippi 39601. involved in the incident. MBNews / August 2017 / 33
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Seeking Help
Seeking Territory Sales Representatives for Midwestern markets to sell imported granite from the Columbus, OH distribution center to monument dealers. Attend regional and national trade shows. Assist in accounts receivables. Please submit resume to: pthomas@wotrco.com
Index to Advertisers Aflac..........................................................................16 Bicknell Supply Co. .................................................26 Dakota Granite........................................................... 6 Granite City Tool ....................................................... 4 Granite City Tool of Vermont ................................22 Hyatt’s......................................................................... 9 MBFilms .................................................... Back Cover MBNA Member Drive..............................................30 Miles Supply Company...............................................7 Paradise Pictures, LLC.................. Inside Front Cover Precious Souvenir...........................Inside Back Cover U Blast......................................................................14 US Metalcraft...........................................................12
MBNews / August 2017 / 35
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