The Sail Away Collection

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Art, in its broadest sense, is a form of communication - a word, an image, or maybe even a feeling that overflows from our heart. We take this art, and conceive it into a medium, with the desire and intent for another to see.

This too is how The Sail Away Collection was born. 

Mr. Obadiah Buell established The Granite Garden Gallery, on the site of an old 19th century stone quarry, where he is surrounded by the abandoned treasures of an old stone industry. He uses these treasures of stone, often uniquely shaped and weathered, to generate his inspiration and designs. As he perused his inventory one day, their sharp angular lines, much like triangles, reminded him of fully billowed sails, and resonated with Obie's connection to the rich maritime history of DownEast Maine. 

His imagination newly kindled, Obadiah chose pieces of rough cuts, shaped and assembled them, until he had his first Sail Boat. The duality of combining a material as dense and heavy as stone, with the exposition of a buoyant and free-flowing vessel, was akin to Obadiah's good humor and to the notion that in all things we can find fusion. Similarly, Obadiah and Russ also found a synergy in their creations.

Together they conceptualized the idea of adding motion to the original design, by smoothing out the blunt, straight-cut edges into a soft curvature. Later they rounded the sails to a smooth face, and fashioned the wild, dramatic base to serve as a support and accent against the serenity of the sailboat. Another pleasing rendition was made, when they angled the length of the vessel "to face into the water" and also listed the hull to one side, much like how a real watercraft rides the water. 

It takes a process of many days to create one sailboat. Each and every step, requires the careful guidance and meticulous maneuvering from the artist. A careless movement or distracted moment, can easily wreck a precious piece of stone. Stamina and endurance is also necessary for the artisans, as they must frequently wear protective equipment, oftentimes including respirators! 

It is for these, and so many other notable details, that many have come to appreciate the Sail Away Collection. We hope you will admire and appreciate them as well!