Russ
and Nancy Moreton
became
interested in stonework in 1990 when
they bought their home in Sonora,
California, which is located at the
base of a historic gold rush mine. The
long abandoned mine left their property
full of its tailing piles. Just for fun, they
began looking for gold left behind by
the early miners, and instead found
beautiful stones.
Their
work in Intarsia began as a hobby,
but by providing an avenue of creativity
as well as being an endless learning
opportunity in the field of geology, it
has grown into a passionate full-time
endeavor. They are primarily self-taught,
but also enjoy working with other artists
in small workshops exploring the arts
of stonecutting, gold, and silverwork.
Their work and creative interests have
taken them to Australia, Brazil, Mexico,
British Columbia, and the U.S. Southwest
in search of different stones and new
techniques.
In
the studio, the Moretons have
developed a unique palette of fresh
designs, rich details and unusual
combinations of natural gem materials.