Patron/Protector of Motorcyclists: St. Columban, Hand-carved Statue
A hand-carved statue of St. Columban, patron/protector of motorcyclists, to remind them they're being watched over both when they're riding and when they're not. I design, carve, and cast the pieces myself (the last three photos show some of the process of carving and casting): the pieces are wholly original and copyrighted. I cast them in modified gypsum (a building material), with additives, including metal powders. After the pieces cure, we glaze and seal them. The pieces are free-standing and have designs on both sides: the front shows a biker going up a mountain, a tiny image of Columban above the mountains looking down; the back shows another image of Columban blessing a biker, with the saint's name above and the words "watch over us" below the rider. The pieces come boxed (see packaging photo) and with a tiny booklet that states:
"The Right Reverend John Oliver, an Anglican bishop and devoted motorcyclist, was once asked to suggest a patron of bikers. He chose St. Columban (also Columbanus, 543-615), an Irish monk who for thirty years traveled throughout Europe by sea, foot, cart…. Like other early Irish saints (e.g., Brendan), he loved the open road and the freedom of letting the Spirit carry him hither and yon. Columban built monasteries and helped run them, but he never, until his death, stopped rambling. On the front and back of this little statue, Columban blesses bikers, showing that he protects them both as they ride and when they’re not on their bikes. The piece is meant to be put on a desk, a mantelpiece, in a garage, where bikers can look at it and think of the open road and their companion, Columban. The piece was handmade at In the Company of Saints in Covington, La."
Dimensions: 4 inches high x 2.75 wide x 2 deep.