Set in Stone

Carved Stone Creations to offer a fantasy in granite.

THE POST-CRESCENT – FOX VALLEY INC.

Wednesday, May 12, 2006 - BY: MAUREEEN WALLENFANG

KAUKAUNA - It's part Egypt, part Fantasyland and very hard to miss!

Carved Stone Creations' new stone studio, visible from U.S.41 is already drawing surprised reactions from passersby and it isn't even open yet – that will happen sometime early next month.

The eccentric business which will sell fountains, statues and architectural details made of stone, stands out like a quirky oasis on the north side of an otherwise ordinary industrial stretch of highway going through the city.

It boasts an elaborate quartzite slate façade and two-story solid granite columns with porticos. Its grounds are home to gazebos, fountains and statues that include Atlas, Buddha and at least one mermaid.

Carved Stone Creations' owners, Rob and Eileen Ripley, wanted to indulge their fantasies to show potential business and residential clients that nearly anything can be carved out of stone.

“You want cupids? You want snakes? You want flowers and vines?” Rob asked. “There is no limit. We're showing the extremes because we want to show all the possibilities. We wanted to be fancier than any five-star hotel, beyond anything you can imagine!”

Much of it, he acknowledges, is over the top and inspired by exotic things the well-traveled couple found while globetrotting.

“You wouldn't do this on a residence,” he said, referring to the diamond pattern polished granite on the building's exterior. “We're just trying to get your attention!”

The $1 million, 10,000 – square-foot building itself was “inspired by Luxor,” said Eileen. “At the same time, we try to do things that people will actually use,” Rob said as he displayed drawings for the studio's staircase, which is still under construction. “Will I sell many staircases? Probably not. But someone might like its relief carving.”

Inside, the studio displays many understated natural stone products and architectural details like elegant marble tiles starting at $7 a square foot, fireplace surrounds, graceful vessel sinks for bathrooms and classic mosaic flooring.

“It's going to be wonderful,” said Deborah Brahm, designer for Distinctive Design of Green Bay. ‘This area needs a business like this.”

Town of Greenville supervisor, Andy Peters, didn't wait until CSC's doors were open. He saw the building under construction and walked through the mud to get information on fountains.

Ultimately, the town and sesquicentennial committee asked CSC to make a stately 11-foot-tall, three-tiered granite fountain topped with a carved eagle for the Jennerjohn Park on State 15. It will be purchased with private donations. “We wanted something unique and I did a lot of research on the internet. I found this to be reasonably priced. Their prices were comparable to concrete, so this was a much, much better buy because it will last!”

The $21,000 fountain is scheduled to arrive in July and will be the focal point of the new walking trail that connects all three parks, the YMCA and two schools.

Perishable vs. nonperishable

The Ripleys come from a real estate development/construction background and also own Ripley Inc., based in Krakow . Before that, they farmed for many years.

“I could see the writing on the walls as far as farming goes,” Rob said. “It was not a problem to grow, it was a problem selling. There wasn't the return.”

Centralized distribution patterns meant the smaller farmer had a tough time. They ended up throwing out or donating a lot of unsold food. “We ended up farming for the food banks,” Eileen said.

Ten years ago, they moved into real estate development and then construction using Rob's background in structural architecture. He currently is president of the Brown County Home Builders Association.

The idea of going into stone importing came about when they had a tough time finding the high-end fountains they envisioned for a development called Lake Sandia, north of Pulaski. They didn't want cast fountains, but rather carved granite that would stand the test of time.

When they found what they wanted, they also opened a new market. The Ripleys moved completely away from the perishable world of farming into nonperishables; most notably granite.

Because of Wisconsin winters, they focus on granite for exterior fountains and statues. They don't sell marble for exterior use – it's too porous and better suited to warm climates – or molded cement statues, which Rob said show significant damage in as little as 25 years from freezing and thawing. Granite, however, will last for many lifetimes!

Their decision to open in the Fox Cities was based solely on availability of the very visible location. “If not, we would have looked on the interstate near Chicago,” Rob said. “ We needed 62,000 cars driving past every day. This way, we force the builder to come here because the consumer saw us. We're working it backwards.”

Learning curve

Fond their farming days, the Ripley's retained their work ethic, which means it's normal to put in 70 hour workweeks. They learned the eccentric world of importing, in which a shipment might be delayed as much as two weeks going through customs. “We import hand carvings from Asia because it's one of the few place there are artisans left to do it. I might take a year to carve a loin.” Rob said. “There aren't the same kinds of artisans here in the United States . They don't exist.”

They import stone and tiles from South America, India, Pakistan, Italy, Turkey and Mexico .

Wess Ripley, their son, does graphic design for the firm. His drawings for the mezzanine relief panels, for example, are currently in Asia being carved to his specifications.

The Ripley's figure their work will be a natural fit for commercial users. But at the same time, they know individuals often have ideas of something special they want for a garden or an entryway to a home.

Deborah Brahm of Ashwaubenon went to the Ripley's to find a sculpture for her garden and instead ended up ordering both a gazebo and a fountain.

“When I saw this gazebo, I thought it was like a sculpture that you could sit in. It's beautiful and ties in with the columns inside my house,” Brahm said. “I like the style, the low maintenance and the fact that it is made of natural materials, which is what's going on in design right now.”

Maureen Wallenfang can be reached at 920-993-1000 ext. 28 7 or by e-mail at mailto:mwallenfang@postcrescent.com.