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Divine Stone

Ruben’s Controversial Carving

Ruben's Controversial Carving
This is a view of lead carver Ruben Gibson’s grotesque with tongue sticking out on a buttress gablet label stop in September, 1986. It faces the Dean’s office.

(Ruben’s Controversial Carving is the second article in the series “Capitals, Gablets, Pinnacles and Label Stops” by photojournalist Robert F. Rodriguez. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are by him.)

Ruben Gibson was already an integral part of the fabric of the Stoneyard Institute by the time he left the cutting shed for the carving shed in 1985.

In the carving shed he added other new skills to his portfolio.

“Ruben was in some ways the best carver to have,” said Master Carver Nicholas Fairplay, who oversaw the training of the newly appointed carvers, Ruben, Cynthia “Cynie” Linton, Joseph Kincannon and D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincannon. “Once you gave him the idea, he was good. (His approach) was always bold,” continued Nicholas.

Ruben Gibson Carving
Ruben Gibson uses a heavy punch and hammer to rough out a crocket on a large stone on March 18, 1985.

Ruben arrived at the Stoneyard in late 1980 or early 1981. In his 20’s, he developed keen interest in sculpture, painting and theology. At the Cathedral, Ruben found the perfect marriage of his artistic talent and his spiritual quest – the building of a cathedral.

One of Ruben’s early jobs was running the machine shop, recalls Stephen Boyle, the tower foreman. “It entailed estimating which stones could be cut from the rough block and slabs,” Stephen said. Ruben would then oversee the sawing process, ensuring that the overall dimensions of the stones were accurately cut to size. Ruben’s job as estimator required a good understanding of the fabrication process.

Ruben measuring blocks to be cut from slab
Ruben Gibson lays out job tickets March 17, 1981 on top of limestone slab to determine how to best cut it for upcoming stones required for the Cathedral’s tower.

Ruben was well up to the task and was meticulous, painstaking and competent in his approach to everything in the machine shop and cutting shed.

At the carving shed Ruben tackled carving projects including crockets, pinnacles, capitals, and finials, and he designed and carved three unique label stop carvings. 

His first label stop was of a demon, its gaping mouth ready to devour anything in front of it. The limestone block was mounted on top of two layers of railroad ties on his banker. Above was Ruben’s clay model, as this was his first carving from his own design, and Master Carver Nicholas Fairplay required an approved drawing and clay model before carving could begin.

Ruben's Controvirsial Carving
Before Ruben Gibson worked on his grotesque with gaping mouth he constructed a clay model, top, to serve as his template for his buttress gablet label stop, below. Seen in the carving shed on June 3, 1985.

Ruben stood on top of a milk crate at certain points so he could carve the huge pointed ears, fierce nose and furrowed brow.

Ruben Gibson Carving Label Stop
Ruben Gibson works on his grotesque with gaping mouth in the carving shed on June 3, 1985. Above his limestone block is a clay model he is using as a template.

That carving was finally set on the South façade in the Southwest corner.

Ruben’s second carving toward the end of 1985 depicted a wide-mouthed lion with flowing mane and piercing eyes. A New York Times article commented, “The supple stone faces of Mr. Gibson’s demons, lions and imps seem alive, some as if about to grin or grimace. The lustrous curls in lions’ manes look as if they should flutter in the wind off the Hudson River.” 

Ruben's Controversial Carving
Ruben Gibson checks that his lion carving for a buttress gablet label stop is even by using calipers to check for accuracy on Dec. 12, 1985.

The finished lion carving proved to be a hit and was later cast and plaster copies were sold in the Cathedral gift shop.

Ruben's Lion
This is a view of Ruben Gibson’s carving of a lion figure with curly mane on a buttress gablet label stop, seen in situ in October, 1986.

Perhaps the chance position of Ruben’s third label stop shaped the inspiration behind its design.

He and Nicholas Fairplay determined, by the stone’s specific ID number on the tower blueprint, that this block would sit on the East elevation on the South side – directly in line with Dean Morton’s office.

As an unofficial leader among the workers, Ruben was often the first to champion any workers’ issues with management. He always pushed for the advancement of his co-workers, for whom he was a courageous and eloquent spokesman.

John Walsh, the master of the Stoneyard who appointed Ruben lead carver, said he was sometimes difficult to work with because of his strong opinions.

For instance, when Walsh occasionally hired a talented sculptor from out of town, Ruben objected that more stone carvers should be recruited from Harlem and other inner-city neighborhoods.

This is a closeup view of the buttress gablet with label stops on the tower’s southeast corner, seen on January 22, 2024. Both carvings were created by Ruben Gibson. The left carving showing an imp with tongue sticking out faces the Dean’s Office. Ruben and then- Dean, James Parks Morton, sometimes butted heads on matters pertaining to the stoneyard. Ruben’s carving was a poke at the Dean.

So Ruben used the stone’s placement to send a message. But what message?

“I told Ruben that in Germany it is common to carve a gargoyle with its bottom facing the Dean’s house,” said Nicholas Fairplay, who said “mooning gargoyles” in Europe were common.

York Minster Cathedral "Mooning
Mooning Gargoyle at York Minster Cathedral. Tom Blackwell via Flicker Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/tjblackwell/4393177200

Ruben liked this idea but as the stone was not elongated enough for a “mooning” gargoyle, he carved a grotesque with its tongue sticking out.

This is a sketch from July 1986 by Ruben Gibson for a buttress gablet label stop showing a grotesque with tongue sticking out. Photo by Mary Bloom

The same New York Times article relates some additional background: “A longtime friend, Thomas Moore, said Mr. Gibson’s skepticism of the church hierarchy can be seen in a grotesque he carved that depicts an impish face with a large nose and a tongue sticking out. The face looks directly at Dean Morton’s office, the source of some of the policies Mr. Gibson disagreed with.”

Ruben's Controversial Carving
Ruben Gibson carves a buttress gablet label stop in July, 1986 showing a a grotesque with tongue sticking out. Photo by Mary Bloom

We can be grateful that Ruben opted to have a tongue sticking out of his carving directed at the Dean and not some other body part.

Ruben with Tongue-Out Carving
Lead carver Ruben Gibson poses next to his buttress gablet label stop grotesque with tongue sticking out on a buttress gablet on Oct. 16, 1986. The face looks directly at Dean Morton’s office, the source of some of the policies Ruben disagreed with.

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Divine Stone

Capitals, Gablets, Pinnacles and Label Stops

Capitals, Gablets, pinnacles and label stops
Nicholas Fairplay carves a crocket on an apex stone in August, 1985.

Capitals, Gablets, Pinnacles and Label Stops – The Carving Program Begins is the story of the process that brought the many carved elements of the Southwest Tower to the Cathedral. (This is the first in a series of articles by photojournalist Robert F. Rodriguez about the carvings on the Southwest Tower.) The newly arrived Master Carver Nicholas Fairplay needed a spot in the Stoneyard to begin work on a series of label stop carvings. While his main job was instructing a select group of stone cutters in design, drawing, modeling, carving, technical drawing and theory, he also had to find a space to work.

Banker mason Joseph Kincannon recalls, “There wasn’t a carving shed yet. In fact, Nick had to busy himself moving stone around the yard at first. He did his (first) carving right near the planer. The cutting shed was too crowded.”

Nick, who apprenticed at Westminster Abbey, was recruited by Master Builder James Bambridge. One day when Bambridge was back in Dorset working on Cathedral drawings, he was driving in nearby Somerset. He saw some interesting stone carving activity and pulled off the road to see what was taking place. There he met a young Nick Fairplay. Nick was helping his friend, Master Carver Mel Morris Jones. Jones’ commission involved dolphins for the Naval College in Greenwich. This chance meeting lead to Nick Fairplay directing the carving at the Cathedral beginning in the fall of 1984.

Selecting the Carvers

Nick’s first order of business was assembling the team. Many of the Cathedral hierarchy had their “favorite” candidates to become carvers. “They all wanted different people,” Nick said.  So he devised a simple plan, “I carved a crocket (as a model) and anyone interested in carving, carved one.” Not everyone in the cutting shed was interested in carving but the invitation was sent to all.

Nick assembled all those who carved a crocket. Dean Morton, Master Builder James Bambridge and others gathered to determine the best carvings.  Neither the carvings nor the carvers were identified. Nick had them do a blind judging.  “It was all fair,” he said.

By the spring of 1985 a carving shed was built along the Cathedral’s north wall. Nick moved in along with Ruben Gibson, Cynie Linton, Joseph Kincannon and D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincannon. Nick also had Angel Escobar do some carvings. Angel did not want to do carving full time but “I pulled him (in) a couple of times; he had a very natural ability,” Nick said.

Capitals, gablets, pinnacles and labels stops
Angel Escobar chisels out leafy veins on a foliage carving for a crocket on July 29, 1987. – Image Robert F. Rodriguez

The new carvers had their work cut out for them. St. Paul’s tower was rising and the decorative carved stones soon would need to be set in place.  Stones requiring decorative or ornamental carving included capitals, gablets, crockets, label stops, pinnacles and finials.

The First Label Stops

Nick’s first label stop was a three-faced grotesque representing the Trinity. He said he drew inspiration from seeing various Trinity carvings on European churches. In all, 14 label stop carvings would be needed for the buttress gablets of the south tower. 

A trio of buttress gablet label stops are stacked outside the carving shed on May 24, 1986. The top one of a feline sticking out its tongue was carved by Joseph Kincannon. The middle of a pilgrim bound for Santiago de Campostela was the work of Cynie Linton. The bottom carving representing the Trinity was done by Nicholas Fairplay. – Image Robert F. Rodriguez

A buttress gablet is a decorative triangular-shaped element on the tower corners. It is filled with crockets — small, projecting ornaments, usually set in rows, and decorated with foliage. It ends at the bottom with a label stop, which often shows a carved head.

According to Nick, “The main design problem with the label stops was that (James) Bambridge never thought they would be carved, so he designed the carving blocks small and to not project much.” As a result, “a lot of the label stops were very difficult — very difficult to have a design to cover the moulding – you had to fit on this very small block. (You have to be) Careful not to undercut.”

Another of Nick’s label stop carvings is probably one of the most bizarre and yet humorous carvings on the tower. It shows a grotesque seemingly devouring an infant. Nick recalls that it was supposed to represent the Cathedral eating the congregation.

Capitals, gablets and pinnacles and label stops
This is a closeup of Nicholas Fairplay’s buttress gablet label stop of a demon devouring an infant on May 24, 1986. Nick said the grotesque was supposed to represent the Cathedral eating the congregation. Image Robert F. Rodriguez

The Training Process

Training was essential for the new carvers and Nick used a multi-stepped process. “I wanted everyone in the shop to have a workshop style,” Nick said.

“The way I trained people, everybody had to do a sketch and I’d have to approve,” he said. “I would have them make a model in clay and then I would have them carve it. Then the next one they did, I would have them do a sketch, make a model in clay, then smash the model up and then do the carving. Then, for the next one, I would have them do the sketch but not the (clay) model. So they would need to know what information they want from the sketch to do the carving. By the end, they could do a drawing and carve from the drawing.”

Cynie’s Label Stop – Start to Finish

A good example of the process is Cynthia “Cynie” Linton’s label stop carving of a pilgrim bound for Santiago de Campostela.

Capiotals, gablets, pinnacles and label stops
This is a closeup of Cynie Linton’s sketches for her Pilgrim of Santiago de Campostela buttress gablet label stop carving seen on June 3, 1985. Image Robert F. Rodriguez

After graduating from Pratt Institute, Cynie received a grant to study in France and Spain where she drew inspiration from Romanesque church and cloister carvings.

One of her stops was Santiago de Campostela, a Christian pilgrimage site in northwestern Spain. Following her sketches, Cynie made a clay model of a pilgrim on his journey. Working with the clay model helps the carver visualize the depth and dimensions of the stone before carving. Working with clay is an additive process while carving the stone is a subtractive one. 

The Carving Program Begins
Nicholas Fairplay critiques Cynie Linton’s clay model of a Pilgrim bound for Santiago de Campostela in Spain on April 30, 1985. – Image Robert F. Rodriguez

She then consulted with Nick on any adjustments needed. Her carving showed a bearded pilgrim grasping a walking stick and wearing a hat with a scallop shell on it. The symbol of the scallop shell guided pilgrims along the Camino de Santiago, with the shell representing the way to the Cathedral. The scallop shell became a symbol of pilgrimage and a reminder of the power of faith.

Capitals, Gablets, Pinnacles and Label stops
Cynie Linton concentrates on the face of a medieval pilgrim bound for Santiago de Campostella on June 3, 1985 for a label stop. Image Robert F. Rodriguez

Capitals

Teaching composition was essential, especially for carving the capitals, which rested below the quatrefoils and above the approximately 15-foot marble columns.

Capitals, gablets, pinnacles and label stops
D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincannon uses a caliper to keep this foliage design even on this capital stone on Dec. 12, 1985. Image Robert F. Rodriguez
Capitals, gablets, pinnacles and label stops
Joseph Kincannon puts finishing touches on the capital of a main gablet in situ on Oct. 16, 1986. The central gablet, behind him, is supported by a slender 15-foot black marble column. Image Robert F. Rodriguez

Ruben’s Unique Capital

When Ruben Gibson was stuck for an idea for carving a capital, Nick showed him a photo of a Medieval man and woman carved on a European cathedral. Nick only showed Ruben the photo one time so he would not copy it exactly. 

Ruben Gibson carving capital
Ruben Gibson works on a capital of a pair of figures with arms intertwined on June 20, 1986. On the floor is his clay model and on the wall behind him is a sketch of one of the figures. Image Robert F. Rodriguez

Ruben took Nick’s suggestion and transformed it into a carving of two men of different races grasping each other’s arms. “Once you gave him the idea, he was good with it,” Nick said.

Capitals, gablets pinnacles and label stops
Master carver Nicholas Fairplay confers with Ruben Gibson on how to fine tune Gibson’s capital of two figures with arms intertwined on June 20, 1986. – Image Robert F. Rodriguez

While the capitals and label stops were each uniquely designed creations, much of the carvers’ work was done on gablets, which were uniform carvings with a foliage design. For each pair of label stop carvings, 10 gablets would have to be carved.

After leaving the Cathedral Stoneyard Institute, Nick went on to numerous stone carving projects and established Fairplay Stonecarvers in Oberlin, Ohio. At 67, he has no intention of putting down the mallet and chisel. 

  • Robert F. Rodriguez was an artist/photographer-in-residence at the Cathedral as these artworks were being created. He spent more than 10 years documenting all facets of the construction work. His working life includes photo editor at Gannett Newspapers for 38 years and The Daily Mail for ten.