The photo above showcases Angel’s ability and artistry as a stone cutter. Angel Escobar’s journey from the streets of Harlem to Lead Cutter for Cathedral Stoneworks is one of perseverance and personal pride.
In his own words…”I never thought I would be working for this church. When I was small, I used to look at the church from way down there, from East 112th Street, and wonder what that big thing was. I was hanging out on the streets a lot by the time I was in my teens. My mother had died, and I dropped out of school. I had to do for myself.
Then I heard about this street gang, the Renegades. Me, I didn’t like being in the street. So when I heard the Renegades had given up their chains and stopped fighting to do something for the community, I found out about it. There was a housing training program on the Lower East Side that got kids off the streets. The people who ran the program wanted to save a lot of tenement buildings in the neighborhood. I joined up as soon as I dropped out of school, and got training and a job remodeling those old cold water flats.
On to the Cathedral
It was a good training program. Professionals taught each trade: sheet rocking, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, bricklaying, stucco, cement, wall. I got my mason’s certificate there and did bricklaying for four years. But the man I was working for went broke, and he recommended that I apply to the Cathedral’s building program. I started out here as a trainee. For two years I moved stones, stacked stones, drove the crane and the forklifts. Heavy work, but it was just a beginning.
I’ve been here ten years now. Stonecutting is a lot different than mortaring brick. At the beginning I used to get angry when I couldn’t get it right. It takes about five to six months to get down the use of the hammer, punching. I was in the carving shed for three years, learning how to carve. I like the skill, working with your hands and your mind. I’ve done all sorts of stones here, so many.
Ten years ago, I was really surprised when they accepted me. I thought, wow, I’m going to cut stone? On that building up there on the hill across town? And now I’m lead cutter, teaching the apprentices, and still learning.” Angel Escobar’s journey from Harlem is one he takes enormous pride in.
- Angel Escobar’s words are from the Cathedral Stoneworks personnel profiles.