Stone for Life

Tim de Christopher’s route to the stone yard and the following years has been filled with stone. You might say “stone for life” is a fitting title for this story. He became aware of Cathedral Stoneworks as a graduate student at nearby Columbia University. His early influencer was his father, a graphic artist and designer of educational toys. He studied sculpture and began carving in 1978 when attending The Cooper Union in New York City.

After being hired at the Cathedral stone yard, Tim was able to use his experience in sculpture, architecture, model making, mold making, drawing, drafting and graphic design. They hired Tim as an architectural draftsman and “journeyman” carver. At the time, Cathedral Stoneworks was taking in outside work with the goal to generate profit for continued work on the south tower of the Cathedral. Tim carved stone for the Coca-Cola Building and took molds of existing ornamentation on the Jewish Museum. His carved grotesques adorn the new wing.

Entering the north transept of the Cathedral from the stone yard, he would pass the enlarged photograph of one of the Ardolino brothers carving a capital on the monumental columns. Other than two men, working at the Cathedral over 80 years apart, he thought the only relationship was one of stone. Turns out, they were cousins, something Tim would find out some years later.

The Ardolino – Christofaro Connection

In 1907, Eduardo Ardolino married Nicolina de Cristofaro. Nicolina was the sister of Leopoldo de Christofaro. Leopoldo is the grandfather of Tim de Christopher. All were from Torre le Nocelle, Italy. Like the Ardolinos, grandfather de Christofaro was a stone carver. He emigrated to Philadelphia and carved for the Bryn Athyn Cathedral. In Philadelphia he founded De Christopher Bros. Monuments with Tim’s great uncle Carmine. The business exists to this day. Similarly, Ralph Ardolino formed Long Branch Monuments in New Jersey. The coincidences and similarities are quite striking and there isTim de Christopher engaged in the same work at a cathedral and he also has done memorial work.

Unfortunately, in 1994, funding issues caused the stoneyard to close down. Tim left NY in 1992 and moved to Massachusetts setting up a small carving shed at the Ashfield Stone Quarry. A short time later a call came from Alan Bird, then Clerk of the Works for Cathedral Stoneworks. Bird let Tim know they were cleaning out the yard and if he wanted stone to come and get it. A 20 ton rig was hired and it made 6 trips. Jeep Kincannon helped Tim with logistics in the city. Tim was now owner of 120 tons of stone; stone for life. He and the stone have moved several times between then and his current home in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. There are fewer pallets of stone today.

For me, it was precious cargo, my artwork and my bread and butter.

The Professional Stone Sculptor

De Christopher is now a well known New England sculptor, with his work being featured in many solo exhibitions, commissions and public art installations.

Throughout his sculptures there is an incisive sense of humor, and charm, coupled with human empathy which makes his work deeply ‘humanist.’ His pieces reach out to the viewer; they want to be admired, delighted in, and chuckled over.

– Ray Wiggs Gallery, Provincetown, MA

Tim has about 30 tons of stone remaining and plans for all of it. His latest work “Industrial Ark” is part of that.

Tim will always hold the Cathedral and his time there near to his heart and his stone for life is one of the connections.

■

• Cathedral Stoneworks Profiles
• Rock, Paper, Scissors: Local sculptor creates public art that captures essence of Turners Falls
• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/timthestoneguy/