Sebastian Freudenthal - Hopeman Beastie, Spirit of the Water
64cm x 28cm
Pink Sandstone
£5900
Inspired by the guardian creatures found in temples across Asia, Sebastian set out to create a similar form — a spirit of the water — carved from local pink sandstone.
For Sebastian, stone holds a deep fascination. As one of the Earth’s oldest materials, some minerals within it are billions of years old, formed at the dawn of the planet’s solidification. He finds it remarkable that this ancient substance continues to serve us — providing shelter, shaping tools, even entering our bodies in trace minerals.
The sandstone used in this piece was sourced from a quarry near Hopeman. While beautiful to carve, it presents its own challenges. Its high silicate content produces extremely fine dust, and hidden sand pockets can cause small craters when struck with a chisel. Still, Sebastian finds working with it both grounding and rewarding — a way to connect with deep time and bring new life into ancient matter.
