Our passion is to represent America through her varied & spectacular bedrock, keep America's foundation close, wear a little part of her every day.
OUR STORY
This magnificent sculpture was crafted by stone artisan Bill Stocker upon receiving the news of his wife’s diagnosis of breast cancer in the summer of 2011.
While his wife Pamela battled her illness, Bill turned to his art and hands to express his concern and angst for her and others who battle disease. Along the way, Bill found that he was no longer feeling the suffering - indeed, Bill was on a new mission and that was to send a message of Hope, Optimism and Courage to people near and far. And so he sculpted the "Sunapee Rays of Hope", an 18,000 lb monolith with 103 vertical and horizontal rays. It stands sentry over the Sunapee Graniteworks yard - a life-affirming work of art created by a true artist.
Pamela had her surgery in October and was home recuperating in December when she said to her husband and sons that she thought it would be a good idea to make an ornament from granite. With her battle so fresh on everyone's mind and the Sunapee Rays of Hope in the Granite yard, they crafted Bill's design, "Sunapee Circles of Hope" ornament. It was,
and still is a best seller for Sunapee Graniteworks. It is created from the Fine Grey Granite from their quarry.
As the ornaments sold, the piles of cut-out centers grew and they were unsure what to do with them and just kept setting them aside. It all came together in January when the Asst. Manager at Artisans Workshop suggested using them to make beads to fit Troll bracelets.
When Bill heard that idea, he immediately knew that he could acheive that. He set about making his own hand forged tools to produce and hand stamp the bead caps. Then he began honing his skills.
On January 25th, 2012 The Beads of New Hampshire: Fine Grey Granite were crafted and delivered to their first store: Artisans Workshop in New London, NH.
About a week later Pamela was struck by a thought and said to Bill........"The American Bead Collection!" and he said, "Oh my God, Pamela - we are going to make beads for all of the states!"
They are off on a fabulous adventure. There is no part that Bill enjoys more than being on the hunt for the perfect stone that will represent the next state. To Bill, it is like treasure hunting
Ever since then Bill has been making each bead, one by one; with his hand made tools, the help of two of his sons, Brandon and Bradley and the support of his wife Pamela.
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