Dick Alden of Studio 53 and Starfish Studio has been immersed in the art of sculpture for 25 years. His mediums have been both wood and stone, but stone has taken center stage in his creative mind's eye for the past eight years.

Alden credits a friend, mentor and teacher, the late Don Meserve of Round Pond, a master sculptor, craftsman and educator, for what is possibly his own life's work.

For over 20 years, Meserve's work has been exhibited at Gleason Fine Art. Dennis and Marty Gleason have four sculptures from their private collection currently on exhibit. And now through the end of June, five pieces can be viewed in the Sculpture Garden at Studio 53, also in Boothbay Harbor.

Silky cool and smooth, the works of granite, black granite and basalt beckon one's touch.

Alden approached Studio 53 owners Terry Seaman and Heidi Seidelhuber about exhibiting pieces there to expose more people to Meserve's work and, through any sales, fulfill his vision to provide art education, particularly as it related to sculpture, to the public.

They were “very enthusiastic and supportive,” Alden said.

The sculptures at Studio 53 look quite natural among Alden's exhibit, and include: “King's Queen,” a granite 74 by 9 by 12-inch chess piece; “Rhino” a granite 19 by 9 by 24-inch head; “Sun Ring,” of basalt (an aphanitic igneous rock comprising feldspar, quartz and feldspathoid) 29 by 8 by 12-inch installed on a pedestal overlooking the inner harbor; “Drill Bit,” a 59 by 12 by 13-inch polished piece of industrial beauty; and “Wart Hog,” all 16 by 7 by 22-inch of the head of one, anyway.

Both Alden and Dennis Gleason recalled their mutual friend as having a great sense of humor. Indeed, a couple of the Studio 53 offerings could fall into this category. For example: the African animal heads — forget gargoyles — you need a warthog or a rhino head!

In addition to Studio 53, the Littlefield Gallery in Winter Harbor is the other location for those seeking to purchase remaining Meserve sculptures.

The back story

Juanita Dugdale, Meserve's widow, set out to fulfill her husband's wish that his works be used to “generate funds for art education.”

At the suggestion of their attorney, Bill Logan, she began looking for institutions with the capability of storing, publicizing and selling the work.

One such contender was the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium (SISS), based in Steuben. Dugdale was already familiar with it.

SISS had been founded by Jesse Salisbury, based on an international sculpture symposium he attended in New Zealand with Meserve in 2005.

Meserve taught at the first SISS symposium at which he created his near legendary work, “Cleat,” for the waterfront at Winter Harbor.

International sculpture symposiums are major creative events. SISS raises approximately $250,000 to bring gifted sculptors around the world to one location with each one creating a sculpture that will be installed in waterfront towns that have raised funds for sculpture.

For more background on SISS, visit http://schoodicsculpture.org.

Dugdale's husband had also been a member of the Maine Stone Workers Guild (MSWG).

“Many MSWG and SISS members kindly offered me support after Don's death by moving pieces, sorting tools, and locating unsold sculptures. Artwork was gathered both in and out of Maine,” Dugdale said.

Once gathered, 56 pieces were determined to be in salable condition by the SISS. This was in 2013, three years after Meserve's death. Marty and Dennis Gleason and the art dealers at the Littlefield Gallery appraised their value, and members of the guild, including Alden, completed restoration work.

Following the restoration of Meserve's work, SISS began exhibiting the work (for sale) at the fifth Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium.

Fifteen percent of the proceeds from every sale of the remaining sculptures, already discounted 25 percent for the education mission, will be donated to the Maine Stone Workers Guild Education Fund used for workshops, internships and scholarships.

Alden used the 2nd annual Symposium at Viels Arboretum in Augusta as an example of one of the venues MSWG created for education. Three hundred Maine school children will visit the symposium in September to watch demonstrations, talk to the artists, including Alden, and take in the large scale sculptures dotting the landscape.

If one of these visiting children asked Alden him why he likes working with stone, he would reply: “There's something magical about it. You take something natural and try to find the spirit in it. The stone starts speaking right away telling you how it wants you to draw its spirit, its essence out.”

After hearing something like that, what kid wouldn't be inspired to at least pick up a chisel and a rock and have his or her own magical experience, naturally.

Studio 53 is located at 53 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor.

For more information on the Maine Stone Workers Guild, visit www.mainestoneworkersguild.org.