The Making of "Wave Riders", the Mark Hoggins Memorial

Wave Riders , 2002 glacier grey granite 33"H x 20"W x 28"D collection of City of White Rock, British Columbia, Canada This sculpture, commemorating Mark Hoggins, was commissioned by his family and friends. Mark drowned tragically, while kayaking off White Rock beach in 2001. Mark was an avid outdoorsman, who enjoyed sea kayaking and orca whale watching. Michael won the competition to realize a memorial sculpture which depicts a breaking ocean wave with a kayaker surfing down one side and an orca surfing down the other side.
June 4, 2002. The 1,800 lb. block of glacier white granite is delivered to the studio...
June 20, 2002. The orca and kayaker begin to emerge from the granite...
July 3, 2002. The sculpture is tipped onto its back, so Michael can work on the kayaker and the orca's tail more easily.
July 9, 2002. The sculpture is finished! Using raised surfaces and varied textures, Michael has described the different parts of the subjects. Notice the shadows developed to describe the white patches on the orca. The kayaker and his craft emerge from the foam of the crashing ocean wave.
	The evening of August 21, 2002 was blessed by a beautiful sunset. The unveiling ceremony was extended to the family and friends of Mark Hoggins, who were involved in the commissioning of the sculpture. There was also a contingent of sea kayakers in their crafts just off shore, to salute their lost companion...

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