Chilliwack’s 3,000-pound falcon has a new home.
Metal sculptor Kevin Stone recently sealed a $200,000 deal for his most recently finished stainless steel piece with an American art gallery owner.
‘Bird of Prey’ is a 28-foot wide sculpture of a falcon with a mirror finish that Stone built for a lavish-lifestyle exhibition about six months ago.
It was supposed to be transported last October to Las Vegas for the Big Boys Toys show, a show that displays the world’s most innovative and luxurious products and services, but it was cancelled due to COVID-19.
After it was complete, Stone put put the word out that he was looking for a buyer for the falcon which had a $350,000 CAD price tag.
READ MORE: Chilliwack metal sculptor looking for buyer for $350K falcon
The bird sat in his shop, Stone’s Speed Shop, for six months where it was constructed until one day last week when a man named Barry L. Skolnick contacted him.
Artist Kevin Stone made this 3,000-pound stainless steel falcon, seen here on display outside his business on Rowat Avenue in Chilliwack on Sept. 29, 2020. Last week, he sold the piece to an art gallery owner in Florida for $200,000 CAD. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Skolnick, owner of a Floria gallery called Ikonick: The Collection, saw a photo of Stone’s wife standing underneath the neck of his current sculpture – a dragon.
The photo was posted to Stone’s Instagram account which was where Skolnick noticed it and a comment on it.
“He said ‘I’m interested in purchasing the dragon,’ and then he left his email,” Stone recalled.
He told Skolnick the dragon was a commission piece, but he had another piece for sale – the falcon.
The two ended up throwing numbers around and overnight, within less than 24 hours, they reached a deal.
Initially Bird of Prey was listed at $350,000, but the price was lowered several months ago to $250,000. After negotiating, Stone and Skolnick agreed on $200,000.
Stone said he’s definitely happy with the price and it felt “awesome” to sell it.
“It was perfect timing,” he said, adding that he was getting ready to transport it to his partner’s farm where it was going to be stored to make more room in Stone’s Speed Shop for the dragon he’s currently working on.
He has sold about a dozen of his large-scale steel sculptures over the years.
Artist Kevin Stone made this 3,000-pound stainless steel falcon, seen here on display outside his business on Rowat Avenue in Chilliwack on Sept. 29, 2020. Last week, he sold the piece to an art gallery owner in Florida for $200,000 CAD. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Stone is now working on plans to get the 3,000-pound sculpture shipped to Florida. It’ll likely be transported on a flat-deck semi truck.
“Protecting the stainless is a big issue.”
The wings of the falcon can be removed and stacked on top of each other. In the past, he’s used old mattresses and stacked the wings in between them for shipping.
Stone is going to clean up the bird, polish it, and is hoping it will be shipped within the next few weeks to its new home in Miami.
“I’m told that (Skolnick) is looking at having it taken off the base and mounted on the side wall of his outdoor gallery, up high, looking down in the gallery,” Stone said.
He was hoping the falcon would stay in Chilliwack for people to enjoy, but said it’s a big deal that his work will soon be on display at an “influential” gallery.
“It’s an unbelievable place for my artwork to go and be on display. We’re hoping it generates some publicity and some more work down there.”
People can still see the falcon before it heads south. It is pushed outside the shop each weekday at Stone’s Speed Shop. The shop recently doubled in size and takes up two buildings on Rowat Avenue. The new location at 45953 Rowat Ave. opened in January, but the falcon is located across the street at 45920 Rowat Ave.
Artist Kevin Stone is seen reflected in the eye of his 3,000-pound stainless steel falcon, seen here on display outside his business on Rowat Avenue in Chilliwack on Sept. 29, 2020. Last week, he sold the piece to an art gallery owner in Florida for $200,000 CAD. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: jenna.hauck@theprogress.com
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