What began as a summer college job for Jim Durham has evolved into one of the world's largest fine art stone sculpture operations. Durham's Wisconsin-based Quarra Stone Company has transformed the ancient craft of stone carving by incorporating cutting-edge robotic technology while maintaining the artistic integrity of classical sculpture work.
"One of the enjoyable things about the business: It's indoors, it's outdoors – it can be heavy, can be delicate, it can be crude and basic commodity-type stonework. Or it can be the most theoretical," Durham explained to Wisconsin Public Radio's Wisconsin Today program. The Virginia native founded Quarra Stone Company in Madison in 1989 after gaining experience at a limestone quarry in Illinois.
The company has experienced remarkable growth since its inception, expanding from six employees to more than 60 team members today. Quarra has established itself as a premier contractor for significant architectural projects throughout Wisconsin, including work on the prestigious Chazen Museum of Art and the state capitol building. The company's influence extends far beyond state borders, with notable memorial projects across the nation.
Quarra's portfolio includes meaningful commemorative works that honor important chapters in American history. The company created a memorial honoring enslaved laborers in Virginia and constructed a plaza in Memphis recognizing workers involved in the historic 1968 sanitation workers strike, which played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement. These projects demonstrate the company's commitment to preserving and celebrating significant historical narratives through stone artistry.
In 2022, Quarra Stone Company broke ground on its impressive new headquarters in Sun Prairie, establishing a 25-acre campus valued at $19 million. This substantial investment reflects the company's continued growth and commitment to expanding its operations in Wisconsin. The new facility provides enhanced capabilities for both architectural stonework and fine art sculpture production.
Durham's passion for fine art sculpture stems from his deep appreciation for classical masters. "I was always impressed with work of artists like Michelangelo or Bernini – where a piece might look like a veil over a face and you would think, well that just looks exactly like cloth," Durham said. "I could touch it, and it should feel like cloth, but it's not. It's marble."
The integration of robotic technology has revolutionized Quarra's approach to stone carving, updating an art form that dates back thousands of years. In 2004, the company acquired its first robot, marking a significant technological advancement in their production capabilities. The robots used by Quarra feature an impressive 10-foot reach in every direction and include rotating tables that allow artists to work on different sides of stone pieces efficiently.
These sophisticated machines operate using detailed schematics called tool paths, which precisely instruct the robot where and how fast to cut stone. Durham explained that most of Quarra's projects begin with robotic carving but are completed by skilled human artisans who add the finishing touches. The company now operates three robot carvers, combining technological precision with human artistry.
"There aren't a great deal of laypeople who understand how robots work," Durham noted. "In a sense, the human is telling the robot which tool to use, how fast to move it. Robots just do what they're told." According to stone milling company Robotor, carving a statue entirely by hand would take nearly double the time to complete and cost approximately 50 percent more than using robots combined with human finishing work.
Despite the efficiency gains, Durham acknowledges the limitations of robotic carving compared to human craftsmanship. "A lot of the artwork that's produced with the robot has an overall whiteness – it's almost like it's bleached," Durham explained. "If you mill a piece of white marble with a diamond-electroplated tool, there's a certain amount of vibration and hammering that takes place, that makes all the grains of marble read uniformly white." Human carvers, he emphasized, can create subtle variations in light and shadow that robots cannot replicate.
Quarra's current projects demonstrate the versatility of their robotic technology. In Wisconsin, the company is working on projects for the Veterans Administration and creating fine art pieces for a U.S.-based artist who specifically requested that their artwork be produced using Quarra's robots due to the smooth finish they provide. This selective use of technology shows how modern tools can meet specific artistic requirements.
In a bold international expansion move, Durham purchased Franco Cervietti, a highly respected sculpture workshop studio in Pietrasanta, Italy, in October. This acquisition represents a significant investment in preserving traditional Italian stone carving techniques while expanding Quarra's global reach. The Italian studio is currently producing pieces that will be sold to clients for between $65 to $70 million each, representing some of the most valuable work in Quarra's portfolio.
The purchase of the renowned Italian carving studio by an American company has drawn international attention. A Bloomberg reporter noted that some Italians might view this acquisition as comparable to "Rome falling to the Goths – the decline of an empire," highlighting the cultural significance of traditional Italian stone carving craftsmanship.
Durham emphasized his commitment to preserving the Italian studio's decades of accumulated knowledge and expertise. He hopes to facilitate knowledge sharing between the Italian workshop and his Sun Prairie location, ensuring that traditional techniques and attention to detail are maintained rather than lost. This cross-cultural exchange aims to elevate the quality of work produced at both locations.
"When you walk by 10 times a day and you realize, 'Oh, I connect with that piece.' Then you say: Why? What is it about it that forms this connection?" Durham reflected. "I think it's paying attention to those connections that is part of keeping our work product at a very high level." This philosophy underscores Quarra Stone Company's dedication to creating meaningful art that resonates with viewers while embracing both technological innovation and traditional craftsmanship.
