The Journal
The Mantel Only Needed One Thing
One stone face sits a little off center on a long, bare mantel. The room feels slightly off, and that’s what makes you look twice.
This mantel looks like someone forgot to finish it. In our Resin Society room drawing, one carved stone sculpture called Proud Woman stands a little right of center on a dark wood fireplace. The firebox below sits right in the middle. You expect the shelf above it to look even, too. It doesn't. Can one piece be enough? Yes. That odd bit of space is what makes you look again.
Why the empty side works
The wood posts frame the black firebox. It looks even and still. But the shelf above is not. The left side is wide open.
You may want to add a vase or picture to fill the gap.
In the first sketch, a frame, a jar, and small shapes sit beside Proud Woman. Your eye hops from one to the next.
In the second sketch, those things are gone. The sculpture has not moved. Now your eye goes straight to the head, then out across the bare wood, then back again. You start to see the slight tilt. It almost feels as if someone on the mantel has turned to look your way.
We left the space open on purpose. The empty side makes that small turn hard to miss.
Meet Proud Woman
The room is an illustration. Proud Woman is a real piece. Up close, the stone is not one flat green. It has gray flecks, pale marks, and darker spots. The body is long and slim. One eye is a carved curve. The mouth is small. The head leans just enough to give the whole piece a mood.
Mbare describes it as a one-of-a-kind stone sculpture, hand-carved in Zimbabwe. We do not need to guess what the artist meant. The shape gives us plenty to notice.
Will it fit your shelf?
At 17 × 5 × 3 inches overall, Proud Woman is tall and narrow. But that is not the same as knowing the exact size of its base. Before you buy, measure the flat part of your mantel, front to back. Make sure the whole base will sit on it with room to spare.
Then check how it looks from the sofa.
Look again when the light changes
There is a window to the left of our room drawing. The light is soft. The fireplace is dark. Against that plain wall, the stone's uneven color and tilted head are easy to pick out. From the sofa, the bare shelf is still there. So is that strange feeling that the little figure has noticed you.
It is not a scary room. It just has one thing that keeps asking for a second look. We like that more than a shelf that tells you everything at once.
A few quick questions
Does one thing have to sit in the middle?
No. Try it in the middle first. Then move it a little to one side and see which spot holds your eye.
What if I use my fireplace?
This drawing shows an unused fireplace. If yours is in use, follow your fireplace maker's rules for heat and clearance before setting art above it.
You can look through our Decorative Objects collection for a piece with a shape you love. But tonight, try one you already own. Clear the shelf, put just that one thing back, and look at it from where you sit.
