A rock has never been just a rock to Tim Urban. Growing up in the mountains of northern New Jersey amidst one of the most diverse mineral deposits in the country, he collected them by the armful and kept boxes on boxes of the prettiest, shiniest and most colorful in his closet. Seeing mountains, skies, trees and streams in them, even people and animals, he was fascinated by the inherent artistry of such stones and was determined to someday build something with them.

Earning a degree in architecture from the University of Maryland in 1983, he married Cindy, the beautiful little blonde that sat next to him in first year design studio, and moved to New Mexico the following year. Inspired by Santa Fe’s beautiful natural surrounds and the stunning works displayed by the many talented artists that call it home, it was almost inevitable that this entirely new palette of stones would quickly engage his imagination. The boxes in his closet never made the trip west, but a new collection was soon growing in piles around his house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking his architecture degree for a brief spin before returning to his natural outdoor habitat, he worked as a self-employed landscaper and stoneworker for over 30 years, during which he gained a reputation for putting rocks together in a way that Santa Fe had not seen before. Characterized by his incredibly natural, large-scale boulder work and the contrasting detail of his finer stone elements, his landscapes became exceedingly popular on local garden tours. Incorporating his signature “picture” work into many of his acclaimed garden designs, the birds, snakes, geckos, and flowers inlaid into his stone patios, walkways and fountains are admired to this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But as it’s not all that fun to be outside wrestling big boulders around when Santa Fe’s cold winter winds were blowing, in 2008 Tim began to spend more time in his small, heated shop. So was born the "Grindstone Cowboy." Employing only a basic hand-held grinder mounted with a dry-diamond wheel and working in a cloud of dust for months at a time, he honed his cutting skills on simpler folk art images inlaid on stone countertops and accent furnishings before moving on to works of increasingly difficult detail. Constantly challenging himself to create more finely-crafted images with each new piece he built – rustic woods inlaid with varied quartzites, feldspars, and sandstones creating timeless western scenes – he traveled both near and far to find those perfect stones that made his visions real. Often described as playful and serene – spiritual even – his work has been featured in elite national shows such as the Western Design Conference, the NYC Contemporary Art Fair, and at the prestigious Trailside Galleries in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He exhibited his art pieces in the prestigious MADE section of the 2015 Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York City and was selected by an international jury to represent the art of the American West at the exclusive Biennale exhibit on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy the following year.

 

Tim returned to his folk art roots with a move to Amelia Island, Florida in 2017. His current Beach Feet pieces feature fun coastal images - pirates and mermaids and sea turtles - oh my!