--- Our Members and Their Work ---

The Lapidary Artistry
of
ROGER PABIAN

I am extremely proud to show the work of Roger Pabian as the initial lapidary in this series.

A research geologist in the Conservation & Survey Division of the University of Nebraska for the past 30 years, his research areas deal mostly in paleontology, paleoecology and biostratigraphy of crinoids and trilobites of the late Paleozoic in the North American midcontinent. He is the author of: Minerals and Gemstones of Nebraska; Banded Agates, Origins and Inclusions. His website, at

has about 280 pictures of agates from around the world, a lexicon and glossary of terms associated with agate, and an extensive bibliography of information on agates; it is probably the definitive reference on agates.

Roger teaches gemstones and gemology thru Department of Geology and teaches Lapidary thru Lincoln Park and the Recreation Department. Beginning in 1999, he will teach lapidary thru Southeast Community College. He has been a member of Lincoln Gem and Mineral Club for about 35 years.

Roger has about 40 years experience in lapidary. About this work in lapidary, Roger says: ", I would like to credit my first lapidary instructor, Maurice Tracy, for stressing fundamentals, and my friend, Bill White, for showing me how to run with these fundamentals."

Along with this biography, he sent a note on his philosophy of teaching Lapidary, in which he said:

"Lapidary can be compared to figure skating. There are inside edges, outside edges and flats in skating. A medalist routine is based on variations of these three things. Lapidary work includes inside curves, outside curves, and flats. Every piece of lapidary work is based on variations of these three themes. Lapidaries who learn the fundamentals can do almost anything their material allows but those who don't learn the fundamentals will always struggle even with the finest material."

Many visitors expressed interest in the Scythian bases of the eagle's designs; Roger prepared a concise bibliography of Scythian resources for the lapidary and jewelry maker, and suggested that they might also want to take a look at Susan Herrmann's web site.

EAGLE
The war-eagle design came from a piece of jewelry that was found in the tomb of a Scythian nobleman that was uncovered in Kazakhstan east of the Aral Sea. The tomb dated at about 500 B.C.E. and contained numerous jewelry of gold and gems. The template follows the same outlines as the original Sycthian piece. The wingspan is about 2.5 inches. Material is Brazilian Agate.

BIG EAGLE
After completing several smaller eagles, I stylized an eagle from the several examples I had fashioned from several different eagles that were included in Scythian artworks. The wingspan is about 4 inches. The material is Brazilian Agate.

BUG
The source of inspiration came from a field trip with Cecilia and Jerry Duluk to collect Devonian fossils from a clay pit near Arkona, Ontario, Canada. I found a small slightly distorted trilobite that laid in this position. Length is about 3 inches. Material is Brazilian Agate.

ETs
Steven Spielberg's extra-terrestrial influenced this particular piece. The piece of rough is Brazilian Agate that came off of another lapidary's scrap heap. I commonly refer to this piece as Siamese ETs. The piece is about three inches across the faces.

BOTTLE
The bottle is based on those little "Imp Bottles" that are still a very popular little magic trick. The bend in the neck of the bottle is my own artifice as it creates the appearance that an imp or genie might really pop out of the bottle. Height is about 3 inches. Material is Brazilian Agate.

STAR
Stars are probably one of the most challenging of the styles that use no curved lines. Asymetric stars are no harder to shape than symmetric ones but finding nice proportions tends to be the difficult step here. The material is a jasper from Oregon and the stone is about 3.5 inches at its greatest width.