One of the things I love most about my job is getting out in the field and seeing firsthand what is going on. Trade shows, of course, are always good for that. They not only provide a venue for me, as well as others, to view all the latest products, but they also provide an opportunity to observe machinery and other product demonstrations as well as the chance to mingle with industry members.

Taking it a step further, I welcome the chance to get out there and meet with architects, designers, stone suppliers and fabricators at their offices or facilities to see what latest projects they are working on. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that. I was invited to attend ABC Stone's special event at its Brooklyn location. The high-end stone supplier often opens up its doors to host occasions to celebrate the work of artists. While its warehouse is stocked with many beautiful slabs, it also includes true works of art.

On this particular night, the event was to honor the winners of the 2013 ABC Stone, Oriano Galloni Foundation and New York Academy of Art's "Sculpture Residency Merit Scholarship Award." ABC Stone sponsors the annual Artist in Residency in Carrara, Italy, as part of its ongoing commitment to sustaining and promoting the use of stone in artistic practice. "It is our belief that deepening the awareness of stone commensurately widens respect for this venerable medium and the millennia-old human tradition of transforming it through highly skilled craft," stated the company.