We are in debt to another Geocaching Team who first made us aware of this remarkable artwork some years ago with a, now archived, cache.
From the Artists website:
Artist: Peter Schipperheyn, born Melbourne Australia 1955.
Title: "Asleep" carved 1987
Dimensions: 460 mm in height by 2020 mm in length by 800 mm in depth [life-size figure].
Medium: Carrara Statuario Marble.
Present location: Mt Macedon Cemetery, Mt Macedon. Victoria.
This sculpture came about as a result of knowing a remarkable individual who in many ways changed my life:
In 1981 I met an extraordinary individual: Laurie Matheson. He purchased the largest work I had made at that stage a life-size carving of Cinzia (My Wife) a sculpture from my first one man show, the exhibition was of work I had carved the year before in 1979 whilst in Carrara on an Italian Govt. Scholarship, it took eight people to lug the marble sculpture from the truck into his garden. After much cursing and one squashed finger we placed the piece on the site. At this point, Laurie who had pitched in and sweating like the rest of us, introduced himself, declaring he liked my work very much, up until this point I had not realized this, thought that he was one of staff around the place [It was an impressive place at that, to a young impoverished sculptor]
Laurie was in high spirits and invited Cinzia and I in to celebrate with a glass of champagne. We toasted and talked, he asked me "well young man what are your plans"? I said what I really would like to do is go back to Carrara and carve a big chunk of marble. But had no idea how this was going to happen. Laurie got up and came back shortly after, put a fistful of money in my hand and said why don't you go back to Carrara and make me a BIG sculpture! Wow! how fantastic is this ...amazing! I exclaimed. Laurie suggested that I prepare an idea and that we meet again at his country property where the sculpture would be placed.
Cinzia and I left elated, I went into the studio to work my idea as a maquette in clay. After some weeks I arranged to see Laurie again. We arrived at his country house outside of Melbourne, a party of Russian business people where whooping it up fired up on the flammable stuff as they like to refer to Smirnoff... Laurie said "Let’s see the maquette put it on the table! I unwrapped it and put the maquette in the centre of the table, everybody enthused over the image, and I was dreaming about carving it in marble already.
When it came to formalising the business aspect of the commission Laurie pulled me aside as the Russians broke out in song. and said well "What will it cost"? I bit my tongue and told him the price. At the time it seemed to me like a small fortune. Without further mention Laurie got up and disappeared returning shortly afterwards and to my amazement he paid the whole amount upfront. I asked Laurie “don't you want me to sign a contract”? He looked me in the eye and said "What will a contract do, I have made up my mind and I don't think that you would be so silly as to squander the opportunity that this represents for you". I pinched myself to make sure I was not dreaming.
Cinzia and I left for Italy and had an incredible twelve months in Carrara, Italy. During this time, I carved my first major work in marble as well many other sculptures which together, were enough for my second one man show. Sadly, some years later Laurie became ill and after what seemed a brief time passed away. I think of him with great affection and cherish having known him and thank him for the extraordinary difference he made to my life........
In 1987 I was asked by his Widow, Christina to carve a figure called "Asleep" in Carrara marble as his gravestone.
On to the cache and you will find it at –
S37 25.ABC
E144 34.DEF
Beside the featured sculpture is the tomb stone of Laurie Matheson with an inscription.
If the number of letters in the first line is 14 then ABC = 034
If the number of letters in the first line is 16 then ABC = 605
If the number of letters in the first line is 18 then ABC = 065
If the number of letters and numbers in the third line is 15 then DEF = 234
If the number of letters and numbers in the third line is 17 then DEF = 435
If the number of letters and numbers in the third line is 19 then DEF = 144
Enjoy.