Throughout the Western Hemisphere, soapstone has been utilized by Indigenous cultures to create ceremonial objects, pipes and animal carvings throughout time. Many artists love working with soapstone, which is a type of metamorphic rock, because of its workable, dense surface and soapy sort of texture. It is a popular choice for beginning and advanced carvers. Melvin Sandoval’s foraging Medicine-Bear has been masterfully brought out from a rich soapstone to a dimension of approximately 2 1/2″ long, 3/4″ wide and 1 5/8″ tall.