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Photo by Jim Craven Lana Carlon, left, and Carla January are partners in Rock Solid Art, a business that sandblasts words and designs into rocks for signs and markers. This product's etched in stone Rock Solid Art produces custom memorial markers BUSINESS CARD Company name : Rock Solid Art Product/service : Sand-blasted stone art, ranging from garden markers to headstones Location : Headquartered in Central Point, but orders may be placed at Good Earth Nursery, 2420 Jacksonville Highway, Jacksonville. Phone number : 779-2886 or 826-3920 Owners : Lana Carlon and Carla January By JESSICA SMITH When Lana Carlon's father-in-law died, she wanted to leave a lasting memorial to the man that had meant so much to his family. But Carlon didn't know then that the memorial marker she created from sand-blasted stone would spur a business dedicated to ornamental rocks. "It all started when my father-in-law passed away and I did the headstone. It went over so well and I just kept doing it," said Carlon, who is expanding her four-year-old business, Rock Solid Art, with the help of her new partner, Carla January. The Central Point-based business specializes in sand-blasted stone art, ranging from small, decorative garden markers to company signs to headstones. To date, Carlon and January have relied on word of mouth to sell their rock designs. However, the duo planned to finish work on a catalog today and said orders may be placed at the Good Earth Nursery in Jacksonville. A key selling point for the company is its ability to tailor designs for clients, said January, who handles the business's administrative tasks. "People get exactly what they want and that's nice for a change," she added. "So people know there's not another stone like it and there never will be." To create the perfect marker, Carlon said she begins by hunting for rocks with relatively flat faces that will offer good contrast. River rocks work best, she said. Grinding the rock face to a smooth finish comes next -- it's a dirty job and takes a lot of physical effort, Carlon said. Once that's done, she applies a stenciled design to the rock. Carlon said she has never taken a professional art class, but that she has a knack for drawing. She uses a combination of fabricated stencils and her own works to create the designs that adorn her rocks. To carve the design into the stone, Carlon uses a compressor that applies a mixture of sand and air to the rock face at 100 pounds of pressure per cubic foot per minute. Carlon said she uses about 500 pounds of sand per hour. From start to finish, the whole process takes anywhere from two weeks to a month, Carlon said. Prices begin at $30, and vary depending on the size of the rock and the detail of the sand-blasted design. It can be hard work, but Carlon said it always pays off when she presents her designs to clients. "Once I get started with a rock, I'm driven to get it done so I can see what it looks like," said Carlon. "And it's worth it to do a rock for someone and have them really like it." Today's Business Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA