William Gooder, also known as Rockman, is a local artist who uses the beautiful rocks seasonally deposited on the shores of Lake Superior to create his eye-catching pieces. The core of his unique style lies in his hand selected personal collection of rocks. Today he has the largest collection of Lake Superior Rock in the world which he uses to create art pieces both small and large.
In his decades of collecting and sorting both rocks and stone tools during his beachcombing, William has developed a unique knowledge of the Geology of Lake Superior and the vast diversity of stones deposited on its banks. Each year William has watched as the topology of the beach has changed. Seasonal ice flows, wind, and water currents constantly work to bring new rocks to the shores of Lake Superior.
William considers himself an Artisanal and Small-Scale Miner (ASM). The World Bank recognizes miners like William as Artisanal and Small-scale miners as they account for over 80% of the global sapphire production as well as 20% of the world's gold and diamond mining. Internationally recognized for their skills, artisanal miners are an important part of the international mining community.
A wealth of Lake Superior Lithic Stone Tools has been deposited along the shore line. As an Artisanal Miner, William works tirelessly to expand his collection as every new season brings with it a constantly changing collage of new stones.
The World's Largest Collection of Lake Superior Rocks ~
William was inspired to share the bounty of Lake Superior after he returned home in 2000. Returning home from six months of yoga training in India to his hometown of Duluth, William was inspired to embark on a seven-day circle tour of Lake Superior as a way to reconnect with his home. During this circle tour he would visit the beaches and river mouths along the way. What struck him during his journey was how captivating the variety of natural rock could be. He found his attention was constantly captured by the rocks deposited on the shore and at the river mouths.
During that tour William would gather the first pieces of his collection. Today he has the largest collection of Lake Superior Rock in the world. Using these stones, William was inspired to create art pieces that can now be seen throughout the area. One day William hopes that an arrangement of rocks will be a fixture in every home and office.
In 2005 William first exhibited his art to the local community. Since that time, he has worked on several large-scale projects, as well as countless smaller projects throughout the area.
VISTA KING was done for the local community. This is an example of outdoor artwork that is designed to stand the test of time. Constructed from his collection, the sedimentary rocks embedded in the piece all came from Lake Superior.
BRIDGING THE DECADES- This piece represents William’s vision of the local geology of Lake Superior. The volcanoes represent the source of many of the local rocks, and the cycles that bring these rocks to the surface and carry them through the waterways to the beaches. The smaller patterns on this piece cycle into the larger patterns. The Glaciers are supported by the two sides of the piece representing the Minnesota entryway, and Wisconsin entryway into the lake. Close up you can see that each of the rock clouds cast a shadow. Done in rock this piece is a local fixture.
Lake Superior Rock Art
Duluth MN 55805