The Stonecutter

A retelling of the traditional folk tale about Iwao, a humble Stonecutter, who one day wished for a better life. Retold and illustrated by Will Harney. Created for fable lovers, young and old.

This is a hardcover, illustrated and published cyclical Taoism-based folktale. The original author is unknown but is most likely a very old Taoist story from China, telling the story of a local stonecutter who wishes to become different things in life, and ultimately finds being oneself is just as good as anything else in the world. The illustrator of the story originally dedicated it to his father, who mines and cuts gemstones locally in Maine. ＂Always Be Proud of Who You Are＂ is the overall message of the tale. The illustrations for this story were created over the course of three years, using a combination of watercolor and gouache (an opaque watercolor) on paper, using a fine brush.