Quiring Monuments Blog

• The Art of Hand Carving and Engraving

  
  For centuries, artists and craftsmen have worked hard to transform raw slabs of various kinds of stone into beautiful memorials that use words and images to lovingly preserve the lives and legacies of those who have gone before us.
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  Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013

  By David Quiring

• To color or not to color, that is the question.

  
  Some folks in my company, Quiring Monuments, Inc. in Seattle, WA had a few technical questions about granite coloring/contrasting products, so I decided to go to the source for answers. The decision to add contrast and color begs the question of “How”? How do we add beautiful and lasting color and contrast to the stone?
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  Posted Monday, February 25, 2013

  By David Quiring

• Why Husbands Are Buried on the Left

  
  When admiring a monument or memorial, it’s helpful to know some important facts about symbolism. In previous posts, we’ve explored significant symbols and their meaning as well as religious symbols. However, there are usually less obvious elements of significance and symbolism.
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  Posted Monday, December 03, 2012

• Five Ways to Customize Your Pet’s Memorial

  
  Pets give so much and ask for very little in return. Because each pet is unique and we want to reflect that in the memorials we create for them, let us introduce you to some options for creating the perfect pet memorial.
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  Posted Wednesday, August 08, 2012

• Tombstone Tours 2012 | Thailand and China Part 2

  
  I recently had the chance to visit Thailand and China with my colleague John Provines, owner of VJ Memorials in Chino, CA. To read about the first half of our trip, read Thailand and China, Part 1.
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  Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2012

  By David Quiring

• Why Use Granite for Memorials?

  
  Granite offers an unlimited array of choices in colors and shapes. It can be finished in a multitude of ways and any special designs and carvings are inexpensive enough that they can be the rule rather than the exception.
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  Posted Wednesday, June 27, 2012

• Five Ways to Personalize Your Memorial

  
  Making your loved one’s memorial both personal and unique is an important aspect of remembering his or her life. These days, many ways exist to do just that. Here are five ways to make a memorial reflect the life of your loved one.
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  Posted Wednesday, June 20, 2012

• The Philosophy of Memorialization

  
  Why do humans have such a strong desire to erect memorials? What deep-seated drive impels us to build monuments? The answer can be found in the definition of the word “monument.”
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  Posted Friday, June 08, 2012

  By David Quiring

• Meaningful Memorializaiton Idea Guide [PDF]

  
  When memorializing a loved one it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this “Meaningful Memorialization Idea Guide”. This “Idea Guide” covers some of the basic yet pertinent information needed to create your monument.
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  Posted Friday, June 01, 2012

• Memorial Day Memories 2012 by David Quiring

  
  For many people, Memorial Day is an exciting holiday. It marks the beginning of summer and workers get a 3-day weekend. It’s the start of boating, camping, and hiking seasons and school is almost over. But how many of us remember the original purpose of this holiday?
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  Posted Friday, May 25, 2012

  By David Quiring

• Asian Memorials - Religious Art Series Part 3

  
  Saturated with religion, the continent of Asia features many of the world’s major religious traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Christianity, Taoism, Islam, and others. This article talks briefly about some of Asian religious art’s most recognizable symbols and their related meanings.
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  Posted Friday, May 18, 2012

• Jewish Memorials - Religious Art Series Part 2

  
  Like other religious traditions, Jewish art features many symbols, some well known and others less so. In part 2 of our series on religious memorial art, we explore some of Jewish religious art’s most significant symbols and their related meanings.
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  Posted Friday, May 11, 2012

• Harold J. Schaller Monument Renderings Slideshow

  
  Harold Schaller was considered by many in the commemorative arts industry to be one of America's foremost Designer-Memorialists. In this slideshow put together by David Quiring, we see some of Harold's hand drawn renderings of his greatest works.
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  Posted Friday, May 04, 2012

  By David Quiring

• Tombstone Tours 2012 | Thailand and China Part 1

  
  Follow David Quiring on his recent trip to Thailand and China. In Part 1 of his 'Tombstone Tour', he takes you through Bangkok, Thailand and shows you some of their great monuments and memorials.
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  Posted Friday, April 27, 2012

  By David Quiring

• Catholic Memorials - Religious Art Series Part 1

  
  This four-part series takes a close look at the symbolism and meaning behind this use of religious art to commemorate and celebrate the lives of those we love. With familiar symbols and easily distinguishable designs known across many different cultures, Catholic religious art has been used to adorn headstones, grave markers, and memorials for centuries.
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  Posted Friday, April 20, 2012

• The Benefits of Pre-Need Planning

  
  Do you know the burial wishes of those closest to you? Do they know yours? As we get older we often start thinking about how our death will affect our loved ones. Losing someone close to you is always traumatic, but we can help our loved ones during that difficult time by being prepared and preplanning as much as possible.
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  Posted Friday, April 13, 2012

• Exploring Memorial/Monument Symbols and Their Value

  
  What is the value of a cemetery monument? Most memorialists like to think in terms of Emblems, Symbols and Graphic Elements when trying to determine the best perspective for a headstone design. There are subtle differences in the terms and they bear a bit of scrutiny.
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  Posted Friday, April 06, 2012

• Tips for Handling, Installing and Cleaning Granite Memorials

  
  Sometimes we forget that while granite has such incredible durability it is still vulnerable to certain types of damage. It is very hard and therefore it is also quite brittle. Anything that bumps against the sharp corners or edges can take out an unsightly chip. Here are some tips to prevent damaging your granite memorial.
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  Posted Friday, March 30, 2012

• Quiring Wins MBNA Aspire Award

  
  We at Quiring Monuments would like to take a moment to let you know that we won an important industry award last month. We’re excited to share this news with you because we deeply believe in what we do each day and we’re excited that an industry-leading organization has recognized our hard work.
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  Posted Monday, March 12, 2012

• 9 of the Most Famous and Historic Monuments

  
  During the course of your life, you’ve most likely visited a handful of monuments. These monuments no doubt moved you to pause and remember someone or something worth remembering. Here’s a list of some of the largest and most recognizable monuments in the world.
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  Posted Friday, March 09, 2012

• Why Do We Place Flowers on Gravesites?

  
  If you’ve ever visited the gravesite of a loved one, there’s a pretty good chance that you brought along flowers to place on the grave. However, have you ever wondered how this age-old tradition began?
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  Posted Friday, March 02, 2012

• A Look at International Funeral Customs

  
  Each culture has its own unique way of approaching funeral customs for its people. Along with each approach comes a fascinating array of rituals, memorials, and language—often completely different than our own here in the United States.
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  Posted Friday, February 24, 2012

• The History of Grave Markers [Infographic]

  
  Throughout history, marking gravesites has been an important way for us to honor and respect our loved ones. In each society, burial ceremonies and grave markers were specific to that culture and can provide us with some insight into their lives.
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  Posted Friday, February 17, 2012

• Granite Monubenches vs. Classic Benches

  
  Quiring Monuments is proud to offer you varying styles and designs of custom monubenches to commemorate the life and legacy of your loved one. Whether you choose a custom single or a custom companion monubench, Quiring Monuments will work with you to ensure that the one you love is properly remembered for years to come.
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  Posted Friday, February 03, 2012

• What to Put on a Memorial

  
  The act of remembering is an essential human activity. We remember significant dates, profound moments, and formative lessons. We remember life’s joys and celebrations, as well as its struggles and pain. Most importantly, however, we remember people—those special individuals who impacted our lives.
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  Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012

• Welcome to the Quiring Monuments Blog

  
  In this new blog we will address this evolution by taking a look at situations and trends around the world and inviting discussion from the industry, our partners, and our customers as to how we can properly adapt and forge a new path to the future.
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  Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012

  By David Quiring