The words "Newtowne Market" are partially carved into "Quiet Cornerstone" below a broken cornice, as though the sculpture was a remnant of a fallen lintel from the long-ago market. The other side of the sculpture is rough-hewn stone, a showcase for the granite that Dorrien selected for its texture and shading. On this same side are three steps, also suggesting that the piece is a ruin, which the sculptor painstakingly cut into the stone, using a time-honored method. Dorrien states that his "work is a marriage of many influences." In "Quiet Cornerstone", he has utilized stonecutting, an ancient tradition, whereas the right angled cornice and lettering speak more to Western European tradition. He believes that the passion an artist has for his material is translated in his work. "Even with a public piece one wants to make beautiful objects, to provoke questions, to make a personal statement; but finally public art is a gift to others, and if you love your medium, that magic comes through." Dorrien was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied at the Montserrat School of Art and the Massachusetts College of Art, and has taught at Bentley College, and the New England School of Art and presently teaches at Wellesley College. He has several public art installations in Massachusetts, and has shown widely in the Boston area. (Large horizontal sculpture on ground in middle of park, JFK & Winthrop Sts.)
