During an epic Vancouver downpour last week, monument maker Dan Bellan hosted the LEES+Associates team at a tour of Dan Bellan Design, his company’s Union Street studio.

Dan offered an overview of his philosophy and approach to designing cemetery monuments, outlining the different ways he works with clients to take their ideas from concept to reality. The highlight of the visit was a demonstration of sandblasting technologies.

Starting with the digital layout, Dan walked the team through the process of laying out and cutting the mask, installing it on the stone, and completing the engraving in the shop’s sandblasting booth. Everyone had a great time and came away with a much better understanding of how modern cemetery monuments come into being.