A Visit That Sparked A Monumental New Creation

After everyone was given the full tour. . .

. . . of the factory and showrooms, the visit took an unexpected turn — the kind that only happens when the right people are brought together at the right time. It felt guided, as if a higher power quietly placed the pieces into position for something new to begin.

It was during this walk-through that Mark Russo discovered a set of genuine Mayan stones. These were not replicas, and not decorations — they were authentic relics with deep cultural meaning. H.J. Nick had carefully stored these rare stones for years, preserving them with respect and purpose. For Nick, this was never just about owning something rare. His love of ancient history has always been real — a lifelong respect for the civilizations, builders, and master craftsmen who came before us, and the timeless knowledge they left behind in stone, architecture, and art.

In that moment, everything clicked.

What began as a visit became the beginning of something much bigger: a new collaboration between
H.J. Nick and Mark Russo — founder of Foundry Michelangelo and known as the Mayan Medicine Man — blending ancient cultural heritage with American master craftsmanship. It was a meeting of two worlds: the spiritual and historical legacy of the Mayan civilization, and the hands-on, steel-and-stone artistry that has defined ArtFactory.com for decades.

And in true ArtFactory fashion, this moment was not kept behind closed doors. Everyone working that day was invited to participate — to witness it, to feel it, and to be part of the beginning. Because at ArtFactory, the greatest creations are never made in isolation. They are built through shared purpose, shared pride, and shared belief in what we are creating.

This project is being developed with one purpose in mind: to honor and promote the true story of the Mayan civilization from over 2,000 years ago in a positive light — not as myth, not as legend, and not as entertainment, but as a real and powerful culture that shaped history through intelligence, architecture, craftsmanship, and tradition.

Through the guidance of Mark Russo, founder of Foundry Michelangelo and the Mayan Medicine Man, and through the artistry, legacy engineering, and historical passion of H.J. Nick and the masters at ArtFactory.com, these stones are now becoming part of a monumental new fine art creation — a piece designed to preserve meaning, inspire curiosity, and celebrate an ancient civilization through modern master craftsmanship.

       Some visits are just visits.

              This one became a milestone.