23rd Annual Sax Stone Carving Workshop: Stone Carving A-Z

Students will have an opportunity to focus on realizing their individual projects while learning and refining a wide array of skills. Classes will be taught by staff instructors and teaching assistants, and both sessions are appropriate for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students.

Each session provides a dedicated week to concentrate on one’s project while working alongside fellow stone carvers in a supportive environment. The class includes an orientation session for new students, and demonstrations of the uses of various basic hand chisels.

Students are strongly encouraged to bring a model, such as a small three-dimensional shape in clay, a figurine, a toy, or an item from nature, which will serve as a guide as well as a way to communicate one’s objective with the instructors. Beginning students may choose to develop their basic skills by carving a mortar, which teaches blocking out, flattening the surface, symmetry, curves, etc.

New this year will be a dedicated space for demonstrations, such that veteran students can continue working undisturbed, while those attending the demonstrations can learn about a specific technique or skill, such as tool sharpening, gold-leafing, etc.

More advanced students who may work with power tools have a separate area away from those working by hand.

New this year are several lectures by guest speakers on topics including geology and aesthetics. Lunches are healthy and fresh, and the lunch hour provides a time to converse with fellow students.

We end each week with a discussion of our projects, a class picture, and an informal gathering with refreshments.

Included in each session: a cubic foot of limestone, instruction, daily lunch.

A wide array of stone carving tools from around the world are available for purchase on site. We also stock a variety of quality stone, including marble, limestone, etc.

Scholarships for area youth age 16-21 are available. Details can be found online.