31st Annual International Stone Carving Symposium
at Camp Pilgrim Firs, Port Orchard, WA
July 7th-15th 2018
Members register on-line by May 31st receive $100 Discount off full time rate at check-out.
at Camp Pilgrim Firs, Port Orchard, WA
July 7th-15th 2018
Members register on-line by May 31st receive $100 Discount off full time rate at check-out.
The Symposium
We invite you to join us at Camp Pilgrim Firs for up to eight full days of playing with stone, communing with nature, and enjoying the camaraderie of fellow stone enthusiasts. Bring yourself, your creative energy, your humor, tools, and a favorite piece of stone. If you don’t have stone or tools, we have an entire tent set up for beginners with tools and instructors.
The Campgrounds provide cabins and lodges that are connected by serene walking paths through the forested grounds and three full meals a day, so you’ll have the ultimate freedom to delve into carving and building friendships. Evenings are filled with slideshows, informational talks, a riot of a fundraising auction, a music-filled final night party, campfires and even nighttime swims in the lake. Stone and tools are available for purchase by our vendors.
Accommodations
The Camp has a lodge with shared common area and bathrooms; it features multiple dorm-style rooms that sleep 2-4 people each. There are also 11 duplex style cabins with private decks that sleep 3 per side. For those who like to commune with nature, limited space is available for tents or trailers.
Sculpture Walk on the Meadow Saturday, July 14th
We’ll host an outdoor art gallery that’s a perfect opportunity to show your work in a supportive and appreciative environment. We encourage everyone to bring a finished piece to display and to invite your friends! Bring pedestals if you have them. NWSSA receives a 20% commission on sculpture sales.
Registration
Register On-line: [Click Here],
or via SnailMail: download [ Registration Form ] send with with payment to NWSSA, Attn: Cyra Jane, Symposium Director, PO Box 27364 Seattle, WA 98165
Guest Artists and Workshops
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Inner Metamorphoses - Francesca Bernardini Francesca joins us from Italy and has a wealth of experience in marble and organic forms to share with us. Francesca works by observing the natural microcosm, and drawing inspiration from it, exalting particulars and distorting dimensions. Her attention is focused on the nests, cocoons & chrysalises. The cocoon is the place where the process of “quiescence” takes place. Francesca will inspire us to experiment both mentally and physically on an initial idea, pushing it further to the next in a series of sculptures. |
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Expect the Unexpected - Candyce Garrett Working with granites since 2001, Candyce excels in contrasting the heavy material with lightness and fluid form by implying motion. She explores the illusion of movement through explosion, implosion, and piercing and plays with surface textures to create a piece that will evolve with the changing ambient lighting to be something new, exciting, and different each time it is viewed. She will be demonstrating various surfacing techniques that achieve these goals in the afternoons as well as discussing inlays and giving a presentation on her momentous body of work. |
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Elegance in Jade - Deborah Wilson Acclaimed contemporary jade and granite sculptor, Deborah will be offering a workshop in jade-specific carving and techniques. Her work reflects her love for organic forms and her ongoing interest in utilizing the characteristics that define this “stone of heaven.” A good selection of precut Canadian and US jades will be for sale to create small-scale sculpture and pendants. Class limit is 10 people, so register early and watch your registration confirmation for details. |
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Beginning Stone Sculpture - Ruth Mueseler and Tamara Buchanan Tamara has been sculpting for over 27 years. Featured in many shows throughout the West, her work has won several awards. She loves sharing the process of carving and has been teaching at her studio on Lopez Island for over 10 years |
Workshop and Event Schedule (subject to change)
| Workshops | Instructor | Days | Evening Events | Facilitator | Evening | |
| Elegance in Jade | Deborah Wilson | Mon-Fri | Artist Presentation | Candyce Garrett | Sunday | |
| Inner Metamorphoses | Francesca Bernardini | Sun-Sat | Artist Presentation | Francesca Bernardini | Monday | |
| Expect the Unexpected | Candyce Garrett | Sun-Sat | General Assembly & BOD Meeting | Carl Nelson | Wednesday | |
| Beginner's Stone Carving | Ruth Mueseler & Tamara Buchanan | Sun-Sat | Scholarship Auction | Al Mangold & Therese Dougherty | Thursday | |
| Clay Making Workshop | Deborah Wilson & Pat Barton | Wed Aft. | Dance Party! | You, Me & the DJ | Friday |
Our Vendors
Neolithic Stone - Carries a wide range of sculptural quality stones & tools from around the world. 604-736-5201 or www.neolithicstone.com.
Marenakos - For your granite, basalt, sandstone, and limestone needs. Also supplying Trow & Holden tools. www.marenakos.com or 425-392-3313.
Carolyn Anderson’s Magic Fingers - Restore Alignment and health to stressed muscles. 360-698-2198.
Bronzestone - Various sizes of polished granite bases. www.bronzestonebases.com
Washington Jade - Supplying West Coast jade for sale. www.washingtonjade.com
Field Mentors
Most of our members have years if not decades of experience and have worked with various types of stone. If you desire individual guidance or support, field mentors will be available. All parties gain from the experience of sharing information.
Financial Aid & Work Study Positions
Aid is available for work-study and scholarships. For information contact Cyra Jane, Symposium Director, at 206-406-0711 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Work Study Application
Scholarship Application
Special Thanks
Marenakos, Concut Diamond Products, Master Wholesale
Our Location
Pilgrim Firs Camp and Conference Center is located at 3318 SW Lake Flora Rd, Port Orchard, WA 98367
Download a PDF of the registration form --> [ Registration Form ]
Download a PDF of the 2018 Brochure --> [ Brochure ]
Members, Register Early & Save!! [Early Bird Rate of $100 off for full-time attendees] (including campers) who Sign up before 11:59 pm May 31st
Become a member of NWSSA --> [Click Here]
To Renew your membership "Login" and click on "My Subscription" from the Member Menu on the right side or - [Click Here to Login]
For Online Symposium registration, pick one of the following. Your transaction will be handled on Paypal's Secure Web Servers:
"Purpose"
“Slice of Life”
