From the President....
Hope the fall months have been inspirational and you have been productive. The unexpected warm days have allowed me to get more outside work done than I had anticipated. On one of those warm days, I went to Corky’s olivine quarry, for an especially fun adventure. Corky is looking forward to what is carved from the large pieces of olivine that were taken from the quarry. In thanks for his generosity, if you are working on a piece of olivine, from his quarry or not, send him an email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with photos of your progress.
Now that the rain has started I’m reading a bit more and learned a new concept: experiential blindness. The essence is that our brain is rewired as we experience sensations and we become unblind to the world as we build concept (brain wiring) experiences to predict the perceptions we will have in the future. Each stone surface and form you create removes the blindness to the experience of stone and each stone becomes more familiar.This winter, sometime between late February and early April, if all goes well, NWSSA will hold a weekend workshop at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend about “Viewing Sculpture” and provides experiences and thoughts about perceiving sculpture.Pedestal engineering for the Marymoor park pedestals has begun. Women’s hand carving retreat is also moving forward, Ellie Hochman says there will be a fundraiser for it so stay tuned to the list serve and facebook.
Also, keep the Flower and garden show (Feb 7-11th 2018) in your sights. Monica Hawkinson is looking for NEW small and medium works that show the full range of our members’ work. She has also asked for a NEW “big piece” or two, to create a focus. Contact her if you have something that might work, it’s only two months before you will have to have something ready for it.
Carve Proud, Learn Much, and Share with Many.…
…Carl
From the President....
The last three months have been FULL of symposium preparation, symposium activity, new carving techniques, new faces, new friendships emerging, artists emerging and inspiring art. And OH! a solar eclipse.
For me, it’s now time to sit back, reflect on all this activity, and get ready for the fall and the coming year’s many opportunities.
We will be returning to Pilgrim Firs - everyone who attended agreed it is the right place to gather. Once again, big thanks to Cyra Jane and crew for pulling it off, and all you wonderful attendees. Read about it in this issue.
The Suttle Lake symposium had so much energy and great opportunities to learn, carve and get to know each other and our Japanese guest artists. Again, read about it here.
Kim Lewis brought more white marble crosses to Suttle Lake to be auctioned off, and we now have many members and two Japanese sculptors (Ida sensei and Kamu) who are contemplating a show centered around pieces made from these crosses. Michael Creger has yet to set a firm date, but it will likely be in the Portland area in the late spring. Stay tuned for details. If you have a piece you have made from a cross, please set your sights for a show in 2018.
Speaking of the coming year, plans for Marymoor Park in the city of Redmond are moving forward, and it is likely we will be asking for “large” public art from our members. Think about what you have that you would want to display and sell, and/or how NWSSA could facilitate your creating a piece to display in this potential new venue. Contact me with your ideas. Again, many thanks for the team effort to make it happen.
Similarly, for large outdoor work, Kentaro Kojima will be curating a show at Kubota gardens, between Boeing Field and Lake Washington, and will be looking for six to twelve large outdoor pieces. Keep an eye out on the Listserv for the call to artists. (Not a member of our Listserv? Join at: http://nwssa.org/381-email-list-server-anddiscussion-groups).
There’s a lot of activity on the Olympic Peninsula and in the San Juan Islands.
Next spring, look forward to two hand carving retreats, one at Karl Matzke’s on Camano Island and the other the Women’s Retreat at the Port Hadlock distillery. (Started by Arliss Newcomb, and now in the capable hands of Ellie Hochman. Thanks, Ellie).
The other island activity is Therese Kingsbury’s SKULPT TOO event in Oak Harbor. It will be a pop-up gallery that may run for 4-5 months in a donated retail space called The Loft. Given the previous success of SKULPT, she anticipates an on-going need for sculpture from NWSSA members. If you have something for the show, please drop her a note at: (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Learn much, share with many, and carve proud....
….Carl
From the President....
NWSSA is an impressive group and I am constantly proud to be a part the commitment. So much to talk about I'll do my best to keep it short.
First a big shout-out to Therese Kingsbury for imagining and pulling off "SKULPT," an awesomely successful five week-long event the month of April. Thirty-nine sculptures were sold, generating almost $30,000 for our member artists. Thanks to her vision, energy and effort, our community pulled together to make it happen.
Another shout-out to Marenakos for NWSSA day at their facility. It provided an opportunity to thank them (especially Scott Hackney) for their years of support and to have Rich Hestekind give a really nice overview of NWSSA's relationship with them. It was also awesome to see over thirty attendees hand carving in their workshop space. They want to try it again in that space.
Given the many opportunities to display sculpture we have scheduled a pedestal building workshop for May 21st. Check the web site for details: NWSSA.org/events/upcoming-workshops
Cyra Jane deserves a well done. Never say politics doesn't effect NWSSA plans, due to travel visa problems our Zimbabwe guest artist could not make it, and in her "Take 2," Cyra Janehas found an artist who has "a fab sense of humor." Read about James Horan in the Centerfold.
Finally, I've been impressed with the support our members give one another. Whether it's how to split a fifteen ton boulder or what to look for in a small knuckle boom crane truck, we help each other succeed. I am, as always, grateful.
Learn much, share with many, and carve proud....
….Carl
From the President....
Please join your fellow stone carvers at Pilgrim Firs this coming July 8 through 16. This will be our 30th year of gathering in the Puget Sound region and our first year at Camp Pilgrim Firs.Check out the nwssa.org website for details and if you want to add to our celebration of thirty years of symposiums, contact Cyra Jane Hobson. This facility has a number of cabins that are different than Camp-B, and two lodges that are reminiscent of Fisher Lodge.
Speaking of our website, those of you who are members, consider updating images of your work in our gallery (http://nwssa.org/home/members-gallery-and-links) and consider taking advantage of Renee’s skill to put up additional info for you. Check out what Renee did for Penelope Crittenden, Pat Barton, and George Schmerholz’s entries in the gallery. To take the next step, drop her an email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with your info and images. Those of you who have gallery entries and have not renewed your membership, please consider renewing before we have to archive it.
For those who have displayed work at NWSSA sponsored events, you are probably familiar with the cedar pedestals we use. The first ones were built for members and the association at workshops we held four years ago and the years following. I often have requests to hold another workshop. Because of these requests and NWSSA’s need for more pedestals, we will be holding another pedestal building workshop. Look for the announcement on the list serve or social media for the dates.
Finally, members’ response to Elaine Mackay’s passing made obvious the connection, warmth, and passion that we build with one another in our community. I feel grateful to be a part of this.
Learn much, share with many, and as Elaine would say, carve proud!
….Carl
