29th Annual Stone Carving Symposium at Suttle Lake - Sisters, Oregon
Due to the hazardous air quality at the camp and surrounding areas we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the 2023 Suttle Lake Symposium. This has been one of the hardest decisions we have had to make at NWSSA, but the health and safety of our participants is our first priority. We feel your pain. Some of us live 51 weeks of the year looking forward to this one week... I know, because I am one of them. However, we must put the safety of our members first.
We are now looking into other locations and dates to host an alternative symposium in late September. We look forward to informing you of opportunities on the horizon.
Thank you for your support and understanding,
NWSSA Suttle Lake Team
29th Annual International Stone Carving Symposium • Camp Suttle Lake • Sisters, Oregon August 28th - September 4th 2023
Suttle Lake Symposium 2022
SUTTLE LAKE SYMPOSIUM AUGUST 7-14, 2022 By Kentaro Kojima
After two years of silence, The Northwest Stone Sculptors Association is excited to hold our annual Oregon State Stone Carving Symposium at Suttle Lake Camp. This is the 6th year we are returning to this venue, and it has become our ‘home’. The symposium is open to all levels from beginners who have never carved stone before to the professional sculptor. This symposium is one of the most supportive and inclusive environments you will ever encounter.
Suttle Lake Camp is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, 14 miles west of Sisters. During the early mornings or afternoons, you might find time to swim, paddle a boat across the lake, take a leisurely bike ride, or walk along the trails nearby.
Symposium tuition includes: Single-occupancy lodging in the Lodge or double occupancy in the rustic style cabins with brand new semi-private shower facilities with dressing areas. Cots with a mattress are provided. Bring your own sleeping bag, pillow and linens. If you prefer more privacy and comfort, there are many hotels and B&B’s located nearby in the town of Sisters.
Our inclusive community will set up a circle of tents to carve, share, learn and be invigorated.
Extensive carving sessions are interspersed with informative classes and stimulating sculpting lessons.
Field mentors and instructors are available to help guide you through your challenges. Bring your gear.
If you are a beginner, we have tools you can use. Connect to our power, water and air sources. Peruse the tools and variety of stones being carved, or available for purchase from our on-site vendors.
Guest Artists will include:
Sabah Al Dhaher www.sabahfineart.com
Matt Auvinen www.mattauvinen.com
Mark Herrington www.markherrington.com
Lawrence Stoller www.lawrencestoller.com
Click Here to Register Online!
Central Oregon Daily Feature Article
We hope you enjoy his segment as much as we do!
How to Get To Suttle Lake Camp & Conference Center
29551 Suttle Lake Rd.
Sisters, OR 97759
Directions:
Southbound on I-5:
Take exit 253 at Salem east onto Highway 22. Proceed eighty-three miles through Detroit to the junction with Highway 126/20. Merge left. Continue thirteen miles east to the Suttle Lake Campgrounds turnoff. At Suttle Lake, proceed south onto Suttle Lake Loop Road 2070. The Suttle Lake United Methodist Camp parking lot will be on your left 0.3 miles from the highway.
Take exit 194A, Highway 126 East, the McKenzie River Highway and proceed eighty-nine miles, passing the McKenzie Bridge and the junction of Highway 20 and Highway 22. Travel north on Highway 126/20. Keep to the right at the junction of Highway 20 and proceed east to the Suttle Lake Campgrounds turnoff. At Suttle Lake, proceed south onto Suttle Lake Loop Road 2070. The Suttle Lake United Methodist Camp parking lot will be on your left 0.3 miles from the highway.
From Albany:
Take Interstate 5 exit 233 and drive east through Lebanon on Highway 20 to Suttle Lake. At Suttle Lake, proceed south onto Suttle Lake Loop Road 2070. The Suttle Lake United Methodist Camp parking lot will be on your left 0.3 miles from the highway.
2019 Camp Suttle Lake Centerfold
25th Annual International Stone Carving Symposium • Camp Suttle Lake • Sisters, Oregon • August 11th - 18th, 2019
The NWSSA Oregon State Stone Carving Symposium brings together sculptors of all levels to collaborate, commune with nature, and carve stone. Every year drives the art form forward by integrating new technology and ideas with ancient techniques. The outdoor group carving experience takes away the pressure of the home studio, and generates energy, inspiration, and insight to fuel the rest of the year.
Guest Artists
Sabah Al-Dhaher was born in Nasriyah, Iraq. At the age of 15 he was accepted to The Fine Arts Institute-Basra in Iraq, where he lived and received his training in classical art. Sabah fled Iraq in 1991, spent two and a half years in a refugee camp in Saudi Arabia and in 1993 arrived in the US as a political refugee. Sabah has been creating and exhibiting his work throughout the Northwest since 1995. Sabah's story has been chronicled in various media including "My Saraab", a documentary by Sarna Lapine. www.sabahfineart.com
Patrick Doratti has a background in digital imaging, animation and fine arts, and has studied stone sculpture in Carrara, Italy. He is currently utilizing his background in CAD with a digital robotic arm to rough out large scale stone sculptures at his studio in Nelson, B.C.
Stephanie Robison teaches sculpture at the City College of San Francisco and currently serves as Vice President and Educational Director for the California Sculptors Symposium. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Marylhurst University and a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of Oregon. www.stephanierobison.com
Tom Small grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has always been inspired by the mountains, trees, and creative beings that live here. Following these themes, his daily workshops will explore those ideas, including stone in multi-media work, storytelling in stone art, and abstract exploration through cutting, drilling, and splitting stone. www.sculptureoftomsmall.com
Lawrence Stoller is an internationally recognized, award-winning artist, sculptor, author and teacher. He has pioneered the art of sculpting monumental transparent crystals combined with bronze, known as Megagems, which includes several of the largest gemstone sculptures in existence. Stoller was commissioned by American Express to create the centerpiece of the Eleven Tears Memorial, located across the street from Ground Zero (9/11). His collaborative hanging sculpture “Bahia” is the cornerstone of the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California. www.crystalworks.com
Mark Andrew will lead our group sculpture project for Camp Suttle Lake. This large-scale monument will continue to progress each year until completed, and all are encouraged to spend time with this magnificent piece of marble. www.markandrewstudio.com
Richard Hestekind is renowned for creating abstract forms inspired by his reverence for Japanese aesthetic. We appreciate his mentorship of our stone community and engaging, mindful workshops.
Kazutaka Uchida is a master sculptor who has taught and influenced many NWSSA members. The recognition of his talent is reflected in his 32 solo gallery exhibitions, 33 site-specific commissions of environmental art, and inclusion of his sculpture in 7 museum collections in Japan, France, and the U.S.
Jade Carving Workshop with Steve Sandry - Space is limited in the Jade Carving tent, so be sure to register early! There will be an additional materials fee depending upon the size and quality of jade you select.
Tool & Safety Talks - Dan Michael of Olympia, WA will display an array of electric and pneumatic power carving tools and methods while explaining safe operation, potential hazards and proper safety protection.
Financial Aid Thanks to our generous members and the Thursday Auction, funds are available for students, work-study and scholarship positions. For information, contact Doug Wiltshire, Symposium Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Suttle Lake HH Agreement
Assumption of Risk and Liability
As a participant in the Northwest Stone Sculptor Association’s Symposium retreat at Suttle Lake Camp near Sisters, OR from August 10-18th, 2019. I hereby acknowledge, affirm and represent as follows:
1: I understand and acknowledge that the retreat will take place both in and out-of-doors. I am aware of the risks associated with activities that take place out of doors, including but not limited to the hazards of traveling in unfamiliar terrain, exposure to sun, rain, wind, unexpected temperature changes and other forces of nature; exposure to poisonous plants and vegetation, wild animals and insects, and accidents or illness in remote places without medical facilities. I am aware of basic safety rules for out of door activities. I will obey and follow any further safety information, instruction or rules offered at the retreat.
2: I understand and acknowledge that the retreat will primarily involve instruction and demonstration in stone and wood handling, cutting and sculpting. I am aware of the inherent risks associated with these activities, including but not limited to respiratory and musculoskeletal hazards. I am aware of the inherent risks of handling hand and power tools. I will obey and follow any further safety information, instruction or rules offered at the retreat.
3: I represent and affirm that I am in good health and am physically fit and full capable to participate in the retreat. I have no allergies, heart problems, epilepsy, physical or mental disabilities or any other medical condition that would place me or the other participants in the retreat at risk of harm or injury.
4: I understand I am responsible for my own safety and or happiness that no one associated with the retreat shall serve as the guardian of my safety and or happiness. I also understand that I am to furnish any equipment or tools I use at the retreat and that I am solely responsible for ensuring such equipment or tools are in safe and good operating condition.
5: In consideration of an as part payment for the right to participate in the retreat and any activities that take place in association with the retreat, I hereby assume full liability for all risks associated with my participation in the retreat and expressly release and hold harmless the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association and Suttle Lake Camp, their owners, operators, agents and instructors from any and all liability, action, causes of action, debts, claims and demands of every kind and nature whatsoever which may arise out of or in connection with my participation in the retreat, including but not limited to any occurrence which may result in injury, death or other damages to me or my person. I understand that the terms of this assumption of risk of liability shall also serve as an assumption of risk and release of liability for all members of my family (including minors accompanying me), my heirs and assigns.
6: I consent to allow NWSSA to use images of myself and/or my art in order to document this event or to promote this and other NWSSA events.
Initials for Yes ___________ No____________
7: I represent and affirm that I am over 18 years of age and that I am legally competent to sign this release of liability. I further represent and affirm that I have singed this release as my own free act.
8: I UNDERSAND THAT THE TERMS CONTAINED IN THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT ARE CONTRACTURAL AND NOT RECITAL. I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT AFFECTS MY LEGAL RIGHTS AND THAT I MAY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OF MY CHOICE BEFORE I SIGN THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT IF I HAVE ANYQUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT AFFECTS MY RIGHTS.
9: I FULLY INFORMED MYSELF OF THE CONTENT OF THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT BY READING IT BEFORE I SIGNED IT.
Date: ____________ Printed Name: ______________________________________________
Signed: ______________________________________________________________________
REGISTER: 2019 Suttle Lake International Stone Carving Symposium
Members, Register On-Line by August 1st receive $100 Discount off full time rate at check-out.
[Click Here] to Register
The NWSSA continues our tradition of bringing together world-class sculpting masters for unique opportunities to provide instruction and discuss where we are today. From classical hand tools to new high-tech machining tools and techniques, our instructors provide knowledge and inspiration for all attendees.
About the Symposium and Suttle Lake Facilities
The Northwest Stone Sculptors Association is excited to hold our annual Oregon State Stone Carving Symposium at Suttle Lake Camp! This is the 5th year we are returning to this venue, and it has become ‘home’.
The symposium is open to all levels from beginners who have never carved stone before to the experienced sculptor. Make new friends, renew old friendships and fire up the creative spirit in a rich, supportive environment.
Suttle Lake Camp is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains 14 miles west of Sisters, Suttle Lake Camp is a special place where the vivid green of Western Oregon mingles with the sunny beauty of the eastern part of the state.
[Click Here] to Register
What to Bring to Suttle Lake Camp
- Please remember to clearly label your items! We want to make sure borrowed, lent or mislaid items get back to their proper owners!
- A canopy for shade or rain.
- Tools, if you have them.
- Respirator, safety glasses, earplugs or ear muffs, gloves, sun screen, bug repellent.
- Ground tarp to protect the grass and ease pick-up of stone chips.
- Stool, chair, work table, sandbags.
- Bucket, dustpan & broom to sweep up dust & chips.
- Power: 50 ft. Electric cord, a 10-25' cord, all 12/3, and an electrical splitter.
- Air: 3/8" 50 ft air hose, a shorter air hose, and an air hose splitter. Bring a pressure regulator to camp if you plan on using air tools. Ideally with 1/4 industrial (I/M) connections ready to connect between your air hose and tools. (Otherwise you'll be dealing with about 130 psi directly!)
- Water: 50 ft hose, a shorter hose and a water hose splitter preferably with a Y connector and a shut off.
- Having these items will make it easier for the people running the field and will also be useful in your own studio.
- Note: We cannot accommodate tools from Europe that are not adapted to US current
Please leave your dog at home. We love them, but they are not allowed at camp.
Camp style bunk bed and mattresses are provided in Lodges and Cabins. Please bring sleeping bags, blankets and pillows for your comfort.
Please bring your own towels and washcloths.
Bring your own toiletries, toothbrush/paste, soap, shampoo, etc.
Sunscreen & bug spray.
Bring your swim suit and towel—Suttle Lake has a dock and canoes are available.
Appropriate footwear and clothing for rain or shine as the NW weather is very variable.
You are at Camp - bring a flashlight or teddy bear if need be.
Suttle Lake is just a short hike away! Bring your swimsuit!
A camera - we may ask you for pictures for next years’ brochures.
Bring your memories and photos of the past years at “Stone Camp”
Bring drums, guitars or anything fun and musical for around the campfire.
Bring GOOD dance music or a disco ball for the party.
BYOB - to enjoy after the power is off, during dinner or around the campfire.
Bring items to donate to the auction.
Bring items for a tool swap meet.
SCULPTURE RELATED:
Bring up to 3 pieces of sculpture to show at the Art Walk on Saturday, as well as pedestals if you have them. (There are a limited few for use). There will be a 20% donation asked of you if you sell a sculpture.
DIET:
If you have special dietary considerations, you need to be responsible for them yourself. The Camp will do their best, however, they are cooking for large numbers and cannot fill all special needs. There is a kitchenette in Wesley Meadow Lodge to store & prepare meals.
ANOTHER NOTE:
Internet connectivity at this remote locale is iffy at best. Our understanding is that Verizon gets the best service on site. Prepare your family & friends that you may be "off the grid" while at stone carving camp.
Please bring your checkbook or cash for fast & easy checkout with NWSSA at the end of camp and if you are purchasing from our vendors who may also have limited connectivity.
ESSENTIAL: Have FUN!!!
Click here to download the list
Good Times at Suttle Lake 2018
As the harvest time of year is upon us, I would like to take a moment to reflect on another fantastic year at Suttle Lake. There are many new developments we learned in methods, and mediums. Also, inroads to personal growth, and reconnecting with what may now be, lifelong friends. These are some of the things I have heard and experienced this year at Suttle Lake. For this I am grateful to all of you that join together to make this happen.
The week began with the presentation of the collective stone-carving project for Suttle Lake camp. Many thanks are in order to Mark Andrew for his hard efforts and patience bringing us together as a collective in this endeavor. As seen here, all walks of attendees are encouraged to participate (Samia Imonen and MJ Anderson). This project will continue each year until completed, and all are encouraged to spend time with this magnificent piece of marble.
The teachings of our newest friend Joseph Kincannon gave us a unique perspective towards the
methods used in the making of the cathedrals of old Europe. His slide show was mesmerizing and informative. Jesse his apprentice from years past also accompanied Joseph and folks enjoyed their energy towards the craft. Hopefully Joseph and/or Jesse will be joining us next year as well.
We had a record number in our beginner’s tent this year with 8 new people. Our instructor Stephanie Robinson is great at exciting new people to work and achieving well beyond their own personal expectations. Not unlike Tom Sawyer, but for the sake of making art.
Deborah Wilson once again shared her expertise of jade carving with the assistance of our brother Steve Sandry for another exceptional program.
Lisa Ponder and Rich Hestekind gave a very informative discussion on memorial work within the trade from a personal perspective to a larger commercial one, both very vital areas to consider within the stone carving community.
I remain committed to carving time for the attendees during the week and this year it showed. I added an additional ten display pedestals to our show, and we used every one of them this year. Our Stone Walk was a resounding success! We sold five pieces this year. It was the best public turnout yet, and I believe it is because we are no longer competing with the High Desert Show in Bend, which is their biggest event of the year, and is now the week after ours.
We received press in Bend and Sisters over and above what we solicited. We also are on the radar for a possible art project for the city of Sisters, Oregon. Next year’s Stone Walk should prove to be even better for all of you that participate.
The Suttle Lake symposium raised funds for shore power at our annual auction, and now it is going to be a reality. I was just informed by the camp that they are hooking up power within the budget we raised for the camp and we will no longer need to rent and feed a generator for our symposium. NWSSA should see a direct savings after next year’s symposium, which also means our rates for our attendee’s, will remain affordable.
Until then, keep the chips flying and your area dustyDoug Wiltshire
Suttle Lake Symposium 2018
Each year, when the trees and flowers bloom here in Oregon, I realize that we are only two months away from our unique event in the mountains. The gathering of friends with the common goals of learning, creating and the sharing of ideas. The synergy I feel from being with new and like-minded people in THIS experience has no boundaries and is immeasurable.
It is my pleasure to have the honor of awarding Kazutaka Uchida our Lifetime Achievement Award this year for all of his involvement in NWSSA’s Oregon symposiums since their beginnings. We have been fortunate enough to foster a relationship with Japanese traditions because of his presence. This year we will also have Mitsuo Saiki as an instructor. He will demonstrate his approach to the human figure as he did with such amazing skill last year. 
It will also be my honor to present my sculpture mentor,Lee Imonen, with the Hammer Award for his years of selfless dedication and teaching to our cause. I know that he has touched the lives of almost everyone who is a NWSSA member and beyond, with his time, materials, and his infectious “Can-do spirit.”
And Joseph Kincannon will be joining us from Texas. This will be Joseph’s first experience with NWSSA symposiums, and should prove to be a fresh perspective towards a professional’s relationship with stone.
Seattle Solstice will be with us again after an absence of four years. Both Jason Clauson and Stuart Kendall will be here to tell us about their latest projects, which I am sure will prove to be nothing short of remarkable. Mark Andrew will be leading a “group monument carving event” for the venue. Jim Ballard will teach us about sandblasting stone to enable the visually impaired, Stephanie Robison will be bringing her talents as an instructor for newer students and MJ Anderson will be sharing her adventures from Italy earlier this year.
This is not a year to miss. The relationships we have developed with folks from Montana, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest make this symposium what it is; an event worth coming to every year to recharge ourselves and in turn, the communities we go home to.
We have an extremely talented group of work studies people this year. Without your support, many young carvers would never consider stone sculpting an attainable endeavor. Thank you all for making this happen.
Doug Wiltshire, SL Symposium Director 2018
Registration is now open for our Annual Stone Carving Symposium near Sisters, Oregon running from August 12-19th, 2018
2018 Suttle Lake International Stone Carving Symposium
The NWSSA continues our tradition of bringing together world-class sculpting masters for unique opportunities to provide instruction and discuss where we are today. From classical hand tools to new high-tech machining tools and techniques, our instructors provide knowledge and inspiration for all attendees.
About the Symposium and Suttle Lake Facilities
The Northwest Stone Sculptors Association is excited to hold our annual Oregon State Stone Carving Symposium at Suttle Lake Camp! This is the 4th year we are returning to this venue, and it feels like ‘home’.
The symposium is open to all levels from beginners who have never carved stone before to the experienced sculptor. Make new friends, renew old friendships and fire up the creative spirit in a rich, supportive environment.
Suttle Lake Camp is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains 14 miles west of Sisters, Suttle Lake Camp is a special place where the vivid green of Western Oregon mingles with the sunny beauty of the eastern part of the state.
Click Here to Register Online!
Selected Works from Suttle Lake Camp
Four carvers volunteered to tell us about the stones they worked on while there. The pieces range in size from 12 pounds to 3,000 pounds; not so unusual a spread for NWSSA stoners.
Ben Kimura
Craig Breitbach
Larry Lawlor
Mitsuo Saiki
Ben Kimura
This sculpture is a large piece of Yule marble from Colorado. I began roughing it out in July at the Marble/Marble symposium before bringing it to Suttle Lake. It was important to me, with this piece, to do all of the finishing work by hand. So, after putting down the five-inch grinder, it was and is all hand tooling. I will probably go through way more sandpaper than I would like to admit. Some of the progress I have made stylistically has been making it a point to tell myself that there are no rules while carving. However, there is always knowledge that I can pick up from other artists.
I found NWSSA through an ad for the Flower and Garden Show at Volunteer Park in the Seattle Times and went there hoping someone would have advice about where to locate good stones to carve. That’s where I found out about the symposiums, and since then it has been an education, attending these get-togethers and acting as a sponge, trying to listen and learn as much technical know-how as I can, and applying that knowledge to future projects.The form of this piece emerged through a long discourse with the stone. It was an old stone and had probably been sitting untouched for a number of years. However, underneath the dirt and grime was a pure, very hard marble that lent itself to the forms that I like to carve.
Even though the process in which I carve is a type of direct carving, it is punctuated by taking a step back and drawing the physical stone, over and over again. I believe that if you take time to draw the stone in front of you, whatever stage it is in, it will give you an idea of how you can work with the stone, where the high points in the rock are and where the forms you want to impose can lay.
Being able to attend different symposia has stoked my enthusiasm for stone carving. It was truly incredible to set up at Suttle Lake and suddenly be transported into a different world that revolves around creativity and exploration. It is great to be in a space where everyone is doing, more or less, their own individual carving, however because of the electric energy that is radiating around the field, that individual energy becomes a source that one can tap into.
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benkimura.com
Craig Breitbach
I had a great time at the symposium again this year. The main sculpture I was working on at Suttle Lake is a new piece for the Carillon Point Marina on Lake Washington in Kirkland. This will be a two-year installation (along with my “Whale of a Bench” which had previously been displayed at San Juan Island Sculpture Park). The new sculpture, “Spirited,” is a 7 foot, 3000-pound basalt column with two salmon and a water design. I have a tight timeframe for this piece. In fact, I was only able to go to the symposium thanks to the equipment and help from Carl and Ken which enabled me to work on it there! I have to admit I have tool envy for the crane truck.…)
The inspiration for this piece was a past sculpture installed in Oregon City, “River Dance.” (I even stopped to visit it on the way down to the symposium.) This time I am emphasizing the motion of the water more with spiral splashes that surround the salmon.
As always, I enjoy working in basalt because it has rough natural surfaces to contrast the polished and highly detailed images carved into them. But basalt is very hard, so I have to use an angle grinder, diamond grinding blades, and a Dremel for the detail work.
I am finishing the piece at my studio in Fall City and hope to install it mid to late September.
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craigbreitbach.com
Larry Lawlor
“To Dance the Tango” Texas limestone 19 1/2” W X 20 3/4” T X 4 1/2” D
I tend to choose intimate moments for my relief carving. Here I have chosen the image of two Tango dancers in a dramatic pose, riveted on each other even though their eyes are closed. The challenge I’ve given myself is to render this image in a believable way. I wanted to create a strong composition that will keep the viewers' eyes traveling through the piece and come to center on the space between them. Finally and most importantly for me, I wanted to create the dramatic feeling and tension between the man and woman.
I’ve been carving for six years now. We moved to the Seattle area seven years ago following the grandkids and I happened on a StoneFest at Marenakos Rock Center with John Fisher as instructor. I’ve been hooked ever since.
I have a background in the Arts. I was a scenic and lighting designer in theater and television and have done some painting in acrylics and soft pastels.
More than half of my sculpture to date has been in deep relief carving. I like staying in the figurative mode and try to capture a moment and feeling.
What is most likely behind my choosing these themes is the desire of an elder person to revisit that core tension and feeling that is universal between humans and animals and place it in stone, making it universal yet personal.
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Mitsuo Saiki
“It was my first time using limestone. It was so soft that I had to learn how to carve it as I was carving it. I found meaning in using a stone from USA to carve it. The Buddha statue reflects the one who sees it. So, it is my hope that I was able to convey that with this statue regardless of the faith of the one who sees it.”
Born in 1975, Mitsuo Saiki is a Level 1 certified Stone Masonry Technician. After becoming a student of the now-deceased stone sculptor Ryo Kato at age 18 and serving five years as his apprentice, he returned to the Saiki family business. He uses traditional hand-carving techniques to create works ranging from stone Buddhas to monuments, while also displaying his works at a variety of exhibitions and art festivals and engaging in a diverse range of professional activities.
In 2005, he embarked on an ambitious two-year project to repair and restore the 300-year-old Kannon statues enshrined on Nakanojo town's sacred mountain of Takeyama. In 2014, as part of a commemorative project celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Gunma Prefecture Stone Industry Association, he carved the stone statue of the Gunma prefectural mascot "Gunma-chan" that is displayed in front of the Gunma Prefectural Government Building. He served as the Executive Committee Chairman of the 2015 Nakanojo Biennale and is known to spend his free time listening to blues with a drink in hand.
"As a stone sculptor, I try to trust my instincts as I search for the points and lines that tell me how to shape an object. However, I have come to understand that it is not the sculptor who decides how to sculpt the stone, but the stone that decides how it will be sculpted."
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saikistone.com
2017 Suttle Lake Centerfold
Fellow stone sculptors,It is time to come home. Be with friends, mentors, students, and especially, take the opportunity to be present with yourself. Our symposium is an evolving form of education, a union of ideas, and a place for gathering your energy. When we work alongside one another, it is a statement. It is a proclamation that the earth can be moved by individuals and that it can be moved in harmony through collaboration.
In August of 1987, NWSSA held our first annual international stone sculpture symposium. This landmark event coincided with a spectacular alignment of planets in our solar system, and coordinated meditation across the globe.
In August of 2017, we will again be hosting our annual Oregon symposium at Suttle Lake. It is fitting that we will kick off this event with another celestial alignment. We will witness a total solar eclipse the morning of Monday, August 21st. The next two total solar eclipses that will even be close to Oregon occur in 2045 in northern California, and 2099 in Canada. The next total eclipse to pass over Oregon (or Washington) will not be until June 25, 2169!
Embrace the opportunity of a lifetime by sharing this special moment in the midst of an extreme concentration of creative energy.
We have a full program this year that is certain to push us into new ways of thinking. Two themes of approach and technique will frame the 2017 symposium: high-tech & traditional and east & west.
Carl Nelson and Michael Binkley will present on CNC carving and transforming computer generated designs into stone. A small CNC carving machine will be on site during the week so that we can observe the process from start to finish. M.j. Anderson will follow this up by giving a field demonstration on carving Italian marble and will be carving and mentoring through the week. Keith Philips, resident artist of Tenino quarry, will visit and talk about traditional techniques for hand carving sandstone.End of copy on the left side of circle.
NWSSA’s First Time at Suttle Lake, Sisters, Oregon
Sometimes trying something new doesn’t always turn out well, so moving the Oregon Symposium from our much loved Silver Falls State Park to a new location caused us more than a little apprehension.
We were told that Suttle Lake on the edge of the Cascades in Central Oregon was lovely. We were even told that the cost would be low enough for us to get 7 days for less than the cost of 5 days at Silver Falls. So those who went did so with big hopes.
Those hopes were more than satisfied. The Kitchen Staff was great to work with and the food was organic and locally grown. There was even a map on the wall showing what came from where.
Though the beds were on the Spartan side, the four-inch think mattresses were in abundance, allowing one to easily double or even triple the comfort quotient.
Our tenting area was almost scarily reminiscent of the one atSilver Falls and walking distance between field and rooms and dining hall were quite short, also like Silver Falls. It didn’t take us long to feel right at home. We had a huge newbie tent with several people who had never, ever carved a stone. With what a will they jumped right into it and began carving. It was thrilling to watch their progress.
And this symposium was our chance to gather in a big circle and take turns thanking Tom Urban for his unfailing 20 years of service to the Oregon contingent. Of course that always includes a few outliers from way up north –Washington, Canada and Montana. (Bless those hardy Montanans who come down every year to brighten up our days and our auctions, bringing cases and cases of Moose Drool Beer from their contact at The Big Sky Brewery in Missoula.)
And speaking of the Auction. Trying to tell you what happened in the auction would be like trying to say what happened during any given three hours in the universe. A lot happened. People were sent to jail and had to be bought out. High-bidders went to the VIP lounge to be fawned over and anointed, too soon replaced by the next big buyer. People worked hard distributing beverages, they also worked hard to outbid someone and then gave the item to the one they outbid. It was fun. It was more than fun. We raised $6,400.
This short account is not all that happened at Suttle Lake. If you want to know that, you’ll have to come next year. I bet you’ll love it, too.
Suttle Lake Symposium 2015
Suttle Lake Stone Sculptors Symposium
August 23rd - 30th, 2015 - Sisters, Oregon
New Location!
NWSSA is pleased to announce a new location and extended days (at the same price) for our annual Oregon State Stone Carving Symposium! You may be familiar with "Camp Brotherhood" Symposium in Washington State - We hope you will join us for "Camp Sisters" near Sisters, Oregon for our Stone carving symposium this August!
Stone carvers are invited to convene at the Suttle Lake Campground near Sisters, Oregon for 7 days of sculpting fun. Set up a tent to carve, share, learn and be challenged. From the beginner's tent to the professional tool chest, there are ample ways to learn, get involved, and connect with other artists.
Carving sessions are interspersed with tool & safety instruction, informative sessions, and on the field mentoring. Field instructors are always available to answer questions. Bring your gear (if you are a beginner, we have tools you can use), we provide power, water and air. Should you need them, there are tools and stone available for purchase.
We provide three meals and rooms. In the evenings, artists show their images and talk about their sculpture. If you need a break, hike in the surrounding hills or grab a boat and head out on the lake. In the evening folks can gather around the campfire before turning in.
Stay tuned to our website and facebook page for more details. If you would like to join us this year, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be added to our mailing list so you will receive notice about our next Oregon State Symposium event!
What you might find at our Silver Falls Symposium, August 28-Sept 01, 2010
NWSSA’s fall stone carving symposium happens every year in a special place.
If you're am old hand at carving, you know what I'm talking about, but if you are new to stone and come anyway, it’s still possible that you will leave with nothing more than a fabulous few days with a fun group of new friends. Or you may, like so many of us, find much more than that. You may discover that you have let out that small thing that you have long suspected was in you. You just may let loose that creative spark that will turn you into a stone sculptor. Wouldn’t it be good to find out?
Randy Zeiber of Neolithic Stone video
Yes, you can buy tools and stone at Silver Falls and Camp B. Here is an interview with one of our vendors:
15th Annual Silver Falls Symposium
Find out what we did in 2009 at Silver Falls!!
August 22-26, 2009
Special Guests: Brian Goldbloom and Collen Wilson
The Symposium is open to all levels, from beginners who have never carved stone to the experienced sculptor. This year the symposium will include individualized field instruction by Laura Alpert, Rich Hestikind, Lee Imonen, David P. Miller and Tom Urban. Bring projects you've started, or buy stone on site and get one-on-one attention from the instructor of your choice. On Tuesday Paul Buckner will be on site to give individualized instruction. Evening slide presentations will feature work by Brian Goldbloom, Coleen Wilson and Rich Hestikind. The Silver Falls Symposium is a great place to make new friends, renew old friendships and learn more about stone carving in a relaxed, supportive environment.
