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Newsflash

2025 Stone Carving Calendar of Events

Links for these events will become live as registration & information becomes available
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 25th - NWSSA HOLIDAY PARTY - 4-8PM Stone Carving Folks, Family and Friends, our winter potluck party will be hosted at a new venue this year! The Lakewood-Seward Park Community Club in South Seattle. In the NWSSA tradition... it's a potluck, please bring a dish to share. Also bring something to drink or a favorite dance tune; we will provide the basics. Looking forward to a cheers to the new year and hugs in person!

APRIL 12 & 13 2025 - BEST OF THE NORTHWEST SHOW & SALE - Seattle, WA (two day event)
NWSSA will be featured in a special exhibit for this Northwest Art Alliance event. We will host a youth stone carving workshop and have a display booth of stone sculptures at the Spring "Best of the Northwest" Show at The Hangar 30 building at Magnuson Park 7400 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA 98115

 

SUMMER SYMPOSIA

Our symposia are open to all levels from beginners who have never carved stone before, to the hobbyist, to the professional sculptor. These events are one of the most supportive and inclusive environments you will ever encounter. Meet new people, renew old friendships, get inspired, pose your question, answer someone’s question, and fire up the creative spirit in a rich, sharing environment.
Extensive carving sessions are interspersed with informative classes and stimulating sculpting lessons during each of our events. 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 and peruse the tools and variety of stones being carved and available for purchase from our on-site vendors.

  • JULY 12-20TH 2025:  Washington International Stone Carving Symposium, Port Orchard, WA
    Join us for an eight-day symposium on the lovely grounds of Pilgrim Firs Camp in Port Orchard. Guest Artists To be announced: We will have an expanded Beginner's tent, with hand carving and intermediate power tool instruction, the NWSSA general assembly meeting, campfires, inspiring conversations and, hopefully, you! Please email the Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for any questions.
  • JULY 19th 2025 11 am - 4 pm Outdoor Sculpture Show in Port Orchard, WA
    Visit with artists, and view 100 sculptures on display and for sale as our 38th Annual Sculpture Symposium culminates. This outdoor event is open to the public. Hosted at Pilgrim Firs Camp & Conference Center 3318 SW Lake Flora Rd Port Orchard, WA 98367
  • AUGUST 24-31st 2025: Oregon State International Stone Carving Symposium, near Sisters, OR
    Suttle Lake Camp is our home for the week of our annual Stone Carving Symposium in Oregon. The Camp is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains 14 miles west of Sisters. Guest artists to be announced. Questions? Contact Symposium Director Rachell Jarvis
  • AUGUST 30th 2025 11am - 4 pm Outdoor Sculpture Show at Camp Suttle Lake, OR
    Visit with artists, and view 50+ sculptures on display and for sale as our Annual Sculpture Symposium culminates. This outdoor event is open to to public.

 

AUGUST 16 & 17 2025  EVERGREEN ARBORETUM SCULPTURE WALK Everett, WA (a two day event) 
In collaboration with the Everett Arboretum & Gardens, Schack Art Center and the Fresh Paint Event we will be co-sponsoring a two-day Sculpture Walk at the Evergreen Arboretum in Everett, WA. The Fresh Paint event has attracted tens of thousands of people. All members are invited  to display your outdoor and indoor pieces at this event. We will be hosting a Soapstone Carving workshop for youth. Keep your eyes open for the “Call for artists” and volunteers as we get closer to the date.

SEPTEMBER 27 & 28 2025 -  KUBOTA GARDEN FOUNDATION SCULPTURE SHOW & SALE - Seattle, WA (a two day event) 
In collaboration with the Kubota Garden Foundation and the City of Seattle Parks & Recreation Department, we are excited to be welcomed back for a Two-Day Sculpture Walk & Sale at this lovely 20 acre Japanese inspired Garden in South Seattle, WA. We will send out a request for art and volunteers closer to the date. In the meantime, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for any questions.

Other Stone Carving Events (Non NWSSA Sponsored)

APRIL 6-13 2025  - CALIFORNIA SCULPTORS SYMPOSIUM at Camp Ocean Pines, Cambria, California 
(CSS)
is an annual, week-long program of workshops and demonstrations given by sculptors for sculptors. Intimate hands-on sessions with expert instructors will improve your technique, inspire your designs and build your expertise. Participants return to CSS year after year to share their passion for working with stone, wood, metal and clay. Guest Artists: JASON ARKLES: Beginner and Advance Stone, ROBERTO BENAVIDEZ: Piñata Paper Mache and ALICIA PONZIO: Figurative Clay.  It’s a place to learn, exchange ideas and recharge your creative batteries for both the novice and the seasoned artist. California Sculptors Symposium Registration is open NOW!

JUNE 27-29 2025, MATZKE STONE CARVING WORKSHOP: Camano Island, WA
This 3-day Hand Tooling Workshop is taught by master carver Kentaro Kojima at Karla Matzke's Gallery and Sculpture Park on Camano Island. The event is designed to accommodate beginning carvers as well as more experienced sculptors. Register by June 1st. Matzke Stone Carving Workshop

JUNE TBA 2025, TENINO CARVER'S GUILD SHOW & SALE: Tenino, WA
The Tenino Carver’s Guild has invited Northwest Stone Sculptors Association to show and sell sculpture during the Tenino Farmers Market and Craft show. Call for Art and Volunteers tba

SEPTEMBER 8-14 2025 VANCOUVER ISLAND STONE SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM: Lake Cowichan, BC Canada
A week-long stone carving symposium hosted by Daniel Cline and West Coast Sculpture Association  More Information will be available: Vancouver Island Stone Sculpture Symposium



Save the Dates 2022

Links for these events will become live as registration & information becomes available
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Save the dates and plan your summer for one or both symposia planned for 2022!
In each, 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 and peruse the tools and variety of stones being carved and available for purchase from our on-site vendors.
The symposia are open to all levels from beginners who have never carved stone before to the professional sculptor. These events are one of the most supportive and inclusive environments you will ever encounter. Make new friends, renew old friendships, get inspired, pose your question, answer someone’s question, and fire up the creative spirit in a rich, sharing environment.
 
Currently In Session: JULY 9th-17th, 2022:  Washington Summer Symposium At Camp Pilgrim Firs, Port Orchard, WA
Watch for registration to open soon for this eight-day symposium on the lovely grounds of Pilgrim Firs Camp in Port Orchard. This year we welcome guest artists Candyce Garrett, Stephanie Robison, and Deborah Wilson. We will have an expanded Beginner's tent, pinning and sleeving station, the NWSSA general assembly meeting, campfires, inspiring conversations and, hopefully, you!
Work Study Applications are Open! Please email the Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an application. Registration is Closed 
 
AUGUST 7-14th 2022: Suttle Lake Symposium in SIsters, Oregon
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!! Suttle Lake Camp is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains 14 miles west of Sisters. It is a special place where the vivid green of Western Oregon mingles with the sunny beauty of the eastern part of the state. This is the 6th year we are returning to this venue that has become our ‘home’. Guest Artists will include: Sabah Al-Dhaher, Matt AuvinenMark Herrington and Lawrence Stoller.
Registration will be open soon. Questions? Contact Symposium Director Kentaro Kojima at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Registration s Now OPEN

AUGUST 20-21, 2022  Evergreen Arboretum Sculpture Walk
In collaboration with the Everett Arboretum & Gardens, Schack Art Center and the Fresh Paint event we will be co-sponsoring a two-day Sculpture Walk at the Evergreen Arboretum in Everett, WA. The Fresh Paint event has attracted tens of thousands of people (pre-covid) and we anticipate that many of those attending this year’s Fresh Paint will wander up to visit this year’s Sculpture Walk. Keep your eyes open for the “call for artists”. All members are invited  to display your outdoor and indoor pieces at this event. We also will be looking for volunteers for this event. We will send out a request for volunteer sign up closer to the date.

Kubota Gardens 2021

Soapstone Carving Workshop for Youth Soapstone bear carving

Kubota Garden is hosting a unique, community arts experience on Thursday, August 19th brought to us by the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association who will lead local youth, ages 8-17 in discovering the art of crafting a sculpture through soapstone carving.
Instructors will guide participants through the process of shaping this beautiful, natural material into a figurine to take home. Participation is free and the soapstone and all necessary tools will be provided courtesy of Studiostone Creative and participants will keep their finished pieces.


FREE Event - Registration is required: Register Here

This workshop will teach youth (ages 8-17) how to carve animal shapes from soapstone. Members of the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association will show each participant how to file stone and create a unique sculpture. 

There are two, 90-minute, workshops (one beginning at 10:00am, the other at 1:00pm), with a limit of 50 youth in each workshop. Participants will be working with soapstone and water and soapstone dust will get on participants clothing, so dress appropriately.

Participants will be appropriately distanced and required to wear masks covering nose and mouth at all times. Instructors and volunteers will also wear masks at all times.

This event will be a wonderful opportunity to combine handiwork, mental focus and three-dimensional thinking, all while enjoying the stunning surroundings of Seattle’s historic American Japanese garden. The event is open to the public for viewing.

The event is sponsored by Studiostone CreativeKubota Garden Foundation, the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association and 4Culture.


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