27th Annual International Stone Carving Symposium

"The artist must create a spark before they can make a fire, and before art is born, the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of their own creation." - Auguste Rodin   

Join the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association at the Cascadian Center at Camp Brotherhood in Mount Vernon, Washington for eight days of playing with stone, communing with nature and fun with old friends and new. All meals are provided and no household chores – now that is freedom! Each year this pastoral venue is transformed into a field of tents with smiling people covered in stone dust. And if the day turns unbearably hot, the swimming pool is right there waiting. 

Bring yourself, your creative energy, your humor, your tools and a favorite piece of stone. We have stone and tools for the begiinners and if you want, you can buy them from our helpful vendors. Instructors are available for everyone from beginner to expert, and sharing ideas and advice is something we always do. 

There are slide shows, informational talks, and wonderful campfires in the evenings.  Our Auction to raise funds for education is a night of hilarious fun, second only to our last night party. Another highlight is our Sculpture Walk on Saturday, July 19th, open to the public.

Accommodations:  You choose; the amenities are varied. The Camp has lodges, which provide motel style rooms accommodating 2-3 individuals with a bathroom in each room. If you prefer, private cottages may be available at an additional cost, but only if our reserved lodges are full. If you’d like to commune more closely with nature, space is provided for pitching a tent. 

Scholarship Auction: Thursday evening, July 17th, 2014.  A very, very fun and entertaining event for a very, very good cause. The auction supports our education goals by funding work-study and scholarship positions for new and emerging artists. Bring something to donate, we’ll buy anything and have a great time doing it.

Field Mentors: Most of our members have years of experience and work with various types of stone. If you desire individualized guidance or support, field mentors: Tracy Powell, Tom Small, and Tamara Buchanan will be available. Both parties gain from the experience.

Sculpture Show on the Meadow:  On Saturday, July 19th, we set up our outdoor art gallery. It is a great opportunity to show your work in a supportive and appreciative environment. We encourage everyone (experienced and beginners) to bring your finished piece of work to display. Invite your friends and clients to come. Some pedestals are provided, but bring your own if you can. A 30% sales commission supports NWSSA. All sales subject to Washington sales tax.

Workshop Schedule (subject to change) Click here for Updated Schedule
Workshop	Instructor	Days	Time
Medium Scale Jade Carving	Deborah Wilson	Mon. - Thurs.	10 am - 4 pm
Acclaimed contemporary jade and granite sculptor Deborah Wilson is one of the few remaining veteran jade artists in Canada. Her work reflects her love for organic forms and her ongoing interest in utilizing the characteristics that define this "stone of heaven." Deborah will be demonstrating intermediate techniques for medium scale jade carving. Class size is limited - must specify Medium Scale Jade Workshop
Small Scale Jade Carving	Nathanial Cook	Sun. - Thurs.	9-10 am
Nathanial will be mentoring students new to the jade carving process by presenting tooling and equipment ideas (ie: how to make your own point carver). A good selection of precut Canadian & US jades will be for sale to create small scale sculpture & pendants. Space is limited, must specify Small Scale Jade Carving Cass when registering.
Weightless Forms in Limestone	Jason Quigno	Sat. - Sat.	9-10 am
Jason Quigno, a Native American sculptor from Michigan works in all types of stone: soapstone, alabaster, limestone, marble, basalt, and granite.  He loves the process of taking a raw, dense block of stone and transforming it into a balanced and harmonious object.
Shadow, Texture & Light; Finding the Edge in Stones	Gerda Lattey/Anthony Kaufmann	Sat. - Sat.	9 am & 1 pm
Gerda predominately uses the direct carve method on harder stones, first drawing on the stone, then roughing out the piece, and finishing with a high polish. You’ll also see marks from a diamond chainsaw, grinder blades, chisels, core drills, and various burrs integrated into the piece - an intended visual inclusion of the myriad of industrial tools she uses. Gerda also leaves areas of stone raw (in its skin) or with chips and marks from the quarry.
Beginning Carving	Tamara Buchanan	Sat. - Sat.	9 am & 1 pm
Tamara has been sculpting stone for 25 years. Featured in many shows throughout the West, her work has won several awards. She loves sharing the process of carving stone and has been teaching at her studio on Lopez Island for 10 years.
Beginning Carving	Ruth Mueseler	Sat. - Sat.	1-2 pm
Ruth is a conglomerate of art education teacher, silversmith, art foundry worker and 23 years as stone sculptor. Her heartfelt work ranges from miniature to monumental.  As an instructor Ruth is thoughtful in manner, and will engage you with humor and respect.  Her approach is one of intuitive curiosity and interpreting the voice of stone.
Stone Splitting Techniques	Kentaro Kojima	Mon	9 am - noon
Kentaro Kojima from Marenakos Stone Center will demonstrate several modern and ancient stone splitting techniques.

Updated Schedule

Evening Schedule
Saturday (12th) 7 pm            Tom Small Slide Presentation
Sunday (13th) 7pm		Michael Yeaman (Geology) & Deborah Wilson (Jade) Slide Presentations
Monday (14th) 7pm		Jason Quigno Slide Presentation
Tuesday (15th) 7pm		Anthony Kaufmann Slide Presentation
Wednesday (16th) 7pm		General Meeting, Election, BOD meeting to follow
Thursday (17th) Tues-7pm		Scholarship Auction. FUN for a CAUSE! Bring anything that might sell - Anything!
Friday (18th) 7pm		DANCE PARTY!!!

Our Vendors:

Stone & Tools

• Neolithic Stone:carries a wide range of sculptural quality stones and tools from around the world.  If you desire a particular type of stone, contactwww.neolithicstone.com or 604-736-5201 in advance.
• Marenakos:  For your granite, basalt, sandstone, and limestone needs. Also supplying Trow & Holden stone cutting tools. www.marenakos.com or 425-392-3313
• Art City Stone Supply: (Represented by Marenakos) Travertine, onyx, alabaster, soapstone, pipestone, limestone, sandstone, marble, basalt, and more. Inquire. www.artcitystudios.com email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 805-648-1690
• Arliss Newcomb: Pins, Sleeves & StarBond Glue  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  360-301-1085

Massage Therapy 

• Carolyn Anderson’s “Magic Fingers” restore alignment and health to those stressed muscles. Phone 360-698-2198

Location  

• Cascadian Center at Camp Brotherhood is located at 24880 Brotherhood Road  Mount Vernon, Washington 98274 (about an hour North of Seattle)

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