St Madoes - stone carving workshop

I was asked to run a stone carving workshop at the opening of the new St Madoes centre.
I'd put forward a proposal to carve the stone that will be in their garden area but wasn't chosen for that. Not unhappy, the workshop went so well.

 All happy carvers and a great day out.

Last Week - No. 10

It has arrived... the last day of the stone carving and I feel a little sad, but so very proud of all the students. Their commitment and hard work has really paid off.
The finishing stages and I get to go around picking out all those wee bits that make all the difference to the piece.

The finishing touches of a project can take almost longer than the main bulk of stone removal but we didn't have the time.

I did a little smoothing off the flat plains for a few people, just to move it along so they could get to the best bits.

Here they are:

Jim's piece

Mike's piece

Monica's piece

Mary's piece

Alice's piece

Alice's piece

This piece is a two sided sculpture, the owl and the tree are on the same stone.

Angela's piece

Angela's piece

Another two sided sculpture, Laurel and Hardy.

Mike's boar

Mike's tree of life

Rhia's wave form

Rhia's clam shell

The reason all this was possible is because of RIG Arts, and their Broomhill Project, community arts and heritage in Greenock.
Here is a link to their website with the final stone carving workshop post.

Penultimate week - No. 9

Another new student today. Running out of stone of a usable size as I haven't had time to split anymore or, in fact, move any. The sizes left are very large. Luckily there was a smallish piece that had been knocked off Rhia's block.

Meet Daniel, he just came for the 1st session but quick to learn.

Daniel beginning

Daniel concentrating

A full class today so I didn't get much time for my own piece of sculpture, although I got to do a little helping out here and there.

the boar

Mike finished his boar and I must say it's looking fabulous.
(I was pulled up for not being effusive with my compliments. Old habits die hard. I tend to use tone of voice rather than describing words to show my admiration - for the rest of the lesson I tried lots of different words)

Jim's new face

The new face

I'm really impressed with everyone and how they've learnt - I hardly ever have to correct tool usage.
So here are the hands at work....

Rhia

Mary

Monica

Daniel

Alison

Angela

Jim

Mike

Daniel was happy with his final piece, a take on ancient cave paintings. He had great control of the tools.

All in all a very lovely days teaching. Well done everyone.

8th week already!

Only two more weeks after today!

I was a little apprehensive to head out to the workshop, wondering if anymore fences would be bent or some other thing done, but all good....whew.

New student today, yeah!
Meet Mary.

Mary

Mary

Mary

1st time at carving and she was great. A sun is beginning to shine from her stone.

Jim on a new piece

Angela working on Laurel

Laurel

the fellas!

Aren't they smashing?

Another new student this afternoon - Angela's sister Monica arrived to work with the stone.

Monica

Monica again

Here's Mike's 2nd sculpture so far.

'Broomy's Boar'

Mary's Sun

Laurel & Hardy

Week 7

This week I was so tired from the day before that I tried to keep things simple and not try to do too much. 3 Students today, Rhia wasn't feeling her best so had opted out of the carving, choosing to keep things going in the Art Flat.

I'd already been out that morning to move the heras fencing that someone keeps shifting. All good and then when we all went out - someone had bent the fence?!!!

They'd obviously been in, moved one of the benches and then got annoyed with the fence. Granted it was extremely windy but the wind did not do that.

To clarify, the other fence is the gate in and out of the underground garage, the door still opens past the width of the entrance and can be fixed open. Someone is apparently super annoyed but not enough that they could speak to us about it.... quite upsetting really.

slightly less bent

I moved the stone and hammered out the bend but still not right.

Apart from that, the class went well.

Alison's tree is looking tree-mendous...

and Mike began a new piece.

tree

new work

Unfortunately, the sandstone was extremely dense and hard to work so I got Mike to move on and start on another stone.

The wind made me unsettled and the unknown aggressor didn't help.

Really pleased with all the work.

Week 6 at Broomhill

We have a new student today!      Really pleased.

This week the stone splitting did happen, surprises all round as to the small tools that effect such a change in something usually thought of as solid and uneasily broken.

A quick drilling of 4 holes and then the feathers and wedge inserted. The length is just over 10cm and the rubber band just holds everything in place although other varieties don't have that.

Feathers and wedge

And introducing my new student, Sharon.

The ladies

Last week the guys were here and this week all ladies and no guys.
Alice's owl is now having a wee rest on the sandbags and the other side is coming into play. The red of the original paint from the flats is showing and she is keeping as much of that as possible. A tree is now being formed on this side.

Oak tree

Next week is building up to being a full house... bring it on!