36th Annual International Stone Carving Symposiumat Pilgrim Firs Camp, Port Orchard, WA July 6th-14th 2024 The Symposium We invite you to join us at Camp Pilgrim Firs for eight full days of playing with stone, communing with nature and enjoying the camaraderie of fellow stone enthusiasts. Bring yourself, your creative energy, your tools, and a favorite […]
OUR MISSION NWSSA is a non-profit membership organization serving as a resource for the carving and presentation of stone sculpture. It develops education opportunities, provides a support system, and facilitates interaction with regional, national and international communities. VISION + PURPOSE As an educational and professional resource, the organization can provide its membership numerous benefits: We […]
The Kubota Garden Foundation is jointly sponsoring a SCULPTURE WALK with the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association at The Kubota Garden in Rainier Beach Seattle Saturday, September 30th, 2023 10 am – 4 pm Enjoy dozens of sculptures on display for the day and explore the 20+ acres of the Japanese American garden in the Rainier […]
August 2023 Sculpture Northwest Journal I am honored to share my stone carving journey and some pieces I’ve created. Behind our house in Rockford, Illinois, were acres and acres of woods that I constantly explored as a child, absorbing the shapes of nature. My childhood bedroom had blackout curtains making the room pitch black. At […]
NWSSA, Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens, Everett Parks, and the Schack Art Center are hosting a two-day Sculpture Walk. This event is much like those held at the end of our symposiums. Hundreds of people came through to see the two-day show, which was nothing short of spectacular. This year, our event is hosted during the […]
There are few sculptors who have not had the unhappy experience of breaking a carbide chisel. One’s immediate thought is to go wailing back to the dealer: “It broke! There’s a flaw in it! Send it back to the factory and give me a new one!” Good luck. Purveyors of carbide tooling simply do not […]
The Northwest Stone Sculptors Association is excited to hold our annual Oregon State Stone Carving Symposium at Suttle Lake Camp. This is the 7th 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 […]
HistoryI grew up in a family that was fairly clear that “art” was something that other people – people with talent and skill, and drive – did. So it’s hard for me to take on the mantle of “artist” without feeling a little like an imposter. It’s through my involvement with the NWSSA that I […]
The Northwest Stone Sculptor’s Association is proud to present to George Pratt an Honorary Lifetime Membership, in recognition and sincere appreciation of your outstanding loyalty and dedication to NWSSA. This honor recognizes your commitment demonstrated by teaching, mentoring, and supporting the NWSSA vision since its beginning. According to Meg Pettibone, the founder of NWSSA, in […]
Artist Spotlight Featuring Sue Taves, April 2023 Sculpture Northwest Journal
I’ve Never Carved a Stone! What Can I Expect as a Beginner? Impressions of Camp B by Pat Barton, Eirene Blomberg & Berta Geller Beginner Work Area: The beginner work area is set up at the edge of camp, thus allowing the teachers a semi-quiet space to teach. Two large canopies house the work area, with […]
The tall block of Yule marble balances on the dunnage and stares back with white intensity. A nervous knot of anxiety rolls through the stomach. Point away the loose and irregular material. Anticipate the genius within. No arm reaches out to pull away the veil. This bedded block of stark white and precision frames what? There is […]
We need some kind of descriptive text here.