2025 Stone Carving Calendar of Events
NWSSA Staff
October 2, 2024
"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.
“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 |
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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 |
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| Small Scale Jade Carving | Nathanial Cook | Sun. – Thurs. | 9-10 am |
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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. |
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| 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. | |||
| 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!!! | |
Stone & Tools
Massage Therapy
Carolyn Anderson’s “Magic Fingers” restore alignment and health to those stressed muscles. Phone 360-698-2198
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