My Favorite Things About the Symposium at Camp Brotherhood – Nov/Dec 2000

Quotes overheard at Camp B 2000

“I couldn’t believe how open these sculptors were with anything I wanted to know. Everyone was very forthcoming with techniques that have worked for them. Hand tools, power tools, air tools — whatever tips that they had figured out through the years — they told me about them. It didn’t matter if I had been carving only a short time and they were at it for 20 years…my questions mattered.”

“The campfire time in the evenings was a great time to get to know people in a slower paced way; to get to know people beyond the context of sculpting.”

“I wonder what would happen if it were possible to get a hundred sculptors to come together to live in a village-like setting for a couple of weeks, give them enough stone and tools to carve their hearts out. It’s not only possible: IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR!”

“ I f ell in love with a stone.”

“Participating in the hands-on large public workshop with Michael Jacobson and Rich Hestekind was definitely my favorite thing of the symposium. It gave me the experience of working with a team of people on the real life issues that would arise in a large pr oject — the interpersonal and political. Of course it’s a mock situation but — what an excellent exercise for a large sculpture commission project!

“As a newcomer I wasn’t sure what to expect. Much to my surprise, after this year, I don’t feel like a “new” person. I remember someone walking up to me and asking, “How are you doing? Where do you want to set up your work area?” I had no idea, so we talked and figured out I wanted to work with power tools but not pneumatics, so we found a spot for me to set up my canopy workspace. I even had two people help me raise my canopy. The teamwork of this place really made me feel welcome!”

“I was blown away by the slides of peoples’ work. The caliber of artists who are there is astounding. It’s great to hear each of the artists say a few things about their work — little comments like “pushing the edge of what the stone can do.” Hearing about how much they can make the stone do what they want, and all the humbling experiences that the stone has taught them, is inspiring.

“I was really surprised to see all the women stone sculptors here. I thought I was more or less going to be out there on my own. What a great surprise to see about half of the people attending are women, from all walks of life and experience. It was so encouraging and affirming.”

“I’m a shy person when it comes to social situations, so going to the campfire at night was something I was anxious about. As it turned out, I felt welcomed and included in whatever level I wanted to participate. I could just sit back and enjoy the drumming or dancing.”

“I didn’t know what to expect, I had only learned about this symposium just before I went. I was really looking forward to meeting a few other stone sculptors. Well, my god, there were so many sculptors, and a great selection of rock available to buy. Getting to know some other sculptors really recharged my batteries. I f eel like I can work for at least a year on the juice from this thing. At least until the next symposium.”