President’s Message Sept-Oct 2017

From the President…. 

The last three months have been FULL of symposium preparation, symposium activity, new carving techniques, new faces, new friendships emerging, artists emerging and inspiring art. And OH! a solar eclipse.

For me, it’s now time to sit back, reflect on all this activity, and get ready for the fall and the coming year’s many opportunities.

We will be returning to Pilgrim Firs – everyone who attended agreed it is the right place to gather. Once again, big thanks to Cyra Jane and crew for pulling it off, and all you wonderful attendees. Read about it in this issue.

The Suttle Lake symposium had so much energy and great opportunities to learn, carve and get to know each other and our Japanese guest artists. Again, read about it here.

Kim Lewis brought more white marble crosses to Suttle Lake to be auctioned off, and we now have many members and two Japanese sculptors (Ida sensei and Kamu) who are contemplating a show centered around pieces made from these crosses. Michael Creger has yet to set a firm date, but it will likely be in the Portland area in the late spring. Stay tuned for details. If you have a piece you have made from a cross, please set your sights for a show in 2018.

Speaking of the coming year, plans for Marymoor Park in the city of Redmond are moving forward, and it is likely we will be asking for “large” public art from our members. Think about what you have that you would want to display and sell, and/or how NWSSA could facilitate your creating a piece to display in this potential new venue. Contact me with your ideas. Again, many thanks for the team effort to make it happen.

Similarly, for large outdoor work, Kentaro Kojima will be curating a show at Kubota gardens, between Boeing Field and Lake Washington, and will be looking for six to twelve large outdoor pieces. Keep an eye out on the Listserv for the call to artists. (Not a member of our Listserv? Join at: https://carvestone.org/381-email-list-server-anddiscussion-groups).

There’s a lot of activity on the Olympic Peninsula and in the San Juan Islands.
Next spring, look forward to two hand carving retreats, one at Karl Matzke’s on Camano Island and the other the Women’s Retreat at the Port Hadlock distillery. (Started by Arliss Newcomb, and now in the capable hands of Ellie Hochman. Thanks, Ellie).
The other island activity is Therese Kingsbury’s SKULPT TOO event in Oak Harbor. It will be a pop-up gallery that may run for 4-5 months in a donated retail space called The Loft. Given the previous success of SKULPT, she anticipates an on-going need for sculpture from NWSSA members. If you have something for the show, please drop her a note at: (islandhoppers@comcast.net).

Learn much, share with many, and carve proud….

….Carl