The Women’s Hand Carving Event: A Bridge to the NWSSA Community

Building Trying to explain something you know deep in your soul—to put it into words—can be daunting. Articulating why the Women’s Hand Carving Event now endures as a yearly event sparked my desire to write this article.

I began by talking with Arliss Newcomb, the founder of this event, and here’s what she had to say:
Three years ago I wanted a way to celebrate my 80th Birthday. For over a year, I had been showing and selling my work in the lobby of the Old Alcohol Plant Inn (OAP) in Port Hadlock where I lived at the time. I decided with the input from some longtime sculpture friends to make it an all-women’s event. Now this was NOT meant in any way to separate the membership by gender, only to give the women a chance to support each other in a way that is hard to do in a much larger group. Having a hand-tool-only event would allow women (safely) to talk while working.

Being outside at the Old Alcohol Plant is a great setting for both a birthday party and a carving event: it is local, it has beautiful gardens overlooking Townsend Bay, and it has a great indoor gallery space next to outdoor workspace for artists. The public is invited to watch and talk to the artists who are working, and they could see completed works in the nearby gallery. The energy created by this event was infectious as female guests received encouragement from female artists to try their hands at a piece of stone. Guests to the gallery were so inspired that they wanted to know if there would be an event the following year that they could attend. Each year since has been better-attended than the last. It has invited women who are new, newish, and seasoned into the magical world of women stone carving together. Arliss was right: for some women this acted as a life-changing bridge.

I am one of those women… Since my life has been devoted to working on women’s issues—politically, socially, and in my career as a Women’s Mental Health Specialist—it is apparent to me that Arliss’ Women’s Hand Carving event has provided an open forum for mentorship as well as an amazing opportunity to highlight the works of seasoned and talented female artists. It has opened new doors to the public for women who may have viewed stone carving as implausible.

This event came at a much-needed time in my life. I was in the midst of an emotional five-year marathon of assisting my ninety-four-year-old parents in navigating their end of life journey. Taking a carving class with Tamara B. at Pratt served to alleviate some of my caretaker stress. When my parents’ journey ended, I felt the need to take the summer off from my counseling practice to provide myself the space to grieve. Tamara suggested I consider the Women’s Hand Carving event. At first, EVERYTHING about a “carving event” felt foreign and new. I took comfort that it was an all-women’s group. The event provided a ‘relatively’ quiet and very supportive and nurturing environment which fostered deepening connections between everyone. I learned, and I became more comfortable with both carving and the traditions and flow of an event like this. My deep sense of loss began to shift into a hopefulness that this could fill a hole in my heart—my father was a carver and I used his tools and even wore his jacket to the event—and by the end of those three days, the healing power was transformative. I had become a new member in this community of women.

When I learned that Arliss was preparing to leave the area, I volunteered to help out with the second event. With the marketing help of Renee and the long-distance check-ins and support from Arliss, I organized the gathering. Now, with NWSSA board support, the Women’s Hand Carving Weekend has become an association-sanctioned annual event.

I am grateful that the women’s event was a bridge to an organization that values gender equality. Joining a new group and trying on a new skill that is not traditionally seen as a women’s arena was intimidating. For some, joining an event that is all-women makes it easier. Newbies can see themselves in the faces and experiences of other women who are established carvers and sculptors. Established carvers have the chance to communicate their experience of being female artists. Even coming from different backgrounds, there are subtleties of language, of intuition, and ways of connecting that are shared. Growing up female in a world where many of us have struggled to hear our own voices and show our talents in mixed groups is often a fact of our lives. Many find it easier to express their thoughts in a community of women. Some can visualize more opportunities with direct woman-to woman-encouragement.

Kim B. is a local Port Townsend resident—and now an active NWSSA member—who also benefited from this kind of encouragement. She and a friend had come to check out the gallery and see artists at work. This is what she had to say:

Female stone carvers showed me I really could carve stone. And could carve with others looking on, even commenting. I’m grateful for this gift. I’m ever so blessed by this community and how I’ve been accepted. There’s a generosity of spirit here that transcends all else. Advice, encouragement, and love permeate the group.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. The Women’s Hand Carving Weekend has been that first step for many over the past three years. It is but one piece of a larger mosaic that contributes to the continued diversity of our NWSSA Community. It has acted, as so many other NWSSA events do, as a bridge for new members to later come to the symposiums and become part of the larger NWSSA community and enjoy the generosity of spirit and encouragement that is found there. I feel blessed to have found my new and emerging voice as an artist and a carver with that first step.