Instructors for 2012
John Fisher - Monumental Stone Carving http://www.fisheroppenheimer.com/
Monumental Marble Carving ----John will allow help with the carving.
Last spring the 2.5 ton block received thousands of precision hits form John and helpers. This was the first session for finding the form. The roughing out will continue in 2012, and we will begin to see the figure’s details as the week progresses.
bio
At age 12, John traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East with his family and archeologist father, seeing first hand the great masterpieces of classical art. John’s love for the monumental works that he had seen as a young person ignited his passion for larger-scale work. His first trip to Pietrasanta was fueled by his desire to use the highest quality marble for his creations.You can see John’s work is in public and private collections throughout Europe and the United States. A quote from his website "The creative process is about magic and believing in miracles. It is about trusting that the process will guide us. It borders on the spiritual, in that a connection is made for which words seem inadequate, yet we witness it. In fact this connection is a sign that the process is working....."
Karen Cope - Clay Modeling http://www.copestudios.com/
Figure Sculpting, Sculpting Techniques: Process & Precision,
Intaglio Demo
Karen will instruct each day for an hour during the 3 hour life model session. In the mornings, she will be available for one on one assistance to any sculptor.
bio
Figurative Sculptor, Karen Cope earned her Bachelors in Art from California State University Long Beach and then spent the next 3 years mastering Classical Figurative Sculpture and Academic Drawing at The Florence Academy of Art, in Florence Italy. Karen returned home to Southern California and opened her Professional Fine Art Studio called Cope Studios. Here she creates her work, offers instruction and provides studio space for other talented artists. Cope’s most recent adventure took her on a 6 month Nationwide Sculpting Tour called “Sculpt Across America” where she drove state to state offering Sculpting Workshops, doing portrait & Figure demonstrations and presenting her technical sculpting lecture on “The Speed in Which form turns”. Born and raised in Southern California, Cope is an active member of The California Art Club, and her work can be seen in public and private collections in the US, Ireland and Italy.
Matt Auvinen - Stone Carving http://www.mattauvinen.com/
ABTRACT DESIGN, Pointing Instrument and Carving Methods
3 one hour workshop/ lectures
1) An examination of early modern methods and tools for carving white marble in Italy.
For several years I worked as an artisan in Pietrasanta. Seeing the older specialists in the laboratories inspired my interest in hand-made tools and a research into Greek and Roman methods. With this short lecture I will show some tools and discuss early, less mechanized techniques.
2) The pointing instrument and compass enlargement.
The most common techniques used by the Italian laboratories for the production of sculpture reproductions and modern works are the pointing instrument for 1 to 1 replication and the compasses for enlargement. I will discuss some of the essential principles and how these might be of use to the contemporary sculptor.
3) An examination of some principles of early abstract sculpture.
In this lecture and discussion I would like to look at some of the early abstract sculptures and examine the motives for the choices that these sculptors made in the execution of their work. I am interested in the evolution of forms and their influences.
bio
Matt has been carving for over 30 years. He received his BA from California State University, Chico, and his MFA from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. In 1988, Matt moved to Pietrasanta where he worked as an artisan for several sculpture laboratories. For 12 of his 20 years in Italy, Matt taught sculpture and drawing for a private university level art program in Florence. His sculptural foundation is from working in mixed media. Matt has worked bronze, weded steel, plaster and wood. Found object assemblage became a focus of his work in the late 8os and this sensibility has been projected on to his work in stone. In 2001, Matt curated an exhibition of stone carving techniques in Settignano, the town famous for its stone carvers, just above Florence. In 2002, he translated Francesco Carradori’s Elementary Instructions for Students of Sculpture into English (Getty Publications).
In 2011, as a principal instructor for Northwest Stone Sculptor’s Symposium at Camp Brotherhood, he facilitated a 3 day silicone and plaster mold workshop.
Stephanie Robison, Oakland, CA www.stephanierobison.com
Stone Carving – The Beginning - Finding Form and Fondling Stone, Roughing Out and Refining (hand and power tools), Finishing & Texturing, Tool Care
bio
Stephanie Robison was born and raised in Oregon. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from Marylhurst University and a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Oregon. Stephanie’s work was most recently included in the 9th Northwest Biennial at the Tacoma Art Museum. She has shown her work at The Art Gym at Marylhurst University, Autzen Gallery at Portland State University, Worksound and Tilt Gallery and Project Space. Her work has been selected for several juried exhibitions including the Center on Contemporary Art Annual in Seattle and more recently the 10th International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition at the University of Hawaii. Robison currently teaches sculpture at the City College of San Francisco.
John Thompson Missoula, Montana www.hobbyhorsearts.com
Wood Carving Workshop You Betcha!!!! Workshop to include: Safety First, woods of choice, hand tools and some power tools, Concepts (relief or in-the-round) How to glue-up (laminate the larger pieces),Carving, sanding or not, finishing, painting or staining
bio
I am a printmaker/carver living in Missoula Montana. I became the artist for the Missoula carousel project at the end of 1989. I started carving wood in 1990 and haven't quit. I have been "teaching" workshops since about 1980, printmaking workshops first and then added woodcarving workshops for the past 10 years.
Peter Partch ,California www.peterpartchsculpture.com
“Forging, Sharpening & Repairing Tools 3 sessions
Wednesday - How to forge a few simple tools: a point, flat, & claw. I would cover filing, grinding, & sharpening and finish with a tempering of a tool.
Thursday - Repair and recycling of stone tools and stone tools that can be made from other tools and scrap steel and repeat a tempering process.
Friday - Continue with tool repair by demonstrating in more detail how to repair tools and include carbide chisels sharpening and repair.
bio
Peter has been teaching for the past 13 years at Monterey Peninsula College in both Sculpture and Metal Arts Departments, including tool making. He first started making stone and wood tools when he was 16 years old under the instruction of my first mentor, Alex Weygers. He was not allowed to carve stone until he made his own tools. Mr Weygers instilled in him a strong belief in independence and self reliance in the sculpture process. Hence, he still makes and repairs his own tools.
JoAnne Duby - Ventura, California http://www.joanneduby.com/
Presentation Workshops Thursday and Friday
Finishing and Repairing Stone, a Demo on Pinning & Sleeving, Selecting the right stuff you need to make your sculptures look great.
bio
JoAnne has been a successful sculptor and teacher for well over 30 years. Having worked in bronze, ceramics and stone, she knows our craft well, and can help you solve minor or major problems of sculpture. JoAnne is a master of sculptural design and presentation. She will show us how to bring out the best of any stone surface.