Sculpting in Alabaster (4 weeks)

Wednesday, Nov. 28 - Dec. 19, 2007, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Learn the art of stone carving with alabaster stone, a soft carving stone wich can easily be worked with chisels and and files. It also can be polished to a high gloss. Bring in rasps and files as well as hammer, wooden mallets and chisels. There will be tools for sale at class for those needing them.

Resident Fee: $35, Nonresident: $40

Materials: ca. $25 for stone, and ca. $25 for tools (if needed)

Classes take place at Traip Academy in Kittery, 200 Rogers Road.

For more information and to register call 207-439-5896 (Kittery Adult and Community Education)

What to bring to carving Classes:

Please bring a flat chisel, no wider than 1/2 inch, and if possible with a fine blade and a long handle. A long tool is much easier to control than a short tool. If you happen to have pointed chisel and tooth chisel, please bring these as well, otherwise you can purchase them during class.

If you don't have a soft iron sculptors hammer please bring a wooden mallet and one or several different hammers, and prepare yourself physically by doing your exercise!

For your safety, please also bring goggles, fine work gloves and a hat or other head cover (to eliminate chips and dust in your hair).

Tools can also be ordered on the internet, for example at www.sculpt.com. For the very devoted sculptor I recommend ordering a light or medium weight, soft iron sculpting hammer. The right hammer makes this hard work more efficient. I will provide a number of chisels for purchase at cost, but not any hammers.

Other classes see page for "Design Classes"

About the former workshops:

In the classes of winter 2000 to 2001 we worked on 'Carving a Sundial in Stone'. These classes were introductions into the function of different types of sundials as well as beginner classes in stone carving. We worked in bluestone, which was quite hard. 

In the winter 2001 / 2002 class we left the sundial aspect out in order to fully concentrate on the carving technique. Instead of bluestone we used the considerably softer 'Indiana Limestone'. Most participants carved reliefs of sea creatures, and an elephant relief, a keltic pattern and a pet gravestone were also among the finished artwork. 

In the class of Fall 2002 we carved reliefs in limestone again. It was great fun, despite very tired arm muscles.

In February 2003 we attempted to carve full round sculptures out of marble chunks. This proved to be very satisfying and we repeated this class several times.

Tufa Troughs - From Casting to Planting (2 sessions)

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. (2.5 hrs) and

Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (1 hr)

Tufa Troughs were invented in England as a substitute for stone troughs, when the fashion of creating these charming miniature gardens depleted the supply of old farm troughs. These trough gardens will remind you of a Bonsai display, but they are sturdier, require less maintenance, and are very versatile in design and use. In this class, we will focus in the casting or build-up process (a very special concrete mix containing peat moss) and then learn about soil mixes and do a sample planting.

resident Fee: $15, Nonresidents $17

Materials $10; bring your own molds if you like, but make sure they are no larger than 18" in diameter

Classes take place at Traip Academy in Kittery, 200 Rogers Road.

For more information and to register call 207-439-5896 (Kittery Adult and Community Education)