Master Basalt Carvers Gather for Workshop in Geologically Riveting Area
Imagine if you will, as early as 17 million years ago, when the oceanic tectonic plate drifted into the continental plate and formed our coastal region. Hundreds of fissures opened in the earth’s crust causing rivers of hot magma to flow and ooze over a range of expanses in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, slowly forming the spectacular basalt plateaus that we now know as the Columbia Plateau.
Fast-forward to 18,000 years ago, at a time when ice ages enveloped our region- the Cordilleran Ice Sheet covered Western Canada and into the northern U.S., descending a glacial finger part way down into the Idaho Panhandle. This finger of glacial ice dammed the flow from Clark Fork River, empowering glacial Lake Missoula to form. Think of a lake more than 3,000 square miles, and up to 2,000 feet deep, expanding to cover mountaintops and filling valleys. As the volume of the lake increased, the dam that held forth this capricious water burst, draining this massive lake in 24- 48 hours. The river that flowed was estimated to be as much as ten times the combined flows of all the rivers of the world as it carved out weaker basalt layers, left gravel bars, and suddenly dispersed glacial erratics from as far as Canada and Montana. Silt, sand, gravel and boulders were deposited as far as coastal Oregon. Concurrently, the thunderous 65 mile per hour water flow fashioned violent underwater tornadoes, which gouged potholes and scourged the land on its earth-shaking course to the Pacific Ocean.
Subtle tilts in the earth’s axis varied ice age temperatures, causing the continental ice sheet to melt and refreeze periodically. This enabled giant glacial Lake Missoula to form again and again, bursting repeatedly, impelling this area of our planet to change its landscape forever, and introducing us to some of the most unique geological features in the world.
Carving a Slice of History in Central Washington
-During the spring of 2009, in this Geologically fascinating region, surrounded by columnar basalt exposed for us by the catastrophic Missoula floods, three diverse carvers with mastery in this stone will teach a workshop. A small informed group of intermediate-master level stone carvers will attend to evolve skill, improve technique and share their extensive, collective knowledge.
For four days, carvers will set up camp in the incomprehensibly stunning raw desert between Soap Lake and Moses Lake, importing compressors, generators, and other supplies to find out everything they can about the making, historic relevance, carving, and finishing of basalt.
Sharing of Master Minds (May 1st through to May 4th- 2009)
We are privileged to announce the attendance and tutelage of the following Washington State Master Carvers:
-Genius abstractionist-Tom Small (San Juan Island)
-Awe-inspiring composite carver-Anthony Kaufmann (From Seattle/ Moses Lake)
-Sculpture magnate -Richard Hestekind (Seattle)
Throughout the four full days that have been set aside, individuals will have a palette of basalt at their disposal where they will discuss and apply complex finishing techniques, texturing of basalt, as well as working with the rind that basalt has to offer. There will be in depth, hands on column demonstrations with the vast array of power tools that basalt carvers use. Attendees will leave satiated, knowing that their skills have been honed and their knowledge hued. In addition to the practical sharing of information, we have invited Geologists, an Archeologist, and a Natural Historian to speak at length about the regions rich and varied history. The workshop will be comprehensive and many faceted, and the gathering of these like-minded individuals promises to incite inspiration and be most fun.
Media Contact:
(Workshop coordinator)
Gerda Lattey
stonewaterstudio@gmail.com
250-537-1526 (land)
250-538-8686 (cellular)
Sculptor Websites-
Anthony Kaufmann: http://www.3000bcstudios.com/
Tom Small: http://www.tomsmallsculpture.com/
For information on Richard Hestekind- contact Gerda Lattey
* Desert photo by Kentaro Kojima
* Molten Heart Venus photo by Brandon Casazza
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