Tom Small-Sculptor

Tom Small's uniquely thought provoking sculpture aims to inspire us by pushing his art to the brink of our established comfort zones. Tom’s longstanding relationship with carving began in his teenage years. He has studied many aspects of sculpture including woodcarving, bronze casting, and metalwork, often successfully imbuing metal and stone together in his sculptures. Tom works prolifically, creating small-scale pieces and monumental commissions- from architectural water features to pure abstract form. Tom’s passion for stone is acutely reflected in his work- with influences stemming from ancient culture, modern architectural forms, geology, and his passion for the natural world. He communicates these abstract fundamentals with fluid cohesiveness and skillful mastery.

Master Carvers Gather to Carve a Slice of History

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

I Went to Camp B (2008)

I went to Camp B
Friday July 11:

My truck is packed – all full of the regular accoutrements one requires to holiday: Air hammer, Die Grinder, chisels, diamond pads, grinder, air hose, and extension cords, plinths to carve upon, a tent to sleep in, beer cooler for important storage, and a guitar for random entertainment needs.

This is the annual trip to Camp Brotherhood Symposium 2008 Near Mt Vernon Washington where over 70 people from ages 21 to 81 gathered to carve stone for 8 days without another care in the world. With no meals to think of cooking, no regular vocational responsibilities, and no tedious domestic safety, Camp B is a place where you can absolutely be at home without being at home. There is clarity in the generosity of spirit that seemingly everyone who attends Camp B is imbued with. Inclusiveness is tantamount; sharing knowledge is provocative and inspiring and if you want to feel illuminated by diverse spirit, find yourself inspired by art, human wholeness and general miscreant fun. You really should go.

The place? Bucolic farmland with morning and evening light that makes one want to paint, offering an undulating landscape replete with cows, rabbits, a donkey, sheep and Jurassic Emus with a sonic percussive that resonates throughout the property. Tall, straight trees, bountiful gardens, moonlight nights, and Paul- the caretaker of the farm who shows nothing but welcome kindness.

I know I’m sounding pretty positive here, but really it is like some kind of undeserving dream; I know of nowhere else like this.

This year the formidable Alexandra Morosco, who organized the instructors, invited Bob Leverich- architect, and Shannon Wean- stonemason, to design “ A Hearth Effect”. We built a beautiful fire circle. This was a participatory group project with granite cheerfully donated by Marenakos out of Seattle; a place to commune in the evening for years to come and share the legacy of the NWSSA at Camp Brotherhood for the many varied groups that attend this facility throughout the year.

NWSSA is a volunteer run organization and it’s something to protect. It was started about 20 years ago as a means to have conversations about stone, to share processes, and friendship, but moreover to teach through sharing. And this is the crux. If you have, or if you think you may have a passion for stone. You are welcome, at any level, and at any age, to come see, learn, and above all participate in carving stone.

As with most volunteer organizations, NWSSA must fundraise. This allows us to promote valuable education within the association and one of the most enjoyable ways I can think of to raise funds is to have an auction where folks donate quality items and people attending the auction bid on these impressive items. Where else can you get a $10.00 T-Shirt for $60.00 and feel good about it. On Wednesday night, aglow with laughter and wine, everyone who had fallen in love with the feisty and prodigiously talented- featured guest artist, Nora Valdez- showered her with gifts that I’m sure she will take with her on her travels as she carves monumental sculptures around the globe. People were unabashedly generous in raising well over $4000.00 and it made me so very proud to be a part.

I’ve arrived home with a couple of fresh rocks to carve from the ubiquitous, stone seeker Randy, of Neolithic Stone and some new tools from Scott, Alex, and Kentaro out of the fabulous Marenakos Rock Center. Feeling giddy with inspiration, and with tools unpacked- I can tell you that NWSSA and Camp B has left me with a sense of being able to accomplish anything through hard work and diligent focus.

Each and every one of the attendees has found a place in my heart. To quote the wisdom of Tracy Powell after attending his first Symposium 17 years ago, “I have found my tribe”. I raise a toast to memories of 2008 and look forward to July 2009 where we will successfully meet again.

*photo by David Borrowman