Stone and Wood Carving will begin Saturday May 15 from 9:00 to 1:00.  I’ll teach you how to carve with hammer, chisels, rasps, and a few other tools.  Beginners will work with Indiana Limestone, an excellent carving medium.  Experienced students can use any wood or safe stone.  We’ll start with a clay model, preferably, or a drawing.  At the end I’ll show you how to mount the finished sculpture to a base.  In between you’ll learn about carving methods, and sculpture and art principles, in general.  If demand is high enough I may offer a second session during the week.  Cost is $30 per session or $95 for a packet of 4 sessions.  Student must have their own tools.

Sculpting with Clay.  I will conduct several classes in clay sculpting starting the week of May 10.  I have not set the times yet as I will conform to student interests, but I anticipate Wed. evening 6-9, Thur. morning 9-12, and Thur. afternoon or evening as likely time slots.  There may be others.  We will work with oil-based clay (plastilene).  Depending on student interest I may offer classes on working from the nude model, the portrait bust, bas-relief, and/or general sculpting. I’ll teach how to build an armature (the support structure for the clay), how to use various clay tools, and how to approach your chosen subject matter.  $30 per session or $95 for 4 sessions.  Students must have their own tools and armature supplies.  I will have clay for sale at store-beating prices.

These classes will teach you to make a sculpture.  The clay we use cannot be fired and never hardens, so if you want to preserve your work in a permanent medium you will have to make a mold from it and cast it.  Therefore, every 3 or 4 months I will offer a Mold Making and Casting class to teach those skills or I can direct you to mold makers (including me) who can be hired to do the work for you if you are not interested in that aspect of sculpting.  This is the route to having your work cast in bronze if you desire.