This workshop is a hands-on introduction to soapstone carving and 3D sculpture, perfect for beginners ages 9 and up! We start with a pre-cut soapstone silhouette of a North American animal and bring it to life using hand tools. You will learn and practice a variety of carving techniques as you shape, refine, and add your personal touch to your unique sculpture.
This course combines theory and hands-on practice, using a variety of example pieces to illustrate techniques. Rather than focusing on figurines or realistic forms, the emphasis will be on mastering burr shapes, their applications, and creating freeform designs. You’ll practice line weights, linear curves, and shaping, with the goal of crafting a single piece from a blank of your choice.
Step into the art of reverse intaglio—the intricate technique of carving designs into the back of transparent gemstones to create a striking three-dimensional effect. This beginner-friendly course is designed for novice carvers looking to explore this traditional craft with hands-on guidance and expert instruction.
Students will be provided with one practice quartz blank and two working blanks, with additional blanks and premium stone varieties available for purchase during the course. The workshop begins with a demonstration on selecting rough material and a brief overview of creating carving blanks, before quickly moving into the carving process itself.
Learn to put a hole in a rock. These skills are transferable to glass, ceramic and shell.
You will learn to use the drill press, as well as hanging mill to put a hole in thin, as well as thick stones.
Learn to make arrowheads.
This course is beginner level, meaning you will be making an arrowhead from a pre-form.
Once aptitude is shown on the preform, and if time permits, you will be taught to make an arrowhead point from a spall.
This will be a demo with Q & A.
The tumbling process, including that for soft and niche materials such as obsidian will be covered.
Rotary & Vibratory tumblers will be discussed and the applications of each.
Cabochon cutting is really the best way to introduce someone to lapidary. Lapidary is “the art of working with stone”.
Cutting cabs helps teach you how to identify good rocks for cutting, and how to navigate through flaws. You’ll learn how to slice and prepare a gem, then get into shaping and forming. Sanding and polishing ensue as you learn to remove scratches and create a gloss finish on your stone.
High-Speed Slab Polishing: Dry Sanding Techniques
This interactive demonstration introduces high-speed slab polishing using a Richardson sander—a modified motor mount equipped with a high-speed motor and floor sander. The instructor will showcase machine modifications and upgrades that improve efficiency, followed by a hands-on session where students can take turns using the equipment.
The course also covers a comparative analysis between dry sanding at high speed and vibratory slab polishers, discussing the pros and cons of each method. While vibratory polishers will be demonstrated, the emphasis will be on transitioning to dry sanding techniques for faster, more efficient results.
