Binkley to Lead Carving Workshop in Sorrento, BC

I will be leading a workshop at the BC Carving School in Sorrento, BC, September 22 – 27, 2013. I was invited last fall and accepted the opportunity, though it was contingent on getting at least seven participants. We have seven, but there is room for more people, so if you are interested, please contact me and I’ll put you in touch with the School.

I am approaching my workshop differently than most others, and initially this made the School a bit uneasy. Most classes are in woodworking and are based on the “copy the teacher” method wherein each participant makes the same thing. I want to encourage creativity, as I have done with all my other workshops and have each participant carve whatever they want to. The School has offered a few stone carving workshops in the past, and as there have been continued requests, it is my turn to present.

Our workshop will involve using a variety of limestone from Indiana, USA. This is a soft enough stone so that each participant will be able to make a good start on their chosen project, if not finish it completely by the end of the week. And the stone is hard and durable enough so the resulting sculpture will last for decades either indoors or out. I will be introducing the use of hand tools and power tools, including angle grinders and air chisels.

This is an opportunity to learn some basic stone carving skills and to develop your imagination in the area of direct carving without the use of a maquette. I was so pleased with the creative prowess of the participants in the Queen Mary 2 workshops in 2004, and I am looking forward to seeing what the Sorrento gang will come up with!