Greetings
It seems like just yesterday that we were gearing up for the Stonework Symposium XIV that took place in San Francisco and Gualala on the Mendocino Coast. The Symposium Team hit the ground running in the new year, as we had embarked on a journey into unknown territories and there was no turning back. We spent many a late night pulling together all the details that make these special events happen, anxiously watching registration. And then the delight of seeing old friends and making new friends at the Rocknockers Rendezvous, the magic had begun.
The Stonework Symposium XIV turned out to be an enormous success. In all, 133 participants attended various lectures, toured the sights of San Francisco, braved the drive up the Mendocino coast during El Nino, and participated in amazing workshops. We succeeded in completing another legacy project, in which the Gualala Arts Center will be very proud of for a very long time. Led by the Dry Stone Conservancy under the instruction of Master Waller Neil Rippingale with the assistance of Michael Murphy, participants of the workshop completed 80 plus feet of dry stacked retaining wall. The Dry Stone Conservancy introduced 'LEVEL 1' certification to the west coast for the first time, and many participants tested and passed their 'LEVEL 1' certification. Participants of the Fabrication workshop under the leadership of Kyle Schlagenhauf, Julien Carmellino, and Matt Driscoll completed a dry laid stone stair assembly which provides a grand entry into the newly renovated Redwood Grove event area.
Now that the dust has settled, the mud has washed off, our friends and colleagues have drifted back to their homes all over North America and Europe. What is it that makes the Stonework Symposium and workshops so special? It’s the people and the friendships that are made that endure the test of time, very much like a well-built stone wall or finely cut stone.
For those of you who could not make it to this year's Stonework Symposium, and for those of you who did, talk of the 15th Stonework Symposium, which will be held in 2017, has begun.
Curious about what the Dry Stone Conservancy is offering this spring? Click herefor a full description and schedule.
Stonework Symposium Team
Zach Johnson, Nicholas Tomkins, John Mills, Amber Schlagenhauf
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Let the games begin - the LithOlympics tests the skills of the Stonemason as they competed against each other in games of agility, strength, and strategy.
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Tomas Lipps perfecting his form in a game of LIthobolos.
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The competition was fierce during the Wheelbarrow Steeplechase as contestants maneuvered the obstacles of this challenging course, as they are racing against the clock.
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And the crowd goes wild, as Zach Johnson claims the title of Wheelbarrow Champion 2016, beating the time of his competitors.
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Positive and Negative Spaces, dry stone sculpture with John Shaw Rimmington.
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Figure Carving with John Fisher & Letter Carving with Karen Sprague.
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A permanent installation created during the Pebble Mosaic Workshop instructed by Kevin Carman.
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Dry Stone Walling Workshop led by Neil Rippingale with the assistance of DSC certified waller Michael Murphy.
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'LEVEL 1' certification, free standing test walls, completed by Ray Haas and Robert Faraone.
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Fabrication workshop led by Kyle Schlagenhauf, Julien Carmellino, and Matt Driscoll.
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A very special THANK YOU to our Presenters: Tomas Lipps, Edwin Hamilton, David Williams, Richard Rhodes, Edward Westbrook, Coburn Everdale, Bobby Watt, Patrick McAfee, Jane Wooley.
Instructors: Neil Rippingale, Michael Murphy, Alexandra Morosco, Karin Sprague, John Shaw Rimmington, Kevin Carman, John Fisher, Kyle Schlagenhauf, Matt Driscoll, Julien Carmellino.
Backup support: Doug E Bell, John Di Bona, Mark Ricard, Mario Tomasek, Dave Irving, Cody Paque, Nick Groves, Shannon Hughes, Mimi Lipps, Kathryn Gleason, Amanda Stinson, Peter Mullins, Dave Susalla, Roland Staughton, Karen and Billy Hay, and Jordan Keyes.
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MEMBERSHIP
Increasing the number of members in the Stone Foundation is vital to its survival.
Because this newsletter has been broadcast to the entirety of the membership regardless of status, there is a chance that you yourself might be a LAPSED MEMBER (?) whether for a few months, a few years, or more.
If you ARE a lapsed member, redemption is at hand: please (re)join the Stone Foundation as we progress into a new era (the neo-neolithic):
Click here to renew your membership. Your support will be welcome.
(And Issue #XIV of STONEXUS Magazine, released December 2015, will be sent to you immediately.)
Do you know of someone who should be a member? Tell them about us, show them a copy of STONEXUS.
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