LEARN TO CARVE STONE
1 and 2 day introduction to stone carving coursesStone Carving 1 Day Introduction Courses
During a day of carving with us you to get to grips immediately with tools and stone by using a simple design as the starting point. You don’t need any previous experience to learn to carve with us – if you do have previous experience, it will be greatly reinforced by taking part. As a participant you will be provided with a small piece of good quality carving stone and all the tools and equipment you will need to create your first piece of carving. You will select a motif from a variety of prepared designs, and then get straight down to the business of carving it into stone. Students are invariably pleasantly surprised and inspired by what they achieve in a single day, and will go home with a treasured piece of their own making, as well as leaving with the beginnings of a new skill. We begin the day at 10am and finish at 5pm. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available throughout the day, and feel welcome to bring along your packed lunch or there are a variety of choices in Driffield for a spot of lunch. 1 day of carving with us costs £150, which includes everything you need to complete your carving.
Next Course Dates
Saturday 11th January 2025
Three places available
Stone Carving 2 Day Introduction Courses
These two day courses will suit people who are interested in learning to carve, those who wish to develop existing carving skills. Relief is the simplest and most direct form of carving, and the best introduction to the tools, techniques and methodology of stone carving for the beginner. It is also capable of carrying the full depth and sophistication of the sculptor’s art in its most developed forms. Our two day course introduces students to the principles of good preliminary design, selection of stone and execution of the design into the stone using traditional tools and techniques. You don’t need any previous experience to be a student on this course and get full benefit from it – if you do have previous experience, it will be greatly reinforced by taking part. As a participant you will be provided with a piece of good quality carving stone and all the tools and equipment you will need to create your first piece of carving. You will spend the first part of the day 1 designing a motif do cut into your stone, with guidance on how to produce a drawing from which to work and which fits the stone economically – we have plenty of source material to get inspiration from, but you may well come bursting with your own ideas! You will then get down to the business of carving your design into stone. Students will feel they have worked hard, but will be invigorated and inspired by the end of their two days, and will go home with a treasured stone carving, a product of their own creativity and newly acquired tool skills.
We begin each day at 10am and finish at 5pm. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available throughout the day, and feel welcome to bring along your packed lunch or there are a variety of choices in Driffield for a spot of lunch. 2 days of carving with us costs £300, which includes everything you need to complete your carving.
Next Course Dates
Thursday 9th and Friday 10th January 2025
5 places available
YOUR TUTOR
Your tutor, Alan Micklethwaite has been a practising stone carver for over thirty years, and has established his reputation as one of the country’s finest restoration carvers. Until turning freelance, he was Head carver at Lincoln Cathedral. Alan’s teaching experience is well established; as well as the many years he has spent teaching stone carving to apprentices, he has spent time as a university lecturer, teaching both stone carving and architectural conservation and has taught countless workshops and classes to both beginners and more experienced craftspeople. In 2013, his book ‘Restoration Stone Carving’ was published, which has come to be regarded as a definitive work on the subject.
OUR STUDIOS
Our studios are in the historic Market Town of Driffield, set in the heart of the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds. The town has a train station and is on various coastal bus routes. There is also a good selection of local accommodation in the area if needed.
What’s included in the price
High quality tuition A piece of good, carving quality limestone The use of all tools and equipment needed to produce a finished carving Tea, coffee and biscuits available throughout each day
Cancellation policy
Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts