The Cathedral Builder's Art: An Introduction to Traditional Stone Carving
The working of stone has been interwoven with Sacred Art from the earliest days of Christianity, from the building of churches and places of worship to ornamentation and sculpture. This course will introduce students to the art of carving stone by hand. In five days each student will design and complete a decorative limestone carving. Students will learn safe and effective tool use, strategies on the design and execution of a work in stone, and various traditional approaches to working strategically.
We will consult the great stone carvings of the gothic period for inspiration, carving ornaments, patterns, figures, and more.
No experience required.
This week-long workshop’s studio time lasts five consecutive days and kicks off on Sunday night at 5:30 pm with a dinner where students and the instructor have an opportunity to meet. Dinner is followed by a workshop introduction and conference which ends at 9:00 pm. Hands-on instruction begins early Monday morning with a blessing of hands at the 9:00 am Mass. The entire workshop ends Friday afternoon.
This week-long workshop’s studio time lasts five consecutive days and begins with check-in at 4:30PM on Sunday night.
Dinner is at 5:30 pm where students and the instructor have an opportunity to meet. Dinner is followed by a workshop introduction and conference which ends at 9:00 pm. Hands-on instruction begins early Monday morning. The entire workshop ends Friday at 1 PM.
Instructor:
Morgan Dummitt
Morgan Dummitt began studying the figure at the Art Students League of New York. He earned a Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and has also studied at the Florence Academy of Art and the Pelletieri Stone Carving Academy. He served an extensive apprenticeship with renowned marble carver Fred X Brownstein. He has been an active member of the Philadelphia Traction Company since 2013, and is an Elected Member of the National Sculpture Society. In 2016 he was awarded a residency at the St. Gaudens Historic Site in Cornish, NH, and in 2024 will serve the first Walter Hancock Memorial residency in in Gloucester, MA. Morgan teaches sculpture at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. He has exhibited throughout the country, and completed numerous public and private commissions.