• Peru Exchange Program

• Kenyan Artists in Residence

• China/SIAS University

• Interns

  PERU EXCHANGE PROGRAM

The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center Peru Exchange program was initiated in 2004 with funding from a family foundation. Working with CHIRAPAQ, a cultural organization based in Lima and Ayacucho, and MADRE International, the CSSC offers the program in two sessions each year:

Session 1: Skilled sculptors conduct instructional workshops in stone carving for young people. Instruction takes place in the Escuela de Belles Artes in Ayacucho, Peru using local alabaster during the month of January. Training periods culminate in a group exhibition of student sculpture at a local venue.

Session 2: Prospective teachers from among indigenous students attend the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center during the summer session for a period of one month to develop their carving skills. They return to Peru to continue creating their own sculpture and teaching younger students in their communities.

Carlos Dorrien was the first instructor in January 2005. His background as a sculpture professor at Wellesley College encouraged an exploration of archaic and contemporary sculpture.

Sculptor Nora Valdez has travelled to Peru in January each year since then to continue teaching students carving techniques with celebratory exhibitions at the end of each residency. The village of Pujas is a full day’s ride from Ayacucho. Consequently, many of the students’ family members and friends were unable to see their artistic developments. Ms. Valdez also arranged for a smaller exhibit in the village, showing work from the program, accompanied by gallery talks and documentary videos.

Following the workshop residency session in January 2009, Nora and experienced students began a public art project in the Plaza de las Americas in Ayacucho. The park features benches and steles using ancient cultural imagery in a modern setting.

The earnest young sculptors who are selected to attend the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center during the summer workshop season provide vitality and cultural exchange.

Click here for current information about the Peru Exchange Program.

  KENYAN ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center has hosted a sculptor from Kenya for one month every summer since 2003.

The CSSC Kenyan Artist in Residence Program is a collaborative effort with The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center and The Ruth Hunt Wood Foundation with the generous support of Carol Lees at One Off Contemporary Gallery in Nairobi, Kenya, oneoff@africaonline.co.ke

Click here for current and upcoming Kenyan Artists in Residence.

  CHINA/SIAS UNIVERSITY

Sculptor instructors from the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center travel to central China in the spring to carve sculpture and establish a cultural network. Artists have represented the CSSC in China since 2008 as part of a multi-year collaborative program with the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, Dimensions of Marble and SIAS International University in Henan Province. The sculpture that the CSSC artists create is installed on the campus of SIAS International University. Students at the University have the opportunity to participate in our summer workshop program.

Click here for current CSSC/SIAS University information.

  INTERNS

Intern Program
Serious students of sculpture will gain invaluable knowledge through their participation in our Intern Program as studio assistants.

In return for maintenance of the campus and assistance to instructors, interns are compensated with a small stipend, in addition to room and board. Interns take part in workshops, work independently, have access to our art studios for learning and creating, as well as sculpture tools, materials and supplies, and constitute a vital presence at the CSSC. Intern selection takes place in the early spring for the following season; applications are accepted year-round.

Intern Application
To apply for a Carving Studio and Sculpture Center Internship, please mail up to ten images (slides or jpegs on a cd) of your artwork, a resume/biography, a statement describing how you expect your artistic development to benefit from the internship and a SASE (for return of materials, if desired) to:
The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center; P.O. Box 495; West Rutland, VT 05777.

Interns who are enrolled in a Fine Arts degree program may be able to earn college course credits for their participation. The prospective Intern should contact his or her college for more information on whether this is possible.