Recently, 244 children from Weyburn schools participated in one of the nine Stone Carving Workshops offered through Weyburn Arts Council's Gallery-Based Programming, which is a popular and fun enrichment opportunity for school kids to learn by hands-on experience. The three-day event took place November 2 to 4 at the Allie Griffin Gallery amid the Inuit Art display.
Soapstone artist and workshop facilitator Rodney Sidloski provided each student with a small piece of soapstone and taught them how to carve designs into the stones using various tools. The students completed their unique creations by polishing the stones with wet sandpaper.
"Keep going until you can see your reflection in the stone!" said Sidloski.
Weyburn Arts Council Curator Marnie Bernard then helped each student fix their stones onto a string to wear as pendants or to hang as decorations.
"These programs are very well-received. This is the most fun part of my job, too," said Bernard.
The Arts Council facilitates Gallery-Based Programming for students using professional artists as instructors and with the assistance of sponsors. This particular program was sponsored by the Weyburn Arts Council, the City of Weyburn, Southeast Connections and Cenovus Energy.
