We live in beauty by the Verde Wilderness outside of Camp Verde near Sedona. Under a mesquite canopy, Paul has built 8 workbenches each with 8 motors so only eight people can participate which means there's a lot of personal attention throughout the day. Arriving about 8:30am we greet you with a luscious and healthy continental breakfast while everyone has a chance to meet and greet. Then we take you on a tour of the property, of the millions of pounds of rare colored Alabasters that we've hand gathered over 30 years. Of course we also tour the workshop and give you a short introduction to the process. Then everyone picks out their own rock and starts carving!
The doing is the teacher. The Alabaster is non-toxic. It's calcium carbonate. We give you masks but even if you breathe in a little dust it'll dissolve in your lungs. The tools are benign. We are about busting the false paradigm that only an elite few are 'creative'.
After carving for a few hours under Paul's and my tutelage we break for a fabulous gourmet lunch out in the backyard. I love to cook and serve and we all love to eat, right!!!! And after lifting stone for a few hours the break is much appreciated! Then we resume our carving and by 4 or 5 in the afternoon everyone has carved their own Alabaster stone bowl.
It's a rich and wonderful day and one that has never been offered before. Paul has developed tools to work this stone that had never previously been applied to this material. The process is so relaxing and so much fun we've wanted to share it with the world. And we look forward to sharing it with you.
Many Blessings,
Susan and Paul
