8 – 29 January 2025

Italy returns to Erskineville in January 2025!

You will learn to use traditional hand-tools and techniques for carving, including methods of transferring ideas onto a piece of marble and finding form within the stone.  Participants will work directly on the famous White Statuario Marble from Carrara to acquire basic skills and to understand the nature of the material.

Workshop 1 - 5 Day Marble Carving: Wed 8 – Sun 12 January

Fees: 5 Day Workshop: $1,150 (no increase from 2024)
8 Day Workshop: $1,650 (new offering)
 
Fees include one piece of marble, tuition, use of tools and GST.

About Alnassar: Special Guest teacher Alnassar was born in Syria. He lives and works in Carrara, Italy among the white Michelangelo marble quarries, where he teaches sculpture courses and works on small and monumental sculptures. His works have been shown in individual and group exhibitions internationally. Visit Alnassar's website here.

Please note, that these Workshops are open to any skill level, but carving marble for 5 or 8 days, will be physically straining and tiring, especially if it is a warm January. Please think about your physical capabilities before booking into a Workshop.

Mondays: 3 February – 3 March (5 weeks)
Week 1: 5:30pm - 9pm
Week 2, 3, 4, 5: 6pm - 9pm

$330.30 (Earlybird)
$365.30 (General)

This brief course will help students undertake the basic techniques of carving. Learn how to remove step by step the material that is surrounding a sculpture, starting from unveiling the basic volumes connected together in harmonious composition and the beginnings of the finishing process where time permits.

Carving is a magical process that pursues the soothing of the soul and detaches ourselves from the modern chaotic life. It’s a way to connect to nature and it informs a sense of space, training the eye and the mind to see in depth!

Alabaster stone will be available to purchase at an additional cost to the course fee. Elena will have a good selection of stones to choose from which are best suited for this 5 week course.

Students are also welcome to bring work in progress stone sculptures, including marble works you may be currently working on. Elena can guide you in the next steps of your stone carvings.

Please note that for the first week, please arrive at 5:30pm, this will allow 30 mins of time to browse and choose your piece/s of stone.

About Elena:
Elena Murgia is an Italian born artist. After studying ceramics in London, her sculpting journey started at the Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School in 2017.

She undertook marble carving classes under the guidance of Usama Alnassar who continues to mentor her.  Elena has also been mentored and trained by TBSSS teacher Wendy Black, whom Elena continues to assist on a Wednesday during term time.

Elena participates in national prizes and group exhibitions around the country and had her first solo exhibition in December 2023 at the Clara Street Gallery showcasing works in marble, alabaster, bronze and porcelain.

Through her sculpture she explores the dichotomy between quality and image, inner beauty and the masks we wear to conform to the world, responding to both feminine and the feminist, her past and her present.

*Early bird discount ends midnight 20 January.

Tuesdays: 4 February – 4 March (5 weeks)
Week 1: 9:30am - 2pm
Week 2, 3, 4, 5: 10am - 2pm

$380.30 (Earlybird)
$415.30 (General)

This brief course will help students undertake the basic techniques of carving. Learn how to remove step by step the material that is surrounding a sculpture, starting from unveiling the basic volumes connected together in harmonious composition and the beginnings of the finishing process where time permits.

Carving is a magical process that pursues the soothing of the soul and detaches ourselves from the modern chaotic life. It’s a way to connect to nature and it informs a sense of space, training the eye and the mind to see in depth!

Alabaster stone will be available to purchase at an additional cost to the course fee. Elena will have a good selection of stones to choose from which are best suited for this 5 week course.

Students are also welcome to bring work in progress stone sculptures, including marble works you may be currently working on. Elena can guide you in the next steps of your stone carvings.

Please note that for the first week, please arrive at 9:30am, this will allow 30 mins of time to browse and choose your piece/s of stone.

About Elena:
Elena Murgia is an Italian born artist. After studying ceramics in London, her sculpting journey started at the Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School in 2017.

She undertook marble carving classes under the guidance of Usama Alnassar who continues to mentor her.  Elena has also been mentored and trained by TBSSS teacher Wendy Black, whom Elena continues to assist on a Wednesday during term time.

Elena participates in national prizes and group exhibitions around the country and had her first solo exhibition in December 2023 at the Clara Street Gallery showcasing works in marble, alabaster, bronze and porcelain.

Through her sculpture she explores the dichotomy between quality and image, inner beauty and the masks we wear to conform to the world, responding to both feminine and the feminist, her past and her present.

*Early bird discount ends midnight 20 January.