ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM

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The OASIS FOUNDATION 

Thanks to the support of our audience’s donation, Mass Cultural Council of the following Towns: Acton-Boxborough, Ayer, Billerica, Chelmsford, Concord, Groton, Littleton, Maynard, and Westford, and the generosity of Mark and Pat Smith, Enterprise Bank and Oasis Foundation in NYC.

Our annual Sculpture Symposium is dedicated to continuing our “New Art Archeology” program: instead of digging up artifacts, we create them with a 21st century interpretation on figurative sculpture using the Quarry’s existing granite blocks. We also offer our facilities and grounds as an art lab for 3D and interdisciplinary work. This 3-week symposium takes place from the first Sunday till the fourth Sunday in August every year. During the Symposium, the CAI grounds are transformed into an exciting space that promotes both research into different methodology and a dialogue among the artists.

Sculptors bring their unique experiences and diverse techniques to the Quarry as they transform blocks of stone into sophisticated sculptures. Our grounds are open to the public everyday (2pm-5pm) for visitors to observe and marvel at the artists’ creative process. It is simply beautiful to watch as the pile of stones continues to grow in beauty and complexity. The created artwork remains on site permanently as an archeological landmark for the future.

SYMPOSIUM 2022

Our eleventh annual Stone Carving Symposium held from August 1 to August 21 with participating artists David Adilman (Andover MA), Kevin Duffy (Arlington MA), Memy Ish Shalom (Israel/Newton MA), Marin Murakoshi (Japan/Newton MA), Miguel Velit (Peru), Viktor Lois (Hungary/Acton MA) and Yin Peet (Taiwan/Acton MA).

On Aug 21, we celebrated the completion of our 11th annual Symposium with an impressive crowd of over 100 attendees showing up for the multiple Exhibitions Opening and the Artists Talk. One of the highlights of this Symposium is for the first time 4 artists (Kevin, Marin, Yin & Viktor) have collaborated on carving the prominently positioned 20-ton stone on top of the pile. As Kevin so nicely articulated “as one component of 3 individual works carved on the boulder my work intends to present and inspire restfulness, serenity,and acceptance within our unstable, unpredictable environment. I hope viewers will take a moment to engage with the piece, look into the partially open eye, and allow that same eye look back at them. To reflect upon that interaction, the scale and placement of the work, and how it interacts with the ever changing light source.” This estimated 20-year “New Art Archeology” project has since gained steady support from many Towns Cultural Councils in our vicinity. Many sculptors have come back to carve more on the pile. For example, this is Kevin’s 6th year carving on the pile, Marin’s 4th year and Miguel’s third year traveling here from Peru. Each of their creations is monumental. Clearly, by now this stone pile has become a community-embraced art site.

SYMPOSIUM 2021

This year, in order to keep the Symposium feasible under the pandemic circumstances, we are following last year’s structure of
having a three-month working period from July 15 to October 15 and giving artists flexibility to schedule. The four participant
artists are Scott Crystal, Kevin Duffy, Marin Murakoshi and Yin Peet. Kevin and Marin were in our 2020 Symposium and this year,
with great spirit, they have come back to continue the mission. Indeed, the four artists have pulled off another successful year for
our “New Art Archaeology” program.

Although we have learned how to handle the pandemic a little better, the variant of the COVID-19 virus forced us to push our Opening
to the public from August to September. We managed to successfully hold an Opening on August 29. Since then, we have decided to
open our art ground to the public every day by appointment only so that we can minimize the visitor’s risk of the pandemic.
At the conclusion of the Symposium, we want to thank the following Towns Cultural Councils for supporting the endeavor this year:
Acton-Boxborough, Ayer, Billerica, Chelmsford, Concord, Littleton and Westford.  Also, we would like to thank The Oasis Foundation for
giving us a generous donation, and to Mark & Pat Smith  and Enterprise Bank for steadily supporting our Symposium and general program yearly.

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SYMPOSIUM 2020

This is our Ninth Annual Symposium. Due to the special circumstances during the pandemic COVID-19, we have decided to extend the working time period from three weeks to three months, starting in mid-July until September.  Artists will come at their own convenient times to work, wear mask (of course!) and keep social distance when they encounter each other. This year, we have invited back the four artists who had participated in last year’s Symposium, Kevin Duffy (Arlington,MA), Cortni Frecha (Stow, MA), Marin Murakoshi (Newton, MA)and Mark Smith (Berlin, MA), Viktor and I will also join the endeavor. For the safety of all, we have not staged the Opening Ceremony and Symposium Closing Exhibition; however, we are holding our spirit and energy high. With determination, our endeavor will draw the New Art Archeology stone pile closer to its completion. We apologize for not being able to share the artist’s carving process with you on site in person; however, Yin will be diligent in taking picture of artists working and post them in our website for your viewing. As granite is forever, our vulnerable health should come first at this time. We promise when this art ground is reopened, you will see an amazing new world.

My work for this Symposium is a memorial to all those who have lost their lives
to COVID-19, and to those destined to loose their lives, before a successful vaccine
becomes available. My design is based on a classical 19th Century mourning
motif of a weeping person, with their head resting upon their arm.

We do keep social distance 🙂

Special thanks to the support from the Local Mass Cultural Council of the following Towns:
Acton-Boxborough, Billerica, Chelmsford, Concord, Groton, Lexington, Littleton and Westford.

The Oasis Foundation

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 SYMPOSIUM 2019

This is our eighth annual Symposium in the actualization of the New Art Archeology.  This year it was held from August 4 to August 25 with participating artists Chia-Ming Chang (Taiwan), Kevin Duffy (Arlington, MA), Cortni Frecha (Stow, MA), Mark Smith (Berlin, MA) and Marin Murakoshi (Newton, MA, origin Japan). As of last year, we have accomplished 41 sculptures by 26 artists from near and far. This pile of stone, which surely will be a New England landmark, contains over hundreds of pieces of stone. Ever since we started this project, every year audiences have been inquiring how long it would take to accomplish the entire pile. At first, our answer was we anticipated 20 years if we were able to obtain steady funding every year. However, we have found out from the past 8 years of experience: 1) Unfortunately, the funding is not steady; 2) Fortunately, many experienced stone-carving artists have decided to come back and carve more pieces on the pile. As a result, we are able to move this monumental project forward steadily. At the completion of the Symposium on August 25, we held an Opening Reception with Artists Talk to celebrate our accomplishment.

Special Thanks to the support of Mark Smith and EnterpriseBank

SYMPOSIUM 2018

This is our seventh annual Symposium in the realization of the New Art Archeology idea at the Quarry. As of 2017, we have 33 sculptures on the stone pile by 24 artists coming from near and far. This year, with the participating artists (in the order from left to right) are Mark Smith, Ted Castro, and Felix Huang from MA, Chia-Ming Chang and Cheng-Liang Li from Taiwan, and CAI Director Yin Peet. They have added 6 more sculptures to the Archeological site and we hope to see more of their stonework in the Symposium next year.

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SYMPOSIUM 2016

This is the sixth annual Symposium in the realization of the New Art Archeology. The previous 5 years we have been focusing on the stone carving solely on the Archeology stone pile. This year, in addition to artists Jen Ta-Hsien from Taiwan, Abel Kotorman from Hungary, Ted Castro and Mark Smith from Massachusetts, we have also invited Richard Metz from Pennsylvania to create artwork that is site-specific to the forest environment of the Quarry ground. Together, we will continue the creation of this New England landmark. The Opening reception was held on August 7, Sunday at 2:00PM; and Closing Exhibition on August 28, Sunday at 2:00PM.

Thanks to the support of Mass Local Cultural Council in the following towns — Acton, Carlisle, Concord, Westford and Stow, and the Taiwan Tainan City Cultural Bureau, and CAI’s friends Kevin Duffy and Mark Smith.

SYMPOSIUM 2015

This is our fifth annual Stone Carving Symposium in conjunction with the New Art Archeology program at the Quarry. The 2015 accomplishment is achieved by four artists: Miguel Angel Velit from Peru, Mark Smith from Berlin, MA, Viktor Lois and Yin Peet, the two anchor artists who have created the Art Grounds for CAI and envisioned the New Art Archeology concept for the stone pile The outstanding guest artists — Miguel brought onto the pile his mysterious Peruvian heritage; Mark, a retired high school teacher has demonstrated a legendary story in the field of stone carving. After diligently coming to observe the masters carving in the first Symposium, he decided to take class from Yin. In three years, he has not only accomplished 6 excellent granite sculpture, he has also created the Lizard in 2014 and a 15′ long Sea Turtle this year on the stone pile. Their endeavor have successfully passed on the baton for future artists to continue the creation of this New England landmark. During this 3-week period, every afternoon visitors came in to view the process of artists at work, taking pictures, asking questions and entertaining their imagination with what the stone in their own backyard might turn into. In today’s virtual-dominated world, this solid, physical, artistic creation serves as a much needed weight to balance out on the scale.

SYMPOSIUM 2014

This year we accomplished our 4th Symposium from August 3 to August 23, with a welcome reception on August 3 (Sunday) 2:00-5:00pm and a closing Reception/Exhibition on August 23 (Saturday) 2:00-5:00pm.

SYMPOSIUM 2013

The New Art Archaeology Project continues for the third year. A massive pile of granite blocks carved in place by a continually changing cast of prominent U.S. and international sculptors continues to influence the landscape. During the annual Symposium sculptors congregate for a three week residency at CAI to carve a stone on the pile gleaned from this former working granite quarry. The intent is for the finished sculptures to remain permanently on site as an archaeological landmark for the future.

TIM DE CHRISTOPHER
(Turners Falls, MA) a outstanding sculptor, has done stone carving for more than 30 years, a major solo show has been scheduled for 2014 at the DeCordova Sculpture Park & Museum.

KEVIN DUFFY
(Arlington, MA) is a stone sculptor who works primarily in granite. He works also as a monument conservator throughout New England. Kevin studied at both Montserrat College of Art, The Art Students League, and is a graduate of the Art Academy in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

GREGOR GALL
(Hungary) is primarily a bronze sculptor for over 20 years, he owns and operates a bronze foundry in Hungary.

GARBOR MIKLYA
(Hungary) is a master stone carver, his work process is technically precise, conceptually alluring.

ISTVAN RIGO (Hungary)
is a sculptor in stone and steel. He does monumental work, including a 30 meter-tall Saint Mary.

MARK SMITH (Berlin, MA)
old guy, young carver, results consistently excellent.

MIGUEL ANGEL VELIT
(Lima, Peru) has evolved the Inca’s shape and symbols, constructed Totems in wood and stone, he transforms ideas from dreams to drawings to sculptures, often with socio-political elements from Peruvian reality.

JULIO AGUILERA
(Venezuela-American, Lowell) is primarily a painter, the Horse in this Symposium is his first study in stone work.

SYMPOSIUM 2012

Four unique and professional approaches to the granite carving were brought to CAI Art Grounds by Kevin Duffy, Jay Hungate, Bill Turville and Zsolt Nyari. To incorporate our Art Education into this event, we invited Mark Smith who is a granite carving student at CAI to participate in the Symposium by collaborating with Yin. We found that indeed this context is the perfect teaching environment. We can see in just three weeks that his accomplishment is literally set in stone.

ZSOLT NYARI
A renowned sculptor, born in Hungary, Zsolt’s artwork is in public spaces in Italy, Croatia, Japan and Hungary. He has graduated from JPTE BTK Master of Fine Arts School and is currently teaching at the Janus Pannonius University of Pécs.

KEVIN DUFFY
A stone sculptor living in Arlington Massachusetts. Kevin studied at the Montserrat College of Art and graduated from the Academy of Fine and Applied Art in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Kevin worked as a technical illustrator for many years. Kevin currently works as a monument conservator. His work has been exhibited in both the US and Europe.

JAY HUNGATE
An active sculptor lives in Lowell MA, Jay has done many major public sculptural projects and is the primary Gargoyle statue producer in New England area; he has served on the Board of the New England Sculptor’s Association. He hold a degree in sculpture from Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

WILLIAM TURVILLE
A sculptor and architect; his studio is based at Brickbottom Artist’s Association in Boston. Turville is very active in art education and has made significant contributions advocating for the art communities. His work ranges from festival sculpture and installations to commissioned work for institutions and unique work for themed shows, causes and charities.

SYMPOSIUM 2011

This First Symposium has marked the beginning of our “New Art Archeology” concept – instead of digging up artifacts, we are creating artwork with a 21st century interpretation of figurative sculpture using the existing granite blocks on the CAI grounds as an archaeological landmark for the future. The four artists for this important event are Laszlo Varkoly, Batu Siharulidze, Jenny Page, and John Weidman. The artists’ interaction with their stone as well as among themselves and audience was simply beautiful to watch. Read “Acton Arts Colony Showcases Works Carved in Stone” – Boston Globe, 2011

BATU SIHARULIDZE
(b1960-) born in the Republic of Georgia; graduated from the Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Art and an advanced post-graduate degree from the All-Union Academy in Moscow. In 1994, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Batu immigrated to the US. Batu has won numerous sculpture competitions, and has been frequently invited to participate in exhibits and symposiums throughout the world. Currently he is Head of Sculpture Department at Boston University.

JENNY PAGE
(b.1969-) Working intuitively, her work encompasses aspects of drawing, painting and sculpture. Interests in anatomy led to a Certificate in Forensic Facial Reconstruction Sculpture from New York Academy of Art. Jenny’s work has been exhibited throughout New England, NYC, Egypt, Germany, and the UK.

JOHN WEIDMAN
(b1943-) born in Whitewater, Wisconsin, educated at Miami University & Antioch College in Ohio, and studied Anatomy and Dissection at Harvard Medical School. In addition to being an accomplished sculptor, he is the co-founder & director of Andres Institute of Art in Brookline, NH. John’s artwork strives to, as he so well stated, “create new observations” for his audience and to see that “the technology and creativity are balanced” in art making.

LASZLO VARKOLY
(b1960- Hungarian) born in Olaszliszka, Hungary. He has graduated from Art Department at the Teacher’s College in Eger City. In the 60s, in the midst of experimental art movement, as a painter he produced many performance artwork. Since the 90s, he has been devoting his time in the sculpture field, mainly with polychrome marble technique. His artwork is in many important collections, such as Hungarian National Gallery and Szombathely Museum.