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.

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

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.