Wet Carved Concrete Workshop

Wet Carved Concrete Workshop 3-Day Experience Discover the unique art of wet carved concrete! Over three hands-on days, you’ll learn how to create your own sculptural planter or vertical form using a simple concrete mix and specialized carving tools. No experience needed — just curiosity and a willingness to dive in! Wet carving is done while the concrete is still soft so no power tools are required. Participants will make either a small sculpture or planter about 14in high. Tools are provided but individuals will be able to purchase a set developed by the instructor. Elder Jones has been wet carving concrete for over thirty five years. He received national attention on HGTV and Southern Living Magazine. His work and technique is featured extensively in the two popular books by Sherri Warner Hunter. He was represented by La Mesa of Santa Fe Gallery on Canyon Road for eight years. Currently pieces are available through his studio in western North Carolina. The www.sandpudding.com website has images of planters, sculpture, on site constructions and public art. Also, there are photos of people and work from previous workshops. Day 1 — Prep + Design (1-5 pm) We’ll kick things off with introductions and a short presentation on the wet carving process — what it is, what to expect, and how to design for success. Vertical shapes work best, so most participants choose a tall planter or sculptural form. Together, we’ll: Measure and dry-mix our sand and cement (3:1 ratio) Load our mix into 5-gallon buckets Set up our individual workstations and cylindrical forms Preview example works for inspiration This gets us ready for fast action on Day 2. If someone can’t attend Day 1, they can come early on Day 2 and catch up easily. Finished piece size: approx. 10″ × 12″ or 9″ × 14″ Final weight: ~40–50 lbs Day 2 — Mix, Set, Carve! (9am-5pm) This is the big day — our most active, creative session. We’ll: Mix our concrete by hand and pack it into our forms (about 1 hour) Pause while the mix sets (3–4 hours) View images, sketch ideas, discuss carving techniques Optional: purchase a set of 10 custom carving tools ($25) Once the form is ready, we’ll remove it and carve directly into the slowly curing concrete. You’ll have continuous support and individual guidance throughout the process. Most participants complete their piece within 5 hours of carving time. Expect moments of challenge… followed by meditative focus and joyful discovery! When you’re done — you’re done. No clean-up, no moving the piece. Just step back and admire your creative endeavor. We recommend devoting the full day without other plans. Maximum working time is about 8 hours depending on temperature and stamina. Day 3 — Finishing Touches (10am-12pm) A relaxed final session! We will: Trim and refine the base Sign the bottom of your work Hose and rinse to remove loose material Begin the curing process (water submersion or periodic soaking) Then we clean the space, celebrate,...