California Sculptors Symposium

Welcome to the California Sculptors Symposium (CSS), an annual, week-long program of workshops and demonstrations given by sculptors for sculptors at all skill levels.

Intimate hands-on sessions with expert instructors will improve your technique, inspire your designs and build your expertise. Participants return to CSS year after year to share their passion for working with stone, wood, metal and clay. It’s a place to learn, exchange ideas and recharge your creative batteries for both the novice and the seasoned artist.

Exciting News!

Electricity and Air is back!

We are thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with Camp Ocean Pines, implementing facility upgrades to improve the accessibility of electricity on our stone carving field during the symposium.

We sincerely appreciate the patience of our valued community members during this upgrade, and we extend a warm WELCOME to newcomers eager to delve into the art of sculpture.

Thank you for your continued support!

Here’s our talented lineup for the 2024 California Sculptors Symposium:

CLAY:

Jason Arkles is a sculptor, podcaster (Sculptor’s Funeral podcast), author and figurative sculpting instructor. He uses traditional methods in his clay and stone artworks, tending toward narrative and character studies, particularly of mythology and religious subjects. His professional specialties are portraiture and sacred art.  

Jason’s workshop will focus on using the “Sight Size method” for figurative clay sculpting. This technique revives a sculptural method based on optical and geometric processes once used in the ateliers of sculptors in 19th century Paris. This class has a capacity limit and will be filled first-come, first-served and historically has been popular. You will need to select this as part of the registration process.

WIRE:

Tom Hill trained as a jeweler at Middlesex University in London, UK and set up a studio immediately after graduating in 1994. His work has been shown in galleries throughout the UK and US. Tom’s artwork is in a number of public and private collections, including the Woodson Museum, Wausau WI and the Museum of the Home in London ENG and he has carried out commissions for the BBC, the Grand Hyatt, Tampa Bay and many others.

Drawing the natural world has been the prime focus of Tom’s work for as long as he can remember. He wanted to discover a way that could create character, movement and gesture in the work and found that steel wire is the most interesting and versatile way to do this. The wire can be used to describe texture, infer volume, to suggest weight and to convey form. In this workshop we will explore making a wire bird in three dimensions. Starting by making a 2d drawing we will then translate this into sculptural form by looking at different ways to connect, manipulate and forge wire. Ideas of line, texture, gesture, character and balance will be discussed.

STONE:

Marcel Regueiro, originally hailing from Ibiza, Spain, and shaped by experiences across the Basque Country and London, UK. His artistic journey led him to study Stone carving and earn a BA in Fine Arts Sculpture. With a rich background in stone carving, honed in Spain and various art residencies, including CSSC Vermont, Marcel now calls Oakland, California, his home.

Marcel will guide you through an exploration of different stone types and their unique qualities. Gain insights into the use and maintenance of hand tools, air tools, and power tools. Learn the art of visualizing and realizing your creative vision in stone. Students are encouraged to bring a model—a small three-dimensional clay shape, a figurine, or a natural object—which will serve as both a guide and a means of communication with the instructor, Marcel Regueiro.

Our host:

Camp Ocean Pines is an independent, non-profit camp and conference center, nestled in a pine forest overlooking the Pacific Ocean near the charming town of Cambria. The camp features bunk-style cabins, tent camping sites and delicious meals served in the main lodge. The program will keep you busy, but still provides time to relax with friends, stroll on the beach and visit nearby attractions.

Whether you are returning or attending for the first time, we look forward to seeing you in April!