The first in a series of educational workshops to promote the arts, cultural heritage and agriculture, the Parmelee Farm in Killingworth will host to a workshop on dry stone wall building.
Dan Snow and Andrew Pighills will lead a two-day weekend long workshop on Oct. 31 and Nov.1 at the farm.
Snow, who holds a master craftsman certificate from the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain, has instructed many workshops in dry stone walling and lectured on the craft across the USA, in Canada and Great Britain. He creates site-specific, environmental works, builds traditional dry stone constructions and assembles small-scale, stand-alone sculpture for clients in his native Vermont and beyond.
Author of In the Company of Stone (published by Artisan), Listening to Stone, is his second book, published in 2008.
“Stone Rising” is a film by Camilla Rockwell, released in 2005, that features Snow’s constructions and chronicles the process of their creation.
Pighills is a dry stone craftsmen and horticulturist who learned his craft as a young apprentice to master craftsmen in his birthplace, the Yorkshire Dales of his native England. He has 30 years of experience building with stone, both dry and mortared, although dry laid stonework is his preference, and hold an advanced craftsman certification with the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain as well as a certificate in Horticulture from the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.
Pighills has worked with Dan Snow co-teaching a number of workshops on the art of dry stone walling throughout New England. His work has recently been featured in the book, Stone Primer by Charles McCraven and published by Storey Publishing.
Participants will learn the basic principles of wall building, from establishing foundations, to the methods of construction and ‘hearting’ the wall.
As part of an ongoing process to preserve the site’s heritage and restore historic integrity, the workshop will be the first in what is planned to be a twice yearly event.
The Parmelee Farm is located at 465 Route 81, Killingworth. Tuition cost is $300. Contact Michelle Becker at (860) 322-0060 to reserve a spot; e-mail is mb@mbeckerco.com.
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