Silicon Rubber Mold Making Workshop - Dec. 5&6

Reto Marti instructed on making rubber molds from existing sculptures, making plaster mother molds to support the rubber, then casting new positives. Silicon rubber is very durable, elastic and non-toxic - can make 600+ casts from one mold! An essential process for those interested in making bronze casts (copies) from a stone sculpture. Very informative and enjoyable!

East Side Culture Crawl - 2009

Vancouver's 13th Annual East Side Culture Crawl - Visual Arts Festival.
Great weekend with a lot of visitors. www.eastsideculturecrawl.com

Arborvitae - Public Art Installation - August 2008
Cardington Apartments, 1436 St. Paul Street, Kelowna, BC
Artist Team: Oliver Harwood + Marie Bortolotto

Oliver Harwood & Marie Bortolotto completed the installation for 'Arborvitae,' which means 'Tree of Life", an art feature to frame the main entrance of Cardington Apartments Supportive Housing Unit. The artwork is a 13 foot high stone wall mural consisting of two tree icons fabricated from natural stone with inspirational text embedded into the trunks. It took 2 weeks to install. It was commissioned by John Howard Society and the City of Kelowna to promote a sense of motivation, pride and belonging among the residents.

Vancouver 2 Day Stone Carving Weekend Workshop - July 2008

Studiostone offered an introductory stone carving weekend on July 12 + 13th. The stone of choice was alabaster, a soft stone, which requires only hand chisels, rasps and sandpaper to complete a sculpture. Seven participants, most of whom had never carved before, completed an interesting collection of sculptures. The weekend was sunny, hot, challenging and fun - with the opportunity to develop creative skills and meet new friends.

New Brunswick 2 Day Stone Carving Weekend Workshop - May 2008

Oliver Harwood took some time away from Vancouver, BC recently to facilitate a 2 day stone carving weekend workshop in New Brunswick. The workshop was held in a rural setting just outside of Sussex. Six enthusiastic carvers participated in this year's event and completed their unique sculptures from local gypsum. The success of the workshop has prompted him to consider facilitating stone carving workshops here annually.

First Light - Public Art Installation - March 2008
Eagle Lynn Townhomes, North Vancouver, BC
Artist Team: Marie Bortolotto + Oliver Harwood

The street name Sunnyhurst is an old Anglo-Saxon phrase for a sunny grove of trees. Here, a sun disc with abstract and ancient markings refers to stories of the community embedded in the passage of time, while three stylized tree sculptures suggest a family unit. A sunburst illuminates the pathway between them. The first light of dawn casts its rays upon the landscape bringing a new day full of hope and vitality.