Artists demo limestone carving

Limestone carvers demonstrated their techniques Friday at the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology, to kick off the 17th Annual Indiana Limestone Symposium.

“Flap your wings,” symposium director Sharon Fullingim said to a small crowd who were trying their hand at carving. She demonstrated how to hold the tools, and let people carve away.

WonderLab Assistant Gallery Manager Andrea Oeding said she likes having an event like this at the WonderLab as part of the Indiana Limestone Symposium.

June is Limestone Month, and Oeding said it’s nice to have something in Bloomington since the symposium itself is in Ellettsville, Ind. This event brings a little part of it closer, she said.

“We love the hands-on art that our visitors can try,” Odeing said. She also enjoys the fact the visitors are able to actually meet the limestone sculptors and work with them.

The idea of the Indiana Limestone Symposium came from a trip Amy Brier, Indiana Limestone Symposium executive director, took to Italy. She explained that in Italy, sculptors would work on quarry blocks together. She wanted to model something after this back home. The Indiana Limestone Symposium is more of a workshop than what she saw overseas, Brier said.

Another sculptor had his station set up in front of the Wonderlab and was carving “Inspire” into his limestone block.

Terence Lankford, a limestone sculptor and social worker at Binford Elementary School, explained that he has his students choose a word to carve into the limestone. Lankford gives his students the option to use their recess to carve with him rather than running around on the playground.

Lankford said it is a good project to work on because of the hands-on quality of the activity. He described the process of limestone carving as something he can focus on and let go of worries.

“It’s very repetitive, and it’s fun,” Lankford said.

The availability and access to tools is what brought Lankford to Bloomington to work on limestone. He has been carving for about 19 years.

Other events were available to children attending the event, such as making sidewalk chalk and creating blue-prints of limestone buildings.

Sculptor Sharon Collings Licata has come to Indiana from South Carolina every year since 2007 for the Indiana Limestone Symposium.

“The symposium is wonderful for people who want to start working on bigger stone,” Licata said. She explained that at the symposium, people can learn many of the different aspects of working with bigger stone, such as moving and installing it.

Licata said she also likes to come simply for the camaraderie.

“We go to dinner together, and the newbies are always welcomed immediately,” Licata said.

Fullingim explained that this is the first event of the symposium, which will be held in Ellettsville, Ind. until June 29. There are many opportunities for beginners, whether they are adults or children. For more information, visit Limestonesymposium.org.