ASHEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA
The location for the 11th annual gathering of the stone ‘tribe’ is a picturesque town with southern gentility, folksy wit and artistic flair. It is noted for lively music and good food and it was voted “Beer City USA” in 2010 and 2011—there are no less than nine breweries there, one of which will be brewing the official beer of the Symposium, ROCKNOCKERS ALE.

A few of the appellations Asheville has accrued are: “A Jazz Age gem of a city appears like a mirage out of the mists of the Blue Ridge Mountains.” “One of the world’s top 12 must-see destinations,” the “Paris of the South,” the “San Francisco of the East,” “New Age Mecca,” “Land of the Sky,” “America’s Happiest City,” “A city not easily forgotten once visited,” “One of the top seven places to live in the U.S.” and one of the “10 Most Beautiful Places in America.”

Specific to our interests, there is a wealth of remarkable stonework to see in and around Asheville: the Biltmore Estate, the Grove Park Inn, Seely’s Castle and fine private homes built with stone. Tours will take place on the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday, September 5 and 6. (Click here to see an album of photos taken in and around Asheville.)

Information about the Symposium Venue, Schedule, Program, Workshops, the Lithic Olympics, Travel and Accommodation coming soon. Address any questions to tomas@stonefoundation.org, or phone 505-989-4644.

ROCKNOCKERS RENDEZVOUS and SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
As always, on the evening before the Symposium commences there will be a convivial get-together concurrent with the SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION. This event, the ROCKNOCKERS' RENDEZVOUS, will take place at the LAB, the Lexington Avenue Brew Pub in downtown Asheville (see maps below). Symposium participants from outside the Asheville area are encouraged to arrange to arrive on September 4th, get settled in and register at the Pub (which also serves meals). PLEASE register then because there will be little time to do so once the Symposium schedule commences.

CLICK HERE FOR MAP(S) OF CENTRAL ASHEVILLE

SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION FEE:
Members: $360, Non-members: $400—includes lunches (except Saturday)
Spouses of Symposium attendees will only be charged for lunch.
A limited number of scholarships will be made available to those who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Registration fee does not include the discounted entry fee for the Biltmore Estate which we will visit on Tuesday morning. This will be $40 (normal individual ticket: $50)

CLICK HERE FOR A DOWNLOADABLE REGISTRATION FORM

SYMPOSIUM VENUE:
The Mt. Hermon Masonic Lodge #118, at 80 Broadway Avenue, downtown Asheville, is a fine old building and, in light of the historical connection between the medieval stonemasons guild and Freemasonry, a most appropriate venue for our gathering. Presentations will take place in the newly refurbished theatre on the third floor of the lodge (there is a vestibule outside the theatre with a balcony overlooking the town for breaks between presentations).

SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE: We will follow the format which proved popular last year in Ventura:

MORNINGS:
Tours will be arranged on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. On Friday and Saturday mornings Symposium participants have the option of watching or participating in Lithic Olympic events.

AFTERNOONS:
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Symposium attendees will assemble at midday for a communal lunch at the Mt Hermon Freemason’s Lodge in downtown Asheville. This will be followed by a program of interesting and informative presentations in the Lodge’s newly remodeled theatre. At the end of the afternoon program we will disperse for supper to the many restaurants in the vicinity of the Lodge.

EVENINGS:
After supper we will reassemble at the lodge for more presentations and videos of various sorts.

SATURDAY the 8th
The Lithic Olympic events will take place in the River Arts District during the morning and afternoon.
Lunch will be available in the vicinity of the Wedge Brew Pub.
At some point on Saturday there will be a General Membership Meeting.
In the evening there will a Communal Supper
(neither Saturday’s lunch or the communal dinner are included in the registration fee)

SUNDAY the 9th
There are no formal plans for Sunday as yet (although there will be a meeting of the Board of Trustees in the morning) but Symposiumites are encouraged to come to the River Arts District in the morning and informally hang out together along the river. There will probably be some Lithobolos games going on.

INVITED PRESENTERS:
(Information on these individuals and the subjects of their presentations will be supplied later)
• Sean Adcock, certified DSWA (UK) master waller, scholar, dry stone engineer and bon vivant. AN IDIOSYNCRATIC SURVEY of VERNACULAR DRY STONE WALLING in GREAT BRITAIN, Part ll
• John Felice Ceprano, the official Ottawa River Stone Balancer. http://www.jfceprano.com/ For years, M. Ceprano, sponsored by the National Capital Commission, has been creating balanced stone sculptures in Ottawa's Remic Rapids Park that are enjoyed by Ottawans and visitors alike. The Art of Stone Balancing
• Fabio Bardini, traditionally trained Italian master mason, http://www.florentinemasonry.com/ The subject of Fabio's presention will be A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS of MORTARS, TRADITIONAL and CONTEMPORARY. Fabio will also give a 10 Minute Show and Tell Presentation of his own work.
• Nicholas Fairplay, England and Ohio, traditionally trained highly skilled stone carver. http://www.fairplaystonecarvers.com/ Nick, who will be teaching the Stone Carving Workshop in the week prior to the symposium, will talk on the THE ART and CRAFT of ARCHITECTURAL STONE CARVING.
• Hank Gilpin, a consummate artist/ artisan wood-joiner (we need some fiber in our diet), landscape designer and no stranger to stone. http://hankgilpin.com/node/3 MY WORK with WOOD and STONE
• Vince Lee, architect, author and private investigator of megalithic phenomena, member of the Explorer's Club and a Fellow at the Institute of Andean Studies. MEGALITHIC MYSTERIES
• Paul Lindhard, California, stonemad stone procurer and stone sculptor, co-founder, co-director of art City Studios in Ventura, CA, http://www.artcitystudios.com/ STONE AND I
• Tomas Lipps, New Mexico, Stone Foundation founder and fearless figurehead will present an entertaining account of an challenging (but ultimately successful) public art project. THE DUALITHIC WORLD PLAZA PROJECT
• Pat McAfee, Ireland. Third generation stonemason, spokesman and author (Irish Stone walls, Stone Buildings, Lime Works) http://homepage.eircom.net/~mcafee/ ASPECTS of IRISH STONEWORK
• John Mills, Montana, geologist, quarrier, gentleman, scholar. www.selectstone.com/ THE ELGIN MARBLES CAPER
• Masashi Mike Oshita, Asheville NC area, a classically trained Japanese gardener. http://japanesegardenservice.com/ JAPANESE SENSIBILITIES in the USE of STONE in GARDENS and LANDSCAPING
• Chris Overing, Quebec, Canada, madcap dry stone waller, currently involved in a long, long wall building project that was the subject of an indie film, Work In Progress. We will show this video during one of the evening programs and Chris will speak about WORK in PROGRESS
• John Shaw Rimmington, Ontario, Canada, the talented and indefatigable founder/director of DSWA, the Dry Stone Walling Across Canada organization. http://www.dswa.ca/ Not sure what subject he will address, but we can be confident it will be interesting
• Kyle Schlagenhauf and Matt Driscoll, these Californian stonemasons extraordinaire will give the stonemasons' account of the Amphitheater and Visitors Center project on the south rim of the Grand Canyon (as featured in the STONEXUS XI article. Rim Rock) They will also give a 10 Minute Show and Tell Presentation of their most recent project, the Bolinas (CA) Community Park.
• Meghan Shogan, Massachussetts, a graduate of the American College of the Building Arts (Charleston, SC) in the Architectural Stone Program who went on to undertake a stone cutting apprenticeship in the Ateliers St Jaques at the Fondation de Coubertin in France, working with the Compagnons du Devoir—the first foreigner and only woman to do so. She will report on her experience(s).
• William Wescott, Asheville, NC, Internationally recognized civil/structural engineer specializing in historical restoration. Bill will be give a presentation on THE CONSTRUCTION of the GROVE PARK INN, 1912.

• PLUS: THE 10 MINUTE SHOW AND TELL These are the short presentations by Symposium participantsthat were so popular at the last two Symposiums. Stone Foundation members, whether stonemasons, wallers, landscapers, design professionals or artists are invited to give a brief presentation, either a portfolio of their best work, or the process of realizing an interesting project, or photographs of stonework in their areas or places they have visited. As you probably know from watching video clips and slide shows on the Internet, 10 minutes is a lot of time. In this way, we could have the occasional hour in which three or four members in succession give presentations and answer questions. Feedback and discussions will doubtlessly continue later. There have already been some interesting proposals. If you plan to attend the Symposium and wish to do this, please notify tomas@stonefoundation.org. (Preparation is simple, put a number of images on a CD or DVD in the order you wish to show them. Please practice your delivery using a clock so yo will be within the 10 Minute time scale.)

• PLUS: VIDEOS. We have a few very interesting videos that will be shown during the evening sessions.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING:
Those interested will assemble on Friday evening and discuss the the Stone Foundation’s activities, its future form and function.

WORKSHOPS
There will be four of them this year.
The Symposium is open to all comers, but only Stone Foundation Members may participate in the workshops.
(To become a Stone Foundation Member, go here: stonefoundation.org/join.html)

DRY STONE WALLING WORKSHOP
August 30—September 3
Instructors: Sean Adcock from Wales and, if needed, another DSWA waller.
Some experience required. Registration limited to 16 students.
Cost: $550, $500 for Symposium attendees (includes lunch).

On September 4, there could be a full day DSWA certification test (Level 1)
Registration for the Certification Test(s) must be completed by July 30th.
If you are interested in certification, contact tomas@stonefoundation.org for certification testing criteria and registration form.

ARCHITECTURAL STONE CARVING WORKSHOP
August 30—September 4
Instructor: Nicholas Fairplay (http://www.fairplaystonecarvers.com/)
Hand carving. Registration limited to 8 students.
Cost: $550, $500 for Symposium attendees (includes lunch, does not include stone).

STONEMASONRY WITH LIME AND EARTH MORTARS WORKSHOP including instruction in LIME PLASTER, LIME RENDER and LIME WASH
August 30—September 4
Instructors: Patrick McAfee from Ireland and, if registration warrants it, Fabio Bardini from Italy, two accomplished stonemasons with particular expertise in the use of lime mortars, lime plasters and renders. (Pat’s website: http://homepage.eircom.net/~mcafee/ Fabio’s: http://www.florentinemasonry.com/)
Some experience required. Registration limited to 16 students.
Cost: $550, $500 for Symposium attendees (includes lunch).

GRAVESTONE PRESERVATION WORKSHOP
September 10—September 12
Instructor: Jonathan Appel, Monuments Conservator (http://www.gravestonepreservation.info/)
Cost: $350 (includes lunch).

THE FOURTH LITHIC OLYMPIC GAMES
Contests of skill, strength and judgment involving stone-related activities will take place Friday morning and all day Saturday.

These will include:
• WHEELBARROW STEEPLECHASE—Always entertaining
• LEVERAGE—Two men using bars to move a large stone a certain distance in the shortest time
• EYEBALLING Contests—Judging angles, weight, distance, plumb and level)
• HAMMER THROW—Self explanatory
• DRY STONE WALLING COMPETITION—The venue for this event is a prime concern and one has not yet been found.
• STONE BALANCING—Not really a contest, more of a demonstration of this ephemeral ‘art’ by various aficionados.
• LITHOBOLOS—Bowling with stone balls, the ancient ancestor of bocce and petanque. The Canadians are determined to regain the Lithobolos championship won last year by Drew Sampson of Maine. The New England contingent made a strong showing at the regional gathering in Barre last September, but the Art City lads from Ventura CA play regularly and are heavily favored to win. There will be stone balls available for those interested in trying this new/old sport and a limited number for sale. if you are interested in making and bringing your own stone balls, you need three of them and they should be 5 inches in diameter (with a half inch tolerance).

TRAVEL
The Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is served by Continental, US Airways, and Delta. It is located fifteen miles south of downtown Asheville near the town of Fletcher.

Flights into Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) located in Greenville SC, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) located in Charlotte, NC or McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) located in Knoxvile, TN are sometimes cheaper than flying directly to Asheville. Greenville is about a 1.5 hour drive, Charlotte and Knoxville are both about 2 hour drives. (I flew into GSP on Southwest Airlines and rented a car. Saved about a hundred dollars.)

The closest Amtrak train stations are in Greenville, SC and Spartanburg, SC.

There is a Greyhound Bus Station in Asheville on Tunnel Road.

Folks driving to Asheville from out of state are advised to take the Blue Ridge Parkway and appreciate the mountain vistas and the stone (and concrete) bridges built during the WPA era. These are very interesting examples of stonework and we will not have time to include them on the scheduled tours.

LODGING
The Downtown Inn (https://downtowninnandsuites.com/contact-us) in central Asheville is giving Stone Foundation members a 10% discount and there is a very clean and comfortable hostel only a few blocks from the Symposium Venue, the Sweet Peas Hostel http://www.sweetpeashostel.com/). A little farther, but still within walking distance is the Ashevillage Sanctuary (http://www.vrbo.com/394789) a hostel where the Symposium organizers and the workshop instructors are staying. .

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF HOTELS, MOTELS, HOSTELS AND B&Bs.

If you wish to save money by sharing a hotel or motel room with another Symposium attendee mention that in an email to tomas@stonefoundation.org and we will match you with someone.

CLICK HERE FOR A DOWNLOADABLE REGISTRATION FORM

If you have questions or just want to be kept informed as details develop let me know by email: tomas@stonefoundation.org, by phone: 505-989-4644, by letter or card: 116 Lovato Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87505.