Stories in Stone: Master Artisans on Tools, Technique, and Meaning

Craftspeople in the building arts bring enduring beauty to our built environments. Through their mastery of technique and dedication to excellence, they create three-dimensional works of art that enrich the world in which we live.

In this session, three master artisans—stone mason Joe Alonso of the Washington National Cathedral, stone carver and letterer Nicholas Benson of the John Stevens Shop in Newport, Rhode Island, and stone carver and sculptor Sebastian Martorana of Baltimore, Maryland—share their knowledge of tools, materials, and technique and reflect on the attitudes and values that shape and give meaning to their work. Folklife curator Marjorie Hunt, co-director of the documentary films Good Work: Masters of the Building Arts and The Stone Carvers, moderates the conversation.

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