Carol Driscoll, Executive Director of the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center (CSSC) in West Rutland, Vermont, has announced her intention to retire this season. After more than 27 years leading the CSSC, she will leave an important legacy of building a unique institution dedicated to preserving and cultivating the art of stone carving. Her work has highlighted one of the most economically important industries in Vermont and its role in Vermont’s creative economy.
In 1987, B. Amore founded the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center to offer two 3-week carving workshops to students and artists interested in the disappearing skill of stone carving. Carol served as an instructor in those classes from 1991-1998 when she agreed to serve as the CSSC’s Executive Director. Under her leadership, the Carving Studio has become an important driver of the creative economy of the Greater Rutland Region. In addition to the wide variety of classes offered on site in West Rutland, Carol has:
• Worked with CSSC Board of Trustees and the Gawet Marble and Granite Company towards the purchase and renovations of three former Vermont Marble Company buildings and 6+ acres to serve as a permanent home for CSSC programs.
• Recruited artist educators for stone carving and expanded class offerings to include a variety of sculpture materials and techniques as well as programs for area youth.
• Coordinated solo and group gallery exhibitions including annual SculptFest exhibition.
• Maintained and expanded academically accredited, 15-week sculpture programs with three Vermont colleges from 1991- 2019.
• Established an Artist Advisory Committee to select artists for gallery and residency opportunities and the annual SculptFest outdoor exhibit with a guest curator/theme.
• Developed international multi-year partnerships to host residencies and workshops with artists from Kenya, Peru and China.
• Initiated the Stone Bench Project for local teens inspired by youth from the Peru Exchange Project.
• Partnered with Rutland business and community leaders to create marble sculptures for the Rutland Sculpture Trail honoring people who contributed to Vermont’s cultural heritage.
• Refurbished the Coping Shed for work and exhibition space.
• Negotiated the donation of 25 blocks of Danby Imperial Marble (10-18 T/block) to the CSSC from Omya Inc.
• Co-hosted a marble carving symposium in China at Sias University that created permanent works for the campus.
• Founded the Marble Bench carving program for students.
Prior to her retirement, Carol will oversee the completion of two multi-year projects she launched:
• Completion of the building of two studio pavilions on the CSSC’s campus.
• Completion of a $500,000 capital campaign for the campus infrastructure.
A grateful community of students, donors, Board Members past and present and artists will join to thank Carol for her decades of dedication to the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center later this year. We hope the community will join us in celebrating her work.
For more information, please contact: Judith K. Rose (Board Co-Chair) jkepnerrose@gmail.com