Slate- Blaenau Ffestiniog

[john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hello Stoners

I am organising a workshop as part of a local festival, which will allow anyone to stop by and experiment with carving.

This will include children, so we are not looking at having blocks of marble and steel carving tools, but just something that will allow people to play with creating shapes.

So I am thinking of blocks of chalk (which are available locally, but limited in size, and fragile)

Blocks of wax

Bars of soap.

Obviously people can do something with these using ordinary kitchen knives and spoons, which will be reassuringly safe.

Can anyone suggest any better materials - I did hear that plaster of Paris is quite good.

In addition, can anyone suggest people who could help - for example a soap company that would donate bars of soap in return for the publicity?

Thanks in advance!

John Haigh
Amateur carver, one course at Portland Quarry and a few blocks of stone down the road...