from MCAC's State of the Art Newspaper, Jan ~ Feb 2003

BLOCKS OF STONE AND SPIRIT TRANSFORMED AT SHARON GAINSBURG STUDIO
by Christine Angersbach

Sharon Gainsburg Studio in Long Branch joins the MCAC as a new Arts Partner. Sharon Gainsburg, sculptor, stone carver and teacher, runs the 1000 square foot former carpenter's workshop as a sculpture studio, stone carving school and lecture classroom.

Gainsburg, a stone carver for 30 years and teacher for more than twenty came to this special art after working in soft clay for 10 years. An artist whose advice and work she highly respected suggested working in a more 'permanent' medium: giant blocks of stone. Uncertain at first, like many beginning students, Gainsburg worried because stone carving unlike her clay work was "a taking away method rather than adding on. What if I made a mistake?" What she did instead was, "I feel in love with stone.... My fascination with the origin of great sculptors led me to Italy, where I worked near the marble quarries of Michelangelo. Inspired by the renaissance, I explored... the abstract expression of my ideas, feelings and philosophies through the carving of stone."

What she finally learned from the work is that "it was really about process", not perfection. Swinging a hammer and chisel and using power tools, a long way from the realistic figures she had once gently molded in soft clay, Gainsburg began discovering abstract shapes rather than representational forms in the rock. "It was like learning a whole new language, digging deep inside myself the same way I dig deep inside the stone." Her work has been exhibited nationwide and can be found in corporate collections that include Nabisco, AT&T, GE Corp, PSEG of New Jersey and Ameriasham Biotech Corp.

Always stretching to find artistic stimulation, several years ago Gainsburg discovered a creative program based on the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. All about process and unblocking creative slumps, she began teaching the course to a small group of students and now runs ongoing group classes as well as one-time workshops for local colleges, businesses and even the MCAC. Gainsburg stresses that the twelve-week Artist's Way groups are for "anyone who wants to have more creativity in all aspects of their lives - personal, artistic, business." She finds most participants come wanting to pick up on one-time dreams of writing a novel playing the guitar, painting. However, through the coursework they find they really want change in their lives, change in their basic thinking. She says the goal is always larger, "How big can you dream and what are the voices that hold you back?"

Gainsburg is very excited about the most recent addition to her search for artistic stimulation; creative tours to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. A creative retreat and studio owned by a Mexican sculptor, the seven-room hotel can hold up to 15 people and becomes the private residence for the group. Gainsburg is promoting the space for any types of workshops and groups - writers, painters, all creatives. On March 9-16, 2003, she will host a "Mexican Sculpture Intensive" for all levels of students. The amenities allow participants to completely focus on their work and the inspiring beauty of the surroundings. Interested parties should contact her for a brochure.

Back here at home, Gainsburg creates and sells her work at her Long Branch studio. She offers regular stone carving classes to all skill levels and no prior experience is required. She has taught hundreds of students the art and skill of stone carving, finishing and polishing. For more information on classes, workshops or a brochure on the Mexico retreat space and tour, please contact Sharon Gainsburg Studio, ARTS District, 1039 B Main Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89102, 702-249-3200.