Kate Woods has been carving since she was six years old. She started out in wood then someone showed her how easy soapstone was and she began carving stone as well. That was about 30 years ago.

Woods has been teaching carving and woodturning at Camosun and Tools ‘n Space Woodworking, plus teaching workshops for the past 20 years.

Her work is frequently featured at the Sooke Fine Arts Show and is in local galleries, including the South Shore Gallery on Otter Point Road.

This summer Kate Woods is offering others the chance to discover the beauty and colour found in soapstone. Everything a person needs to know to begin their first carving is offered at a bear carving workshop on May 31 and an owl carving one on June 20 at the Malahat Farm. Students will be led through roughing out, finishing and polishing of a soapstone piece.

Malahat Farm is the perfect setting. If the weather is nice carvers work outside under the apple tree in front of the heritage cottage at the farm. If it turns wet there is plenty of indoor work-space.

Veronica Diment, co-owner of Malahat Farm says, “this is exactly the sort of thing we want to have here. We want this to be a happening sort of place, where people can come and there will be something going on.”

So far the goings on have included yoga retreats, kimono dressing teas and a dance performance. A cob oven-building workshop will be happening on the weekend June 27-28.

“We hope to have a gallery space for local artists up and running this summer, maybe with afternoon demos and hands-on art opportunities for visitors.” Diment says. “ And people can meet our alpacas and our guard llama, Max.”

Check out malahatfarm.com to see what else is happening, down on the farm.

Registration for the workshop is available at: info@malahatfarm.com. Phone 250-642-6868, Malahat Farm is located at 2675 Anderson Road.

–Submitted