Carving Alabaster Pendants with Deborah Spear

Sunday, November 15, 2026

1:00 – 4:00 pm

Members: $55 | Non-Members: $65 

Transform stone into a personalized and polished pendant in just one night! Join artist Deborah Spear as she walks you through the steps of carving, sanding, and polishing alabaster, a practice she has mastered over two decades. Each stone will emerge into a unique artwork, highlighting the natural colours, textures, and movements of the rock. Waxed cotton necklaces included either 18” or 24” (one per pendant).

Artist Bio:

Deborah Spear is a self-taught stone sculptor based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, with Irish and English heritage.

Over the last 20 years she has carved animal sculptures using hand tools such as files, rasps and a bow saw. She appreciates the quietness of carving with hand tools and prefers to use soft stones such as soapstone. A desire to connect with other artists and learn new skills has included traveling to Volterra Italy in 2022 and again in 2024 to study alabaster carving. Seeking to expand and push personal boundaries, she has also begun to sculpt with clay.

Most often, the artist’s inspiration comes from the wildlife, forests, and the rugged nature of Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario. Her latest area of study focuses on creating sculptures that echo animals’ motions in their predator and prey relationships as well as in play. She often carves outdoors beside running water, easily carrying her tools with her.

View her art @sleepinggiantstone on Instagram