On November 2, about a week after my first visit for interviews and photography, I returned to Arte Piazza Bibai. This time, I was there to take part in the museum’s “Carving the Heart” workshop.

“Carving the Heart” is a hands-on sculpture workshop where participants work with materials including white marble from Carrara, Italy, the same renowned stone used by Kan Yasuda and many other sculptors.
The idea of giving “shape” to what was inside me sounded intriguing. But would I be fine with absolutely no sculpting experience? What if I knew next to nothing about art? With equal parts nerves and anticipation, I stepped into the studio.

About 30 minutes before the workshop began, participants gradually started arriving. There were around 20 people that day, most of whom had attended several times before. That day, only two of us were first-timers: T., who had come from Iwamizawa, and me.
T. had long been a fan of Arte Piazza Bibai and often visited on days off. The “Carving the Heart” workshop had also been on T.’s wish list for some time, so finally being able to join was something of a long-awaited opportunity.
At 10 AM, the workshop began. For us beginners, the first task was choosing a stone.

Participants can choose either white marble or soft stone. I decided to go with Carrara marble from Italy, the material associated not only with Kan Yasuda but also with Michelangelo.

The pieces came in all shapes and sizes. I didn’t overthink it and simply chose one that caught my eye. You can just as easily pick them up, feel their weight and texture, and take your time finding one that feels right.

And this was the one I chose. I couldn’t explain why I was drawn to it. Perhaps, I thought, the answer would come later.
Next came a lesson in how to use the tools.

Chisels, hammers, files, and other tools were lined up before us. Many were handmade in Italy by skilled craftspeople and are the same kinds of tools used by professional sculptors.

We were shown how to hold the chisel at the right angle, how to strike it with the hammer, and how to polish the stone if we wanted a smoother finish.

And that was about it for instruction. Rather than getting bogged down in technique, the workshop encourages you to learn by doing. That may well be the essence of “Carving the Heart.”
You feel your way forward, experimenting and making mistakes until the form you’re looking for gradually begins to emerge. At that point, standing uncertainly in front of my stone and tools, I had no idea just how absorbed I was about to become.

I picked up my tools, and it was finally time to start carving.

Not really knowing what I was doing, I carved.

And carved.

I simply kept carving.

My ideas went round and round without settling anywhere, and by the end of the day, all I had really done was leave marks across the stone’s surface. Still, the hours had disappeared before I knew it, and the first day of the workshop was over.

November 3 brought the second day of the workshop. Now that I was more familiar with the feel of the stone and the tools, I found myself more able to simply face what was in front of me, whether that was the stone or perhaps myself.

After working indoors for a while, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and move outside for a change of scenery.

There was a crisp chill in the air, hinting at the winter soon to come. All around me, the rhythmic tapping of chisels echoed through the open space. It was surprisingly soothing.

Listening to that steady rhythm, I stopped thinking so much and simply worked. Before I knew it, I had begun carving repeatedly into a single point, almost unconsciously, as though the deeper I went into the stone, the deeper I was turning inward myself.
Then I hit my first real obstacle. Beyond a certain point, I simply couldn’t carve any deeper.

O., who was working beside me, noticed what was happening and offered some advice.

I tried following it, and...

Suddenly, I was able to carve much deeper.
That was the moment stone carving really began to click for me. At the same time, I found myself growing unexpectedly attached to the piece in front of me. Just as that feeling of satisfaction began to settle in, Day 2 came to an end.

You can choose to stop after the workshop, but anyone who wants to continue working on their sculpture can join future “Carving the Heart” sessions from 1,200 yen per day or use Studio Arte independently for 110 yen per person per hour. An additional heating fee applies during winter or whenever heating is required.
As for me, I intend to keep going. I’m curious to see not only how the stone changes, but what I might discover about myself along the way.

People of all ages, professions, and backgrounds take part in the “Carving the Heart” workshop.

Another first-time participant this time around was T. from Tomakomai. T. plans to keep returning, eventually creating a piece with a smooth, tactile finish that feels good to touch.

One longtime participant has even had Kan Yasuda himself comment on their work. Seeing how happily they recalled that encounter made it clear how memorable the experience had been.

T. from Ishikari has been attending “Carving the Heart” for exactly 10 years and now comes together with his mother.

“I thought it might be nice for my mother and me to share a hobby, so I invited her along. She said, ‘I’d love to try it!’ and we’ve been coming together ever since. We’ve both become completely hooked on sculpture. We’ve even imported tools from Italy and have a workbench for each of us at home so we can keep working there,” T. explains.

H., meanwhile, quietly polished away at a piece throughout the session. There was something about H.’s calm, gentle manner that seemed reflected in the sculpture itself. H. travels from Sapporo by train and bus to attend and appears to enjoy the journey almost as much as the workshop.
“Carving the Heart” brings together people drawn to Kan Yasuda’s sculptures, to working with stone, or simply to the process itself.
Return often enough, and you may find someone familiar waiting there even without making plans. You exchange a smile and a greeting, sit down to work, and gradually become part of a loose, gentle community. For some, Arte Piazza Bibai may become another place where they simply feel at home.

[Source & Cooperation]
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