Book now for 2021 and help "Doctors without Borders"
Limited number of participants! Since the preparation effort for the Culinary Stone Carving experience is significant, I can only assume a limited number of participants. Click here to apply now

Have you ever asked yourself “How did they do it?” when you looked at stone sculptures in a museum, or maybe while strolling through the old town center of an Italian city?
Have you ever wished YOU could do this?
Well, now you can!
Unleash your inner Michelangelo, and show your family and friends what unimagined creative powers lie dormant inside of you
The Culinary Stone Carving Experience - Stone Carving and Dolce Vita in Italy 2020 - Much more than just a "normal" stone carving course

Have you ever imagined what a great feeling it would be to see your very own sculpture emerging from a rough block of stone, a sculpture formed with your own hands?
Have you ever asked yourself whether you could do it, whether you could reward yourself with this incredible feeling.
(Especially if you have never worked with your hands before and the closest you came to using chisel and hammer was hammering words and numbers on the keyboard of your computer?)
Maybe you doubt whether you will ever be able to create something remotely similar to the works of art professional sculptors created through the centuries.
And yes, it is a challenge.

But it is a challenge you can master, provided you get the support you need.
Tangible down to earth instruction what to do, how to use your tools efficiently, how to work the right way without getting exhausted quickly.
Don´t get this wrong. Of course stone carving is physical work, and after a day´s work you probably will be tired.
Yet, it won´t be the exhaustion you feel after a long day toiling in front of your computer screen. Instead you will feel an agreeable tiredness.
The kind of tiredness that lets you sleep well, that gives you the sensation of satisfaction, because you will see and feel what you have achieved during the day.
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"I still like to think back to our days at Villa La Rogaia"

"I still like to think back to our days at Villa La Rogaia.
It was a beautiful working experience and with your good and persistent guidance, it was not only fun, but also a lot of excellent training: Learning to look closely, to have a long breath and to carve the stone tirelessly, until you have formed the shape you desired .... "
Gabi Zapf, Munich, Germany, about "Stone Carving and Dolce Vita", at Villa La Rogaia, July 2018
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Are you ready for this challenge?

If you are ready for this challenge - and - if you want to treat yourself with a creative time out...
...if you want to enjoy Italian lifestyle and indulge in excellent Italian food...
...then reserve now Your spot at the Culinary Stone Carving Experience!
The Culinary Stone Carving Experience takes place at Villa La Rogaia, an outstanding Umbrian country house surrounded by a sculpture garden. It is situated near Lake Trasimeno between Rome and Florence, in the heart land of ancient Etruscan culture.
And here that culture is still alive. You can feel it everywhere.
It will inspire you as it has inspired generations of artists before. That inspiration will help you to create your own, personal, unique work of art
There are Etruscan tomb sites and museums with prehistoric, Etruscan and Roman artworks in our vicinity. We will visit at least one of these sites.
You will have the invaluable opportunity to discover the antique roots of European sculpture and learn from it first-hand.
And - You will become part of a history formed by artists and their art throughout the ages.
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"I was very pleased I selected La Rogaia for my class experience."

"As a nearly 74 year old woman, I was not sure if I was up to learning how to sculpt marble. However, it had been a bucket list item for years.
I was very pleased I selected La Rogaia for my class experience.
The accommodations were very comfortable with few distractions from learning this art form.
Wolfgang is to be commended for his patience and skill with teaching beginners how to learn the basics and more during the short week we had. Most classes of this type elsewhere are 2 weeks in length.
We did have full days of work in order to complete our projects. All we needed was available on this beautiful property in Umbria.
I reached my goal of learning the tools and techniques thanks to Wolfgang..."
Savan Wilson, Fairhope, USA, about "Stone Carving and Dolce Vita", at Villa La Rogaia, July 2018
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To fortify you for the challenge...

To fortify you for the challenge your going to face and to make it really pleasurable for you, you will not only enjoy experienced tuition but delicious Italian food as well.
Everything is taken care of.
- You won´t have to think what to cook, where to go for at lunchtime or for dinner at the end of the day.
We will provide everything for you. A hearty and healthy breakfast, mouth-watering lunches, dining out in typical Umbrian restaurants where the locals go…
- You can completely focus on your work of art and on having a wonderful pleasant experience in the heart of Italy.
The Culinary Stone Carving experience is an exclusive offer.
Number of participants is limited in order to guarantee individual attention to everyone!
So, if you want to participate don´t hesitate and secure your spot now!
Contact Villa La Rogaia and get detailed information.
Some more interesting details about the Stone Carving Experience

You will create your sculpture preferably from marble or limestone. These materials are a good fit for stone carving. You will find out together with me in our preliminary counseling, which material is best for your individual sculpture.
I will select and prepare your stone for you according to your desired project.
The stone for your sculpture, already included in the fee for your Stone Carving Experience has a weight of approximately 100kg (about 220 pounds). This equals the weight of a marble block of about 40cm x 30cm x 30cm. (15.75 x 11,81 x 11,81 inches).
This doesn't mean that the block for your sculpture has to have exactly this measures, nor does it mean that it mustn't exceed by any means the weight of 100 kg.
Rather consider the measures and weight given as an indication for the sculpture you want to create.
By experience I know that using stones of the approximate size described above it is possible to create an impressive sculpture within one week even without prior experience.
Bigger stones/sculptures normally require a considerably higher amount of work.
Another piece of advice: Many people think that it is easier to make a sculpture of a smaller size. This however is a false belief. It is right that you don't have to carve away lots of material but small stones with a low weight tend to slip away at every hit and they are fairly difficult to fixate.
So don't plan to small. You'll be astonished what you can achieve within one week, given that everything is prepared well !
You will create your sculpture in my big studio or in the garden of Villa La Rogaia.
Level: Tutoring is individual. It doesn't matter whether you are beginner or whether you have already experience in stone carving.
Okay, and what about the “Culinary”?

You get a culinary all-round service and do not have to care for anything.
You will start your day with a healthy and hearty breakfast “al buffet” to fortify you for the “toils” of stonecarving.
At lunchtime "Mamma Ornella" or one of Villa La Rogaia´s other cooks will prepare for you a light lunch.
Look forward to traditional Umbrian and Tuscan dishes with fresh ingredients from La Rogaia and other organic farms from the region.
And when “Mamma” Ornella has her grand entrance with bowls of home - made pasta, with the typical Umbrian “Torta al testo” (the Umbrian version of the pizza) and with all the other delicious dishes according to old family recipies, the room will be filled not only with the flavour of mouth-watering food but as well with Ornella's Mediterranean temperament and her contagious laughter.
On one evening we will have a rustic barbecue at Villa La Rogaia. On the other six evenings I will guide you to my favourite typical Umbrian restaurants in the vicinity. This means that you have the chance to spend a lot of time with me, ask questions chat about art, and get even more suggestions and assistance for your sculpting project.
Remember!
Number of participants is limited in order to guarantee individual attention to everyone!
So, if you want to participate don´t hesitate and secure your spot now!
Contact Villa La Rogaia and get detailed information.
A few weeks ago I booked a sculpting course with Wolfgang Sandt for July at Villa La Rogaia...
