English Harbour Arts Centre Workshops and Stone Maze

January 22, 2012 Dan Snow

The dates have been set for the two English Harbour Arts Centre workshops I will be instructing this coming summer. Five-day and two-day long courses, July 29 - August 2 and August 4 -5, will focus on constructing new dry stone walls on the grounds of the art centre. The finished works will represent pieces of a grand puzzle that EHAC hopes to realize in the near future. The dream is to build a dry stone maze on the majestic headlands of Trinity Bay.

Dry Stone Maze Proposal by Dan Snow and English Harbour Arts Centre

A maze built of dry stone at English Harbour, Newfoundland would be an exciting landscape feature and special attraction to the Trinity Bight area. Exploring the paths and “art courts” of the maze would be an intriguing adventure for visitors of all ages. The stone maze would be offered to the public in the spirit of healthy inquiry and good fun.

The maze, designed by Dave Phillips, would cover 7,300 sq. meters of ground and have 2.5 kilometer of walls and paths. While a number of routes would allow exploration of alternative destinations within the maze, only one route would lead to its center. Along the paths, and at large open areas, art works would be displayed.

The proposed site is approximately 2 kilometers from the bay at English Harbour. From the site, one can view a broad sweep of Trinity Bay, 40 meter-high sheer cliffs, and a natural, sea-arch grotto. Seasonal wildlife in the area includes eagles, otters, moose and whales.

To my knowledge this would be the first, open-to-the-public, dry stone maze ever built. Dry laid stone is a method and material eminently suited to such a project. Newfoundland offers many potential sources for natural and quarried stone, suitable for dry laid construction. The finished construction would blend well with the natural surroundings and stand the test of time.

English Harbour Arts Centre's Stone Maze would be a significant piece of landscape art, attracting a wide range of public interest. Appreciated for its hand-crafted beauty, environmental sensitivity and bewildering playfulness, the stone maze would be both a contemplative and interactive work of art.

Maze illustrations by Todd Lynch.