The Boothbay Railway Village Green was all abuzz during the morning hours of Aug. 21.

The stone sculptors participating in the Maine Coast Stone Symposium’s 10-day live sculpting event were putting the finishing touches on their works. The “crane crew” was busy lifting and installing the granite and basalt sculptures for the gala.

Dick Alden of East Boothbay and David Randall of Wayne were polishing their Heritage granite sculptures, light water spray rising  up from the subjects.

Bill Royall of Southport was taking a breather and readying to help with the installation of other works, waiting for his Heritage granite sculpture of rock and moving water to be placed safely on a base of its own.

Andreas von Huene of Arrowsic and Sam Betts were preparing Sam’s first ever stone sculpture for positioning on its base. Sam’s drop of water is a stunner – the shape perfect, the stone – gorgeous. Andreas spent the greater part of the 10 days assisting his fellow sculptors – something he greatly enjoys doing.

David Sywalski of Trenton was planning on finishing up his piece once the sun began shining in his shaded spot on the Village Green. The work was his interpretation of the ripples created in water after a rock is thrown.

Lise Becu of Tenant’s Harbor was nervously watching as her diptych of the sun (Heritage granite) and moon (Morning Mist granite) was being placed on its base. Lise doesn’t usually create sculptures of this size – must be 5-6 feet tall – largely (pun intended) because she lacks the equipment to move the heavy stone. Said Lise of the 10-day live sculpture event, “This is our marathon. All the work you’ve done up to this point was your training. Most of us don’t work this hard and fast on a piece ... but, I enjoy it!”

Mark Herrington was buffing up his basalt sculpture. He said that during a symposium, the sculpture artist becomes a performance artist. Herrington had to leave the symposium for a few days but was not at all harried.

Isabel Catherine Kelley of Portland was completely focused on her sculpture, which still had to be installed atop two stone pillars. She was happily “in the zone.”

William Jacobs of Randolph was asked to participate after a few of the original sculptors had to cancel. “It’s been a great experience ... and working with all of these people (gestures around him), I’ve learned a lot.” This is William’s first large stone sculpture. He selected Chandler’s Bay granite.

Kamu Nagasawa wasn’t quite finished with his three-piece sculpture and was totally nonplussed by it. Kamu flew in from Japan for this event despite having broken his leg just days before he was to board a plane. The Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium was of great assistance in getting this talented sculptor to Boothbay.

A small group of kids and adults were touring the Village Green, stopping and speaking with the sculptors while all the installing and final touches were happening. The group was led by Patricia Royall, executive director of  the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber held a raffle at Set For Success at the YMCA on Aug. 20 for the opportunity to talk to the sculptors. The raffle winners, Grant Swope and mom Felicia Giles, and Heather McDaniel and sons Hunter Ryan and Dylan Plummer, were enjoying the experience; and for the boys, the visit with young Sam Betts ... inspirational!

The symposium continues through Aug. 31.  For more details visit https://railwayvillage.org. Boothbay Railway is located at 586 Wiscasset Road/Route 27, in Boothbay.