Stone Carver
Nicholas Fairplay is a master stone carver, member of an ancient profession requiring creative talent and highly specialized skills. He restores old sculptures and creates original carvings in a given style. Apprenticed at a young age in an English cathedral town, he has worked on many buildings in Europe and is now based in the United States.
In the video, Nicolas is restoring the outside sculptures of the College of Fine Art Building at Carnegie Mellon University. In passionate terms, he describes the enduring values of his profession, the experience of learning as an apprentice, and his personal motives. He underlines about the importance of finding a “signature” even while respecting the style of the building.
See also: Scribe: Torah restorer, about the restoration of Torah scrolls.