
Collene Karcher’s work is all about connection. At her studio, visitors have ample opportunities to find that connection. She and her husband built their home by themselves, camping on-site for two years as they finished construction. That kind of connection to place and materials drives each of Collene’s artistic pursuits. Everything she makes is designed to be touched. With over 20 years of experience sculpting in a variety of stone, including marble, slate, and limestone, she is one of only a handful of sculptors in the United States still practicing the nearly lost art of hand-carved letters in stone, the old way, with hammer and chisel.
Collene also carves lifelike animals and figures that she casts into tiles. Over time, Collene has gone from displaying her work in shows and exhibits to showing it only in her own studio and gallery. Today, her multiple studio spaces are designed to be shared one-on-one with visitors who are encouraged to touch every piece of work.
Visitors to Collene’s studio outside of Bakersville can enjoy the many facets of Collene’s work. They can visit the stone carving studio, the tile shop and explore the curated sculpture garden spread out across the property. Collene generally has a display set up to demonstrate her stone cutting process. She also offers an interactive stone on which visitors can make stone rubbing prints of their own. Small and large stone carvings are offered for sale as well as cast concrete garden tiles for the home and garden.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:00 am-5:00 pm, May-December