Onoway-based artist shares tremendous talent with Whitecourt residents with a guest appearance at the local library

On Friday evening, in the Whitecourt & District Public Library parking lot, Library Assistant Lisa Daye held
her first soapstone carving class of the fall season. The incredibly talented staff member has been
sharing her love of art since she joined the library years ago and has grown a following of residents who
join her adult classes.
With a dreamy forecast of beautiful fall weather, Daye decided to bring the class outside into the back
corner of the parking lot so that attendees could enjoy the sunny evening while creating. “We set up
outside today because the weather is gorgeous, and we don’t get many of these days to do it out here,
so we take advantage when we can.”
A unique perk of doing her class outside, and a bonus of being a small-town library with some outside
space, is the inclusion of an artist from Onoway, a personal friend of Daye’s. “When we have the class
outside, my friend Dave Hogg likes to join us. He brings his sturdy little table and works outside with us.
He can’t join us inside for class because it makes a mess as he works.”
Hogg has been working with soapstone, off and on, for twenty years. He also works with wood and
bone. When he joins Daye’s classes, he brings a current piece in progress and allows class attendees to
see a different way of working with soapstone. “The way I do it, and the way I teach the class, is with
little tools. His process is with bigger tools and is a completely different thing. It’s fascinating to watch,
and you can see things happen so much quicker because he’s moving bigger pieces of stone rather than
just shaving off little bits of dust like we are,” explained Daye.
Daye and Hogg have shown their pieces in galleries, including the Gossamer Gallery in Wabamum, and
are looking for another spot to share their creations. Daye said seeing something in process gives
budding artists an appreciation for the steps required to go from beginning to end. “You walk into a
gallery, and you see this glossy thing, and it’s shaped and completed, and you think, oh that’s so nice,
but after you’ve put some blood, sweat and tears into something like that, and you know the hours and
hours and hours of sanding and grinding that it took to get it to that point, they have a much better
appreciation of the whole process. It’s not just the visual art appeal; it’s also getting to appreciate the
process of it.”
Over the two hours of the class, attendees went from working on their pieces to walking over to Hogg’s
work area and watching him. “It sparks interesting conversations, and we learn from each other. Your
art grows, and their art grows,” said Daye. Hogg agreed. “I like being around people that carve. When I
see everyone’s work, I learn stuff and see how different people see things differently. Art is pretty
universal. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, and I think it’s cool to see other people’s perspectives.”
Hogg has guested four or five of Daye’s classes in the last couple of years when the weather cooperates
for an outdoor session. One of the things about his process that stood out for the class was that, unlike
many artists, he doesn’t go into his with a plan and doesn’t draw out a stencil to follow. His process is
deeply rooted to the earth, a nod to his upbringing.

“We were raised to know that everything on earth has a spirit, be it stone, trees, or grass. So, when I
come along, I bang the stone with my hammer, and it makes a ringing noise and sends a vibration
through it. A spirit trapped inside that stone starts to wake up. I don’t try to make it anything. I just
follow the lines that are already there. For me to come along and say that the spirit has to display itself
in a certain way would be arrogant, so I just let it do its own thing, and whatever happens, happens,”
explained Hogg.
His grounded approach is intriguing to watch, and Hogg said it’s as exciting for him to see a piece come
together as it is for those who watch him because the piece takes shape before his eyes just the same.
“Lots of folks can look at a piece and see what to turn it into. I can’t do that because I don’t see things
that way.”
The self-taught artist made his process seem effortless as he progressed through the large stone. A
couple of faces quickly emerged from it as if they were pushing their way through the large centuries-
old metamorphic rock. “I’ve never taken any classes, so I don’t really understand what I’m doing. I just
swing the hammer, and whatever happens, happens,” smiled Hogg. He said many people are drawn to
stone, often collecting rocks that appeal to them when they go for a walk.
Daye said she’s honoured to have him join her glass as a special guest and hopes attendees enjoyed the
opportunity. Her soapstone classes happen once a month. Those interested in joining are encouraged to
call the library to be added to the list. “I’m so grateful for the library for letting me do my favourite thing
and share it with others. It’s a joy for me. I love it so much.”
Hogg’s Facebook page, Hogg Originals Sculpture, features images of his work through the different
mediums he uses. He has shared updates of completed pieces and those in progress, including an
intricately sculptured octopus holding a bottle, which he named “Message in a Bottle.”