Dry stone wall builders gather on Amherst Island for annual festival – Kingston

It was a symphony of hammers and chisels on Amherst Island this weekend for the annual Dry Stone Festival, where dozens of dry stone wall builders converged from around the world.

It is a unique skill to build the dry stone barrier. From scratch, builders will create a foundation, then work together to create a wall that can last for generations.

“By doing this, you are creating a barrier to keep your pets inside so that it is functional,” says Jacob Murray, event organizer.

Building the wall takes a lot of work. Using field stones that you can find on a farmer’s land, they collect the rocks, then chip the rock into a shape that will fit the wall. Although it is hard work, those who do have a passion for the skills and creations they end up with.

“There is such creativity and such personality that you can put into the art of laying walls,” says David Wilson. The 56-year-old has traveled to the festival from Edinburgh, Scotland and has been building drystone walls for more than 30 years. He started working as an artist and realized after traveling the world how stone could be used in his art.

“It’s a very flexible material; you can be very creative with it, ”Wilson says. “In my type of projects, I will make gateways or functionalities and I will include different techniques.

The international collection of wall builders spent most of the weekend putting together a huge community wall. They used over 150 tonnes of different types of rock for the project.

“The rocks and the limestone have mixed together. These are all stones that were cleaned up by our ancestors, ”says Murray.

Louise Price made the trip from Belfast, Ireland. It has been walling in the country for years and is part of the dry stone festival there. Passion, she says, comes from the cultural identity that can be associated with the profession.

“I just connected with the hardware, I think, and the people,” Price said. “All the stories around the walls, make the walls, build them together.”

Price says that one thing that’s memorable for everyone involved is that you are not only building walls, but lasting friendships as well.

“It’s good for your soul, good for your heart, good for your community,” she said. “It makes good neighbors.”

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Residents of Amherst Island fear they will not be properly represented on city council.