The Last Apprentice - Lecture and Social

Please join us for an evening with Richard Rhodes. Known as “The Last Apprentice” in the stone and sculpture community, Richard documents the ancient art of stone masonry that he first learned in Europe’s oldest masonry guild—dating back to the 13 th century.

With the guild’s dissolution in the mid-1990s, Richard wrote his recent book, Stone, Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery, out of a sense of responsibility to record this deeprooted craft or else let the knowledge be obscured—or worse, lost completely.

In his lecture, Richard will discuss challenges and triumphs from his career as an apprentice, stone mason, and sculptor. He not only details the principles of stonework, but also illuminates—as renowned critic Paul Goldberger observes in the book’s Forward—the transcendent quality of stone as humanity’s longstanding building material.

Order of Events:

• 5:15pm: Refreshments

• 5:45pm: Lecture on historic millwork

• 6:45pm: Q&A

• 7-7:30pm: Refreshments, informal discussion, and book signing

1 AIA Learning Unit

📍 The Folio Library at Pike Place Market, 93 Pike Street #307 Seattle, Seattle, WA

🗓 Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 5:15 – 7:30pm

🎟 $7.50 for ICAA Members | $15 for general public

Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite: Click HERE

Portrait of Richard Rhodes. Photo by Joey Clay studio

Hand-carved Stonework by Richard Rhodes. Associated professional: halper owens architects

stonework & waterfall by Richard Rhodes. Associated Professional: Stastny Bruin Architects

Stone ‘Woven Screen’ By Richard Rhodes. Associated professional: shay zak

stonework by Richard Rhodes. New home designed by architect peter pennoyer.

Sentinel sculpture by richard rhodes

jupiter’s gate, built 3rd C. Bce, falierii novi, italy. photo by pamela rhodes.