OBERLIN, OH and CHESTERTOWN, NY -- Andrew Swinley, carving foreman at Red Leaf Stone in Abbottsford, British Columbia, has been named 2016 Craftsman of the Year. The award was presented at the MIA+BSI Awards luncheon at TISE (The International Surface Event) in January.
Swinley began his career at the age of 20 as an apprentice stone mason, where he focused almost entirely on restoration. He then pursued a degree in figurative sculpture from the City and Guilds Art School in London. After 20 years as a self-employed stone carver, Swinley accepted a position at Architectural Stonemasonry, a division of Red Leaf Stone.