The COVID-19 pandemic could be considered as a modern-day Renaissance Period, which was most known for a revival in art. As folks quarantined at home, some took up new hobbies while others used the extra time to hone previously learned skills. Such was the case for Cornwall resident Andra Roig, Jr., who picked up a chisel and mallet for the first time in 17 years and decided to start a new business carving stones.

Roig, Jr. studied graphic design at SUNY New Paltz and then obtained his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Brooklyn College. He currently works as a field support specialist, for District 12 in the Bronx and District 4 in Manhattan, for the Office of School Wellness Programs which supports all health and physical education in those school districts.

Originally from Harlem, Roig, Jr. and his family moved to Cornwall seven years ago. Initially it was a culture shock due to the slower pace compared to New York City, but he’s since adapted and settled in as part of the community. His kids are going through the Cornwall school system and Roig, Jr. has been involved in coaching Little League and attending Board of Education meetings.

Between commuting to work and raising a family, he still manages to find 10 to 14 hours per week to work on various carving projects.
Having moved to Cornwall two years prior to the COVID-19 shut-down, Roig, Jr. recalls finding an unpacked box which contained his original chisel and mallet which he used while attending school in New Paltz.

“I was a graphic design student and my teacher, Clifton Meador, said one day we’re going to learn how to paint letters on slate and carve them,” he said. “We looked at him and said we work on computers. The class didn’t take it seriously and just did it to get it over with. For me, I took to it like a fish in water. I just started carving stones I found on campus despite the lesson being over by a month.”

His teacher was impressed and Roig, Jr. kept dabbling in the art into his early 20s until the tools found their way into a box not to be rediscovered until 17 years later.

With his mom’s 70th birthday just around the corner, Roig, Jr. decided he wanted to do something special, so he carved her a stone in honor of the milestone. Unfortunately, he didn’t quite recall all the techniques he learned and the letters came out crooked.

“To me, it was one of the worst stones I had ever done. To her, she loved it. Everyone who saw it loved it. I hadn’t thought of a business at all, but it reignited the passion that I had for carving. I went into a deep dive and watched every YouTube video I could find. I made friends with Joe Pezias, manager of Orange Nursery and Stone Supply, and he sold me my first stone for my mom.”

Pezias became somewhat of a mentor, teaching Roig, Jr. about the hardness and softness of stones and even bought him a book on carving. He continued to practice and when other people started seeing his work, he started receiving requests for carvings. After making a memorial stone for a neighbor’s dog that had died, Roig, Jr. decided to start a business. He formed an LLC and “it’s CARV’D” was born.

When Roig, Jr. accepts a job, he works with the client on the design before drawing it on the stone. This way they have a personal investment in the final product. As an added bonus, he photographs the entire process from picking the stone, designing the carving, and the final product. They’re then placed in a coffee table book which he also gives to the client.

“I love taking pictures showing the difference, the amount of work and detail that goes into every aspect of the stone.”

How long it takes to finish a carving depends on the scope of the work. Smaller projects could take one or two months while larger ones may take six months up to a year.

“It depends on the complexity of the carve and my availability. Finding the time is challenging, but when you do what you love, you just do what you love.”

Roig, Jr. said it’s not uncommon to lose track of time, skipping meals and missing time with family, or working on multiple projects at once.

“If i don’t have multiple stones, I’m giving my all to the one stone and finish that up. I have to constantly rotate to get them done, if I get stuck in a rut, I move on to another stone for a different experience. It helps break the monotony because it’s so time consuming.”

Clients are required to put down a deposit to be placed in the queue.
Despite being mostly self-taught, Roig, Jr. continues to hone his craft. He learns from college professors, reads books, and watches videos on the internet. A number of years ago, a 30-year carver named Chris Pellettieri, who runs the non-profit Stone Carvers Academy, took him on as a mentee. He took a bunch of classes and learned how to work with larger stones by breaking them down into manageable sections. Roig, Jr. couldn’t maintain attending weekly classes with his schedule, but the two maintain a great relationship exchanging jobs they know the other can handle better.

The stone carving world is small, Roig, Jr. said, as there are only a handful of people who still do it by hand. It’s a craft continued mostly by an older generation and is more popular in Europe. There isn’t a lot of diversity in the field which Roig, Jr. believes sets him apart from others. He hopes to change that, however. He plans to have a table at this year’s Fall Festival where he’ll do live demonstrations, but one day he hopes to create an after-school program and pass on the craft to a younger generation.

“There’s a big space in my heart for kids and after school programs. I truly believe they keep kids out of trouble. It’s important for me to pass the skill down. I want to be able to teach kids something different and new.”

Working with just a chisel and mallet is slow and methodical, but Roig, Jr. hopes to one day learn how to use gas-powered tools to speed up the process. He said it’s another skill to learn, but one he’s not ready for just yet.

In the meantime, he’s satisfied knowing he’s not doing a disservice to himself by giving up on his talent. He enjoys bringing peace and a sense of closure to clients, especially those who are grieving the loss of a family member but can’t afford a sandblasted tombstone or just want a memorial stone in honor of someone who was cremated.

To learn more about Roig, Jr.’s craft, to view completed works, or hire him to complete a carving, visit itscarvd.com.