The New York, Pennsylvania Bluestone is not just any ordinary material - it’s the cornerstone of countless homes, buildings, and sidewalks across the tri-state area. It’s also the very bedrock on which Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and The Museum at Bethel Woods is built on.

Wayne Holbert is an artist with a passion for transforming the mundane of rocks into something truly extraordinary. 

His tall and awe-inspiring sculptures will welcome visitors and lead them on a journey as they enter Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and the hollow grounds of Woodstock 69’. 

Rockin’ The Woods is the latest outdoor exhibition that features six of Holbert’s bluestone sculptures. 

Holbert explained that the process of making sculptures is not just about coring stones but about envisioning what they want to be. It’s about listening to the stones and letting them guide you in their transformation into art.

Bluestone, deposited over 350 million years ago and uncovered by the last ice age some 10,000 years ago, has since become a beloved staple in our region for its durability and strength.

Some sculptures rise to 18 feet in height and weigh 170 pounds per cubic foot and need special equipment to not only build them but also to travel and install them in different locations. 

The sculptures are a masterful display of artistry, created by stacking and turning large slabs of bluestone until they take on the form of a figure. 

Each sculpture has a name, and the name is not given until the sculpture is complete. Wayne explained that he moves the stones around, trying different combinations until he finds the perfect match. He sometimes puts them halfway up and lets them sit for six weeks until he is satisfied with the result.

One sculpture, named Darth Helmet, is named after one of Holbert’s favorite comedy movies, Spaceballs. 

Wayne’s sculptures are not mere static pieces of art, but rather dynamic works that come alive at night. During special events and concert nights, the bluestone will be transformed into a canvas, as projections of different musical artists will be projected across its surface which will be done by PCDenizen. 

Holbert has mastered the craft of transforming natural stones into beautiful works of art that can stand the test of time. Wayne’s passion for sculpting is evident in his work, and he has created a legacy that will be admired for generations to come.

Rockin’ The Woods will be on display through October at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.