Franklin checking out the Quartzite deposits in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, CA
Franklin Smith, Owner
I was born in Chattanooga TN, surrounded by the massive sandstone and limestone deposits of the Cumberland Plateau and Tenessee Valley. I discovered a love for outdoor pursuits, especially kayaking down the nearby boulder-strewn creeks. My passion for the outdoors took me on a series of trips out West, where my fascination with stone and Geology became more of an obsession. When I turned 18 I moved to Boone, NC to attend Appalachian State University, where I studied Biology and Geology from 1996- 2000. I decided to turn my love of stone and stonework into a career and worked with local stonemasons Sean Sweeney, Bob Gow, Roy Vance, and Tom Gingrich to learn the trade. I started Living Stone Masonry in 2008, and have worked on a wide variety of projects in the years since. I am actively involved in the Stone Foundation, an international stonemasonry organization (http://stonefoundation.org/) which hosts yearly symposiums, and a member of the DSWA (Drystone Walling Association of Great Britain). I now live in West Asheville with my girlfriend, Melissa and my dog ( Living Stone mascot) Layla, and enjoy Swing dancing to live jazz when not building with stone.
Training and Certifications:
July 2012-Drystone workshop with Dan Snow- Newfoundland, CA
September 2012-Drystone workshop with Sean Adcock- Asheville, NC
September 2012-DSWA Level I Certification-Asheville, NC
May 2015-DSWA Level II Certification- The Stone Trust, Dummerston, VT
May 2015-DSWA Instructor Certification-The Stone Trust, Dummerston, VT
I was born in Chattanooga TN, surrounded by the massive sandstone and limestone deposits of the Cumberland Plateau and Tenessee Valley. I discovered a love for outdoor pursuits, especially kayaking down the nearby boulder-strewn creeks. My passion for the outdoors took me on a series of trips out West, where my fascination with stone and Geology became more of an obsession. When I turned 18 I moved to Boone, NC to attend Appalachian State University, where I studied Biology and Geology from 1996- 2000. I decided to turn my love of stone and stonework into a career and worked with local stonemasons Sean Sweeney, Bob Gow, Roy Vance, and Tom Gingrich to learn the trade. I started Living Stone Masonry in 2008, and have worked on a wide variety of projects in the years since. I am actively involved in the Stone Foundation, an international stonemasonry organization (http://stonefoundation.org/) which hosts yearly symposiums, and a member of the DSWA (Drystone Walling Association of Great Britain). I now live in West Asheville with my girlfriend, Melissa and my dog ( Living Stone mascot) Layla, and enjoy Swing dancing to live jazz when not building with stone.
Training and Certifications:
July 2012-Drystone workshop with Dan Snow- Newfoundland, CA
September 2012-Drystone workshop with Sean Adcock- Asheville, NC
September 2012-DSWA Level I Certification-Asheville, NC
May 2015-DSWA Level II Certification- The Stone Trust, Dummerston, VT
May 2015-DSWA Instructor Certification-The Stone Trust, Dummerston, VT