I have been building dry laid stone landscapes in Western Massachusetts since 1999. After working with Little and Reid Garden Design in Amherst, MA from 1999-2001, I established Kim Harwood Stonework in 2002.
My mission with stonework is to create beautiful and enduring works of functional stone art that will enhance my clients' enjoyment of their landscapes.
I feel fortunate to have found a profession that so perfectly suits my passions for creating beauty, being outdoors, and doing satisfying physical work.
(Photo: September 2003)
My work has a distinctive style in which carefully selected stones, usually of more than one kind, are fit tightly along clean lines with graceful curves. Careful attention is given to the balance and proportion of shapes and colors in the choice and placement of individual stones.
I usually work with mica schist from Goshen, Cummington, and Ashfield, MA, accented with cobble stones from Sunderland, MA, and built on a base of crushed basalt from Amherst, MA. Some of my work has incorporated boulders, granite, blue stone, field stone, river stone, marble, beach pebbles, or other hardscaping materials selected by my clients.
I am always open to working with new materials and trying new kinds of stone construction.
(Photo: September 2006)
I work closely with my clients to develop custom creative designs that emphasize elegance and beauty while meeting utilitarian and architectural needs.
The majority of my experience has been in the building of walls, walkways, patios, and steps. I have also done some work with mosaics and veneers, and have built a few fire pits and stone benches. However, I am still looking forward to receiving my first commissions for fireplaces, water features, arches, bridges, and moongates.
(Photo: October 2007)
Nowadays I usually work alone or with just one assistant, but over the years I have assembled some fine teams of craftsmen who have worked with me to help create the manifestations of my obsession with stone.
Below is a chronological photo gallery of me and my crew at work (more or less).
(Photo: September 2006)
