At Gabriola’s ISBA: “It works.”
By Bruce Mason, Gabriola Sounder
Monday, July 10 2006
Since arriving here in 1992, Chris Bell estimates that he has built about 50 fireplaces on Gabriola Island; many more if you include those in his native England, Australia, Germany, Malaysia and other locations.
Throw in the restoration of ancient buildings, stone walls, patios that will outlast us all, and it adds up to quite a body of work.
And that legacy is becoming even more substantial through his recently discovered talent to share his lifetime of knowledge and skill with others.
“Rumford. It’s a Rumford fireplace. Rum. Ford,” said Bell, as the Sounder followed him, picking a path through a knot of proud students, who were cleaning debris from in front of a work, rapidly nearing the very end of it’s progress, sweeping and dusting it, blowing on the mantle in preparation for a photograph of the first time it would be lit.
“It’s based on an old design, dating back to the early 1700’s, which has been refined in modern times,” he explained. “It reflects heat and is much more efficient and far superior to the North American fire-box.
“Ninety-nine per cent of what you see was built right here by these guys,” Bell grinned, pointing around him in the student lounge at the Island School of the Building Arts (ISBA).
“I love my job, partly because I understand it so well,” he continued. “Every fireplace is different. It has to be envisioned to fit and flow, as well as work very well.
“But it blows my mind that just by talking to people, showing them what I know and answering their questions, they can turn around and create something that I would be happy to say that I built. That’s also very satisfying.”
Putting down a few sticks of kindling, ISBA founder and owner James Mitchell, shook Bell’s hand warmly. The fireplace would be right at home, and the centre of everyone’s attention, anywhere, but it belongs right here in the lounge.
Along with other work of past students - including, of course, impressive buildings, as well as stone walls and archways - the fireplace is an inspiring and lasting example of what students accomplish at ISBA.
The last time I had been in the room - a 1200 square foot student-built timber post and beam studio - was back in April to meet Mitchell’s newest group of twice yearly building students. With sheets of plastic for windows, the lecture, discussion and lunch-room was cool.
But for Mitchell, the grand new fireplace is much more than a very pretty and good source of heat. “The beauty of stone and timber integrated together in design adds another element to ISBA educational programs; it’s a natural progression of woodworking skill and creativity,” he said.
“Chris has personally shown these students from Ontario, Alberta and all over Vancouver Island, everything from building foundations, to footings and facings, including identifying, grading and splitting stones, types of mortar and code requirements,” he continued, adding: “And it is here in full view for future students to see every day.”
Mitchell is author of the definitive, “The Craft of Modular Post & Beam: Building Log and Timber Homes Affordably,” published in 1984 (and available at Page’s). He has also produced videos and manuals and taught lawyers, tree planters, premiers and computer technologists.
A decade ago he opened the doors of ISBA, the only log and timber frame school licensed to operate on the Gulf Islands, and the only bonded trade school of its kind in the province, specializing in teaching construction skills to owner-builders and for industry pre-employment.
Chris Bell built the wonderfully efficient fireplace in Mitchell’s unique house, on-site, and they had talked many times about an “Introduction to Stone Work” course, which they launched several years ago.
Like everything else at ISBA, it was a perfect fit and a big hit, internationally.
“As a kid I was always interested in building, seeing how things could come together to produce something functional as well as being appealing to the eye,” said Bell.
Born in the South of England, Chris apprenticed with Stone Masons - registered with the guild of Master Craftsman - for four years and then undertook an additional apprenticeship as a Banker Mason, learning the art of cutting and carving stone.
Working on projects in the UK for the Duchies of Cornwall estates (Prince Charles), and the National Trust, he took his trade on the road to Europe, Australia and Asia, eventually settling on the west coast of Canada, where he has earned awards, such as, “Best Restoration on a Heritage Home,” in Vancouver.
“It not as easy as it looks,” Bell said. “Not everyone can do it.
“I have had excellent teachers and was able to show these students how to split 300 pound pieces of Gabriola sandstone into 15 to 25 pound pieces that fit together in a ledge-stone style,” he added.
Last year, Michael Munn, of Amherst, Massachusetts, had this to say about the course: “Whole lot of work. Loved every second of it. Thanks for everything. It was a big change in life for me and I am looking forward to taking it further.”
That’s what Mitchell, Bell and prospective students want to hear.
Passing on a photo of fire, given the season, the Sounder was told: “It works.” Form and function: something else ISBA insists on.
The very busy Bell said 95 per cent of his work is designing and building fireplaces, but he will look at other stone projects, as well. Call him at (250) 247- 7585.
For more information on ISBA, log onto: www.logandtimberschool.com.
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