by Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 19/97) - Yellowknife Correctional Centre inmates are carving their way through a tonne of rock a month.

That's how much soapstone gets used in the prison's popular carving program.

Carver inmates get 80 per cent of the proceeds. The money buys carving materials or it may be used to pay fines or child support.

The remaining 20 per cent -- up from 10 per cent four months ago -- goes into a general inmate welfare fund, warden Ron Near said.

And carvers can now only have five works for sale at once. Previously, there was no limit.

With the changes, the program "has become more manageable. There were security concerns," Near said.

Along with the changes comes an improvement in quality, Yellowknife Correctional Centre deputy warden Rose O'Donnell said.

The program has room for 15 inmates working under two instructors in a four-week training program. As well, there are about 22 leisure carvers out of an inmate population of 180.

An exceptional day -- the best days are in summer -- might have sales from $5,000 to $10,000. A top-shelf carving might go for $2,500. Annually, sales might reach six figures.

By comparison, Cape Dorset and Kimmirut, known for Inuit soapstone carvings, produce about $2.2 million and $500,000 worth of art per year respectively. Cape Dorset has about 1,300 residents while about 450 people live in Kimmirut.

"I'd be surprised if there's a (correctional centre) program as big in the rest of the country," Near said.

For buyers, it is cash or travellers cheque. There's no gift wrapping and not even a bag. Carvings are sold Friday afternoons.

Businesses have the opportunity to buy before the public. But, said Near, despite letters to retailers, there has been little interest.

O'Donnell added that the program has been expanded with new partnerships.

Four inmates are currently carving what promises to be a spectacular Arctic Winter Games display. In the work, a drummer will be surrounded by carvings representing each event.

The prison also contracted with the Elks Lodge to do carvings for a curling event.

O'Donnell said it's about "learning a trade and an art."

The soapstone rock -- which originates from as far away as Brazil and Africa -- is bought from Edmonton, Calgary and Surrey, B.C., rock companies. Carvers pay from $3.50 a kilogram for the cheapest soapstone to $12 a kilogram for wonderstone, a black rock from Africa, recreation supervisor Michelle Hilchey said.

Calgary-based Green's Rock and Lapidary owner Richard Green said his company might ship from 500 to 1,000 kilograms of stone to the Yellowknife prison.