Flintknapping Hall Of Fame, Flintknapper Grog Verbeck

Artist Bio

Grog Verbeck was raised in the small town of Staatsburg, on the great Hudson River in New York. He is descendant of the Osage and of Cherokee tribe by way of his mother’s great grandmother, a full-blooded Cherokee. Since Grog was a young boy he had an interest in indian artifacts and life skills including bow hunting, tanning and firestarting. In college he pursued Native American studies and new world archaeology. He made his first arrowhead as a boy and has been addicted to flintknapping as an art for nearly ten years.

Grog Verbeck is a professionally trained chef by trade and runs a private chef service, www.HeyChef.com, in Lake Tahoe, California. Together with his wife and children, he travels between his home in the Sierra mountains and at the seaside in a remote bay in Southeast Alaska. In both parts of the world he spends his time knapping in his studio, the peaceful and ever-providing Mother Nature.

Artist Statement

I love this art because it is a common link between all peoples of all times of all continents. It’s the one thing all our ancestors created in order to survive. This is not so with all tools and survival techniques based on the geographical region of the people, but with stone tools there is no exception. We all made them and used them, as a matter of survival.

This primitive skill, in its truest form, is a dying art. It has recently seen a surge in popularity, but in all the world there are very few people alive today who can create a stone point without the use of power tools. This ancient art illustrates the very nature of survival of all people and we will have lost a truly critical elemental art form if the tradition is not carried on.

I want my sculptures to show people the very root of our survival. This craft requires complete attention and has become a form of meditation for me. It keeps me in touch with the natural world that surrounds me and when I’m working I feel able to peer into ancient minds and bridge another time. It gives me answers and ties me to my past.

Quote:

From eye, through mind, with hand, into line, it spills out on paper.

From ear, through mind, with hands, a tool spills itself out of the rock.

As many of my blog readers know, I am writing a series called “big blade blogs”, I have covered Theodore Orcutt, Emory Coons, Cole Hurst and know, Grog Verbeck. Although my fellow Bakersfieldians were acquainted with Grog, I having been out of the loop for quite some time, had never heard of him. It was quite serendipitous; I was on a trip to Anza Borrego desert with my eldest son James , he was returning home to U.C. Davis and gave me ride to a knap in near Sacramento on the way. There in the center ring was Grog Verbeck knapping out very large, monster bifaces. Grog is a long time student of the master knapper, Greg Ratzat of Neolithics fame, in fact he cooks for the class up at Glass Buttes.

According to “Gogslithicart.com: Grog Verbeck was raised in the small town of Staatsburg, on the great Hudson River in New York. He is descendant of the Cherokee tribe by way of his mother's full-blooded great grandmother and his great uncle served on the Osage tribal council. Since Grog was a young boy he had an interest in Indian artifacts and life skills including bow hunting, tanning and fire starting. In college he pursued Native American studies and new world archaeology. He made his first arrowhead as a boy and has been addicted to flintknapping as an art for nearly ten years.” Grog knaps boulders and spalls and an occasional giant slab. Grog obtains his lithic material from the glass buttes area of Oregon with his long time friend and mentor, Greg Ratzat.


Links:
Grog Flintknapping video:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jharwood2686/AnzoBorrego2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCIiegdC9loTilgE&feat=email#5319217016479070066

Grog’s web Site:
http://grogslithicart.com/index.html

Grog article:

http://tahoeculture.com/2008/12/01/truckee-flintknapping-artist-grog-verbeck/

Grog article:

http://www.heychef.com/assets/FactSheet_Generic_FINAL_email.pdf






Grog a chef by trade and runs a private chef service, HeyChef.com, in Lake Tahoe, California.
“HeyChef! began serving Truckee in 1996 and focused on the private chef services of
accomplished chef, Grog Verbeck. For more than a decade before landing in Truckee, Chef
Grog served in New York as the private chef for Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas, where he
prepared meals for their celebrated dinner guests from the theatre and political worlds, including presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton.” {http://www.heychef.com/assets/FactSheet_Generic_FINAL_email.pdf)


Ballad of Grog Verbeck

Grog, the from Cedar Bog, lives in the moutains with his old sheep dog.


Grog flint knaps giant obsidian blades and the sword in the stone
If you want to by some lithic art call him on the phone.


As many of my blog readers know, I am writing a series called “big blade blogs”, I have covered Theodore Orcutt, Emory Coons, Cole Hurst and know, Grog Verbeck. Although my fellow Bakersfieldians were acquainted with Grog, I having been out of the loop for quite some time, had never heard of him. It was quite serendipitous; I was on a trip to Anza Borrego desert with my eldest son James , he was returning home to U.C. Davis and gave me ride to a knap in near Sacramento on the way. There in the center ring was Grog Verbeck knapping out very large, monster bifaces. Grog is a long time student of the master knapper, Greg Ratzat of Neolithics fame, in fact he cooks for the class up at Glass Buttes.

According to “Gogslithicart.com: Grog Verbeck was raised in the small town of Staatsburg, on the great Hudson River in New York. He is descendant of the Cherokee tribe by way of his mother's full-blooded great grandmother and his great uncle served on the Osage tribal council. Since Grog was a young boy he had an interest in Indian artifacts and life skills including bow hunting, tanning and fire starting. In college he pursued Native American studies and new world archaeology. He made his first arrowhead as a boy and has been addicted to flintknapping as an art for nearly ten years.” Grog knaps boulders and spalls and an occasional giant slab. Grog obtains his lithic material from the glass buttes area of Oregon with his long time friend and mentor, Graig Ratzat.


Links:
Grog Flintknapping video:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jharwood2686/AnzoBorrego2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCIiegdC9loTilgE&feat=email#5319217016479070066

Grog’s web Site:
http://grogslithicart.com/index.html

Grog article:

http://tahoeculture.com/2008/12/01/truckee-flintknapping-artist-grog-verbeck/

Grog article:

http://www.heychef.com/assets/FactSheet_Generic_FINAL_email.pdf






Grog a chef by trade and runs a private chef service, HeyChef.com, in Lake Tahoe, California.
“HeyChef! began serving Truckee in 1996 and focused on the private chef services of
accomplished chef, Grog Verbeck. For more than a decade before landing in Truckee, Chef
Grog served in New York as the private chef for Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas, where he
prepared meals for their celebrated dinner guests from the theatre and political worlds, including presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton.” {http://www.heychef.com/assets/FactSheet_Generic_FINAL_email.pdf)

The song link:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=55033732


Ballad of Grog, the frog from Cedar Bog
By Hank Ray

Grog, the frog from Cedar Bog, lives in the mountains with his old sheep dog.

Grog flint knaps giant obsidian blades and the sword in the stone
and small flakes of stone pressure flaked with bone.

Grog, the frog from Cedar Bog, lives in the mountains with his old sheep dog.


Grog, the frog from Cedar Bog, lives in the mountains with his old sheep dog.





"As of late many knappers are creating ever larger
pieces of lithic art in the form of huge bifaces.
Emery Coons reportedly percussion bifaced a 50 inch
preform and managed a 40 inch finished neofact. I
wrote the Coon's family and requested information and
a photo by received no response.
At the California knap in this year, large the key
word.
Many from other states, such as Coons in Oregon, are
also thinking large and obsidian suppliers are selling
more mega slabs than ever.
Named the Orcutt syndrome after an old time knapper
named Ted Orcutt, whom was known for his massive
biface work. More later..." Ray Harwood Aug. 30. 2000 The International Flintknappers ‘ Hall of Fame and Museum is encouraging individuals of all ages to “Be A Superior Example,” through a new education program as part of a new curriculum to promote healthy habits, while encouraging everyone to live free of drugs and other such substances or vices. It serves as the central point for the study of the history of flintknapping in the United States and beyond, displays flintknapping-related artifacts and exhibits, and honors those who have excelled in the craft, research/ writing, promoting events, and serving the knapping community in an ethical manner.