Although busily carving a piece for the Smithsonian at the time, Basque stonecarver Bernat Vidal happily agreed to put his work aside when we asked if he had time for an interview. Bernat’s friendliness and willingness to answer questions and explain his work were clear in this conversation and in all of his interactions with the public throughout the Folklife Festival.

Bernat and his fellow Basque artisans created beautiful pieces during their time on the National Mall. Many worked with traditional art forms, adding their own twists to create works that were grounded in tradition but relevant to the contemporary world. Here, Bernat describes his love for his art, the traditional symbols he uses in his carving, and how he works to support Basque artisans.

Production and editing: Lillian Schneyer
Videography: Pruitt Allen, Chris Lee, Helen Lehrer, Max Lenik, W.N. McNair, Michelle Mehrtens, Anne Saul, Albert Tong, Charlie Weber, Kamila Young

Lillian Schneyer is a video production intern for the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and a student at Carleton College, where she is studying sociology and anthropology.