My time at the John C Campbell Folk School has come to an end. It was bittersweet‒as these events usually are‒to leave the School and head home. The heart and soul of the Folk School is creativity and making so I’d like to focus on that aspect of my experience in today’s wrap-up. The context for this post, if you haven’t been following the story, is that I participated in a 9-week Work Study Program at the Folk School. During this session, I worked for the Folk School as a member of the Garden Crew for 5 weeks and attended classes for 4 weeks.
In a previous post, Work Study Program FAQ, I shared the questions I’m asked most frequently about the program. Check it out if you’re wondering how the program works. I’ve also shared my experiences of participating in various classes.
In the week-long From Sheep to Shawl class, we learned the various steps to go from a sheep’s fleece to spun yarn. Here Martha Owen demonstrates spinning.
In Flat-Plane Carving with Harley, I shared the story of this Scandinavian style of woodcarving taught by Harley Refsal.
In Center, Open, Pull, I shared my experience learning to throw clay during the week-long Round and Round We Throw class. Steve Fielding demonstrates throwing.
I didn’t post about every class I attended although I enjoyed them all. I participated in a week-long class on glassblowing with Alex Greenwood and Tony Prince. Here Tony demonstrates flamework.
Weekend classes on Basketry, Inkle Weaving and Portrait Photography were also informative and great fun.
As you can see, that’s a broad spectrum of subjects. I deliberately chose to go “wide and shallow” instead of “narrow and deep”. I selected a variety of classes including media that were completely new to me (eg woodcarving) and media that have interested me for some time (eg basketry and clay).
But the fun didn’t stop there, every week, one or two of the instructors host demonstrations for all students. I attended as many of these as possible. This was another excellent way to gain exposure to different media. Here are a few of the demonstrations I attended. Paper marbling was demonstrated by Pat K Thomas.
Vasanto demonstrated felt making.
A blacksmithing demo was hosted by Paul Garrett who is the Resident Artist for Blacksmithing.
Marlow Gates demonstrated broom making.
This is merely a sampling of what the Folk School has to offer. For instance, I haven’t mentioned the music and dance program but it is very popular and offers a wide variety of classes.
By now, you will understand why I titled this post “A Makers’ Playground”. It’s an energizing environment. Instructors bring their expertise and know-how. Everyone brings their creativity, ideas and inspiration. Together we play. Together we create community and art. Together we make magic!
More Info
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I participated in the Work Study Program at the John C Campbell Folk School. You can learn more about the program in my post First Impressions as a Work Study Student. Or check out the following posts to learn about the Folk School experience.
. Weave a Market Basket
. Artistic Details Around Campus
. Carving in Brasstown
. Getting Started with Woodcarving
. Work Study Program FAQ
. From Sheep to Shawl
. Flat-Plane Carving with Harley
. Center, Open, Pull.
You can learn more on the John C Campbell Folk School website, their Facebook page or Instagram account. Information about the Work Study program is found here.
The John C Campbell Folk School is the largest folk school in the U.S. today but there are a number of other folk schools from which to choose. You can find an index of folk schools under the Folk School Network option on The Folk School Alliance website.
Today’s Takeaways
1. Experience the joy of making by hand.
2. Consider immersing yourself in a new craft.
3. Find a makers’ playground, like the John C Campbell Folks School, near you and dive in.
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