The heartbeat of the John C Campbell Folk School creative community is found in its studios. There are 17 studios located on the campus. As the Folk School calendar puts it “Magic happens in the studios at the Folk School. It’s in the studio that you’ll work with knowledgeable, artistic instructors and be inspired by other students. And it’s in these studios that you’ll explore your creative self, discovering new talents and challenging yourself in ways that promote personal growth.”
Each studio has its own personality and charm. Upon my return to the Folk School this week, I took a tour around campus to peek into the studios. COVID-19 measures are evident, in fact only instructors and students are permitted to enter during this time, but the custom-designed maker spaces are as enticing as ever. I’ve included a studio tour in today’s post. But first, the iconic view that puts a spring in the step of every Folk School alum—the welcoming, red front door at Keith House!
This studio tour will take a circular route around the Folk School’s beautiful campus—heading southeast from Keith House. The first stop is Davidson Hall which houses 3 popular studios: Music Studio, Cooking Studio and the Wet Room.
The Music Studio houses a variety of classes such as guitar, banjo, fiddle, ukulele, dulcimer, singing and songwriting. Dance classes are also hosted in this space. Here’s a peek inside the second floor studio.
The Wet Room and Cooking Studio share the ground floor of Davidson Hall.
The Wet Room is where various fiber arts such as spinning, dyeing, surface design, knitting, crocheting, and feltmaking are practiced. The Cooking Studio hosts a variety of cooking classes including bread making, seasonal and ethnic cooking, cheese making, and so on. Here’s a peek inside the cooking studio.
Just outside the cooking studio, there’s an extensive herb garden.
The studio tour takes us southwest past the Folk School Gardens. This is a popular teaching space for gardening, homesteading and nature study classes.
The next studio on the tour is the Harvest Room at Orchard House. Photography, storytelling and writing are taught in this cozy, tucked-away space.
The next studio, or more accurately “shop”, is anything but cozy and tucked-away. The Clay Spencer and Francis Whitaker Blacksmith Shops are highly regarded as blacksmith teaching facilities.
Students learn everything from maintaining a fire and basic hammer control to forging welded furniture.
Here’s a student project from a recent Hat Racks, Coat Racks and Pot Racks class.
Leaving the Blacksmith Shop the tour heads north to the Louise Pittman Fiber Arts building. This building houses a Weaving and a Quilting Studio. Several classes, such as lace-making, beading, doll and bear-making, needlework and thread art may shift between the two studios.
The Weaving Studio hosts classes in weaving, tapestry and rug-making. Here is a student project from a recent class called Tapestry: Basics and Beyond.
The Quilting Studio is used for quilting and sewing classes.
Students exhibited these splendid quilt tops which they made in a recent class.
From the Fiber Arts building the tour heads north along the area affectionately known as “Studio Row”. A series of historic buildings houses the Enameling Studio, Clay Studio, Woodcarving Studio, Jewelry Studio, Rock Room and Woodworking Studio.
Pictured below are the Enameling and Clay Studios. Enameling and hot/warm glass classes, such as glass fusing, glass bead making and glass blowing, are held in the Enameling studio. The Clay Studio is used for pottery, including wheel thrown and hand building classes, mosaics and sculpture.
Here’s a striking student project from a recent Cooking With Enamel class.
This is a peek into the D.X. Ross Jewelry and Metals Studio which hosts classes in jewelry-making, metalsmithing, kaleidoscopes and stained glass.
This is a recent student project from the Copper Techniques metalwork class.
The Woodcarving Studio is used for Leather as well as Woodcarving classes.
The Rock Room hosts classes in basketry, gourd art, chair seat caning and broom making.
These beautiful baskets were completed by students in a recent Baskets of the Folk School class.
The Woodworking Studio shares a building with the Rock Room.
This is the front porch of the Woodworking Studio.
Leaving Studio Row, the tour continues north to the final 3 studios. This is the Willard Baxter Woodturning Studio.
Students from the recent Bowls with Lids class completed woodturning projects like this outstanding example.
The Painting Studio hosts classes in painting, drawing and mixed media.
The final studio on the tour is the outstanding Book and Paper Arts Studio where students have the opportunity to learn book arts, calligraphy, marbling, paper art and printmaking.
In this photo, sheets of custom-made paper are hung to dry on the large covered porch.
Students completed a variety of stunning projects in a recent Ideas and Techniques in Papermaking class.
This wraps up the John C Campbell Folk School studio tour. With this many creative outlets available every student has the opportunity to make their own magic!
More Info
The John C Campbell Folk School offers over 800 classes in 50 subject areas annually. In any one week, up to 15 classes may be utilizing the custom-designed, well-equipped studios shown in this post. See the John C Campbell Folk School website for more info. Special thanks to Tammy Godfrey, Visitor Engagement Coordinator, for hosting an enlightening and entertaining campus tour.
I’m currently participating in a 6-week Work Study Program. Look for Work Study on the Folk School website for more info or check the FanningSparks’ blog posts about my prior Work Study Program experience.
Today’s Takeaways
1. A well-equipped studio helps you to explore your creative self, discover new talents and challenge yourself.
2. Become inspired by knowledgeable, artistic instructors and like-minded fellow students.
3. Consider making your own magic at the John C Campbell Folk School or a similar facility near you.
Comments are closed.