A Celebration of North Carolina Crafts

Various links

By Karen House| April 2004

Crafts in the Mountains
Asheville Art Museum
Where	Asheville (828) 253-3227 www.ashevilleart.org
What	Located in downtown Asheville, the museum has a permanent collection of 20th and 21st century American contemporary local craft, as well as heritage pieces and special exhibitions exploring the craft tradition.
Upcoming Events	Through June 20: “Thinking With Blood: Conflict and Culture in the New South,” contemporary work by 12 Southern artists examines themes of what it is to be considered Southern.

John C. Campbell Folk School
Where	Brasstown, east of Murphy (828) 837-2775 www.folkschool.org
What	Observing its 80th birthday during the statewide celebration, the school provides weekend and week-long classes in crafts, from making banjos to learning about medicinal herbs. The 300-acre campus includes a history center, where 20th-century Appalachia is on display, and a craft shop that features the juried work of over 300 artists.
Upcoming Events	May 30-June 5: “Appalachian Heritage Week,” featuring traditional mountain crafts, music and folk ways.

Penland School of Crafts
Where	Near Spruce Pine, northeast of Asheville (828) 765-2359 www.penland.org
What	Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Penland School is celebrating its 75th anniversary with specially-commissioned works. The school offers classes in books and paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking, textiles, and wood. The school also offers a craft gallery and guides to surrounding studios.
Upcoming Events	Through April 25: “Penland Retrospect,” a gallery exhibition to kick off the school’s 75th anniversary, highlights school life and community history. May 4-June 20: “New Uses of Materials,” exhibition. June 29-August 22: “Contemporary Iron,” exhibition.

Museum of the Cherokee Indian
Where	Cherokee (888) 665-7249 www.cherokeemuseum.org
What	This interactive museum showcases the Cherokee tradition and rituals through their carvings, hand-crafted split-oak baskets, wood-fired pots, ceremonial masks, weapons, jewelry and music. Hands-on exhibits complement the museum’s extensive artifact collection and archives.

Southern Highland Craft Guild
Where	Near Asheville (828) 298-7928 www.southernhighlandguild.org
What	For 75 years the Southern Highland Craft Guild, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, has promoted crafts made by artists living in the mountainous regions of the South. The Folk Art Center shop showcases traditional mountain folk art as well as contemporary American craft made by the Guild’s 700-plus member artists. The Highland Craft Guild features exhibitions and hands-on community events. Daily craft demonstrations are held April-December.
Upcoming Events	Through April 4: “Quilt National,” 20 works in contemporary quilt art. April 10-June 27: “Woodworking from Country Workshops.” April 24: “Day of Puppetry.”