#17
September 1, 2026#19
September 1, 2026
Searchable issue transcript
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$8.95 $8.95 foothills foothills Nature Nature Art Art Hist or y Hist or y Culture Culture Music Music Display Until 2/08/22 Display Until 2/08/22 T he T he Artisan Artisan Issue Issue Blue Ridge Blue Ridge Craft Trails Craft Trails Traditional Traditional Appalachian Craft s Appalachian Craft s Digest Digest
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2 Premium Ad Placement $5,000 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@foothillsdigest.com
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3 Send a check for $44 to: Foothills Digest PO Box 2670 Lenoir, NC 28645 Name: Address: Phone: Card Number: Expiration: CVV Code: Subscr ibe On the Cover: Hamilton Williams crafts a nautilus plate. See page 112.
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4 foothills Digest Foothills Digest PO Box 2670 Lenoir, NC 28645 Fall 2021 Phone: 828.475.1323 E-mail: editor@foothillsdigest.com Website: foothillsdigest.com Stock by Adobe Stock PRINTED IN USA PARTNER COMPANY: ECKARD PHOTOGRAPHIC CARMEN ECKARD Editor in Chief Author JON ECKARD Principal Photographer JOEY OSBORNE Partner
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5 Letter from the Editor I’m beyond honored to be able to bring this story of Appalachian crafts to you. I’ve been surrounded by these crafts for much of my life, but until I made this issue, I didn’t really understand how important they are to the story of North Carolina. People on this land have been crafting some of these traditional crafts since before we have recorded history. There was a time when the crafts were in danger of becoming extinct, as industry made them less necessary. But a dedicated group of people worked tirelessly to expose the rest of the world to traditional Appalachian crafts, shaping the Craft Revival and ensuring the survival of large parts of our culture. We salute those people, as well as the makers who are keeping the crafts alive today. Western North Carolina is positively filled to the brim with artisans. They still work with traditional materials using the old ways, and the work they produce is part of the continuous thread of history. We look at pottery, basketry, metal smithing, fiberwork and woodworking, and we’re telling you how to go see (and purchase) these crafts today. We hope you’ll drive the Blue Ridge Craft Trails Foothills Road Trip and chat with the artisans you meet along the way. It’s also time for MerleFest, a music festival that’s very important to us here at Foothills Digest. We’re happy to be a sponsor of the festival, and we think it highlights the very best of traditional music. Be sure to check it out, March 29 to April 1.
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4 Letter from the Editor 8 Traditional Appalachian Crafts 26 Craft Revival 28 Sheep to Shawl 32 Selected Works of Doris Ulmann 50 Blue Ridge Craft Trails 52 John C. Campbell Folk School 58 Folk Art Center 64 Penland School of Craft 66 Crossnore Weavers 70 Green Energy Park 72 Shira Forge 76 Craft Trails Foothills Road Trip 78 Foothills Arts Center 80 Yadkin Valley Fiber Center 81 November Room 82 Yadkin Valley Quilts 84 Blue Ridge Woodcrafts 86 Woodcrafting with Hedrick 88 Alleghany Arts and Crafts 90 Mangum-Cater Pottery 94 Three Crows Metalworks Table of Contents
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96 Pottery Place 97 Sunset Fiberworks 98 Wilkes Hardware 100 Taupe Gallery 103 Brey Quality Crafts 105 Kogut Violins 106 Folk Keepers Gallery 108 OSusannah’s 110 Oak Hill Iron + Wood 112 Hamilton Williams 114 West Union Art Studio 116 Whimmy-Diddles 118 MerleFest We are happy to work with Blue Ridge Craft Trails to bring you a Foothills Craft Road Trip. Visit www.blueridgeheritage.com/blue-ridge- craft-trails/ to learn more about the program. Blue Ridge Craft Trails is created by Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. This group is dedicated to protecting and promoting the unique aspects of western NC, including crafts, music and Cherokee culture.
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8 Traditional Appalachian Crafts Some 16,000 years ago, Native Americans began to gather in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Most of these were Cherokee, but there were also Iroquois, Powhatan, and Shawnee people. By the time Europeans began to arrive in the 1700s, the Appalachians were dotted by more than 50 Cherokee settlements, connected by trails. As Europeans arrived, they claimed land in the mountain range and settled there. Most of these immigrants were Scotch-Irish and German, and they brought many traditions with them. It’s this blending of people and the cultures they carried with them that built the foundation for the traditional Appalachian arts. As Europeans learned to survive in this rugged new land, they learned which wood worked best for houses, and which was best to make into a toy. They learned the seasons, the dirt, and the livestock, and they learned how to survive, and even thrive, in a land that was far more unforgiving than they were used to. Each of the traditional arts are a solution to a common problem or need Basketry was developed because people needed to carry things. Pottery developed because people needed to store and can food. Weaving, spinning, dyeing, and quilting kept people warm. Blacksmithing was vital because horses need shoes, and all sorts of needed items can be crafted from wood. Perhaps it was the fact that these makers were surrounded by the exquisite and unspoiled beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. Perhaps it was the satisfaction of creating something beautiful with their hands. Perhaps it was just that people are prone to making art. We can’t be sure of the why, but we know that regarding Appalachian Traditional Arts, the utilitarian was elevated to art. Pottery solved a very distinct need. Food preservation was a matter of survival. Pottery traditions from Europe adapted for the climate of Southern Appalachia blended with Native American methods, and potters learned how to make the best possible pottery. They learned what kind of clay to dig, usually from riverbanks, and they experimented with glazes and firings. Pottery is a specialized craft, and potters tended to pass the craft to their children. In this manner, the outside world had little impact on regional pottery traditions. Catawba Valley Pottery is still crafted in a very traditional manner. Clay is dug from specific banks, then processed and spun on a (usually foot-powered) wheel. The pottery’s glaze is alkaline, made from ash and other ingredients.
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10 THE FOLK SCHOOL CHANGES YOU. JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL folkschool.org 1-800-FOLK-SCH BRASSTOWN NORTH CAROLINA Sweater by Martha Owen Engaging hands and hearts since 1925. Come enjoy making crafts and good friends on 270 natural, scenic acres in western North Carolina.
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11 The pottery is fired in a wood-fired groundhog kiln. Groundhog kilns are uniquely Southern, built partially underground and featuring a long, low area for firing and a large chimney that pulls the heat to the pottery. The kiln can hold up to 150 pieces, and are heated for many hours. The firing can be an especially social event, and kiln opening sales have been a fixture for decades.
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14 Basketry is an essential Appalachian craft. The Cherokee have been m a k i n g e l a b o r a t e , beautiful baskets long before Europeans arrived. In fact, the Cherokee have been making baskets since before history was recorded. Archaeologists have found impressions of baskets on ancient Cherokee pottery. Their double-woven baskets are the oldest form of basket in the Southeast. Clans had unique basket patterns with different names that envoke nature. Historically, Cherokee have used bundled pine needles, rivercane, white oak, honeysuckle, and hickory bark for basket making. Most designs feature dyed materials and colorful patterns. The dyes were made of plants like butternut, walnut, bloodroot and yellowroot. Today, most large museums feature Cherokee baskets. Also important to our history are the white oak split baskets of the Appalachian settlers (shown at left). It is assumed that settlers learned how to make these baskets from the Cherokee, because they are built on a base of split white oak, identical to a known Cherokee technique.
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15 Above, historical Cherokee baskets. Below, a woman crafts a basket at Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual in Cherokee. Photo courtesy of VisitNC.com. At left, a white oak basket available at Wilkes County Hardware
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16 Textile arts were of the utmost importance. Even the story of Adam and Eve tells us of people’s most basic need for clothing. In the very cold winters of Southern Appalachia, wool was vital. To get wool fabric for clothing, one must first keep sheep, shear the sheep, clean and card the wool, spin the wool, and then weave the fabric. At the turn of the century, trains were crossing the region, and this brought industry. Before then, the area was very isolated, and the traditional crafts were necessary. Once the world came to Appalachia, the culture of Appalachia was at risk. Fortunately, some people did see the importance of traditional arts, and the need to preserve them. The best way to preserve something in America is to market it, and that’s just what some enterprising folks from Appalachia did. Across the region, different schools and centers were opened that helped create a market for hand-crafted Appalachian art. One of these was Crossnore Weavers, shown in these pictures. It opened in 1936 with the goal of helping mountain people making a living creating Appalachian crafts. Crossnore Weavers is still operational, and they train weavers in the traditional ways. Weaving is done on a loom, which can be quite large. Below, you can see the warp, a set of vertical threads set in a desired pattern. At right you can see the shuttle which carries the weft, the thread that is woven through the piece. Pedals are used to lift some of the warp threads, and the shuttle is moved across the piece. As the pedals are released, the shuttle is moved back through in the opposite direction. This pattern repeats and the fabric grows longer, row by row. The tedious process requires constant attention but the result is truly artful. At right, a weaver is creating the Tartan for the Daughters of the American Revolution.
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19 You can visit Crossnore Weavers and watch the process live. Spinning wool was also an important craft, using a specialized wheel and a high level of skill. This work was always performed by women. D y i n g w a s a l s o essential, requiring an in-depth knowledge of the plants and animals used for dyes. Onion peels can be used to create a vivid gold dye. Queen Anne’s Lace creates an earthy green color. Pokeberry makes a delightful reddish purple color. Most communities usually had one person dedicated to the task of dyeing fabric, because of its complicated nature. Before dyeing, fabrics must be treated with a mordant. A dyer would get some pieces of iron, preferably rusty, put them in a jar and cover with vinegar. After two weeks, this produced a good mordant. Fabric was soaked in this, or another mordant, then soaked in dye overnight. After that it was boiled. The fabric or wool was then rinsed and hung to dry. Much of this was trial and error which means there was room for it to turn into an art.
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I build each of my violins one at a time, from specially selected tonewoods, and finished with hand tools in the traditional way. 828-493-4875 fiddlemaker@charter.net
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The importance of woodworking simply can’t be overstated. When settlers arrived here, timber was the most abundant resource. Forest land had to be cleared to make room for farms and homes, and the cleared lumber was used to build houses, churches, one room school houses, furniture, children’s toys and instruments, among other things. Many of these items were necessary for survival, but others exist simply for the joy they brought to people. Each different species of wood behaves differently when carved. As settlers learned the land, they also learned the wood. As they learned to make the items they needed, they began to make beautiful pieces, and they passed their knowledge to their children. The Brasstown Carvers are a group of carvers based at the John C. Campbell Folk School. They can trace their start to 1929 when Mrs. Olive Campbell (see page 39) witnessed a group of men on the porch of Fred O. Scroggs’ general store, idly whittlin’ with their pocket knives. Mrs. Campbell saw the potential skill and productivity in these men and provided them with blocks of wood and direction. National attention was brought to the group when President and First Lady Roosevelt happened upon their work at the Mountain Handicrafts exhibit in Washington DC. A local paper reported that the First Lady was taken with their carvings. They said she visited the exhibition six times and bought “a whole flock of geese (see page 47).”
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23 Carving was traditionally considered man’s work, but World War II saw women pick up the craft. By 1946, women were the majority in the Brasstown Carvers. Since that time, men and women have participated equally in the group, which still meets to carve together. The Brasstown Carvers carved such objects as crèche figures/nativity scenes, animal figurines, and napkin rings. But woodworking takes many forms. Crafting furniture has been important to the foothills since the many small towns were incorporated. Hickory is especially well-known as a furniture town, and it’s sometimes called “The Furniture Capital of the World.” It is still home to many furniture manufacturers, like Vanguard Furniture. Nearby in Taylorsville you’ll find Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. These high-end furniture companies rely on the heritage of woodworking these communities possess. Vernacular Architecture is a term that refers to architecture that is specific to the traditions of a certain geographic area. The vernacular architecture of the Southern Appalachians is fascinating. Log homes were created from cleanly hewn logs. In addition to the main house, a homestead may also have “a milk house, smokehouse, woodshed, stable, carriage shed, chicken coop, hog house, or pigpen, wash house, spring house, ice house, root or vegetable cellar,corn crib, storm cellar, and others,” according to Everett Wilson in his 1961 book Vanishing America. More commonly, you might find a house, barn, woodshed, pigpen, spring house, and outhouse. Each of those structures would also be built from logs, crafted by hand. In between the logs, builders would spread chinking. This was pure red clay mixed with water until it was sticky. Many of these homes still exist, sprinkled throughout the mountainsides. Others have been purchased and preserved in private collections. Instrument building has also been very important for Southern Appalachia. Specifically, the traditional violin, base, guitar and banjo are very popular. Settlers came to these mountains with only the bare necessities, and they were not trained in making the instruments. Through trial and error, and by taking apart old instruments to see how they work, Appalachian woodworkers developed excellent methods for crafting instruments. Now, they are sought after, and musicians come from around the world to purchase violins made in these mountains. Wood is tremendously versatile, and knowing how to build, carve or craft with it has always been an important skill. Without woodworkers, our earliest communities would not have been possible. Wood provides shelter from the environment, tools and items of comfort and culture.
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24 Of all the traditional crafts, perhaps the most important to survival was blacksmithing. Every community needed a blacksmith to create a variety of things, from horseshoes, knives and wagon wheels to nails and hardware for wagons. They made knitting needles,cooking equipment, latches, gates, fences, tools and chandeliers, plus countless tools. As transportation shifted from wagons to cars, the need for blacksmiths has decreased. The Bureau of Labor Statistics categorizes blacksmiths as part of the Metal and Plastic Machine Workers industry, which is an industry that is in steady decline. Industrial blacksmithing is becoming less common, but artisan blacksmithing is on the rise. Custom knives, cooking pans and fireplace tools are especially popular among artisan blacksmiths. Blacksmithing has always been dangerous, highly specialized work. The metal must be worked at extremely high temperatures, and hammered into shape. It’s a very physical and demanding job. The John C. Campbell Folk School and Penland School of Crafts both train blacksmiths in traditional techniques. The traditional arts of Southern Appalachia are a reminder that our people will do what it takes to survive, and we will do it with style. Consider purchasing traditional Appalachian crafts. If we want these crafts to flourish, we need to support the artists doing the hard work. There are artisans all over Southern Appalachia, but western North Carolina is particularly bursting with creative energy. Explore your community, and support the people making traditional art!
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25 N estled between Mineral Springs Mountain and Lake Rhodhiss, Valdese is the perfect place to spend the weekend. Conveniently lo- cated along I-40, between Morganton & Hickory. The quaint small town offers a great getaway. Plan to catch a show at the Cranford Amphitheatre, experience Waldensian heritage at the local museum, take a hike to McGalliard Falls and en- joy the lake views at Valdese Lakeside Park. Spring Craft Market April 30, 2022 Hunchback of Notre Dame April 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 & 30 Family Friday Nights Concerts May 27-Sept. 2 visitvaldese.com Upcoming Events
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26 Craft Revival In the time before trains and tunnels that cut through mountainsides, Appalachian communities were isolated. People were incredibly self-sufficient, and they knew how to live off the land. They made practically every thing by hand, and folks could go months without leaving their own homestead. But once trains came, the outside world let itself in. No one could argue that life wasn’t easier after modern amenities arrived, but the traditional Appalachians ways of being were quickly fading. It became clear, starting in the early 1920s, that if something wasn’t done quickly, the traditional arts would likely die out all together. And so, the Craft Revival Movement was born, out of absolute necessity and in the nick of time. Author Allen Eaton wrote defined the movement in Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands . He said, “Every kind of work will be judged by two measurements: one by the product itself...the other by the effect of the work on the producer.” This concept is at the heart of Craft Revival. The movement aimed to improve both the quality of the crafts, and also to improve the quality of life of the artisan. The Craft Revival required the skill and effort of two types of people: the artisans, and another group, dedicated to marketing traditional crafts to the world. That group is responsible for creating a marketplace so
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27 that these crafts could support the families of the artisans. Countless people were responsible for this movement. Lucy Morgan, John and Olive Campbell, George Bidstrup, Marguerite Butler, Mary Sloop, Edward Worst, Louise Pitman, Elanor Vance and Charlotte Yale were all immensely important. Each of them would warrant a chapter in any book on the subject. Photographers Doris Ulmann and Bayard Wootten photographed these people and the artisans they worked with. Several organizations have been integral to the success of the movement. These include John C. Campbell Folk School, Crossnore Weavers and Penland School for Crafts. Allanstand Cottage Industries was responsible for creating much of the marketplace for traditional arts. This was the nation’s first craft shop, with humble beginnings as a road-side shop. Started by Frances Goodrich, the company was gifted to the Southern Highlands Craft Guild upon her death. The Brasstown Carvers were a cooperative group based out of the Campbell Folk School, and they also helped create a marketplace for their carvings. The Cherokee Indian Fair was also integral to the movement. The annual event has occurred for over 100 years, and by selling baskets at this event, Cherokee basket designs became world-known. You can attend this event each October. Because of the work and artistry of countless people, and intentional marketing and focus on education, the traditional Appalachian arts were saved from potential extinction.
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29 When you wrap yourself in something made from wool, you’re taking part in one of the oldest traditions on earth. Archaeologists have found woven wool garments that date to 400 BC, although it’s likely that wool was used much earlier. Man domesticated sheep 11,000 years ago, and we’ve been breeding selectively ever since, resulting in sheep will the typical wool coat we see today. Generally speaking, wool comes from sheep. Some wools do come from other animals, like cashmere and mohair, which come from goats and angora, which comes from rabbits. Wool is a fabulous insulator, and it has helped mankind survive and thrive in cold climates and during the winter. As ubiquitous as wool has become, the process of creating wool from the fur of sheep is tedious and labor intensive, with many steps. Firstly, sheep must be sheared. The first shear was used during the Iron Age. Shearing is important not only for the wool that it produces, but also for the health of the sheep. Shearing a sheep is hard work, and if it isn’t done correctly, it’s very easy to cut the sheep, so it’s best to leave this part to a professional. When properly sheared, the coat comes off in one large piece. Next, the coat is cleaned of dirt and oils like naturally occurring lanolin. The coat is separated to prepare it for the next step. Sheep T T o Shawl
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30 The wool must be carded, which is the process of pulling it through fine metal teeth. Traditionally, this is done using carding paddles, as you see at left. Now, many manufacturers use machines for this. Wool is naturally very curly, and carding gets all the fibers properly oriented and it fluffs up the material as well. After wool has been carded, it’s called wool roving. Wool roving is then spun into yarn. A spinning wheel is used to combine between 2 and 5 pieces of roving, twisting it into recognizable yarn that is much stronger than the roving. At this point, you could take this yarn and use it to knit or weave fabric. But, most of the time, we don’t want to wear only ivory colored items, so wool must be dyed. Fortunately, wool is very easy to dye, and it holds the colors very well. The goal is to submerge the yarn into boiling water that has dye added to it. Generally speaking, this is done after the yarn has been formed, but you can actually dye wool at any stage during the process. The longer your wool is submerged, the more vibrant your color will be. Wool remains fashionable and utilitarian, but we shouldn’t forget that it was absolutely vital to the earliest settlers in our region. Our winters can be brutal, and wool provided settlers with the protection they needed from the elements. Wearing a beautiful woven shawl created by an artisan is a great way to honor our heritage, and by making purchases like this, we are helping to keep this ancient tradition alive. You can also take classes to learn to spin, weave, knit, or felt wool.
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32 Photos are courtesy of John C. Campbell Folk School Archives. Doris Ulmann (May 29, 1882 – August 28, 1934) was an American photographer. She’sW known for her captivating portraits. Many of her subjects were people in Southern Appalchia. She spent time at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown in 1933 or 1934, near the end of her life, and she photographed many people in the community. She practiced Pictorialism and was a member of the Pictorial Photographers of America . Pictorialism was an aesthetic movement that was very popular in the early 1900s. Typically these photos have a much softer focus than a standard portrait and they are often printed in browns or blues instead of black and white. “Sarah Sanoma Hatchett with carding paddles and spinning wheel “ This photograph of Sarah Sanoma Hatchett was taken by Doris Ulmann in the Brasstown, N.C. area, in the summer of 1933. Hatchett, known locally as “Granny Hatchett,” was a weaver and spinner from Bellview, North Carolina. Hatchett is shown sitting in front of a spinning wheel with carding paddles in her lap. Selected Photography of Doris Ulmann Doris Ulmann
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35 “William Johnson with Carving“ This photograph, taken by Doris Ulmann in 1933 or 1934, shows William “Gyp” Johnson holding his carving knife and a small carving. Johnson was an early student and one of the first woodcarvers at the John C. Campbell Folk School. “Louise L. Pitman at the dye pot“ This photograph, taken by Doris Ulmann in 1933 or 1934, shows Louis Pitman dyeing natural fibers. Louise Livingston Pitmancame to the John C. Campbell Folk School in 1926 as an instructor and later became the Director of Handicrafts. Pitman was a specialist in natural dyes and dyeing.
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36 “Hayden Hensley and Bonnie Logan Hensley carving“ This is a photograph of Bonnie Logan Hensley and Hayden Hensley sitting next to a box of carving blanks and carving small animals. Bonnie Hensley and her husband Hayden Hensley were some of the first woodcarvers at the John C. Campbell Folk School participating in the cooperative that later came to be known as the Brasstown Carvers. Their woodcarving supplemented farm income and made it possible for them to purchase a house, often referred to as “the house that carving built.” “Bonnie Logan Hensley with baby John Hensley” This photograph is of Bonnie Logan Hensley holding her son John. “Hayden Hensley carving“ This is a photograph of Hayden Hensley with several carving blanks.
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38 “Olive Dame Campbell Portrait” This is a portrait of Olive Dame Campbell. Campbell cofounded the John C. Campbell Folk School in 1925 with Marguerite Butler. During Ulmann’s several trips to photograph in the Brasstown area, she and Campbell cultivated a deep friendship that lasted until Ulmann’s death in 1934. “Marguerite Butler Portrait” This photograph shows Marguerite Butler. Butler cofounded the John C. Campbell folk school with Olive Dame Campbell. Butler became Marguerite Bidstrup when she married the school’s Danish farm manager, Georg Bidstrup in 1936.
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40 “Woman Sewing” This photograph was taken by Doris Ulmann in 1933 or 1934, the two years she spent in Brasstown, North Carolina. Ulmann was particularly interested in the work-worn faces of older people “Floyd Laney Carving” This photograph depicts Floyd Laney carving. Laney was an early student at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Students could learn carving through the school and could also produce and sell carvings through the school’s woodcarving cooperative, which later became known as the Brasstown Carvers.
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42 ”Wanda Scroggs” This photograph is of Wanda Scroggs Wanda Scroggs is the daughter of Fred O. Scroggs, store keeper and active community member in Brasstown, and granddaughter of L. L. and Lillie Scroggs, who donated land to establish the John C. Campbell Folk School. Ulmann sometimes posed her subjects in old fashion dress, like the sun bonnet worn by Wanda Scroggs in this photograph.
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44 “Woodcarving: Gaggle of Geese” This photograph depicts a large group of hand carved geese. These carvings of geese are representative of the work produced and sold by local carvers through the John C. Campbell Folk School’s woodcarving cooperative which came to be known as the Brasstown Carvers. “Georg Bidstrup with Wood Toy” This photograph of Georg Bidstrup was taken by Doris Ulmann in 1933 or 1934 at the John C. Campbell Folk School. This photograph shows Bidstrup holding an Appalachian folk toy called the Limber Jack or Dancing Man. Bidstrup came to the school in 1926 and was initially employed as the Danish farm manager and instructor for folk dancing and gymnastics. He married co-founder of the school, Marguerite Butler, in 1936. Bidstrup eventually became director of the Folk School in 1952.
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47 “Park Fisher with Bellows” This photograph depicts Park Fisher holding hand-made hearth bellows. Fisher was in charge of the woodshop at the John C. Campbell Folk School when the shop was located at the Mill House. Note the woodcarvings in the background. “Jason Reed at the Draw Horse“ This photograph, taken by Doris Ulmann in 1933 or 1934, depicts chair maker Jason Reed using a draw knife to shape a piece of wood. Reed, a native of Blairsville, Georgia, was a chair maker who was commissioned to produce chairs for the 1927 Dedication Day of the Community Room at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Ulmann took several pictures of Reed, one of which appears in Allen Eaton’s 1937 book “Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands.”
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48 2 page Ad $2500 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@ foothills digest.com
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50 Blue Ridge Craft Trails
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51 T raditional Appalachian crafts are alive and well in western North Carolina. There are thousands of artisans creating in our hills, making pottery, iron work, weaving, woodcarvings, and bas- kets. However, it can be difficult for folks to find the artisans and their work, and one organization is doing a lot to help that problem. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is the regional steward of living Appalachian traditions in North Carolina. They aim to protect and promote the unique music, crafts, outdoors, food ways and Cherokee culture unique to Western North Carolina. The organization takes its responsibilities very seriously, and they’ve developed several programs designed to connect people to the artists of the region. Their website, blueridgeheritage.org, offers a directory of traditional artists. They are also the creators of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, which highlight the many opportunities to hear live traditional music in our state. But our favorite thing on this website is the Blue Ridge Craft Trails. With more than 200 craft sites across 25 counties, the Blue Ridge Craft Trails are prolific. The suggested trips weave you through small towns, mountain hollers, and to places you’ve definitely never been. Some of the spots on the trail have been hugely important to the preservation and marketing of traditional Appalachian crafts, like the John C. Campbell Folk School, the Folk Art Center, Penland School of Crafts, and Crossnore Weavers. Other spots are the workshops of talented artisans, like Shira Forge in Sylva, or Magnum Cater Pottery in Sparta. We don’t have enough room to highlight all the stops along the way. Instead, we’ve selected a few of our favorite stops to share. We also used the “Plan Your Trip” tool in the top right corner to create a road trip. The trip will have you driving for 3.5 hours, and seeing about 20 of the stops along the Blue Ridge Craft Trails. We begin in Elkin before traveling to Sparta, then Wilkesboro, Lenoir and Morganton. We are including an address for each stop, as well as a QR code that will pull up Google Maps on your smart phone, and navigate you to the location. We haven’t highlighted every spot along the trail, as we’ve focused on pottery, weaving, basketry, blacksmithing and woodworking. If you aren’t near the particular part of the trail we’ve highlighted, be sure to check out the website and embark on your own craft adventure.
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52 John c. Campbell folk school
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54 A t the turn of the century, Southern Appalachia was considered in need of educational and social reform. Harsh conditions led to isolated communities that were cut off from many of the advancements of the day. John C. Camp - bell was a noted educator and reformer, and he set off with his new wife Olive Dame in 1908 to complete a survey of the conditions in Southern Appalachia. The pair outfitted a wagon and traveled throughout the mountains. As her hus - band interviewed farmers about their work and the land, Olive learned ballads and studied the various handicrafts of the mountainfolk. Both husband and wife were confident that education was the answer to the problems facing the rural people. After her husband’s death, Olive began traveling Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland with her colleague Marguerite Butler (see page 42). They were fascinated with the way these cultures handled education, and they determined to open a school based on the Danish Folk School style of non competitive education, where no grades were given and a spirit of cooperation was fostered. Olive spoke with Fred Scroggs who ran the local store in Brasstown, NC. He was tasked with talking with locals to see if they were interested in a new school in their community. When she returned a few weeks later, over 200 people were waiting to meet her and talk about the school. In 1925, construction on the school began, and it became a community center almost immediately. The motto of the school is “I sing behind the plow.” By 1983, the school was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s widely recognized as an important part of the Craft Revival Movement.
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The school is also the home of the Brasstown Carvers. This group formed organically very early in the history of the school. The school educated a large number of woodcarvers, and helped to establish a market for their goods. Their work even made it to the White House when President Roosevelt and his wife bought a “whole flock” of wooden geese. This group still carves together today. The Folk School has been operational for nearly a century. The school in a non- profit organization, working to “transform lives, and bring people together in a nurturing environment for experiences in learning and community life that spark self-discovery.” The school is open year-round for classes. Some are week-long sessions, and others last a weekend. Classes are offered in art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing but the focus is predominantly on traditional crafts. At the Folk School, you can learn basketry, blacksmithing, book arts, broom making, calligraphy, chair seat making, clay arts, doll making, dyeing, enameling, felt-making, glass arts, jewelry making, knitting, crochet, lace-work, leather work, metal work, needlecraft, quilting, sewing, soap making, spinning, weaving and woodworking, including carving and turning. You can do your part to keep traditional arts alive by learning how to craft. You can access the full list of classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School by using this QR code. Not only will you come away with a new skill, you’ll be able to bask in the beauty of the mountains as you work, and you’ll be part of a rich tradition of Appalachian craftsmen.
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57 Ad $1,000 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@ foothills digest.com
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58 The Folk Art Center on mile marker 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a cooperative project between the Southern Highland Craft Guild and the National Parks Service. In 1930, in the mountains of Tennessee, a group of folk artists chartered the Southern Mountain Handicraft Guild. When the Great Depression hit, the Guild helped its members survive, cultivating opportunities for the artisans, and keeping the traditional arts alive. 92 years and 2 name changes later, Southern Highland Craft Guild is an organization that is absolutely vital to the arts community in Southern Appalachia. The mission of the guild is cultivating the crafts and makers of the Southern Highlands for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing, and conservation. Members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild come from the Appalachian mountain area of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and Alabama. Membership is juried, ensuring that members are talented, creative and industrious. Applying to become a member is a rigorous process and only 10% of applicants Folk Art Center
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60 • “Mountain Gate” fence carving by Helen Bullard. W ood sculpture of five narrow, flat, stylized human forms on a gate.
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61 are accepted. Being a member of this guild is considered a great achievement. In addition to providing opportunities for artists and artisans, the guild also works to preserve our craft traditions for the future. The Folk Center holds a craft shop, library, three exhibition spaces, an auditorium for special events, and a National Park Service bookstore and information desk. The permanent collection of the Southern Highland Craft Guild is housed here. The collection has over 5,000 pieces, although they are displayed on a rotating basis. This collection began with a generous gift from founding member Francis L. Goodrich. She gave the organization a large number of traditional items, calling them “the best in mountain handicrafts.” The collection features traditional woodcarving, textiles, furniture, basketry, pottery, dolls, and other crafts. Goodrich was an important figure in turn-of-the century Appalachia. She moved to the Asheville area in 1890, and saw that the people here still had strong skills with traditional crafts, and she thought that there might be an unexplored market for the work they were doing. She started the Allanstand Craft Shop, the first of several roadside stands that sold traditional Appalachian crafts. She was right about the unexplored market, and she was able to bring the work of Appalachian artisans to the rest of the world. Goodrich’s work was part of Southern Appalachian Handicraft Revival, a movement in the late 1800s to the 1930s that also inspired The John Campbell Folk School and the Penland School of Crafts. Goodrich was 75 when the Guild was created, and she donated her Allanstand Cottage Industries as well as the permanent collection, confident that the Guild would help preserve them. When you visit the Folk Art Center, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to peruse the historical art, as well as the work of current artists. One of the strengths of the Guild lies in connecting artists to the marketplace. Southern Highland Craft Guild provides several different ways for people to purchase art. Every year, the guild hosts two Craft Fairs in downtown Asheville at Harrah’s Cherokee Center. These are held in July and October. More than 200 makers join together to offer the best in heritage crafts. More than 10,000 people shop at these weekend long events.
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62 The event features craft educators doing demonstrations and teaching classes, as well as live musicians. Over a million dollars is invested into the arts community each time this event is held. Additionally, Southern Highland Craft Guild has a robust website where you can purchase the work of 800 members. Southernhighlandguild. org allows you to search by craft, by artist, by popularity and more, and you’ll be surprised by how many lovely items are offered. Items on this page are all offered on the website. First is “Tall Walnut Bowl,” crafted by North Carolina artist Nathan Favors. He says his passion is to let the wood dictate the shape of each piece. This bowl is available for $400. Next is “Jars with Blue” by Clint Alderman. This Georgian potter uses ash glaze and fires in a wooden kiln. This pot is available online for $115. The iron bottle opener is crafted by artisan Ron Howard, of Chestnut Oak Forge in North Carolina. He has many items available, and the bottle opener is $28. The basket is crafted by Susan B. Taylor. It is a small cat’s head open basket made entirely of ash, with a sawtooth rim, woven in a Fibonacci twill pattern. You can purchase it for $300. The handwoven flax table runner was crafted by Bob Harmon of Old Virginia Textiles. Bob is a 6th generation grandson of the Goodwin family who have been well known in textiles since 1812. He has several table runners available for $69.
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All Appalachian heritage crafts are represented in the store, but you’ll also find more contemporary art, including many innovative techniques. You’ll also find the Allanstand Collection, named after the business of founding member Goodrich. The curated collection is whimsical and folksy. In addition to the craft shows and online gallery, Southern Highland Craft Guild has 4 retail locations. The first is at the Folk Art Center off the parkway, The next is in Biltmore Village in Asheville, at 26 Lodge Street. Asheville is home to another location at 930 Tunnel Road. The last retail location is much closer to home for many foothills residents. Moses Cone Manor, off the parkway near Blowing Rock, houses a lovely retail store. The Guild has been working with the National Parks Service since 1951 at the Moses Cone Manor. Several rooms on the first floor of this historical estate are filled with turned bowls, ceramic tableware, woven garments, and other crafts. There are also seasonal demonstrations. The hours at the shop vary throughout the year, so be sure to check them before you visit. You can call 828-295-7938 for the schedule. Through these varied markets and channels, Southern Highland Crafts Guild connects artisans and shoppers, which keeps these traditional arts thriving in Southern Appalachia. The Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center has over 200,000 visitors per year, and there is no admission charge. Much of that is possible because of donations, and if you feel moved to contribute to this important organization, consider sending a check to Southern Highland Craft Guild/PO Box 9545/Asheville, NC 28815 or go to www.craftguild.org/ donate.
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64 Penland School of Crafts was vital to the Craft Revival movement of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The school was started in 1929 by Lucy Morgan, always known as Miss Lucy. She learned to weave at Berea College in 1923 and when she returned home, she started Penland Weavers, a cottage industry which provided local women with space and the necessary tools to weave, like costly looms. Penland Weavers also marketed the pieces the weavers made and sold them. In 1928, she convinced noted weaving expert Edward F. Worst to come to Penland to teach the women she worked with. He returned again in 1929, and this time several students came from out of state, and the Penland School of Crafts was born. It didn’t take long before new buildings were built and other crafts were added to the offerings. Miss Lucy was enthusiastic and promoted her school widely. It became known internationally as a haven for learning traditional crafts. Since 1929, Penland School of Crafts has educated countless artisans in the traditional crafts of Southern Appalachia. It’s also been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Lucy Morgan said the usefulness of the school lied in “the joy of creative Penland school of craft
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65 occupation and a certain togetherness-working with one another in creating the good and the beautiful.” The school offers workshops in books and paper, clay, drawing and painting, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking and letterpress, textiles, wood, and other media. Each year 1,400 students come to Penland School of Craft, and an additional 14,000 come as visitors. There is no permanent staff at Penland School of Craft. Instead, instructors are full time artists or instructors at other universities. Students come to the school and take only one class at a time, while living on campus. This full immersion creates a stronger learning environment. The school also has a residency program. Full-time artists spend three years living at Penland and learning as they are immersed in work. The primary goal for artists, and the main expectation, is that they “engage intently with their work.” This program is extremely helpful for artists. It’s also helped Penland to become an area full of artisans, as many artists fall in love with the region and never leave. Penland School of Crafts provides artists with tools to take their craft to the next level. Much beauty has been created here, and we hope you’ll find some time to visit.
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67 In 1913, Dr. Mary Martin Sloop and her husband Dr. E. H. Sloop moved to Avery County and opened the Crossnore School as a boarding school for disadvantaged mountain children to live and learn. In 1917, a weaving program was established at the school, and it proved very popular. The weaving room burned in 1935, and the next year, the Home Spun House was constructed to house the weaving activities of Crossnore School. It remains largely unchanged, still used as the weaving room and gallery. Crossnore Weavers was an important part of the Craft Revival. They provided looms and a cooperative environment for local women, and also helped to market and sell the products. Especially popular were woven coverlets and rugs, and some of the designs were incredibly intricate. Today, you can visit Crossnore Weavers and watch as these woven pieces are made, the same way now as they were nearly 100 years ago. It’s fascinating to watch the women work, with their shuttles moving quickly back and forth. It’s clear the women are keeping time to a pattern we can’t see. The rhythm of the looms is almost musical, and the fabric grows slowly, though the tempo is fast. Crossnore weavers
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68 We asked shop manager Lisa Banner what drew her to Crossnore Weavers. She said, “We are here on a mission to weave hope and healing to children in need.” In addition to the weaving room, Crossnore Weavers features a fine art gallery, exhibits, and a retail shop whose proceeds benefit Crossnore Communities for Children, a private, nonprofit child welfare organization. In the shop, you can purchase regional crafts like baskets and jewelry, but the bulk of the products are objects woven on site. Luxurious shawls are popular, but the best sellers are the place mats, napkins and runners. Intricate coverlets are available in many styles, including the most traditional of patterns. Also popular are tartans. Crossnore Weavers has a special relationship with Daughters of the American Revolution. DAR were among the earliest funding partners for the organization, and today, Crossnore is responsible for weaving the official DAR tartan, seen on page 17. While you’re visiting, be sure to check out the Sloop Chapel, but by Dr. Mary Sloop for her husband. It features a Ben Long Fresco called “Suffer the Little Children.”
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70 The Green Energy Park of Jackson County is unlike any other place in the world. At least, so far. We hope that the rest of the world catches up to this leading-edge concept, and this sort of action plan becomes more common. But, for now, it isn’t common at all, and it’s worth a visit to check out what these folks are up to. The Green Energy Park is built near the old Dillsboro landfill. Methane gas is a very potent greenhouse gas. Did you know that landfills create 15% of this problematic methane? It is usually just released into the air, where it contributes to global warming. But the clever folks in Jackson County capture the methane from the landfill, and then they use it as fuel to operate a working studio for artists. The Glass Studio is one of the only hot shops in the world utilizing landfill methane gas as a fuel. The Metals Shop features the first blacksmith forges and art foundry ever fired on landfill gas. Artists are invited to rent space as the facility, so that their art can also benefit the environment. Having these spaces available for rental makes metalsmithing and glasswork possible for many artisans who would not otherwise have access to the “hot” tools needed for this work. Additionally, the park has an Anagama Kiln, which is modeled on ancient Japanese designs. It’s over 1000 square feet, and it uses wood and waste vegetable oil as fuel. The kiln is available for scheduled public firings. Each year, this park prevents 281 tons of methane from entering the atmosphere. It also offsets 550 tons of CO2 that have been created by fossil fuels. Those are very large numbers, and it’s hard to imagine the real-world impact. Imagine removing 916 cars from the roads, or planting over 1,000 trees. It’s the same as preventing the use of over 10,000 barrels (42 gallons each) of oil. We think you’ll agree that this is a big deal! Green Energy Park
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71 You should most certainly visit the Green Energy Park, but it isn’t just because of the renewable energy. It’s also a wonderful place to view art, including many of the traditional crafts of the region. The art gallery is impressive, featuring the works of many of the artists that use the space. Outside, you’ll find a sculpture garden. Green Energy Park hosts sculpture competitions, and the winners are featured in the garden, along with the work of other regional artists. If you live close by, and you want to learn to work with metal and glass, you can take classes at the Green Energy Park. By offering these classes, the organization is helping to keep traditional crafts alive and thriving in western North Carolina. The Green Energy Park opened in 2005, thanks to the efforts of Timm Muth, project director. He has a career’s worth of experience in the energy industry, helping to design and manage nuclear facilities, fossil fuel stations, hydro-power, solar and wind installations, and biomass resources, like the methane from landfills. He led the charge to build the Green Energy Park, and he has worked to improve it for 17 years. His belief in community, and his drive to turn what “could be” into “what is” have been instrumental to the success of the project, and he has created an incubator for artists in the process. This project is truly innovative, and it’s an asset to western North Carolina. Because of The Green Energy Park, our air is cleaner, artists have the opportunity to create, and the rest of us benefit from being able to enjoy the art created here.
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72 When Matthew Shirey was in high school, he became interested in living history. In the years since, he’s worked to master the skills and crafts that allowed pioneers to survive and thrive. In 1999, Shirey attended a blacksmithing workshop at a local state park and he was hooked. He says, “I was mesmerized by the forging process, the rhythmic ring of the hammer meeting the anvil, and the way iron became malleable when heated to a bright orange glow.” He bought his first hand crank forge, anvil, and post vise and began to hone his skills. Matthew attended both the John C. Campbell Folk School and Penland School of Crafts. We asked what it was like to study at these schools. “To me, both schools are my idea of heaven, good people, good food, beautiful campuses, and tons of creative energy everywhere! I found it to be very inspiring and can’t wait to go back again someday, hopefully as a teacher and a student. “ Matthew’s unique style is the result of studying 18th and 19th-century ironwork and cutlery combined with the lessons learned while forging all his products literally by hand. Shirey’s work is getting a lot of traction. He was named USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice for his kitchenware line and he’s being written about in a variety of magazines. Shira Forge
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74 Matthew still makes his pieces the way it’s been done in Southern Appalachia for centuries. “People in the mountains didn’t embellish a lot. There’s real beauty in something that is simple and functional. It’s graceful. If it works well, that makes it more beautiful.” He has quite an array of products. Our personal favorite is a forged carbon steel pan. We featured it on the cover of our Food Issue in 2021, and it’s in constant use in our kitchen. He also has a line of kitchen knives also made from forged carbon steel. This line was created because Matthew loves to cook, and thought he could improve on the kitchen tools he was using. The result is a functional work of art. We’re also fond of his Bird & Trout Knife, which means it’s just small, thin, sharp blade good for processing fish and game, or as an everyday carry (EDC) knife. It features a silver bloster, leather spacers, and antler handle. Matthew says, “I’ve been really inspired lately to try new handle materials and blade styles and to broaded my scope as a bladesmith. One unique item in his store is a straight razor. The blades are hollow ground, and they fold into the handle when not in use. Handle materials can be wood, bone, antler,
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75 or micarta with silver, copper, or iron fittings. For men who want to bring simple artfulness to their daily routines, this razor might be just what they need. Matthew is already teaching his craft to his sons, carrying on the Appalachian tradition of passing on this sort of skillset. He says, “There is something magical about forging iron that strikes a chord deep within me. Whether I’m forging a knife, axe or frying pan I never tire of watching the iron transform under the careful guidance of my hammer. Every day is a learning process and I seek the lessons the iron and fire have to teach me. My goal as a craftsman is not only to create beautiful objects but to master these ancient techniques. I want to know that I could stand shoulder to shoulder with a Blacksmith of 200 years ago and keep pace. It is also important to me that I share this acquired knowledge with others and so I take every opportunity to teach that comes my way, whether it means bringing a youngster to my shop or demonstrating at craft fairs and festivals.” Ad $1,000 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@ foothills digest.com
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76 Blue Ridge Craft Trails Foothills ROAD TRIP We don’t have room to highlight each artisan and organization on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, but we’ve worked out a 3.5 hour drive that takes you to 20 different stops along the trail. We begin in Elkin with the Foothills Arts Center. After visiting several locations in Elkin, we take Highway 21 to Sparta, where we visit several artisans and a gallery. We take Highway 21 back into Traphill for Sunset Fiber Arts, then we travel into Wilkes County on Traphill Road then Mountain View Road. In North Wilkesboro, we visit Wilkes Hardware, a historic hardware store that sells local traditional crafts and Taupe Gallery. From there we take Highway 18 into Boomer for Brey’s Quality Crafts, and continue on Highway 18 to visit Kogut Violins. From there we head into Downtown Lenoir to visit Folk Keepers, an art gallery that has many locally produced traditional crafts. Next we take Highway 64 into Morganton, where we visit potter Hamilton Williams, as well as Osusannah’s, West Union Art Studio and Oak Hill Iron + Wood. This trip will give you a much deeper understanding of the world of traditional crafts. While the driving is about 3.5 hours, you’ll want to dedicate a whole day, or split the trip into shorter trips. Also, be sure to call ahead, as the continuing pandemic causes closings from time to time.
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78 Foothills Arts Center 129 Church St, Elkin Chatham Manufacturing Company produced textiles in Elkin for more than a century and it was the major employer for the community. Part of their outreach program included building Gilvin Roth YMCA built in 1942. The building has been an important community center ever since, and now it houses the Foothills Arts Center. The 45,000 square foot facility overlooks the Yadkin River and provides plenty of space for a multitude of creative activities. The Foothills Arts Center was founded in 1975 to “foster community and creative practice through arts education, collaboration, and entertainment.” Students from a four county area come to the Foothills Arts Center to study a wide range of arts and crafts. Traditional crafts get a lot of focus here, but you can also take painting and other types of classes. Notably, students can take violin building courses from master luthier Joe Thrift. The center is currently developing glass, metal, woodworking, and printmaking departments as they renovate the space. Additionally, the space is a craft & exhibit gallery, with traditional crafts available for purchase. As they renovate, the space is only open on Saturdays. The organization hosts two craft shows a year as well. The Foothills Arts Center also focuses on the rich heritage of traditional musical performances, and they host several music festivals each year, like Reevestock, Surry Old Time Fiddlers Convention, and the Elkin Roots Music Fest. The Foothills Theatre is also located on site and they produce a musical and a play each year, as well as other performances. Yadkin Valley Fiber Center is also located in the same space. This collaborative space will continue to strengthen the artistic community of Elkin, and it will help incubate young artists.
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80 Yadkin Valley Fiber Center 321 East Main St, Elkin Yadkin Valley Fiber Center is an affiliate of the Foothills Arts Center, and it’s located in their 45,000 square foot building. Elkin is a town built by textiles, so it’s very fitting that this organization dedicated to preserving traditional fiber arts is based in a building built by Chatham Manufacturing Company. Leslie Fesperman says, “The Yadkin Valley Fiber Center is dedicated to broadening an understanding of the fiber arts through weaving, spinning, felting, and other fiber-based instruction.” A wide range of classes are offered, focusing primarily on weaving, spinning and felting. Beginners can learn these trades, but there are also master classes for spinning and weaving. The Center is the only U.S. location to offer the Olds College Master Weaving Program In addition to these educational opportunities, the Center also offers loom rentals for artisans. Several weaving events are offered throughout each year. They cohost, with the Foothills Arts Center, an annual tapestry exhibit every June- August. It’s made of member works of the Tapestry Weavers South Guild. It features both nationally and internationally recognized fiber artists.
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81 November Room 206 East Main St, Elkin The November Room is Elkin’s artist collective. Local artisans join with boutique owners in this unique space that is a shopper’s dream. Touted as an indoor artisan market, the November Room has the best artisan crafts the region has to offer. You’ll find pottery, woodwork, painting, soaps, honey, textiles, jewelry, leather work, and local wines. Interestingly, the November Room has their own line of honey and tea, and a line of beauty products. A coffee shop on-site makes for a pleasant olfactory experience, and artisan desserts are also sold. Be sure to purchase some local Yadkin Valley Wine as well. The November Room also offers classes in painting, ceramics, chalk couture, decoupage, and barn quilt painting.
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82 Yadkin Valley Quilts 235 East Main St, Elkin Yadkin Valley Quilts is not just a store. It’s a quilting studio. You can visit owners Andrae and Tim DeHaan as they make quilts, and learn from their experiences as quilters. Andrae has been quilting most of her life, as she came from a quilting family. Her first quilt was a puff quilt stuffed with nylon hose. Her husband had never quilted before he met Andrae. Watching her quilt piqued his interest, but it wasn’t until a long recovery from illness left him bored enough to take the leap and learn the craft. They work together to create an environment like the Quilting Bees of the past. They maintain a tranquil environment because they know that quilting can be therapeutic. The two offer classes to beginners and experienced quilters. They also offer quilt kits, blocks of the month, quilt alongs, open sew times, and more. The shop is also known for embroidery, and the couple offers custom embroidery. Yadkin Valley Quilts can create your custom quilt. If you’ve pieced together a top, they can also use their Innova Longarm machine to finish your quilt. The quilt shop also features a store that sells a variety of local artisan crafts. Stop in for “All your Quilty Pleasures.”
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83 Ad $1,000 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@ foothills digest.com
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84 Blue Ridge Woodcrafters 593 Andrews Ridge Road, Sparta John Brady spent his earlier years as a teacher and a principal. It was a job he enjoyed, but when he retired, he went straight to the wood shop. He opened Blue Ridge Woodcrafters in 2009. The 5,000 square foot workshop provides plenty of space for Brady to create nearly anything he can imagine. He especially likes to create useful items made from different kinds of wood, pieced together. Cutting boards are a specialty, but there isn’t much he can’t make. He’ll also take custom orders. Brady sources his own cherry, walnut, pine, and other woods, mostly from Alleghany County, but all from North Carolina. Visitors can check out the work shop and shop in the gallery which houses pieces from both John Brady and Woodcrafts by Hedrick. You can also find Brady’s work at Alleghany County Arts and Crafts. Call ahead at (336) 372-1710.
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86 woodcrafts by Hedrick 593 Andrews Ridge Road, Sparta The Hedricks happily spend their days crafting wooden toys, side by side. They both came to their love of woodworking after retiring. But “retiring” hasn’t slowed them down. David and Ann craft wooden toys for children and collectors. They are continuously innovating and creating new patterns and tools. Especially popular are their vehicles, which include monster trucks, racers like the ones seen below, family cars, fighter planes and vintage pickup trucks, to name a few. They also make puzzles and several other toy designs. But they don’t only build toys. One of their best-sellers is a wooden squirrel meant to help you pull out and push in a hot oven rack. David and Ann are always happy to help customers with custom projects, including modernizing old fixtures and chandeliers, and building furniture and lamps. The Hedricks have their workshop in the upstairs space in Blue Ridge Woodcrafters. Their work is available for sale at their gallery and at Alleghany County Arts and Crafts. Call ahead at (336) 372-1710.
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88 AlleGhany Arts & Crafts 18 South Main Street, Sparta This art collective is positively delightful. It was formed in 2003 by a group of artists who needed a place to sell their work. Each of the artists spends time working at the gallery, which fosters a sense of community and purpose that is unique. Nestled away in downtown Sparta, just miles away from the Virginia border, this store appears unassuming until you step inside. The collective features artists that work in a wide variety of mediums. A wall of baskets by Deborah Patridge are crafted and dyed with natural materials. She uses traditional techniques and patterns but she also allows the material to guide her designs. You’ll find work from John Brady here, including many sizes of cutting boards. There is also a large selection of toys by Woodcrafts by Hedrick. The product line at Alleghany Arts and Crafts includes fine art paintings, photography, pottery, painted glass, jewelry, quilts, clothing, knitting and crocheting, baskets, toys, cutting boards, lazy Susan’s, cards, jams and jellies, to leather, woodwork and much more.
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89 We especially enjoy the line of pottery that includes functional pieces as well as dramatic sculptures. Phyllis Haile’s innovative work invites discussion, and forces one to think about our relationship with natue. The collective is a non-profit whose mission is to support and serve artists and craftspeople by engaging the community through the sale of art and crafts and the promotion of education, exhibits, special programs and events. Artists include: Kay Bodeen – Author, John Brady – Woodworking, Aida Brodt – Knitting and sewing, Sherry Cahn – Acrylic Pour and Jewelry, Carol Collins – Dolls, Pratt Davis – Author Elizabeth Davis – Acrylic and oil paintings, Deb Donaldson – Hand-dyed fabrics and mixed media art, Tina Duffey – Pottery, Edward Farr – Photography, Brenda Frizzell – Oil Paintings Butch Godwin – Wood turning, Alison Gracey – Pottery, Phyllis Haile – Pottery, Steve Heckman – PVC Birds, David Hedrick – Wooden Toys and décor, Charlotte Logan – Author, Lee Mercer – Live edge furniture, Elaine Moretz – Glass collage, Alecia Nehls – Acrylics, Jewelry and Woodburning Deborah Partridge – Baskets, Brenda Priest – Pen & Ink, Stephanie Ray – Felting and Jewelry, Liz Redding – Acrylics on Glass and Wood, Acrylic Pour, Martha Simpson – Wood Turning, am Sundstrom – Jewelry and Alcohol Inks, Dennis Trimble – Wood Carving, and Susan Worrell – Sewing and Jellies/Jams.
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90 Mangum-Cater on main 24 South Main Street, Sparta Robin Mangum (seen below) started making pottery back in 1974, when he and his wife Bet opened Mangum Pottery of Turkey Knob. Together, they made pottery that gained national acclaim. Since Bet’s passing in 2009, Mangum has continued to make pottery that stuns, including dramatic sculptures. In 2013, he opened Mangum-Cater on Main with his friends, talented potters Daniel and Robin (shown on the next page) Cater. Daniel Cater focuses on hand- built forms with a contemporary influence. Robin Mangum creates one-of-a-kind whimsical forms using under glazes and slips. The downtown space is a wonderful fit, with a gallery downstairs and a workshop upstairs. The gallery features both functional pieces and sculptures and decorative pieces. The pieces take surprising forms, and make excellent use of color, especially natural earth tones. Visitors can walk upstairs to a professional work space complete with wheels, slab roller, glazing area, and kilns.
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92 It’s rare to have three potters of this caliber working in the same space. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch these artists work!
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94 Three Crow s metal work 28 West Whitehead Street, Sparta Three Crows Metal Work offer intricate, beautifully crafted jewelry. Diane Morrison took jewelry making classes with her daughter Maggie, and they both realized they had an affinity for it. They studied and practiced, and eventually husband/father Lou decided he’d have more fun if he joined them. In 2019, the three opened a store in Downtown Sparta. They are dedicated to using recycled copper and silver, ethically mined gemstones, and eco-friendly packaging, and to being good stewards in the community. Daughter Maggie has moved out of state, but she still makes jewelry for the store. She also has a shop in Harlem, New York. Stop Three Crows Metal Work and you’ll probably see Dianne working, perhaps metalsmithing or demonstrating Cloisonné techniques. Cloisonné refers to enamel- work, where powdered glass or gemstones are separated by thin, flat metal wires, then melted. Dianne creates beautiful scenes in her enamel-work, with a focus on natural vistas. You may also see Lou making chain mail and hammered copper jewelry.
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95 The building that houses the artisans was built in the 1940s, and the history feels almost palpable. The shop is impressive, selling a variety of sterling cuff bracelets, pendants, chains, and rings with and without precious and/or semi-precious gemstones. Much of the jewelry offered here has natural themes, like mountain scenes, rivers, sunrises, sunset, birds, owls, and flowers. The use of natural gemstones further roots the work in nature. This unique jewelry store is sure to impress!
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96 Pottery Place 555 North Main Street, Sparta Pottery Place is located in a house in Downtown Sparta built by Joe Finney for Emma and F. A. Mitchell in the 1930’s. It’s now owned by cousins Sara Harper (the great granddaughter of F. A. Mitchell) and Tina Duffey. Between the two of them, they have more than 75 years of experience making pottery. Other featured artists include Tim Lewis, Walt McMillan, Martha Honaker, and Cindy Pardue. Pottery Place is also a wonderful place to view antiques, as they are scattered among the 5 rooms in the house. At Pottery Place, you can purchase mugs, bowls, plates, tile work, flower arrangers, and nativity scenes. Visitors can also find quilts including baby quilts and matching stuffed bears, photography, watercolors and prints, Intaglio prints, slumped and fused glass, carved gourds, and quilted pictures. Work from other artists includes antiques, felted bowls, recycled tin, and barn quilts. Pottery Place is open on Fridays and Saturdays from May until “just before Christmas.”
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97 Sunset fiber works 3249 Swaringen Road, Traphill Mary and John Freas are interested in a slower, more traditional life. Sunset Fiber Works is built on land that has been in John’s family for two generations. The Foxfire Books have been instrumental in preserving the older ways of life, and this couple used the books to build their log cabin. The couple raises bees and cattle, and Mary works with fiber. When Mary and John were married, she didn’t know how to weave. John’s aunt promised to give Mary a loom if Mary would learn to use it. It turns out she had a natural affinity for weaving, and has been working with fiber ever since. John’s great-aunt was Lucy Morgan, an important woman in the Craft Revival who founded Penland School for Crafts. The loom that Mary now uses to weave and teach was used by Lucy at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Bringing Appalachian crafts to a world-wide audience was a defining goal of the Craft Revival, and weaving at the World Fair was a very important moment. Sunset Fiber Works also has a shop where you can purchase hand-woven items like dishtowels, place mats, wraps, throws, totes, pillows, hats, and hand spun yarn.
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98 Wilkes county hardw are 324 10th Street, North Wilkesboro You might be wondering why a hardware store is included in this list. It’s because this quaint hardware store features a quite large selection of hand-crafted, traditional Appalachian crafts. This business still operates much as it did when it first started in the 1940s. The building has one of the oldest working freight elevators in the state, and the building keeps much of it’s original charm. Before this building was a hardware store, it was a chicken and turkey processing plant. Farmers would herd their poultry flocks down the mountain and into the building. They’d be processed and shipped out on the nearby trains. In the 40s and 50s, the store sold a lot of the items needed to make moonshine. Wilkes was the moonshine capital of the state, so we imagine selling the needed supplies was a solid business model.
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99 Today, still buy their tools here because of the personalized service. They always know just what you need, and they are happy to help. Wilkes County Hardware is also a great place to hang out. An old f a s h i o n e d f u r n a c e serves as a centerpiece, and chairs circle it. One particular rocking chair is marked with a plaque, naming it the chair of the late Harry Galifianakis, who sat there most days while he chatted. But, Wilkes County Hardware made our list because of the artisan crafts they offer. We are particularly impressed by the woodwork of Keegan Watson. Dramatic bowls and a myriad of other items. Stunning traditional basketry lined the walls. A wide variety of pottery is also offered. Handmade soaps, local honey, wooden signs, wind chimes, kitchen crochet wash rags, and natural bug repellent are also available. The selection is impressive, and it’s matched by a similar selection of artisan foods including granola, local honey, local molasses, BBQ sauce, peanuts, and Moravian cookies—all made in North Carolina.
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101 Taupe Gallery 305 10th Street, North Wilkesboro Jim Lyall and Steve Key visited the North Carolina mountains and fell in love with the art they found. Fascinated by the colors, form, and unique Appalachian flavor of the arts and crafts they found in the region, the two decided to open an art gallery/shop. In 2010, they opened Taupe Gallery in downtown North Wilkesboro. The two clearly have an eye for art, because their store is filled with unique pieces that are truly beautiful. Walking through the store feels like walking through a very nice museum, but you can actually purchase the items that move you. This gallery is a curated collection of beautiful, often functional art. The pieces they select are fresh, and many seem infused with life. Walking into the store is an uplifting experience filled with exciting colors and textures. Don’t miss this unique shop!
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103 Brey Quality crafts 1830 Glenn Carlton Road, Boomer Betsy Brey makes truly unique baskets. She was raised on a large dairy farm and moved to Wilkes County in 1978. She was inspired by our elaborate and aesthetically pleasing baskets and she spent 30 years perfecting her basketry skills, making baskets using traditional materials like white oak. In 2010, her focus shifted to bark peeling, She combined bark peeling with her extensive basket making skills to create a new kind of basket. All of the material for her baskets is sourced from her own homestead. The 25 acre plot of land provides her with yellow poplar, cedar, hickory, white oak, hemlock, and reed. Betsy enjoys visitors, and they’ll find her working. Of course, if the weather and season are right, they may have to search a little harder as she’ll be in the woods harvesting bark. Betsy also makes handmade soap which she sells in her shop alongside her baskets. She also teaches soap-making classes. Be sure to call ahead at (336) 921- 2424, as she’s open by appointment or email to barkoffandlyes@yahoo.com.
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104 K ogut Violins 3110 Lyndhurst Drive, Lenoir Bob Kogut has certainly elevated violin making to an art. He produces beautiful violins that sound almost miraculous in a cosy woodshop in Lenoir. Bob grew up in Philadelphia and had no experience with fiddle music. He was 30 years old when attended his first bluegrass festival. Once Bill Monroe started playing, he was hooked, and he learned to play. He began making violins because he was frustrated. He’d tried countless fiddles, and none gave him the sound he was looking for. Bob Bragg, his mentor, pointed out that he may not be able to find the sound he wanted unless he made it. That sent him down the figurative rabbit hole, and using trial and error, and a LOT of wood, he did find the sound he was seeking. Since then, he’s made hundreds of violins, and he operates with quite a waiting list. MerleFest brought Kogut to our region. He was living in Florida, but after playing several MerleFests, he realized he loved the area, and moved here. Now he’s a sponsor of MerleFest and they auction one of his fiddles there each year. We love his fiddles so much that we featured one on the cover of one of our issues! Call ahead for an appointment at 828-493-4875 or email fiddlemaker@charter.net.
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106 Folk Keeper Gallery 902 West Ave NW, Lenoir Charlie and Susan Frye are the proprietors of Folk Keeper Gallery & Antiques in Historic Downtown Lenoir. This gallery is both a working studio and a shop selling art and crafts. The couple has a real love of Downtown Lenoir and they work to keep it vibrant. Charlie is a renowned folk artist, and when he married Susan, she had a long-standing dream to operate an art gallery.
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107 Together they created the unique Folk Keeper Gallery. The shop features many fine regional Folk Artist with a wide range of subject matter and styles. A unique aspect of Folk Keeper Gallery is that Charlie Frye, an internationally collected Folk Artist, is in residence year-round and Susan Frye who is an up and coming Folk artist is also in residence. Charlie will likely be covered in paint with a brush in his hand when you stop in. While Charlie’s primary focus is on painting, Susan balances her time between creating art, curating the antiques and artisan crafts and running the back end of the business. She’s cultivated an extremely pleasant environment that’s sensory rich and feels like “the foothills.” Charlie’s folk art is whimsical with a solid foundation. His use of color is exciting and bold. He’s quite good at capturing the heart of something then conveying it simply. Frye says,“I mainly paint from memories and my imagination. It’s what I do every day. I get to paint the visions in my head all the time. I’m a lucky man.” We appreciate the way he portrays the mountains we love. We also enjoy his penchant towards painting on found objects instead of canvas. Frye shows his work all over the East Coast, participating in the Fearrington Village Folk Art Show (NC), Finster Fest (GA), and the Kentuck Festival of Art (AL) Be sure to stop into the Folk Keeper Gallery. It has such a strong sense of place, and that’s something Foothills Digest will always celebrate!
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108 O Suzannah’s 130 W. Union Street, Morganton OSuzannah’s is located in Downtown Morganton. Proprietor Susan McRae’s fiber journey began at the young age of six with a miniature Singer sewing machine and a 2” pin loom. She’s been fascinated by fiber arts ever since. In 2013, she opened a yarn shop and almost immediately, it became her working fiber studio. If you’re looking for yarn, this store is a great place to buy it. While you shop, you may see McRae weaving at an old-fashioned loom. . She also creates indigo shibori. Shibori is the Japanese art of binding and folding fabric in different patterns before dyeing, and indigo
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109 is a deep blue dye. You may find her dyeing pieces in her indigo vat. She’s amassed a lot of knowledge about fibers, and she’s happy to help customers choose the right yarn for the project they are working on. You can also buy beautiful shawls and other handwoven items, naturally dyed and printed items, unique hand made wall art, indigo shibori pieces and more, crafted by McRae in her shop. Additionally, she makes jewelry using vintage beads and pendants. She also sells vintage textiles and supplies needed for knitting, crocheting and weaving. Antique baskets and textiles decorate the space, contributing to a pleasant, decidedly Appalachian feel. Susan McRae also offers classes in knitting, weaving, indigo dyeing and intuitive stitching, boro and visible mending. She’s always excited to help other people improve their skills with traditional textile arts. This store is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
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110 O ak Hill Iron and Wood 107 S. King Street, Morganton Dean Curfman built log homes, and the most authentic tools to use for such a traditional style of home are hand forged iron. So, Curfman set out to learn how to create the tools he needed. In the thirty years since then, Curfman has built a unique business. Oak Hill Iron + Wood sells hand forged items. They have an ever-changing line of products they offer, available on site at their shop, but they also make high-end, always hand-forged architectural and artistic ironworks for commercial and residential spaces. The business also sources live-slab wood, which is very popular in home design. At their South King Street location, visitors can look through a huge selection of live-slab pieces, to find the perfect slab for their own space. Oak Hill Iron + Woodwork employs a team of 8 highly skill artisans to create beautiful works that are also functional.
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111 HCT To be held at the Taylorsville Fairgrounds 170 Fairgrounds Road Taylorsville, NC 28681 Friday, April 1st-1:0-5:00 Saturday, April 2nd-9:00-4:00 Come join us for a whole new shopping experience: great antiques, vintage items, home decor, plants & flowers, food trucks & so much more! For more information contact West Main Antiques 294 West Main Avenue, Taylorsville, NC 828-352-9500 West Main Antiques Spring Vintage Market
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112 Hamil ton William s Gallery and Studio 403 E. Union Street, Morganton Hamilton Williams might have been an architect, except for a college pottery course that changed the direction of his life. He’s been a potter since then, spending the first 25 years focusing on functional pieces. Recently, he’s been working more on decorative pieces, working out exceptional and almost architectural detailing. We’re fascinated with his work so we asked him what draws him to make pottery. He says, “In the early days, the draw was simply getting to work with my hands and the immediate gratification of shaping a piece of clay on the potter’s wheel. As I’ve matured into the craft, I realize that there are endless facets to ceramics and pottery that keep me interested; the science of clay and glaze, design and functionality, the way ceramics is interwoven with the development of civilization, and the myriad opportunities of self-expression. There is always something new to discover and new ways to reinvent what I make.” In addition to a studio that you can visit, the spaces holds a gallery that sells Hamilton Williams’ work, but also the work of other artisans. We asked why he decided to sell other artisan’s work as well. He answered, “My own pottery work is pretty narrowly focused so when it came to opening a retail space in Downtown Morganton, I felt that the shop needed to have a greater variety of handmade items on offer. This gives customers a greater chance of finding a piece that speaks to them, but it also appeals to my sense of community by highlighting the work of other local artists and supporting their creativity. Customers that tour western North Carolina craft galleries take notice of the unique pieces here and tend to appreciate how grounded we are in the creative resources of own specific area.”
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114 West Union Art Studio 113 W. Union Street, Morganton West Union Art Studios is home to 13 different artists. Owners Adam and Molly Mackay set out to create a space that could help lighten the load for working artist, and provide a cooperating working environment. They renovated a Downtown Morganton building, creating studio spaces as well as a gallery. The artists create work in the space, and then they have a place to sell their goods. Artists consist of potters, painters, and fiber artists. Additionally, music lessons are taught in piano, guitar, ukulele, and violin.
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115 Natural Natural Elements Elements Of N o r t h C a r o l i n a W e c u r a t e p r o d u c t s f o r a n a t u r a l l i f e s t y l e Our products include: • A full-range of NC CBD products • Elderberry Syrup • Organic vitamins & supplements • Honey • Jewelry • Essential Oils • And more! 1 5 U S H w y 3 2 1 S W H i c k o r y , N C 2 8 6 0 2 8 2 8 / 7 2 9 / 9 8 6 8 8 2 8 / 7 2 9 / 9 8 6 8 2 3 8 M o r g a n t o n B l v d L e n o i r , N C 2 8 6 4 5 8 2 8 / 9 2 9 / 2 4 2 0 8 2 8 / 9 2 9 / 2 4 2 0 In the store, you’ll find functional pottery like plates, bowls, mugs, vases and cups in each artist’s own style. There are also lovely agate ware clay pieces in a multitude of color. There is folk style pottery including face jugs, sculptural work like carved birds and seasonal pieces both thrown and hand-built. There are also paintings and other art available, as well as musical instruments, some of which are made by the in-house luthier. Call (828) 403-4148 if you have any questions about this unique collective.
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116 Ad $1000 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@ foothills digest.com Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Have you ever played with a Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle? Have you ever heard of one? Most of us have never seen one of these clever creations, but there was a time when most mountain kids had one, carved for them by their dad or a family friend. A Whimmy Diddle is carved out of two sticks of mountain laurel, or rhodedendron. The sticks need to have a certain bend to them. Then, notches are carved into one of the sticks, and a propeller is attached to the end. Cherokee called this toy a Hoodoo Stick and sometimes it was called a Hooey Stick. Now, the user uses the unnotched stick and rubs it back and forth across the notches. Experienced Whimmy Diddle users will get that propeller spinning. If it’s your first time, you may instead spend several frustrating minutes trying to get it to spin. There’s certainly a trick to it. “Gee” and “Haw” are words you shout at a horse to get him to turn right (gee) or left (haw). The Whimmy Diddle’s propellor can be coerced to spin the other direction, and users are encouraged to make it switch directions and shout either “Gee” or “Haw.” Of course, the toy isn’t responding to the calls, but the fun lies in pretending. It’s possible the Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle would have faded from our collective consciousess, were it not for a March 1960 article in the influential Popular Science Magazine.
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117 The article was titled “Folk Toys are Back Again.” The article boosted the folk toy industry and allowed the wooden toy survive the onslought of plastic toys. In 1980, folks at the newly constructed Folk Art Center on mile marker 382 of the Parkway needed something to spark interest in the community. Roger McGuire, Assistant to the Director of the Folk Center, came up with the idea to host the World GeeHaw Whimmy Diddle Competition. More than 40 years later, the annual festival is still going strong. The event is now the centerpiece of the Center’s annual Heritage Weekend. The festival is MCed by Joe “Colonel Buncombe” Bly, and competitors are judged on their ability to operate the Whimmy Diddle. One category tests the number of alternating gee and haw rotations in twelve seconds. Will Hines is the current world record-holder at 58!. There are also behind-the-back rotations, switched- hand rotations, and “most creative” whimmy diddle categories. Winners get a moonpie and a tshirt, and more importantly, life-long bragging rights. Use these QR codes to learn more! Learn to play! See the Popular Science Article. Hear a song.
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118 NITTY GRITTY NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND DIRT BAND DURAND JONES & DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS THE INDICATIONS WE BANJO 3 WE BANJO 3 SAM BUSH SAM BUSH TRAMPLED BY TURTLES TRAMPLED BY TURTLES EMMYLOU HARRIS EMMYLOU HARRIS JERRY DOUGLAS JERRY DOUGLAS GREENSKY BLUEGRASS GREENSKY BLUEGRASS JOSH TURNER JOSH TURNER OLD CROW OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW MEDICINE SHOW COLIN HAY COLIN HAY STEEP CANYON STEEP CANYON RANGERS RANGERS THE WOOD BROTHERS THE WOOD BROTHERS PETER ROWAN PETER ROWAN BLUEGRASS BAND BLUEGRASS BAND MerleFest.org • 1-800-343-7857 MerleFest.org • 1-800-343-7857 12 Stages of “Traditional Plus” Music 12 Stages of “Traditional Plus” Music
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120 MerlleFest started as a celebration of the life of Merle Watson, son of legendary musician Doc Watson. The festival was meant to be a fundraiser, with monies going to build the Doc and Merle Watson Garden of the Senses. Back then, no one expected that it would turn into one of the most important annual festivals for traditional music. But, that’s what happened. Don’t call MerleFest a bluegrass festival! It’s much more than that. Doc Watson said, “When Merle and I started out we called our music ‘traditional plus’, meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play. Since the beginning, the people of the college and I have agreed that the music of MerleFest is ‘traditional plus’.” MerleFest is a festival that inspires loyalty, both from performers and audience members. At left you’ll see B Townes, the man who worked to start the festival and helped turn it into what it is today. He’s standing with Doc Watson and Emmylou Harris. She played at first MerleFest in 1988, pictured. But she also played in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2003, 2006 and 2009, and she’ll be back this year! At right you’ll also see the first audience of MerleFest. Many of them have come back to each of the subsequent festivals. Now, the festival regularly attracts 80,000 people each year! That’s more than the entire population of the county, and the festival draws people from all over the world. We asked some fans what they love about MerleFest. “I love that it is a true representation of our western NC! It’s full of music, food and community that provides non-profit funding that gives back to our community.” -Sara Mofford “I love the pomp and circumstance of growing up in the community where it takes place. Artists visit local schools and play music, teachers incorporate something about MerleFest into their lessons, and high schools send kids to volunteer and work the festival. It was awesome growing up with that experience each year.” -Kelli Osborne The Spirit of MerleFest
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123 “Other than having a collection of talented, diverse musicians performing just up the road from my home, I love that the security is efficient and expeditious. Other festivals have come to MerleFest just to see how it’s done!” -R Byron Stevens “I love that it is such a historical music festival with deep roots the community. Offers amazing variety of artists and bountiful choices of grub!” -Janey Trivette Porter “I love the transformation of a campus that encapsulates so many musical genres that in turn generates the gathering of an international cross-section who adore & value the archetypal artist’s achievements.” -Kaylene Burcham
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130 MerleFest Heritage Crafts It isn’t just traditional music that you’ll find at MerleFest. The festival is also known for its Heritage Crafts area. Everyone attending the festival must walk through the Shoppes at MerleFest on the way to the stages, and one large tent is full of heritage crafts. There are over 60 vendors in the Shoppes and about 24 of them are heritage artisans. All of the heritage artisans g i v e d e m o n s t r a t i o n s throughout the day, as well as sell their crafts. Everything they sell must be hand made. Customers seem to enjoy th experience of watching the craftspeople work, and then purchasing the item. The artisans very from year to year, but there are several regulars. One notable artisan is Raleigh Avery of Avery Knifeworks. He has a working forge at the festival, and demonstrates his art in front of interested crowds. Raleigh is only 21 years old, but he has been forging knives (see picture at left) since he was 14 and he’s very talented. He opened his forge in 2016 and he’s become a staple at the Heritage Tent.
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131 He was also a regular on History Channel’s “Mountain Men,” where he was the apprentice of Eustace Conway. He spent a year learning many of the traditional crafts and the old ways of Appalachian living. The Morganton native now lives in Boone and says, “I am in love with the work I do,” Avery said. “It’s my passion to make and create.” Pete (shown top right) and Kim McWhirter with McWhirter Pottery are another set of familiar faces. They bring their potter’s wheel and throw pots as audiences gather. Their pottery is unique. It’s mostly functional, with unexpected decorative twists. We asked why they keep coming back to MerleFest. They said, “a;sdkjfa laksdjf lk; lkfdsaj fla;skdfjlsa;kdf s laskdfj lask asalskdfj as asldfkj a fsdal;k fjaf ssadklfj as sa;lkdf sdf” Whatever sort of craft you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it in the Heritage Area. There’s a great variety, from Cherokee artisans to glassblowers, and everything in between. Be sure to stop by the Heritage Crafts area as you visit MerleFest this year.
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132 Ad $1,500 Call 828.475.1323 or email editor@ foothills digest.com Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
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133 Get Ready for MERlefest Each year we like to make some playlists to get us excited about MerleFest. Use your smart phone to scan the codes at left. Each one will pull up a playlist that features our favorite songs from each artist scheduled to play on that day. The songs will be in random order. Education NC recently highlighted MerleFest with a documentary. Watch an excerpt by using the QR code below. History of MerleFest
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