Maggie Valley Labor Day Weekend Craft Show

August 31 - September 1   Maggie Valley Labor Day Weekend Craft Show   Artists and crafters from throughout the Southeast will present a variety of unique handmade crafts and jewelry. Food vendors will be available to the public. Bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Maggie Valley Methodist Church Food Pantry, and receive a raffle ticket so you will have a chance to win a handmade item donated by one of the talented artisans

Asheville Arts and Crafts at the Ooh La La Curiosity Market

August 31   Ooh La La Curiosity Market   An outdoor market in Pritchard Park featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic, and jazz acts.

Day of Play at the Asheville Art Museum

Ann Carter Pollard The Recorder Player

August 25 at 2 PM -   A Day of PLAY  at the Asheville Art Museum   Enjoy a family friendly Artist Discussion with Mike Belleme, Andy Farkas, Ursula Gullow, Sean Pace and Aaron Tucker (featured works currently on view in Museum exhibition, PLAY). The event is free with Museum admission.

The exhibit "Play" is on display from May 17 - October 31, 2013. The Asheville Art Museum is located at 2 South Pack Square in downtown Asheville NC.

Penland Fall Scholarships Still Available

Want to spend the fall at Penland??   Scholarships are still available.  There are still a few work-study scholarships available in the following fall classes and a scholarship for a student who will teach movement (see below):

Books and Letterpress: From Print to Page with Margot Ecke.  This workshop will teach you to create sophisticated, finely considered artist books from beginning to end.

Hot Glass: Form Follows Failure with Matthew Szöz.  This workshop will combine the skills and work ethic of the craft tradition with an open-minded and innovative approach to the act of making.

Photography: The Extended Image with Keith Johnson. This workshop is about storytelling through photography--about taking an idea and extending it into a body of work.

Wood: Under Pressure with John Clark.  Along with a thorough exploration of traditional furniture making methods, the secrets of using a vacuum press for curved laminations and veneering will be demystified.

Click here for complete information about these classes.

There is not set an application deadline for these scholarships. Applications  are reviewed on a first-come/first-served basis. If you are interested in one of these scholarships, please call the registrar (828-765-2359, ext. 15) to confirm availability.  Scholarship application information is available here.

Yoga teachers, please note that there is still a work-study position available for a student who will teach movement classes and also do some office and garden work. If you are interested, please call the registrar: 828-765-2359, ext. 15.

Wilkesboro Open Air Market this Weekend

August 16   Wilkesboro Open Air Market   Historic Downtown Wilkesboro's popular Open Air Market events series returns in 2012 starting on April 20 and continues the through August. Events will feature downtown merchants, food vendors, local wineries, musicians, regional farms and produce, arts and crafts, demonstrators, as well as non-profit and civic organizations.

Each Third Friday Open Air Market will be themed with live music, children's activities, contests, and more. The Regular Friday markets will happen every Friday and will feature the freshest produce and handmade crafts of the surrounding area

2013 AWE Conference: As Craft Artists, How Many Hats Do We Wear?

August 20, 2013, 9:00am-5:30pm  at HandMade in America, 125 S. Lexington Ave., Asheville, NC

HandMade in America (HIA) will celebrate the members of their Appalachian Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program with a day-long conference full of opportunity and community. This year’s theme is As Craft Artists, How Many Hats Do We Wear?

“The AWE Conference brings together women entrepreneurs from 25 counties in Western North Carolina. It is a day for these women to step out of their studios, network and meet with consultants who are experts in their fields. It is a day to celebrate who they are and what they have accomplished!”

The AWE Conference 2013 is free; priority will be given to current AWE members, however non-members will be put on a waiting list and notified. Registration is required for all. To register for the 2013 AWE Conference, contact Linda LaBelle, AWE Coordinator at llabelle@handmadeinamerica.org. Click here to become an AWE member or HIA member.

Click here to see more details about the AWE Conference.

A Call For AWE Conference Volunteers:
HandMade in America is looking for a few volunteers for the Appalachian Women Entrepreneurs Conference 2013. The conference is scheduled for August 20th, 2013 from 9:00am - 5:30pm. On Monday, August 19,  help is needed with room set up, and on Tuesday, August 20, with registration, set up/clean up of breakfast, lunch, and cocktail hour.

If you are interested, please contact Lindsey Mudge, Operations Manager at 828.252.0121 x303 or lmudge@handmadeinamerica.org

John C Campbell Folk School Scottish Heritage Week

September 1-7    Scottish Heritage Week at John C Campbell Folk School   Early Scotch and Scotch-Irish settlers contributed greatly to American culture, and nowhere has their influence been more strongly felt than in the Appalachians. Enjoy fascinating history and stories, and take part in lively blacksmithing, music, basketry, pottery, fiber, and wood classes. Come create savory jam and chutney, and partake of delicious pies and scones during a traditional high tea.

Enjoy fascinating history and stories, and take part in our lively blacksmithing, music, basketry, pottery, fiber, and wood classes. Come create savory jam and chutney, and partake of delicious pies and scones during a traditional high tea.

Here's a sampling of Scottish Heritage Week Classes:
Scottish-inspired Pottery - Pamela Kohler-Camp
Beautiful Celtic Writing - Michael Smith
Table Runner with a Scottish Touch - Louise MacDonald
Celtic Designs in Wood - Thomas Davis
Scottish Estate Tweeds - Marjorie Warren
Chutney, Relish, and Pots of Jam - Nanette Davidson & Martha Owen
Making a Battle Lyre/Harp - David Smith
  

Last Day for Sourwood Festival in Black Mountain

August 9 - 11   36th Annual Sourwood Festival Great music and lots of fun for all ages fills downtown Black Mountain. Held each year in August, it's a time for good food, good fun and good friends. Music, dancing, arts & crafts, super food, kid's rides and games, face painting and more in a no alcohol environment make it the perfect event for you and your entire family. 
With about 200 vendors you will discover lots of local and unique arts and crafts and there will be something to please every palate with BBQ and vegetarian faire, custom-crafted ice cream and funnel cakes and jellies. Summertime favorites include the sausages and corn on the cob.

Painting Classes at John C Campbell Folk School

The beauty of the Folk School campus inspires the painter in all of us. We invite students of all levels to learn drawing, composition, and painting techniques with top instructors. 
Learn to see the world around you with a painter's eyes. Try different media - acrylics, watercolor, pen & ink, pencils, and more - to illustrate your vision and ideas. Bring your canvas to life, and watch your creativity bloom!  

Upcoming Painting classes: 

Sept 13-15 Oils and Acrylics (Weekend) - Pebbie Mott 

Sept 22-28 Fantasy Painting & Drawing - Margaret Estes 

Sept 22-28 Pigments from the Earth - Sandy Webster

Sept 29-Oct 4 Fresh Florals in Watercolor (Sun-Fri) - Elly Hobgood 

Oct 27-Nov 2 Mountain Landscapes in Watercolor - Suzanne DesLauriers

View all Folk School Painting classes
Get a link for  lodging near John C Campbell Fplk School and local attractions on the Hayesville NC Visitor Guide.

Local NC Crafts at the Mountain High BBQ and Music Festival

August 9 - 10    Franklin hosts the annual Mountain High BBQ & Music Festival   at the Wayne Proffitt Agricultural Center, 1436 Georgia Road.  In addition to BBQ, Music and a Car Show the festival offers local NC crafts.

This two-day event features authentic, mouth-watering BBQ, and is an official North Carolina State BBQ Championship competition with $11,000 in cash and awards. Enjoy the live entertainment, classic cars, cornhole tournament  and tastin’ tent.

Hours are Friday 11 AM to 8 PM and Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM.

NC Crafts and Handmade Goods at RiverFest

August 10   14th Annual RiverFest  Crafts, kid fun, a raft race, music and more. RiverFest is an event especially for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Craft vendors sell local handmade goods, there are kids parades and activities and the popular Anything That Floats raft parade also takes place that afternoon. Live music continues into the evening.

Blowing Rock Art in the Park

August 10   Art in the Park    A juried arts and craft show featuring 90 artists held in the picturesque downtown park once a month from May to October. Some of the best local and regional artists and craftspeople showcase their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and more. Prices for objects, from a handmade postcard to a large piece of furniture, range from $5 to $5,000.

Art in the Park began in 1962 with a handful of local artists. Today the juried show attracts approximately 90 artists from across the Southeast along with 1000s of enthusiastic art lovers.

Get complete local visitor information on the Blowing Rock NC Guide.

Asheville's Folk Art Center Hosts Wood Day

August 10    Wood Day at the Folk Art Center  An annual celebration of wood crafts including craft demonstrations and hands-on activities. The Twelfth Annual Carve Off Competition takes place between 1 - 3 PM.

Lyle Wheeler

For the contest, participants have two hours to turn a simple block of wood into a work of art. Carvers must sign up by 12:30 to participate. Demonstrations include flute making, wood turning, broom making and furniture design and construction. FREE admission.

Admission to Wood Day and the Folk Art Center is free. The Folk Art Center is located at milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in east Asheville. Headquarters to the Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Center also houses three galleries, a library, Allanstand Craft Shop and a Blue Ridge Parkway information desk and bookstore.

West Jefferson Gallery Crawl this Friday

August 9   West Jefferson Gallery Crawl   Stroll the streets of an historic mountain town, enjoy the cool mountain breeze while listening to the sounds of street musicians and "popping" in and out of West Jefferson's many galleries. Open House in more than 15 art galleries and studios.

 While you're strolling, be sure to pause to enjoy the remarkable local murals now numbering 14. The Mural Project began in 1996 when McFarland and Company, Inc., Publishers, commissioned local artist Jack Young to create the mural "History of Ashe Through the Ages". The mural is located on the Regency Properties building next to the Ashe Arts Center. 

By 1998 "The Arts District" was establiished in downtown West Jefferson and two more murals, "Spring Wildflowers on Mt. Jefferson" and "New River Traditions" were added.  In 2001 Stephan Shoemaker's "Cut at Devil Stairs" was completed (on the Dollar Tire Building), a mural  reminiscent of a time when the railroad was vital to the life of Ashe County.  R.T. Morgan painted "Somewhere in Ashe" on the side of R.T. Morgan Gallery in 2003.

In later years "Gardens of the Sea" by artist Raney Rogers enhanced the Acorn Gallery and  "Weathered Pines" by Artist R.T.Morgan became the highlight of Ashe High Country Realty's office.  "Hayden and Chaco" by Artists Olivia Harless and Stephen Shoemaker enhance Western Jefferson with light hearted characters.

The 2004 communuity project  "Wings and Things" was painted on the wall of the Ashe County Cheese Plant Production Building. A partnership between the North Carolina Museum of Art, Ashe County High School's Project 540 and the Ashe County Arts Council, the farm scene was designed by Artists Earle Klutz Thompson and Raines Thompson who led over 125 students and community volunteers in painting the mural over a three day weekend.

Local artists, Bessie Clay and Stephen Shoemaker, created murals on the newly renovated Jefferson Station in downtown West Jefferson. The murals are "Blue Ridge Parkway" and "Train at Jefferson Station".

In the summer of 2006 another mural entitled "Unity in Diversity" was added to the downtown landscape. The bright and colorful mural located on Geno's Restaurant was designed by Winston Salem artist Marianne DiNapoli-Mylet who worked with students at the Ashe Middle School creating art that reflects the landscape of Ashe County along with the music and the people who live and work here. Unity, diversity, peace and tolerance in Spanish border the mural design. Along with volunteers from the Latino Center, students painted the mural on fabric panels that were adhered to the wall with a special adhesive followed by a protective coating. This mural project was part of an Arts in Education Residency Grant funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency, and the Ashe Middle School.

The most recently completed downtown murals are "Peace on the New" painted on the Mountain Outfitters shop and  "Signature: Past and Present"on the Signature Dodge Building bothe by artist Clayton Proctor.

Learn more about West Jefferson and Jefferson HERE.

Arts Mart today in Old Fort

August 3    Arts Mart   Locally created arts and crafts displayed inside the historic Old Fort Depot. Stop by to chat with the creators of these one-of-a-kind items while you shop for yourself, family or friends. Something for everyone including baskets, paintings, woodwork, wreaths, candles and live demonstrations. Sponsored by Arrowhead Artists and Artisans League.

Annual Biltmore Village Art and Craft Fair in Asheville this Weekend

August 3-4   Annual Village Art and Craft Fair  Held on the grounds of All Souls Cathedral in Biltmore Village this year's Fair, the 41st, will include 118 exhibitors. Enjoy high quality art and crafts including ceramics, furniture, glass, jewelry and more. Hours are Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM and Sunday 12 PM - 5 PM..

Art After Dark in Waynesville NC this Weekend

August 2  Art After Dark  Downtown galleries and studios remain open until 9 PM. The evening features special openings, demonstrations, artist receptions, and music. Festive Art After Dark flags denote participating galleries, such as Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86, Earthworks, Cedar Hill Studio, Jeweler’s Workbench, Twigs and Leaves Gallery, TPennington Art Gallery, Main Street Artist’s Co-op, Grace Cathey Sculpture Garden and Gallery, and the Village Framer