Julie Sibley, Author at John C. Campbell Folk School Blog

Late November Landscape

Nov 29, 2011

The cast of color has changed greatly from earlier this month, from the hillsides around us which showed mostly the deeper russet reds and burnt oranges. A few individual trees around the Folk School campus still glowed with vibrant oranges and yellows. In this glorious fall, those who were here to study and play were surrounded by landscape colors changing and twirling to the ground every day. Work-study students prepared the garden for wintering over. November brought the mists again when the rains came. Patches of sunlight on the mountainsides revealed soft grays topped with pale burnished golds polished by the sun.
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Golden Days

Nov 2, 2011

A Visit to Classes, October 16-22
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A Colorful Tradition: Fall Festival Banners

Sep 20, 2011

Thirty-eight years ago, the very first Folk School Fall Festival was held by Open House beside the large fields. Gus and Maggie Masters, then directors of the Folk School, were enamellists who were used to selling their art at shows and festivals. So they simply brought to the Folk School and local artists a festival of our own!
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Many Fine Tunes: A Brief History of Dancing at the Folk School

Jun 2, 2011

The stories of our lives where dance and song are called for, go back to faraway lands where kings and villagers alike danced for joy. Dance as a way to express joy that cannot be contained is part of many legends across the globe. I know that you understand what I am talking about. The many threads of our Southern Appalachian story can be seen beginning with the Singing Games or Play Party Games, which are a long time part of a vibrant mountain culture. Almost any occasion where the earliest settlers and pioneers gathered, there was time to sing, clap, laugh, and stomp in time with the music they created. Not too different from what we do now, whenever we are together!
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A Visit to Hill House

May 4, 2011

I had never been to Murray Martin’s house (Hill House) before today. I met Murray many years ago when she used to attend Resident Artist, Billie Shelburn’s painting classes. Murray Martin came to Brasstown in 1935 and was a craft teacher at the Folk School during the time of Folk School founders, Olive Campbell and Marguerite Bidstrup. She certainly gave a lot to the school and the community. To help local folks make a better living, the Brasstown Carvers were mentored by Murray and rose to a place of national recognition for their carvings. She retired in 1973 and lived in Hill House from the 1970’s until her death in 2005.
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