Category: Featured Classes
An Interview with Greenwood Spoon Carver Tad Kepley
May 3, 2022

The Folk School stands with Ukraine
Mar 4, 2022
The Folk School stands with Ukraine. This moment in time, like many, calls for unity and is a...
Read MoreRemembering Carla Owen
Nov 11, 2021
We are mourning the loss of our dear friend, Carla Owen, who passed away on November 6, 2021....
Read MoreCapturing Stories Through Photography: The Art of Visual Storytelling
Oct 6, 2021
Instructor Karen Kasmauski and Photography Student Abby in the Folk School Vegetable Garden Most...
Read MoreMeet Woodworker Mason Cooley, Builder of Bamboo Bicycles
Jun 29, 2021
This November, the Folk School is offering a unique woodworking class with Mason Cooley where you...
Read MoreExploring Campus and Talking Reopening with Carol Parks
May 28, 2021
On the week of our reopening, Carol joined us to teach her class Campus Sketch Crawl. Read below to hear her thoughts on being back in the studio and to see the artwork of campus her students produced!
Read MoreNew Year, New Hope: A Letter by Folk School Director Jerry Jackson
Jan 13, 2021
2021 brings renewed hope for getting people back together again. Considering these past months of uncertainty and isolation, we need each other now more than ever—working, learning, and creating together in the vital place that is John C. Campbell Folk School.
Read MoreFrom the Archives: A Photographic Look at the Brasstown Carvers
Sep 29, 2020
Often it (carving) has meant the sole source of a doctor’s bill…or food for my children. I am happy that I have the gift of carving and that the Folk School has given me the opportunity to use it.
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Fantastic Recycled Plastic Art: An Interview with David Edgar
Feb 13, 2020
Imagine transforming your trash into treasure by creating fantastic plastic creatures and whimsical designs with recycled plastic. David Edgar, an artist who sculpted in steel for 30 years, now creates stunning pieces in plastic and he can teach you to do it too in his upcoming class: Fantastic Recycled Plastic. Lets get to know David a little more and discover the world of plastic art. Enjoy our interview!
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Studio Batik with Jessica Kaufman
Nov 13, 2019
Have you ever wanted to try batik and hand-dyeing? We have a very special surface design class coming up on January 12–18, 2020 with Jessica Kaufman: Studio Batik: Many Techniques, Amazing Results. Jessica has studied batik methods from Indonesia and India and is the owner of WAXON Batik & Dye Studio in Asheville, NC.
Read MoreThe Modern Asian Kitchen with Patrick O’Cain
Nov 10, 2019
I met with chef Patrick O’Cain at his popular Asheville restaurant, Gàn Shān Station, to interview him about his upcoming class at the Folk School, The Modern Asian Kitchen. We are excited to have him return to Brasstown, April 12–18, 2020, to share his knowledge of Asian cooking. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a renowned and celebrated Asheville chef and immerse yourself in the cooking cultures of China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and beyond.
Read MoreShaker Herbs, Roots, Barks, and Lore with Jamie Sparks
Oct 20, 2019
Have you always been drawn to the idea of using herbs to make your own products, teas, drinks, and food? Immerse yourself in weeklong class, Shaker Herbs, Roots, Barks, and Lore, taught by herbalist Jamie Sparks during Shaker Week, November 3–9. Explore how Shakers used plants to be self-reliant and to connect to the natural world. Jamie has a lot of wisdom to share, so let’s learn a little more about her experience and what’s in store for the class.
Read MoreTalking Old Time with Riley Baugus, Banjo Instructor
Oct 11, 2019
We are honored to announce that Riley Baugus, renowned old-time musician, will be our first featured artist in the new Appalachian Master Artist Series. Next week. October 14–18, Riley will celebrate old-time music at the Folk School and in our community. Riley’s visit marks the first of a four-part grant-funded series for Fall 2019. These collaborations are focused on perpetuating Appalachian craft and handing down mountain traditions.
Read MoreFund-A-Need: What’s Important to You?
Jun 6, 2019
Our Fund-A-Need list represents a wide variety of necessities, from painting easels to woodcarving workbenches and from cooking studio shelving to weaving studio looms. As you know, our studios are where much of the magic happens: learning from your instructor, connecting with your classmates, and tapping into your own creative mindset.
Read More
Our new website is live and this blog has moved to folkschool.org/stories
Please visit and bookmark the News & Stories page as all new content will appear over there and blog.folkschool.org will soon head to the archives. We’ll continue to bring you tales about the Folk School experience from the perspective of teachers and students, along with the latest news from our staff and Resident Artists. We’re in the process of transferring our blog archive over to the new website, but there are plenty of interviews and anecdotes to dive into today.
Current Catalog

Embrace your creative potential, and join us for a life-changing Folk School experience. Our new January–December 2022 Catalog is now available. View the eCatalog online. To receive a printed catalog in the mail, complete our Request a Catalog form on our website.
Online Craft Shop
Our online Craft Shop is now live! Support our vision, mission, and values by purchasing handcrafted items. Our online selection of items will continue to grow, so check back regularly for new items, interviews and more.
Class Subjects
MetalFiberWoodGlassClayCookingNaturalsBook Arts & PaperDanceVisual ArtsJewelryMusicOutdoorsWordsAdditional Offerings

Our new website is live and this blog has moved to folkschool.org/stories
Please visit and bookmark the News & Stories page as all new content will appear over there and blog.folkschool.org will soon head to the archives. We’ll continue to bring you tales about the Folk School experience from the perspective of teachers and students, along with the latest news from our staff and Resident Artists. We’re in the process of transferring our blog archive over to the new website, but there are plenty of interviews and anecdotes to dive into today.
Current Catalog

Embrace your creative potential, and join us for a life-changing Folk School experience. Our new January–December 2022 Catalog is now available. View the eCatalog online. To receive a printed catalog in the mail, complete our Request a Catalog form on our website.
Online Craft Shop
Our online Craft Shop is now live! Support our vision, mission, and values by purchasing handcrafted items. Our online selection of items will continue to grow, so check back regularly for new items, interviews and more.