(Main) Student Lisa Nguyen on the porch of Penland’s wood studio. (Inset) Demonstration by Penland instructor David Clemons.
Penland School of Craft, the venerable center for hands-on learning that has operated in Western North Carolina for more than 90 years, will offer more than 100 adult craft workshops this summer, covering a wide range of subjects, from making sculpture with paper pulp to encapsulating drawings in glass to crafting traditional ladderback chairs.
The summer begins and ends with short sessions that start on Sunday evening and end on Friday morning. In between are five sessions that each last almost two weeks. Not all students stay on campus, but there is plenty of housing available and a dining hall that serves three meals each day.
Robin Dreyer, Penland’s communications manager, explains that Penland’s workshops are based on the “total immersion” model. “Students enroll in a single class where they work with one or two instructors and a small group of fellow students,” he says. “Working intensely on a single subject allows students to gain new skills quickly and to absorb a surprising amount of information in a short time. Our workshops are led by excellent teaching artists, and they combine demonstrations and individual instruction with hours and hours of open studio time.”
The school is located in rural Mitchell County, about an hour’s drive north of Asheville. Its core campus of studios and housing is surrounded by several hundred acres of grassy areas and wooded hills. Students come from all parts of the country. The school operates 16 teaching studios that cover traditional craft media such as ceramics, glass, metals, textiles and wood, along with other areas that include book arts, printmaking, drawing and painting, and photography. Students don’t need expert knowledge or experience to enroll. Most of Penland’s workshops are open to students of all different skill levels, including beginners.
Cameron Cooper recently attended a metalworking class. “I had been longing for a space to create, build and connect with nature and art, and Penland provided just that,” Cooper says. “It was a place where I could let go of my thoughts and live from the heart. Two words that come to mind when I think of my time at Penland are ‘freedom’ and ‘grace.’ I had the freedom to explore and wonder, and the beautiful landscape and studios provided endless inspiration. The community was warm and welcoming.”
Details of Penland’s upcoming summer program and registration information can be found on the school’s website. Those who can’t commit to taking a workshop at this time might enjoy visiting the school’s beautiful gallery.
The Penland Gallery & Visitors Center is located at Penland School of Craft on Conley Ridge Road in Mitchell County near Spruce Pine. For more information about upcoming classes, visit Penland.org.
