Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Program
The Southern Highland Craft Guild is hosting several exciting events this spring and summer at the Folk Art Center, including an exhibition, a craft conference and a graduate showcase.
The exhibition Patience Makes Perfect is on display now through July 13 in the Focus Gallery. This showcase features five talented Guild members whose works emphasize the patience and dedication required in the craft. Michael Hughey, a calligrapher, is one of the featured artists. “My calligraphy, over half a century, has always been a spiritual practice in the service of others,” he says. Hughey, who once spent more than 120 hours drawing a single letter ‘P,’ says his work doesn’t necessarily require patience, but rather “focus, concentration, knowledge, skill and joy in the making.”
Fiber artist Eileen Hallman, also featured in the exhibition, describes herself as “an inveterate experimentalist,” constantly questioning and exploring new methods to expand her craft. Her creations, particularly a kimono dyed over 18 summers using fresh indigo, showcase the fruits of her long-term dedication to trial and error. “The more errors, the more information and learning,” says Hallman. “I think any scientist or artist will tell you that mistakes or surprise results will teach you a great deal more than something that works the first time. Tweak, tweak, tweak. When you think you understand it, repeat, repeat, repeat.”
On Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25, the Guild presents Craft Making & Thinking: Appalachian Heritage and Culture Conference. This immersive event will feature master craftspeople and emerging artists who will explore Appalachian heritage and identity through craft. The conference will include panels, live demonstrations and musical performances, offering attendees a deep dive into Appalachian culture. The event is made possible through a grant from North Carolina Humanities, a statewide nonprofit and the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
An exhibition highlighting the work of the 2025 graduating class from Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program will open in the Main Gallery on Saturday, May 10, in conjunction with Fiber Day. This exhibition will showcase the work of emerging artists trained in a variety of craft disciplines, including fiber, wood, clay and metals.
Monday, May 19, is also the deadline for spring applications to join the Guild. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Highway 70 entrance in east Asheville. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Learn more at SouthernHighlandGuild.org.
