As songbirds sing their final verses of spring and the sun beams down on the first day of summer, the John Campbell Folk School buzzes with youthful energy. Over 100 kids and teens flooded campus this June for Little Middle, little hands and big imaginations set off into a week of creativity. 

Among the excited crowd is Camden Darnell, returning for his second year. Last summer, he tackled Blacksmithing, sparking inspiration and forging new ideas. This time around, he’s swapping metal for wood, trying his hand at woodcarving and joining intergenerational Brasstown Carvers Carolyn Anderson and Richard Carter.  

“I’m doing woodcarving and The Wonderful World of Fiber. Wonderful World of Fiber is kind of a relaxing, stretched-out kind of thing,” Darnell said.  

Darnell is one of the 25 scholarship students from Clay and Cherokee counties attending through the North Carolina Museum of Art’s AIM (Artist Innovation Mentorship) program.  AIM pairs teaching artists with middle-school aged youth in after-school programs throughout the state.  

“I have to say, using the tools in woodcarving taught me something about the tools I have that I didn’t know. See, I have a wood cutting kit, which is basically everything they told me I needed to carve anything unless I’m carving big stuff. Other than that, I mean, it’s really cool,” Darnell said. 

During the week of Little Middle, the Festival Barn is transformed into a whirlwind of color, creativity, and joyful chaos. Gourd fairy houses, needle-felted woodland creatures, mosaics, and plenty of glue and glitter—each table extends a new adventure and opportunity for students to learn more about Native American art and the vibrant culture of the region. 

“I’m carving a spoon for my mom. I love cooking and you know, you love your mom and her food,” said Darnell. “It’s the one thing I’ve been working on, but it’s huge. I also have to sand down a lot of cracks and crannies, kind of like one in those museums of art.”  

At the center of the carving class is Richard Carter, a long-time Folk School instructor with decades of experience. His class this year, “Carve a Brasstown Pattern” gives students a chance to try their hand at classic Appalachian styles.  

“He tells me he’s homeschooled so he’s a little bit smarter than I am. I tell them, I’ve been doing this for over 50 years,” Carter said with a chuckle, nodding his head. 

Like Darnell, this isn’t Carter’s first time at Little Middle, citing his experience and that not every class is the same. Some are ready for a chip off the old block, while others take time to warm up to the craft. On Thursday nights, you’ll find Carter and Anderson in the Keith House Community Room hosting Community Carving Night, where doors are open, and wood shavings decorate the floor. 

Midweek, magic hits full blast as the local Fire Department rolls onto campus. In moments the field next to Festival Barn is filled with a joyful frenzy. Kids sprint toward the field, exclaiming their delight as the firetruck’s hose sends shimmering arcs of water into the summer sky. Laughter echos across campus as students leap through the mist, stomp through puddles, and dive into mud. Soaked, smiling and beaming with contagious joy. 

Near the end of the program, Carter prepares to settle into another regular week at the Folk School, extending his expertise further to creative minds in need of guidance. Darnell packs his spoon up and turns toward the horizon of the future, newly embedded with the knowledge to transform his ideas into reality.  

“Have confidence in yourself and always listen to yourself. Be creative and do what you want; it doesn’t matter if someone’s already done it. It can be anything you want it to be,” Darnell said.