JCCFS: Tell us a bit about your background making brooms.

CC: I began learning broommaking on my own around 2020. One of the things I value most about craft is that in order to truly understand it, you must learn from the hands of another. That led me to seeking out the mentorship of Cynthia Main from Sunhouse Craft, so I travelled to Appalachia to learn from her. During our time together, she encouraged me to follow the thread of this craft. And so, I did! In 2022, I began making brooms publicly, selling at markets and teaching workshops. At the beginning of 2024, I spent three months at Berea College in their Craft Fellowship program, working in the Broom Shop and developing my skills as a brush maker. Upon my return to San Antonio, I began my full time career as a broommaker.

The only thing I love more than making brooms is teaching other folks how to make them. I regularly teach classes for the University of Texas San Antonio’s Southwest School of Art, as well as hosting my own workshops in areas around the Texas Hill Country. Most of my time as a broommaker has been spent serving my direct community in South Texas. I’m excited to bring my own knowledge and flavor to JCCFS this summer.

JCCFS: What techniques will students be learning in your summer class?

CC: We’ll spend the week expanding our knowledge of broom and brush assembly and materials. You’ll be encouraged to think about these objects and their construction in new ways. The first day will be a refresher on broommaking techniques to get our hands warmed up and minds pliable. On day two, we will explore ways of assembling brushes, using different bristle fibers and attachment techniques. The rest of the week will be spent creating individual projects using found objects, unconventional shapes, and a variety of bristle and handle materials. You’ll be able to really explore the edges of your creativity and build skills that will bolster your work for years to come.

JCCFS: What can students expect to leave your class with?

CC: You will, of course, leave with a very cool object for a few! But my greatest desire is for you to walk away with a deeper understanding of your own capacity for creativity, innovation, and problem solving.

JCCFS: What do you enjoy most about teaching?

CC: For me, teaching is about connection. Being able to build a unique and individual relationship with each student allows me to gently tailor the learning experience based on their specific needs and goals. I love creating an encouraging, relaxed learning environment that inspires experimentation without fear of failure.

JCCFS: Since this will be your first time teaching at the Folk School, can you tell us how you wound up here?

CC: I had the opportunity to assist Amanda Lee Lazorchack with back-to-back workshops in the summer of 2024. It was a wonderful experience of community and craft. As a craftsperson who lives far from the area, I am excited to bring my unique perspective and experiences of folk craft to the school.

JCCFS: Where do you draw inspiration from for your work?

CC: My personal work is deeply rooted in history, ritual, land connection, and community. Broommaking is how I connect to my body, the earth, and to others. The humble act of binding a broom is where I find peace and acts as a meditation. I believe we deserve beauty in utility, and that is a belief that I think is shared by the Folk School.

JCCFS: What have you been working on in your own broommaking practice lately?

CC: This year, I have been more focused on creating bodies of work that are clear collections around specific themes. This has allowed me to create an exploratory container for myself so that I am able to stay focused on a specific goal, while still having space to play. Back in February, I put together a collection I called Nectar that felt like a strong representation of the expansiveness of my broommaking skills – almost a retrospective. It was empowering for me to see the years of learning and experimenting I’ve done come together into something cohesive and bold and wholly representative of who I am as a broommaker.

JCCFS: Do you have any advice for aspiring craftspeople?

CC: Give yourself the gift of failure. There is something so powerful about letting go of a specific outcome in order to allow yourself the space for discovery. Information has become so bite-sized and accessible now that we sometimes forget the benefit of experimentation, or doing things “wrong.” We rob ourselves of the joy of growth! Developing our own voice as an artist requires exploration, testing ideas, and building a personal relationship with the material. Not everything we produce will be our best work, but we will never produce our best work without making some bad work first.

JCCFS: Where can folks find you online?

CC: Instagram is a great way to connect with me; @_sisterwolf_ is my handle. I also have a newsletter that I send periodically with updates about collections, markets, and classes. You can sign up for it on my website www.sisterwolfcraft.com.

JCCFS: Anything else you want to add?

CC: Although I was trained in more traditional Appalachian styles of broommaking, I am a contemporary broommaker and my work and techniques reflect that. I have spent a great deal of time working by myself and developing skills that lie just gently outside the borders of the craft. My hope is that I bring a fresh sense of wonder and whimsy to this beloved tradition.