Intergenerational Week returned to the Folk School this July, bringing together a creative crowd of families readying for a week of making together. Multigenerational pairings from grandparents and grandchildren to cousins and whole families eagerly entered studios, embarking on a journey not just to learn and create, but to savor the company of their loved ones along the way.  

“This week, I got to see families come together and do something that’s usually a singular activity used to create expressions of care and create those expressions together. They got closer as pairs; they got closer as a group, and I feel very fortunate to be able to facilitate that with them,” said Weaving Instructor Mitchell Burleson.  

Pale purple surprise lilies sprouted from the soft ground around Keith House, swaying in the gentle wind as students chalked four-square courts onto the pavement. Festival Barn and Open House echoed with jubilant cheers, and the footsteps of students playing badminton and capture-the-flag. After supper, they played soccer in the Dining Hall before evening song and dance.  

“I hope I get to bring my kids here one day and have as good of time as they did,” said Burleson. 

As the week unfolded, beginners become learners, slowly honing their skills. Soon, the woodturners were smoothing out pieces on the lathe, and British cuisine was delicately crafted in Davidson Hall, sweetened by the decadent scent of dates and mascarpone. On Wednesday, young visitors from Texana arrived on campus to enjoy a tour and musical festivities in the Community Room.  

In the Quilting Studio, one young man attended with his grandfather as they both undertook the dedicated process of creating their own quilts. Henry Ransom came to campus with his grandparents, Vicki and Richard, supporting each other creatively throughout the week. Henry and Richard attended quilting together, while Vicki enjoyed her time at the Weaving Studio.   

“He has made a true heirloom. He has really put a lot into this,” said Quilting Instructor Jeanne Barringer. “I told Henry, he is embodying the spirit of the Folk School.” 

Henry’s quilt is a special one, with an old-fashioned seed bag centered in the quilt top, an object from his grandmother, who harvested pine trees for telephone poles, keeping the empty sacks for future use. Delicate fabric squares of green and blue floral patterns are featured in the appliqué. These pieces were originally from clothes worn to his parents’ wedding party, now immortalized in this newly crafted family heirloom.  

“A lot of the fabric came from my grandmother’s bins; the blue and green ones were taken from scrap bins. Later, my grandmother looked at it and said it was part of the outfits at my parents’ wedding,” Henry said. 

Learners in the Clay Studio hand-built vessels and plates, some sculpting their favorite characters into the malleable medium. Nature Studies students spent time outside the classroom, spelunking, whittling, and foraging, while others wove sweetgrass into baskets and others hammered metal into astonishing pieces of art. 

At the end of the week, an impressive array of artifacts decorated Keith House with pride and accomplishment as families shared sentiments and experiences with other intergenerational attendees. They departed campus with newfound skills and appreciation for one another, carrying their art pieces and memories that will last a lifetime.