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Student Voices

13 Sep

Posted at 15:40h in Stories: Book Arts, Stories: Paper Art, Stories: Printmaking, Student Voices
[caption id="attachment_17444" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Collograph with Feather and Fabric[/caption] Last month’s printmaking class didn’t go as I’d planned. The class was “Printmaking Paradise,” a survey of techniques, taught by Sally and Dick Walsh. In class, Sally taught us a few techniques each day. Some used the printing press, and some we could do at home with no fancy equipment. Sally encouraged us to have fun: to try everything but to go with the techniques we resonated with. On day one, we tackled collagraphs. They seemed simple enough: spread ink onto a piece of matte board, lay found objects on top, cover with paper, and run the whole thing through the printing press. The first print will be a little sloppy, but the second and third will have more defined features, showing the textures of the objects. Sally’s example had a beautifully detailed feather printed on it. I waited with eager fingers for my print to roll through the press. Then I peeled it off the board. My feather had printed as a disappointing white blotch: not enough ink. “Make another one!” Dick suggested, so I did, this time gopping on the ink under my feather. You can’t understand the process until you do it, I thought. Why did I expect things to be perfect the first time?

11 Jul

Posted at 15:38h in Stories: Enameling, Stories: Glass, Stories: Metalwork, Student Voices, Youth
[caption id="attachment_17140" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Enameled Bowl by Sienna[/caption] The summertime at the Folk School offers two opportunities for people under the age of 18 to take classes at the Folk School: Little/Middle Folk School and Intergenerational Week. For many young people, this is an ongoing tradition, so what happens when you turn 18 and age out of these programs? Do not fret, you are not banished from the Folk School! On the contrary, now you can take ANY class all year long. I recently met Sienna Bosch, an 18-year-old recent high school graduate from Fort Collins, CO who was taking "Beginning Techniques in Enamel" with Christie Schuster. She was here with her mom, who was in printmaking class, and her dad, who taught woodturning. I sat down with her and talked about her experience. Enjoy our interview! [caption id="attachment_17139" align="alignright" width="278"] Sienna Bosch[/caption]

CP: Had you been to the Folk School before this trip?

SB: I had never been to the Folk School before this trip. I had heard a lot about it from my sister and parents, but this was my first time at the Folk School. CP: Do you have a favorite craft? SB: I don't necessarily have a favorite, I work mostly in wood, metal, and wire, but I really enjoy trying new things and experimenting with a variety of crafts. [caption id="attachment_17137" align="alignleft" width="300"] Enameled Bowl by Sienna[/caption] CP: Why did you decide to take Enameling? SB: I decided to take enameling because it was something that I had never tried before, but was interested in. I had seen pictures of enameled copper and was curious what the process was like. There were many classes that sounded interesting to me, but enameling really sparked my interest.

18 Aug

Posted at 12:14h in Stories: Glass, Stories: Kaleidoscopes, Student Voices
[caption id="attachment_15368" align="alignright" width="210"] Scott Cole[/caption] Earlier this month, I had the chance to take a class on kaleidoscopes with longtime Folk School instructor Scott Cole. I’ve taken many classes at the Folk School, but I’ll admit I was a little daunted to work with glass and metal, both materials I’ve had little experience with. The first night, we set up our studio as a group, looked at examples of the many styles of kaleidoscopes, and had our first small challenge: taping a set of three long mirrors together to create the reflective pattern found in many kaleidoscopes. Our first night’s homework was deceptively simple: take home your mirrors and master their assembly. The next day, Scott walked us through the process for making a basic brass kaleidoscope. We learned to cut glass, cut our mirrors, glue with epoxy (occasionally a sticky mess for some of us), and how to shape small pieces of glass for our kaleidoscopes’ object cell. While our first kaleidoscopes had matching exteriors and mirror systems, we each found ways to personalize our scopes in ways that matched our individual sense of color, movement, and texture.

08 Jun

Posted at 19:41h in Stories: Drawing, Stories: Painting, Student Voices
drawings [caption id="attachment_15062" align="alignright" width="225"]Lighting a still life with vase and grasses Lighting a still life with vase and grasses[/caption] What’s better than a week at the Folk School? Two weeks, of course. That’s why after teaching the Science of Bread in May I stayed to take Drawing Techniques and Tools with Pebbie Mott and Pam Beagle-Daresta. The first day we learned about the tools we’d be trying: drawing pencils (which range in darkness from the pale 9H to the black 9B), water color pencils (draw, then add water), charcoals (soft and hard, plus white to use on gray paper), ink with a brush and bamboo pen (Pam brought walnut ink she’d made in a previous class), and Micron pens. After trying the techniques, we’d pick one for a final project. [caption id="attachment_15060" align="aligncenter" width="630"]White vessel to practice values with light and shadows White vessel to practice values with light and shadows[/caption]

10 Apr

Posted at 13:24h in Stories: Clay, Student Voices
IMG_8825_650 [caption id="attachment_14958" align="alignright" width="307"]IMG_8828_650px Rob demos how to make a big jugs in segments, using the torch to quick dry the base.[/caption] Clay students of all levels joined Rob Withrow in the Folk School Clay Studio this past week to learn new skill and techniques on the wheel. Many students had never thrown on a wheel and were eager to get started. Rob is a local Brasstown potter and owner of Smoke in the Mountains Pottery. He makes the JCCFS logo mugs that are for sale in the craft shop and the big soup bowls in the Dining Hall. Rob is most know for his face mug pottery and wood firing. He creates loves to throw BIG! He has thrown 6-ft tall face jugs and can only fire them in his wood kiln (because of their large size). Students in the class tried their hand at creating mugs, bowls, plates, cups and more. By the end of the week student had some finished fired pieces and confidence to throw a vessel on the wheel. It was a great week!

22 Dec

Posted at 12:39h in Stories: Book Arts, Stories: Paper Art, Student Voices
Under my tree this year is another tree and it looks like this: [caption id="attachment_14238" align="aligncenter" width="499"]Tree_IMG_6238 My Christmas tree book & box[/caption] In the Book Arts class, "Ornamental Books and Boxes for the Holidays" with Dea Sasso we tackled three ambitious projects for the Long Weekend. The first project was the tree pictured above with a fancy triangular box. Dea bought a wonderful assortment of papers, book cloth, and leather and everyone picked a combination of colors. My tree fits into a blue box with gold tooled stars and a tree on the front.

07 Apr

Posted at 11:27h in Community, Student Voices
The Folk School recently had a very special group visit. To celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary, Dr. Fred and Mrs. Martha U. Goldner of Nashville, TN, decided to return to the Folk School and this time they brought their family and several friends to join in the fun! [caption id="attachment_12838" align="aligncenter" width="600"](Front Row) Dr. Fred & Mrs. Martha U. Goldner (Second Row L. to R.) Hannah Niederman, Francie Niederman, Natalie Niederman, Fredjoseph Goldner, (Third Row L. to R.) Cynthia Goldner, Aaron Niederman, Michael Niederman, Sana Singh, Prash Singh, and Julian Goldner. (Front Row) Dr. Fred & Mrs. Martha U. Goldner (Second Row L. to R.) Hannah Niederman, Francie Niederman, Natalie Niederman, Fredjoseph Goldner, (Third Row L. to R.) Cynthia Goldner, Aaron Niederman, Michael Niederman, Sana Singh, Prash Singh, and Julian Goldner.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12848" align="alignright" width="244"]Aaron Niederman plans his Blacksmithing project with instructor Ron Nichols. Aaron Niederman plans his Blacksmithing project with instructor Ron Nichols.[/caption] While Fred & Martha toasted their 60th, one of their two daughters, Francie Niederman, of Skokie, IL, also celebrated her 20th anniversary with her husband Michael. Three generations of family members and their friends came to the Folk School to take a variety of Weekend classes including: Blacksmithing, Jewelry, Enameling, Drawing, Woodturning, and Woodworking. Creativity seems to run in the family. Their daughter, Cynthia, promotes her innovative art at Makin Time Clocks and their grandson, Julian, was a Silver Medalist in the most recent Scholastic Art Awards Competition. Seeing them in the studio, at our family-style meals in the Dining Hall, and at Show and Tell was delightful. They made it look like the most incredible family vacation ever. I talked with Martha about her Folk School experience and what it was like to have her family congregate in Brasstown for this very special occasion: CP: Congratulations once again on your anniversary! Was this your first trip to the Folk School? MG: Fred and I had a previous experience at JCCFS around the same time of year in 2011. We took Bistro Cooking and Fiber Arts & Knitting. [caption id="attachment_12840" align="alignleft" width="286"]Francie learns a jewelry technique from Kay Patterson. Francie learns a jewelry technique from Kay Patterson.[/caption] CP: What made you decide to pick the Folk School as a destination for your anniversary celebration? MG: We identified our anniversary celebration with family. A weekend of the exact dates was in the catalogue and it was a perfect place away from everyone's usual environment. A place of unknown demands on them, yet programmed for each one to be surprised and inspired. CP: How many of your family members congregated at the Folk School? Who came from the furthest destination? MG: Of the twelve members there were three couples. Our son came from San Jose, Costa Rica. CP: How did you decide what classes to take? MG: When the idea was hatched we distributed the outline and description of what was available so they quickly made choices before the classes filled up.