Find your voice in our Storytelling classes. Learn what makes a good story and how can you tell it in an engaging and informative manner. Share life lessons, make personal connections, and, best of all, provide great entertainment for new friends.
Storytelling Classes
Explore The Studio
Harvest Room in Orchard House
Located in Orchard House, which overlooks an orchard in the front yard and a rolling pasture leading to the creek in the back, this building was originally built in the 1950s as a residence for a board member. The remodeled Photography & Writing Studio offers students a quiet classroom space equipped with high-speed internet along with Mac and PC computers. The studio’s large central table is ideal for coming together to review images or discuss your latest draft. In addition to the Harvest Room, Orchard House includes student housing.
News & Stories: What's Happening in Storytelling
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March 5, 2024
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March 5, 2024
Winning Forged in Fire and...
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March 5, 2024
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November 9, 2023
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October 15, 2023
Oral Storytelling Traditions and Appalachian Storytelling: From Ancient Practices to Today’s Revival
Discover the enchanting world of...
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July 24, 2023
Browse our August 2023–June 2024...
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July 24, 2023
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May 30, 2023
Shadow Puppetry Still from Tam Lin...
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February 14, 2023
Elizabeth LaPrelle began winning prizes for...
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February 14, 2023
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February 14, 2023
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December 13, 2022
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August 29, 2022
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July 25, 2022
Building on your feedback, we're...
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July 22, 2022
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February 13, 2020
When you take a Folk School class, you never know who you will meet. Last fall, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Robin Edgar in the herbalism class during Shaker Week. I learned that she and her husband, David Edgar, have been teaching classes at the Folk School since 1996! Robin teaches writing and David teaches the unique craft of turning recycled plastic into fantastic creations. This year, they are both teaching during Earth Week, April 19–24, 2020. In her upcoming class, Turning Fond Memories into Family Histories, students will discover how to use sights, sounds, and even smells to recall and record meaningful memories.
Resident Artist in Gardening & Homesteading, Nature Studies, Soap Making, Storytelling
Karen Hurtubise
Karen and her husband have a small farm and grow diverse crops including native plants, berries, tomatoes, mushrooms, turmeric, and ginger. They began a large organic vegetable, flower, and herb garden over 30 years ago in Hayesville, NC, and won a Southeast Regional Rodale Organic Gardening Garden-of-the-Year contest. Karen is a passionate advocate of healthy agriculture, local food, and forest farming. She has been teaching at the Folk School since 1994.
Cooking, Gardening & Homesteading, Nature Studies, Soap Making, Storytelling Coordinator
Susannah Thompson
Susannah found the Folk School while looking for contra dance in western NC. Shortly after moving to the area, she earned her striped tights and wooden clogs as a member of Dame’s Rocket, one of the Brasstown Morris Dance teams. She has also been a teacher for over 20 years.
In forests and on camera, in school libraries, and in the kitchen, she enjoys creating new adventures for students of all ages. She started teaching at the Folk School in 2017 and is best known for her British Baking class. When she’s not in the cooking studio or on the dance floor, you can find her searching for salamanders, paddling local lakes, or assisting with wildlife monitoring projects.
Images from the Studio
Interested in Attending?
You can find more information about the many aspects that make up the Folk School Experience using the menu below.
Housing & Meals
There’s nothing like staying on campus to fully immerse yourself in the Folk’s School experience.
A Typical Week or Weekend
A quick glance of what you can expect when you take a class as the Folk School.
General Information & Policies
Find our policies and procedures along with answers to commonly asked questions.