Home to the Brasstown Carvers, the Folk School has a long history with the fine craft of woodcarving. Students of all skill levels have been coming to Brasstown for generations to learn relief, chip, in-the-round, and other carving techniques.
Woodcarving Classes
Explore The Studio
Woodcarving Studio
This cozy, rustic, wood building is in Studio Row near the old sawmill. With its red tin roof and covered porch, the outside feels historic, an ideal place to continue time-honored traditions. Inside, carvers follow their bliss as they carve everything from lifelike birds to walking sticks. Newly renovated, the studio’s workstations are at the perfect height to comfortably tackle intricate, detailed work. Leather and pyrography classes are also taught in this studio.
News & Stories: What's Happening in Woodcarving
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April 16, 2025
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February 25, 2025
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January 10, 2025
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December 10, 2024
Browse our 2025 classes digitally...
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November 26, 2024
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November 21, 2024
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October 28, 2024
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August 26, 2024
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July 23, 2024
Browse our 2025 classes digitally...
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July 23, 2024
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July 23, 2024
Granny Donaldson's great great great...
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June 28, 2024
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April 3, 2024
When Janet Davis first made...
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March 5, 2024
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March 5, 2024
Winning Forged in Fire and...
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January 18, 2024
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November 9, 2023
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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 16, 2023
Greenwood carving is an increasingly...
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February 14, 2023
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August 29, 2022
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August 24, 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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November 23, 2021
Carolyn Anderson is a long-standing member of the renowned Brasstown Carvers and a member of The Southern Highlands Craft Guild. Always quick with encouragement to new carvers, she possesses a sweet and generous nature and is a genuine embodiment of the Folk School’s values of Joy, Kindness, and Stewardship.
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October 14, 2020
Join us in welcoming Helen Gibson for this month’s Appalachian Traditions, virtual discussions with instructors from our master-artist-led series on traditional Appalachian craft.
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April 24, 2013
We love to see smiling, Dexter Dockery, who began carving at age 18 and is a lifetime member of the Southern Highland Handcraft Guild, come into the Craft Shop with his graceful, hand-carved birds.
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March 19, 2013
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May 4, 2011
I had never been to Murray Martin’s house (Hill House) before today. I met Murray many years ago when she used to attend Resident Artist, Billie Shelburn’s painting classes. Murray Martin came to Brasstown in 1935 and was a craft teacher at the Folk School during the time of Folk School founders, Olive Campbell and Marguerite Bidstrup. She certainly gave a lot to the school and the community. To help local folks make a better living, the Brasstown Carvers were mentored by Murray and rose to a place of national recognition for their carvings. She retired in 1973 and lived in Hill House from the 1970’s until her death in 2005.
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January 17, 2009
Wood Studio Coordinator
Jeffery Teal
Growing up around woodworking tools and machinery, Jeffery developed a passion for craftsmanship at a young age, helping his dad with house remodels and cabinet building. Jeffery’s journey into the world of woodworking truly began when he built guitars for Collings in Austin, Tx, where he fell in love with the artistry of working with wood.
At the Folk School, Jeffery has had the privilege of participating in timber framing mentorship and structure raising projects, as well as collaborating with Barry Stiles from Foxfire to restore our log cabin.
“Each project has been incredibly rewarding, highlighting the versatility and beauty of wood”
Images from the Studio
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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.
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