March 2018
~ CLASS IS FULL ~ ANTLER BASKETRY at MOUNTAIN HERITAGE HANDCRAFT
Combining the beauty of a naturally shed Mule deer antler with artisan rib-style basket weaving, you will create a fanciful, functional Appalachian Antler Basket of your own design. Using a variety of colors and natural materials including vines, cordages, reeds, grasses and fibers, weave away the long weekend making a one-of-a-kind creation. Discussions of shapes & types of antlers, and a demonstration of how to drill your own antlers will prepare you for future projects at home. All levels welcome.…
Find out more »June 2018
MAKING TRADITIONAL BARK BASKETRY at MHcrafted Workshop
Learn to harvest bark and fold into useful and beautiful baskets using the traditional techniques of our Appalachian Indian ancestors. Nothing goes to waste. Students will begin by hand-peeling Tulip Poplar bark from freshly cut logs we harvest from our property. This variety of tree is a rapid and prolific grower in this area, and trees are selected to thin out the woodlands in order to create healthier forests. The peeled logs will be seasoned and used for firewood to…
Find out more »October 2018
WHISKED AWAY WEEKEND at Mountain Heritage Handcraft
Spend a whirlwind weekend learning to craft various styles of handmade whisk brooms. Students will explore functional decorative whisk designs, uses of color and at least 4 different construction styles, to make a cache of whisks to take home, along with the know-how to create more on their own. These highly useful beautiful gems of the sweeper world make fantastic gifts, as well as being very fun and satisfying to make. All class tools and materials are included. All levels…
Find out more »August 2019
BROOMS FROM THE GROUND UP at Mountain Heritage Handcraft
Get swept up for 5 days of exploring the Art of Broom Making from the ground up. Students start out harvesting sorghum tassels from the field and learn all about growing, preparing and sorting broomcorn. Then we'll whittle and finish rough sticks into fine broom handles. Finally we'll plait a variety of brooms; from floor & hearth sweepers, to cobweb besoms, and various styles of whisks. Functional & fanciful, great gifts for home: multiple brooms will be made by all,…
Find out more »September 2019
THE ARTFUL BROOM at Mountain Heritage Handcraft
This 5 day immersion will whisk you beyond crafting the basic broom, into the Fine Art of Broom Making. Students will explore novel plaiting and stitching techniques, multiple headed brooms, techniques for adding dyed broomcorn, and brooms as sculptural pieces; for Art's sake! Functional & fanciful, great gifts for friends, family & home: multiple brooms will be made by all, and students will leave with the know-how and inspiration to continue making Artful brooms on their own. *Some broom making…
Find out more »June 2020
THE ARTFUL BROOM -CLASS CANCELLED due to pandemic
This 5 day immersion will whisk you beyond basic broomcraft, into the finer Art of broom making. Experienced broom making students will explore new & novel plaiting and stitching techniques, multiple headed brooms, techniques for adding and utilizing dyed broomcorn, and exploring brooms as sculptural pieces; for Art's sake! Functional & fanciful, great gifts for friends, family & home: multiple brooms will be made by all, and students will leave with the know-how and inspiration to continue making Artful brooms…
Find out more »July 2020
FOWL WHISK WEEKEND-CLASS CANCELLED due to pandemic
Broom makers, Join us for a weekend class held at our studio located in the mountains of beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia. With a little whisk or broom making experience, you qualify to take this in-depth flight into creating fowl-inspired whisk styles, such as the Chicken-wing, Turkey-wing & Rooster Tail whisks! Some hand strength & prior whisk and/or broom making experience is required. MATERIALS FEE: All tools and materials for this class will be provided for an all inclusive fee of…
Find out more »August 2020
BROOMS FROM THE GROUND UP at Mountain Heritage Handcraft
Get swept up for 5 days of in-depth exploring the traditional craft of Broom Making from the ground up. Students start out by harvesting seeded broomcorn tassels from the field and learn all about planting, harvesting, preparing and sorting broomcorn. Then we'll whittle and finish rough sticks into fine broom handles. Finally we'll plait a variety of broom styles; from floor & hearth sweepers, to cobweb besoms, and various styles of whisks. Functional & fanciful, these brooms make great gifts…
Find out more »January 2021
Antler Basketry at John C. Campbell Folk School-CANCELLED
>>> JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED THROUGH MAY 2nd! <<< Nature and artist collaborate, as students combine the beauty of natural shed deer antlers with artisan rib-style basket weaving. To start, students will create a fanciful & functional Appalachian Egg Basket using a shed mule deer antler as the base handle. Then, through class demonstrations and discussions exploring various drilling techniques on constructing more sculptural forms, students can also create their own unique antler weavings, using a…
Find out more »June 2021
TRADITIONAL BARK BASKETRY at John C. Campbell Folk School
In this class, learn to harvest bark yourself and fold into useful, beautiful baskets using many of the traditional techniques taught by the Appalachian area Indians. You will discover how to use these nature made materials to craft several different styles of folded bark baskets. Incorporating other barks and natural materials, we will assemble, stitch and add rims, handles & décor to create one-of-a-kind creative pieces. Each student will leave with several bark baskets and the know-how to complete more…
Find out more »BROOM MAKING at John C. Campbell Folk School
Mark Hendry will be teaching a week long class on THE ART OF BROOM MAKING at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina this Fall. Students will experience traditional Appalachian Broom Making from the ground up as they sort & prep broomcorn, learn to harvest and finish handles, and explore various broom designs and construction techniques from the 18th century tradition. Students will learn to make a variety of styles including whisks, hearth & floor sweepers and…
Find out more »July 2021
APPALACHIAN LEGACY BROOMS at Arrowmont
Mark is proud to join the staff of fine artists & craftsman teaching at Arrowmont's 2nd Annual Legacy Week. In continuation of its service to dedicated teachers and to the region, Arrowmont School is offering a week of Appalachian arts and crafts workshops dedicated exclusively to Appalachian regional K-12 teachers. Legacy Week offers teachers of all disciplines the opportunity to come and learn in Arrowmont’s creative/supportive environment utilizing a full scholarship including tuition, lodging, meals and a completion stipend. Arrowmont's…
Find out more »August 2021
ARTISAN WILLOW BASKETS for Scottish Heritage Week
Come to John C. Campbell Folk School set in the bucolic mountain town of Brasstown, North Carolina for Scottish Heritage Week, where Mark Hendry will be teaching the traditional skill of Artisan Willow Basketry. Explore the traditional skill of weaving willow basketry from the ground up! Using several varieties of basketry willow, we'll focus on making traditional rib-style baskets and if time allows, explore random weave techniques. We'll cover selecting varieties, planting, propagating, harvesting, learning various weaving and lashing techniques,…
Find out more »October 2021
MAGICAL WIZARD BROOMS at John Campbell Folk School
Like magic, transform wooden sticks and sorghum straw into enchanting, one-of-a-kind wizard brooms featuring whimsical hand-carved spirit faces. Start by learning intricate face carving skills, incorporating stains and wood-burning to create realistic eyes, nose and hair with craftsman extraordinaire, Marvin Daniels. Then Mark Hendry will teach the students to use 18th century broom making techniques to transform carved branches into designer handles for artisan plaited hearth sweepers and cobweb besoms. Presto! All levels welcome; some hand strength required. To register,…
Find out more »November 2021
SHAKER BROOMS & BASKETS at John C. Campbell Folk School
It's the best of both worlds, brooms and baskets, when renowned broom artisan Mark Hendry teams up with bad-ass black ash basket-master Jo Ann Kelly Catsos for a wonderful week of Shaker inspired crafts, history and folklore at the renowned John C. Campbell Folk School in bucolic Brasstown, North Carolina. Weave with prepared black ash splint over a wooden mold to create the quintessential Shaker basket. Then make a traditional Shaker-style plaited broom. With a taste of both crafts under…
Find out more »December 2021
WOVEN WINTER ORNAMENTS at Mountain Heritage Handcraft
Spend a weekend weaving in a winter wonderland of woven ornaments! Learn basic weaving skills with user friendly patterns and materials to create fun & fanciful seasonal ornaments for whatever winter holiday decor you might imagine. From stars and snowflakes to bells and reindeer, students will weave an assortment of ornaments to take home, along with the know-how to keep the decorations going all winter long. Class fee includes all tools and materials: $225
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