April 2018
BROOM MAKING at JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL
Mark will be teaching THE ART OF BROOM MAKING class at the John C. Campbell Folk school this April. Students will learn Broom Making from the ground up; sizing and processing broomcorn and handles, used to make a variety of brooms, from Whisks & Hearth Brooms to Floor Sweepers & Cobweb Besoms. For more information, click the link> JCCFS Art of Broom Making
Find out more »WEAVE A PICNIC BASKET at JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL
Mark will be assisting Pattie Bagley in this years WEAVE A PICNIC BASKET class, to be held at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Check the Folk School link for more info. FOLKSCHOOL.ORG
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 »December 2018
Broom Making at ALTO PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Mark & Jo Anna will be teaching the students at ALTO PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, in Rome Georgia how to make 18th Century Historic Brooms. For 3 days, students will learn to make a basic plaited besom and several whisks, while also learning about the history and folklore of American 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 »September 2020
WHISKED AWAY WEEKEND at BRMAA
Join us at the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association in beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia and spend a whirlwind weekend learning to craft various styles of handmade Appalachian inspired whisk brooms. You will learn 18th century broom making techniques sans machinery. Each day students will learn about the history and folklore of the broom and the part it played in our country's origins, while we explore functional decorative whisk designs, plaiting techniques, uses of color and at least 3 different construction…
Find out more »WHISKED AWAY WEEKEND in Huntsville, Alabama
Join us at the beautifully bucolic Burritt On The Mountain, in Huntsville Alabama and get swept up for a wonderful 3-day weekend learning to craft various styles of stunning handmade whisk brooms. You will learn the historic handcraft of making brooms sans machinery, as in the 18th century. Each day students will explore fun, functional & highly decorative whisk designs, ways of adding color and at least 4 different construction styles, to make a hearty cache of whisks to take…
Find out more »November 2020
EXPLORING ANTLER BASKETRY at Arrowmont// CANCELLED DUE TO PANDEMIC
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 variety of organic colors and natural materials including vines, cordage, reeds, grasses and…
Find out more »December 2020
WHISKED AWAY WEEKEND in Asheville NC
Join us at the Silver River Center for Chair Caning located in the boho-chic River Arts district of Asheville North Carolina and be prepared to get swept up in a new fiber weaving direction: historic Broom Making! You'll be whisked away for a wonderful 3-day weekend learning to craft various styles of stunning handmade whisk brooms. You will learn the historic handcraft of making brooms sans machinery, as in the 18th century. Each day students will explore fun, functional &…
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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