American Craft Week events around WNC

The 10th annual American Craft Week takes place Friday, Oct. 4, to Sunday, Oct. 13. A number of studios and craft centers around Western North Carolina will hold special exhibits and events during that time. Addresses are in Asheville unless otherwise noted. Lean more and find additional participating galleries at americancraftweek.com/wnc.

• John C. Campbell Folk School, 1 Folk School Road, Brasstown, has been producing its fall festival for nearly half a century. The 45th annual celebration of Appalachian culture runs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 and 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. More than 200 craft artists exhibit wares and more than 30 artisans offer demonstrations. There will be food vendors on hand as well as pony rides and alpaca petting for children. Plus, “Fill your ears with bluegrass, gospel, folk and Celtic music on both days,” says the website. “Tap your toes to clogging, Morris, Rapper Sword and Garland dance performances throughout the weekend.” $5 adults/$3 children ages 12-17/free for children younger than 12. folkschool.org.

• Asheville Art in the Park, 80 Court Plaza, takes place on three autumn Saturdays. On Oct. 5, 12, and 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., local artists showcase their work at booths throughout Pack Square Park. Glass, ceramics, wood, jewelry and metals will be on display. ashevilleartinthepark.com.

• The Village Potters Clay Center, 191 Lyman St., No. 180, holds special events during American Craft Week such as a Master Series Workshop with Cynthia Lee on Saturday, Oct. 5; the annual Multi-Kiln Opening on Saturday, Oct. 12; and the ongoing Women of Influence exhibition, which celebrates the center’s resident potters and “the strong women who influenced their lives,” according to a show description. thevillagepotters.com.

• Local Cloth,  207 Coxe Ave., Studio 11, hosts several classes during American Craft Week. Offerings include work on a three-color cowl with simple stitch repeats; Recipes for Upcycling (transforming old clothing into new apparel); Eco Printing (using natural dyes and plant materials to print on silk scarves and cotton dinner napkins) and more. Classes range from $50 members/$60 nonmembers to $100/$120. Visit the website for dates, times and to register. localcloth.org.

• Majik Studios, 207 Coxe Ave., Studio 13, offers the two-day Papermaking & Lamp Building workshop with Pam Granger Gale on Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 6, noon-4 p.m. “You will build the wood structure support of the lamp and learn simple electrical wiring to light up your paper,” according to the website. $240 to participate, plus $60 for materials. Register at majik-studios.com.

• Tyson Graham Pottery, 6148 Peniel Road, Tryon, acts as home to the 44th Little Mountain Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. “The gas kiln will be fired that week, and we’ll unload it at 11 a.m. after I give a brief talk about my work,” Graham says on his website. “Outside the studio, musicians will gather and hold impromptu jam sessions.” Beard Instruments and Hannah Seng Art will also be represented. tysongrahampottery.com.

• MICA Gallery, 37 N. Mitchell Ave., Bakersville, plans to kick off American Craft Week on Friday, Oct. 4, 4-7 p.m., with a townwide art walk (visitors can stop at the contemporary craft gallery, along with Anita’s Atelier, Bowditch’s Antiques and Framing, David’s on the Corner and In Tandem) that also promises food and festivities. micagallerync.com.

• Haywood Community College, 185 Freedlander Drive, Clyde, will offer a community craft day and open house in its Creative Arts facility on Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The event, to celebrate American Craft Week, is free to attend. creativearts.haywood.edu.

• Art Connections with Sherry Masters will lead tours during American Craft Week. “This is a perfect way to explore the area and see studios off the beaten path,” says the website. Schedule a tour at arttoursasheville.com.

• Azalea Bindery, 1 Brookgreen Place, will offer a bookbinding and marbling demonstration at the studio of Mary Carol Koester. The Saturday, Oct. 12, event, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., is open to the public. azaleabindery.com.

• Center for Craft, 67 Broadway, is currently undergoing an expansion and plans to reopen in November. The center will host a Craft City Food & Art Tour on Saturday, Oct. 5, 3-6 p.m. “Visit galleries, taste local beers, watch live demonstrations, sip craft cocktails and meet the creatives that continue to make Asheville a Craft City,” says the website. Reserve a spot at avl.mx/6he.

• Mountain Made, 1 Page Ave., Suite 123, will feature 10 categories of arts and crafts, including books and music, fiber and textiles, furniture, glass, jewelry, photography and more.
“Each day we will have a special display and possibly an artist doing a live demo,” says press for the gallery. Details at mtnmade.com.

• Firefly Craft Gallery, 2689-D Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, plans to showcase “local artists demonstrating their techniques in fiber art, woodcarving, stained glass and more,” says a press release. “Sweet tea and cookies will be served” during the displays on Saturdays, Oct. 5 and 12, noon-4 p.m. fireflycraftgallery.com.

• Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Road, continues its exhibition Spoonin’: A Showcase of Handcrafted Spoons, which features pieces by 18 notable artists working in materials ranging from wood to sterling silver and copper. Spoon-making demonstrations by Asheville-based artist Aaron Iaquinto will take place Saturdays, Oct. 5 and 12, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Iaquinto will “talk about the different stages in his spoon-making process and demonstrate how he creates the handles and bowls for his spoons,” says a press release. “He will also show metal inlay techniques for creating intricate designs on wooden handles.” grovewood.com.