Press release from Southern Highland Craft Guild:
Makers of the Southern Highland Craft Guild are preparing for the launch of their 2018 special event programming at the Folk Art Center with the third annual Glass and Metal Day. As a non-profit organization, the Guild provides experiential learning opportunities for the public to cultivate awareness of both handmade and craft. This is one of five Guild educational events hosted throughout the year at the Folk Art Center.
On Saturday, April 7, more than a dozen Guild members will showcase their skills and techniques of glass and metal in the auditorium of the Center. From 10am to 4pm, these masters will be blacksmithing, glass blowing, piercing and annealing metals, knife making, bezeling, repoussé, soldering stained glass, forging and many other manipulation processes. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch and learn more about two of the original craft media.
Weaverville residents Jason Janow and Shelby Mihalevich will be teaming up to show their skills with metals. “We’ll definitely be doing some forging and likely using a torch to anneal silver, copper and bronze metals. Also, casting, which requires hefty equipment like a casting machine, kiln and torches, will be demonstrated,” says Janow.
Member Lyle Wheeler and the Wilbar Trading & Forge will be working with several tools as they manipulate heavy metals into beautiful works of craftsmanship. Additionally, glassblower Michael Hatch of Crucible Glassworks will be using a small, portable kiln to exhibit the quick process of blowing glass. Hatch has been an integral glass artist in the Asheville community for nearly two decades.
As the Asheville area looks forward to celebrating the Summer of Glass with the highly anticipated Dale Chihuly exhibit at The Biltmore Estate, the Guild invites locals to come learn glass blowing techniques during the day.
The Guild’s education series of events are one significant outlet that members use to share their process. Often consumers are not informed of the stories behind their purchased goods. The Guild advocates and cultivates spaces to connect buyers with sellers to foster upward mobility for makers.
For a complete list of artists participating in Glass & Metal Day, and to learn more about Southern Highland Craft Guild programs at the Folk Art Center call 828-298-7928 or visit www.craftguild.org/event/glass-metal-day.
Admission to Glass & Metal Day and the Folk Art Center is free. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in east Asheville. Headquarters to the Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Center also houses three galleries, a library, a craft shop and a Blue Ridge Parkway information desk and bookstore.
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