HOME - Heritage Journey - Form, Function & Folk Art

FORM, FUNCTION & FOLK ART Isolated in the Smokies, far from the conveniences of the 18th century, European immigrants soon developed a utilitarian form of art and craft. They had little choice; they either made what they needed, traveled miles to barter for it, or did without. As a consequence, their homes, furniture, clothing and toys were handmade. The Cherokee taught them how to use bloodroot and walnut hulls to dye threads, fashion corn beads into jewelry and honeysuckle vines into beautiful baskets. Items were made to use and to admire. Carved musical instruments were made to play old ballads from native homelands. This blend of native art and European practicality was passed down from mother to daughter and father to son, creating an art form unique to the Smokies. Natural, simple and functional, Southern folk art has become a handmade expression of the culture and traditions of proud mountain artisans. (Above) Cherokee beadwork is known for its rich use of color and design. Natural corn beads, pony beads and glass seed beads are strung by hand or with a loom. (Above Right) John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown has been teaching art and craft traditions since 1919. Here, professional artisans draw heavily upon indigenous culture and native materials. (Right) This jug sculpture is an example of folk art on display at the Shelton House in Waynesvillle, the home of the "the North Carolina Museum of Handicrafts." (Right) Qualla Arts & Crafts co-op on the Cherokee Indian Reservation has been instrumental in preserving Native American art forms. Three hundred Cherokee artisans still fashion baskets, pottery, bead jewelry and sculpture as they have for centuries. John C. Campbell Folk School BRASSTOWN Since 1925, the Folk School has offered a unique blend of culture, history and art through weekend and weeklong classes in time-honored crafts, music, dance, gardening, writing, cooking, nature studies and photography. Make your own banjo. Fire and bend steel into artistic ironworks. Discover the joy of Contra dancing. Shape clay into fine pottery. Carve your imagination into a piece of raw wood. Cook home-baked bread in a wood-fired oven. Turn a wooden bowl. Plant an heirloom garden. Tie a fly. Weave a colorful rug. Learn to play guitar, banjo, dulcimer or fiddle. Stop by the 300 acre campus for a journey through time in the History Center. Browse through the Craft Shop, featuring the works of over 300 artists. Visit the studios, where people just like you are creating their own works of art and discovering their spirit in the heart of Appalachia. Register for classed at www.folkschool.org or call 800-FOLK-SCH. Celebrate the Natural & Cultural Heritage of the Southern Appalachian Region   You'll find exhibitions, demonstrations, education programs and publications that promote the rich traditions of the mountains. You'll see the Appalachian region from a new perspective and come away with an enhanced understanding of it land, culture, and people. For a calendar of Mountain Heritage Center events at Western Carolina University, go to www.wcu.edu/mhc.