Creative Vacations Pt II - Off The Wall Friday

This week I wanted to continue on with my journey through the country's folk art schools.  The more I researched, the more I realized that these schools offer a lot of different types of experiences.  The one thing they all had in common was that they offered an immersive creative experience perfect for a vacation from everyday life.

Clearing Folk School, Ellison Bay, WI

• Large 128 acre rural property in the woodlands along Green Bay
• Rustic comfortable dorms-double rooms, no TV, Radio, Laptops allowed
•  Cell phones usage is limited to two designated areas (not in the lodging, classrooms)
• $1200/double private bath plus gratuities
•  Independent study/retreats are available each session
• Writing, philosophy, Yoga are offered with the normal Art classes
• Several hiking trails exist on the property

Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ

• A rural area campus located in the Delaware Water Gap
• Campus is split with a two-mile distance between the parts
• Very "No Frills" accommodations are offered with a pay per night fee structure
• Art quilt classes are offered occasionally
• Class tuition varies with class
• $1200/double approximately since room/board/class costs all vary
• 5 Day sessions run Friday - Tuesday

Pocosin Art School, Columbus, NC

• Small town main street location 
•  Small three class weekly sessions offered March - October
• One riverside lodge available with singles, doubles, quads (all doubles have bunk beds)
• Individual air conditioning, wifi, bath - nice common areas
• No meals are included, 24/7 communal kitchen with restaurants near by
• Art quilt classes are offered
• $1200/double with tuition but no meals

Which leaves us the granddaddy of all the Folk Art Schools ...

John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC

• Large extended campus in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Offers year-round classes - 880 last year in  48 subjects!
• Class size is limited to 12
• Evening programs are offered in storytelling, music and demonstrations
• Many types of accommodations are offered at every price point
• $1300/double with a private bath 
• Large well-appointed classrooms with plenty of light 
• Inter-generational classes are offered (one adult/one minor)

 Now if after reading all about these schools, you think  - wow  - I'd love to try this but I don't have the money, let me mention that they all have scholarship and/or work-study programs that all ages are encouraged to apply for. In the past, while I was raising my family, I was the recipient of two scholarships.  Both times, the process was painless and I was truly blessed with the experience.  For that matter, I'm still considering trying a class as a work-study because that sounds interesting!

This Arromont's Amazing Library

Hopefully, these posts have sparked your interest in trying out a folk school.  I had mentioned them to my husband several times over the years, but until I literally opened up the Campbell Folk School catalog in front of him and told him to read  - he never considered it.  Now, he can see the possibilities of what fun it would be to take a class in maybe something other than our chosen media of fiber and wood.  Or maybe just pick something in those catagories.  Really as you can see from these schools there are a plethera of choices!



So What Have You Been Up to Creatively?