Noreen Nickolas
MNJ Correspondent
It took several months after Helene to remove trees from 14 buildings, repair roofs, and clear blocked roads, but with help from the community and staff, Penland School of Craft in Bakersville was able to resume normal operations, and open its doors to the public for its annual Community Open House recently.
Penland was founded by Lucy Morgan in 1929, and the school’s campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 as the Penland School Historic District.
“We have these beautiful facilities and so we just really like the idea of having a time every year when we can invite anybody who lives around here...to just come up to Penland go in and out of the studios and do some fun stuff and get an idea of what we’re doing here and what kind of things we’re teaching and why people love coming here,” said Robin Dreyer, Penland’s communications and marketing manager.
Visitors young and old ventured inside the 10 craft studios on the 400-acre Penland campus. Participants learned how to throw a clay pot on a potter wheel and trim it, how to craft a flower using a wooden dowel, plugs, and veneer, how to create a book to illustrate and tell their story, how to draw a portrait with their eyes closed (a process called the blind contour method), how to make a bead using glass and a torch, and how to work with a blacksmith to make a hook.
Dreyer said that “the turnout was great. … Between 600-700 visitors attended the event this year.”
Beth Rosco, who came from Apex to help with disaster relief in the area, heard about the open house and decided to visit the textile studio. She said she had not done any weaving since she was a kid but was enjoying this new experience.
“It is fabulous, it’s wonderful,” Rosco said. “It’s kind of a Zen thing. It’s very soothing and it’s so visually stimulating and fun.”
Adam Leestma lives in Johnson City, Tenn., and has worked at Penland as the print letter studio coordinator for five and a half years. The letterpress studio’s activities included printing a poster on a letterpress and printing geometric designs using little Lego tiles.
“We’re using stamp padding, mostly because it’s easier to clean off children’s hands . . . presses are made using plywood and maybe PVC pipe and stuff like that,” Leestma said. “These are things that people can easily make, and most people have used Legos before.”
Eric Smith and his son Sonny, 7, came to Penland from Leicester. Sonny, who created a poster on the letterpress, said he thought learning the process was “pretty good,” and that he was enjoying himself.
“It’s just like a really great place to see friends,” Eric said. “It’s an inspiring place. I am a blacksmith, so I enjoy the blacksmiths, but I love the printing area, too.”
While visiting the jewelry and small metal studio participants had the opportunity to cast a pewter hammer pin which could be worn as a brooch.
Jennifer Bass of Barnardsville came with her husband, Jonathan Hampton, and son Griffin, 7. Each participated in making a pewter brooch and said this is their second annual Penland visit. They are looking forward to visiting again next year.
“We are so grateful to have such an old historic craft school holding this opportunity for the whole region,” Bass said. “It is incredible how powerful it is to the community to have access to all of this craft.”