Workshop Schedule — Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell

Transcription

2015
Workshop
Schedule
—
Alabama Folk
School at
Camp McDowell
Pardon Our Progress
camp mcdowell is currently undergoing a large expansion of its facilities
with a project called Bethany Village.
The expansion will double the size
of Camp and provide new lodging and
facilities for its many programs.
At the Alabama Folk School, the expansion means new facilities dedicated
to art making and music. A dance hall,
named Hall Hall, will provide a large
space for concerts and dances. A folk arts
building will house a fiber arts studio
and a pottery studio. A blacksmithing
shop will also be built to accommodate
our every growing schedule of blacksmithing classes. All facilities will be
completed in the summer of 2015.
As you visit the folk school, I invite
you to observe the construction and
its progress. It won’t be long before the
folk school will move into its new spaces!
he alabama folk school at Camp
McDowell seeks to provide high quality
artistic and musical instruction in a
relaxed and inspiring setting.
Founded in 2007, we have slowly
been growing over the past seven years
both in the number of our workshops
and the scope of our offerings.
Twenty-fifteen is an exciting year
for us! We are offering an expanded
workshop schedule and have doubled
the number of classes available.
There truly is something for everyone.
This catalog is the folk school’s first
annual publication. Within these pages,
you will learn of the many exciting
opportunities available this year.
I hope as you read through our workshop
catalog, you will find many classes you
wish to take.
I look forward to seeing you at the
Folk School in 2015!
Best,
Sarah Mills Nee
Director
c
amp mcdowell is the camp and conference center for the
Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama. Since 1948,
people of all faiths and backgrounds have used our facilities
to rest, learn, grow, worship, and play. Originally created as
a summer camp for children, Camp McDowell has grown into
a diverse operation that offers experiential environmental
education during the school year, a modern conference center,
and a premier venue to learn about folk arts and traditional music.
The Folk School Concept
Getting There
To reinforce McDowell’s mission of learning, resting, and
growing, the Alabama Folk School offers quality instruction
from master artisans as a way to enrich lives and reconnect
people to music, art, and each other. Camp McDowell, a place
that models the way the world could be, believes that the pursuit of lifelong learning nourishes the soul. Adults also have
a strong need for respite in today’s busy world. The Folk School
has been inspiring and renewing students since 2007.
Camp McDowell is located at:
A Day at the Folk School
Students join us for weekend, 3-day, and 4-day workshops
immersed in one class of his or her choice. Each workshop
has multiple music and craft classes to choose from. Class is
held for 6 hours each day with rest time and meals provided
throughout the day. This allows our teachers to transfer their
unique skills in a relaxed environment and it gives the students
ample experience with the new techniques. Many historical
crafts and musical styles are kept alive thanks to our immersion-style, multi-day classes.
To Nashville
HUNTSVILLE
To Chattanooga
65
ALABAMA
FOLK SCHOOL
59
To Atlanta
20
TUSCALOOSA
BIRMINGHAM
To Atlanta
65
59
85
To Jackson
105 delong road, nauvoo, alabama 35578
GPS units don’t recognize DeLong Road, they display it as County
Road 10. Camp McDowell is not in the city limits of Nauvoo.
from birmingham and montgomery
Take I-65 North in Birmingham. Get into the oncoming right
lane and take exit 264 (Carver High School will be on your
right) then turn left onto Daniel Payne Drive (going west).
Go approximately 1 mile and then turn right onto Coalburg
Road (2nd traffic light). Next turn left onto I-22/78 (Corridor X)
towards Jasper. Take exit 63 and turn right onto 269 north
into Jasper. Turn right at second light on to 18th Street and an
immediate left onto 9th Avenue (you will cross over the train
tracks). 9th Avenue will turn into highway 195. Take Highway
195 approximately 15 miles to mile marker 13 and turn right
into Camp McDowell.
from huntsville
Take I-65 South to Cullman; Take US 278 West to Double
Springs. Take Highway 195 South to Camp McDowell,
about 10 miles (at the 13 mile marker).
Take Highway 43 South from Florence to Russellville; Take
243 from Russellville until that road ends then take Highway
195 South to Double Springs; continue on Highway 195 South,
about 10 miles to Camp McDowell (13 mile marker).
from tuscaloosa
Take Highway 69 North to Jasper. Take Highway 195 North
to Camp McDowell, about 15 miles (13 mile marker).
Register for Classes
Visit alfolkschool.com or email
folkschool@campm c dowell.com with any questions.
MOBILE
To New Orleans
10
To Pensacola
Total Cost of a Workshop
Choose from several lodging options designed to fit every
budget. All lodging has a kitchenette with refrigerator, sink,
stove and coffee maker. There is also a common living room
in each lodge. We will do our best to accommodate any
lodging and roommate requests.
weekend workshop
»
= $331.00
($125.00) + L o d g i n g (2 nights @ $82.00 = $164.00)
+ M e a l s (6 @ $7.00 = $42.00)
D ouble O ccupa ncy = $261.00
T u i t i o n ($125.00) + L o d g i n g (2 nights @ $47.00 = $94.00)
+ M e a l s (6 @ $7.00 = $42.00)
D orm = $207.00
+ M e a l s (6 @ $7.00 = $42.00)
Co
m m uter = $167.00
T u i t i o n ($125.00) + M e a l s (6 @ $7.00 = $42.00)
Co uple
(both taking classes) = $522.00
(one taking classes) = $428.00
S i ngle O ccupa ncy
Tuition
»
single occupancy room
Have a hotel-style room with 2 queen beds and an en suite
bathroom all to yourself. = $82.00 per night
»
double occupancy room
»
Share the hotel-style room with 2 queen beds and an en suite
bathroom with a family member or friend.
»
$47.00 per person, per night
dorm
Share a large room with several other students. The dorm has
twin beds and a hall bathroom. You must provide your own
linens, pillows and towels. = $20.00 per night
commuter
If you live close enough, just drive in daily for your classes.
no cost
from the shoals
MONTGOMERY
85
Lodging Options & Pricing
Meals & Conference Center Facilities
The Alabama Folk School is an all-inclusive facility. We have
our own dining hall, lodging and classrooms. Meals are
$7.00 per person, per meal . We are happy to accommodate
any food allergies or dietary restrictions.
4-day workshop
» S
i ngle O ccupa ncy = $484.00
+ M e a l s (9 @ $7.00 = $63.00)
» D
ouble O ccupa ncy = $379.00
+ M e a l s (9 @ $7.00 = $63.00)
» D
orm = $298.00
+ M e a l s (9 @ $7.00 = $63.00)
» Co
m m uter = $238.00
T u i t i o n ($175.00) + M e a l s (9 @ $7.00 = $63.00)
» Co uple
(both taking classes) = $758.00
(one taking classes) = $583.00
Tuition
5-day workshop
weekend workshop = $125.00
4-day workshop = $175.00
5-day workshop = $220.00
youth folk school workshop = $100.00
»
»
»
»
»
Si ngle O ccupa ncy
= $700.00
= $550.00
Double O ccupa ncy
= $400.00
(both taking classes) = $1,100.00
Co uple (one taking classes) = $875.00
Co m m uter
Co uple
youth folk school workshops = $200.00
Scholarships are available on request.
2015 Schedule
of Workshops
Jan 16–18
Art & Design
Feb 20–22
From Scratch
mar 20–22
2 -day youth folk
school workshops
» Youth Fiddle Workshop
» Blacksmithing Camp
» Guitar Camp
4 -day
workshops
» Bluegrass & Gee’s Bend
» Celtic Week
» Old Time Music & Crafts
» Traditional Arts & Crafts
5 -day
workshop
» Watercolor Workshop
July 21–24
Celtic Week
16
Oct 15–18
22
Oct 25–30
Youth Folk
24
School Workshops
Nov 05–08
Bluegrass &
Gee’s Bend
» Art & Design
» From Scratch
» Words, Words, Words
» Cajun Weekend
» C.A.M.P. Camp
» Acoustic Guitar & Crafts
C.A.M.P. Camp Sept 11–13
apr 19–22
weekend workshops
09
JUNE 19–21
12
Words, Words,
Words
Workshop Lengths
08
may 15–17
Cajun Weekend
Acoustic Guitar
& Crafts
Old Time Music
& Crafts
Watercolor Workshop
26
26
28
32
35
SUMMER
– Youth Fiddle Workshop
– Blacksmithing Camp
– Guitar Camp
Traditional Arts
& Crafts
36
ART & DESIGN j a n u a r y 16 –18
From Scratch F E B RUARY 20 – 2 2
This workshop is all about art! Each class is taught
by professional artists, who will demonstrate how
to incorporate design into the art making process.
Ever wanted to try something, but not sure where to start?
This workshop is perfect you! Each class is geared towards students who
are rank beginners and learning a new instrument or craft from scratch.
Incorporating Design Thinking
Into Art Making
M ichael Merry
L e v e l intermediate to advanced
••
in this workshop, participants will create their own fine
art prints via design thinking processes. Designers use a set
of intellectual tools that can often be useful for artists in developing concepts and pushing their work forward. We will go
through a design thinking exercise to understand how design
thinking can be a helpful part of a studio practice and then
create new work from the results. The nature of printmaking
forces an artist to break apart the visual elements of their work
and re-assemble them in a similar sense and allows for the
experimentation necessary to design thinking.
••
Michael Merry is from Guin, Alabama and currently resides
with his first wife, Linda, in Birmingham. As an artist, he is
primarily a drawer, who frequently works as a printmaker or
a collager, and in rare instances, as a painter. A big part of his
attraction to printmaking is the communal nature of working
in a shared studio and he enjoys facilitating the print work of
other artists as much as his own. Following this, he is the president and co-founder of Birmingham’s first community print
facility, PaperWorkers Local. He teaches Drawing and Design
at Snead State Community College and has taught at UAB
and the University of Delaware. He has separate degrees from
the University of Alabama in Anthropology and Fine Art. He
earned his Masters of Fine Art at the University of Delaware in
2012. For more information, visit his website michaelmerry.com.
Intro to Encaustics
M a rg e Lu ttrell
L e v e l intermediate | S u p p ly F e e $30.00
••
this encaustic class will cover the spectrum of basic
skills and delve into some things you might not have tried.
We will cover the general safety and set-up that you need
to know to get started; how to prepare your wax, tools you
will need and how to use them and sub-straits and surfaces.
I will go over the general types of encaustic in the market, but
also teach you how to make your own with oil colors and dry
pigments. As a teacher, I like to inspire you to find your own
way in encaustics. But if you are at the beginning stages, I have
08 alabama folk school at camp mcdowell
assignments that will give you that push you need. I will go over
special techniques, such as flocking, pastels, inks, transfers
(I have a fool-proof method) and shellac. I will also bring my
light box so that you can try mono-printing and working with
wax and paper. It’s my new love and I think you will really
like it, too. To sum it up, we will have a wonderful weekend,
no fear—just fun and a lot of new skills and information to
go home with.
Banjo From Scratch
••
••
Marge Luttrell has been a mixed media artist and educator
for the last 30 years. Eight years ago, she took a class to learn
about a new/old medium (encaustic) that was having a renaissance. It was the beginning of a love affair that shows no sign
of ever ending. Marge teachers workshops at schools like
Penland School of Crafts (NC), Arrowmont (TN), Peter’s Valley
(NJ), and Touchstone (PA). She is the recipient of the Fulbright
Grant, a National Endowment for the Arts grant to study at
the school of the Art Institute of Chicago and one in the
humanities to study in Italy. She exhibits through the country
at art festivals and is in many collections and museums.
Herb Trotman, a lifetime banjo and guitar player, has
owned and operated Fretted Instruments, an acoustic
instrument store in downtown Homewood, Alabama since
the early 1970s. He currently plays in the Herb Trotman Band.
The band’s influences include: Tim O’Brien, Guy Clark,
John Prine, Greencards, and The Steel Drivers. In the past,
Herb performed with the Spaulding Brothers band and the
Front Porch String Band. His band has made appearances at
myriad festivals and the Acoustic Café in Hayden, Alabama
and plays for groups such as the Birmingham Friends of OldTime Music and Dance. Herb’s talent is showcased on Fretted
Instruments’ annual Christmas CD and can often be heard
during jam sessions held at the store. He is quoted as saying,
“I sometimes view myself more as a custodian for a rather
large amorphous therapy group.”
Naturalistic Imagery:
Anatomy–Design-Color
Herb Trotman
L e v e l beginner
••
ever wanted to learn how to play the banjo, but
not sure where to start? Well, this is the perfect opportunity.
Herb will teach beginning banjo, working to introduce
students to the instrument and beginning skills.
A . L . Swa rt z
L e v e l intermediate to advanced | S u p p ly F e e $30.00
••
this class is for artists wanting a better understanding
Blacksmithing: Building
a Gas Forge From Scratch
of nature based art. We will cover anatomy of various regional
animals, plants and ecology, recurring patterns and themes
in natural and typical natural color palettes. Students will
produce one small still life piece with the knowledge they gain
during the course.
Lee McKee
••
A.L. Swartz is an independent artist/illustrator who creates
his own world of esoterically charged flora and fauna drawing in
the themes of symbiotic relationships, the circle of life and the
classic concept of memento mori. He has a BA in Art History
from the University of Alabama, has been in Juxtapoz magazine
and has his work on the side of buildings in San Francisco.
L e v e l beginner
••
build a propane blacksmithing forge of your own
to take home! In this introductory course, we will begin by
learning the metal fabrication and welding techniques needed
to build your own propane forge. We will build the forge stand
with sliding firebrick doors, the shell complete with ceramic
refractory, and last but certainly not least, the natural aspirated
burner with double regulator. Not only is it cheaper to build
your own gas forge as opposed to buying a commercial one,
building a forge will provide you with an intimate understanding
of the equipment and how to safely operate and maintain it.
In this class we will build a total of 13 forges for the weekend.
Ten will go home with the students and 3 will be used in the
new blacksmith shop at the Alabama Folk School to teach kids
and adults alike the art of blacksmithing.
••
Lee McKee has been a metal artist for as long as he can
remember. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi
School of Fine Arts where he was trained in sculpture with
a focus on metal arts. While working with an arts education
non-profit, Lee became an apprentice of Master Blacksmith
James Whatley and after years of work began to help in the
teaching of new students. Today Lee is an instructor with the
Sons of Vulcan and creates various commissioned pieces for
collectors from his studio in Avondale Alabama. Lee is a proud
member of the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America
and his work can be seen all over the World in private collections and in many public commissions around the South East.
Embroidery From Scratch
Kathi Bertsch
L e v e l beginner | S u p p ly F e e $10.00
••
in this class , a piece of fabric (in this case, a tea towel)
becomes your art journal of sorts. With an emphasis on
creativity rather than perfection, you will learn a number
of basic embroidery stitches and techniques. The fabric,
needle and thread will become your canvas for expressing
your thoughts, dreams and visions. This is not your grandmother’s embroidery class—there are no patterns or rules, just
freeform expression of shapes and colors. If you have always
wanted to keep an art journal, but just found it wasn’t your
thing, this might just be the medium you have been waiting for.
Let go, enjoy the creative process and don’t worry whether it
will turn out right—there is no right or wrong.
••
Kathi Bertsch has had a needle and thread in her hands
since the age of six. Following her mother’s example, she learned
to make clothing and quilts and eventually to embellish her
creations with hand embroidery. Over time, Kathi’s emphasis
has shifted from a formal, rule-following approach to a more
free-style direction. She has taught quilting, machine embroidery and sewing basics to young and old. Her stint as a Park
Ranger at a National Park allowed her to pass on her love of
handwork to an eclectic audience. Kathi lives in Huntsville with
her husband John and their dog Scruffee.
register at alfolkschool.com
09
NC, The Nimble Fingers Bluegrass and Old Time Workshop,
Sorrento, BC, The Appalachian Stringband Festival, Clifftop,
WV, and the Dare To Be Square dance callers gatherings.
He has performed internationally in Mexico, Canada,
The Netherlands, Ireland, and two trips to China. For more
information, visit michaelismerio.com.
Guitar From Scratch
Su s i e Col em a n
L e v e l beginner
••
in our class, students will learn how to hold a guitar and
Fiddle From Scratch
M ichael Is merio
L e v e l beginner
••
are you ready to take your first steps into the world of
Old Time fiddling? Well, let’s get you started on the right path.
This class will focus on giving the beginning fiddler the necessary groundwork to play both halves of Old Time Music, the
Melody and the Rhythm. There will be a heavy emphasis on
pointing out and demystify the half of Old Time fiddling that
often gets neglected: the bowing hand, while familiarizing the
beginning student with proper left-hand technique. Bowing
movements or rhythms will be broken down, and then played
in the context of a simple melody. This class is taught by ear.
••
Michael Ismerio began playing Old Time music in 1997 in
Portland, Oregon, a tiny music scene at the time that would
evolve into one of the most active in the country. He was a
member of two prominent west coast string bands, The Dickel
Brothers, and The Government Issue Orchestra, and founder
of the Portland Old Time Music Gathering. Since 2000, he
has made yearly pilgrimages to the southern Appalachian
mountains to visit and learn from older fiddlers such as
Clyde Davenport, Joe Thompson, and Charlie Acuff. In 2010,
he moved to Indiana to study with Brad Leftwich, a master
fiddler and teacher who greatly informed his teaching and led
Michael to develop a unique bowing-centric teaching style
that is resonating with many new players. Michael has taught,
performed, and called square dances all over the country
including four years at The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes,
Port Townsend, WA, The Swannanoa Gathering, Swannanoa,
a pick, and a little about the instrument itself. We’ll cover the
most commonly used open guitar chords and try some basic
strum patterns. We’ll discuss what’s important about timing,
volume control, tone, pitch, sustain, and syncopation, and
examine various roles the guitar can play in a body of music.
And we’ll play and sing some of America’s favorite old tunes.
All students will receive a complimentary spiral-bound copy
of Acoustic Guitar: Meet the Rhythm Machine, a reference guide
with useful diagrams and charts, plus some songs to practice
to help the beginning strummer get off on the right foot.
••
Susie Coleman is a lifelong singer and rhythm guitar player.
She is the author of Fabulous Folksongs Every Girl Should
Know, a series of songbooks for higher singing voices, and
founder of its sing-a-long program called Folkslingers. She
also produces the Pegram Jam Chord Chart Book, a fiddle
tunes reference manual for Old Time players in use throughout
the world. Susie has eight first place awards from the annual
Old Time Singing competition at Tennessee’s Smithville
Fiddlers Jamboree, two from Indian State Folk singing contest,
and has taken first place honors at Uncle Dave Macon Days,
Bluegrass Along the Harpeth and other regional music competitions. In addition to giving guitar and singing lessons, Susie
is a web and graphic designer, and lives in Pegram, Tennessee.
Learn more about her at susiecoleman.com.
Harmonica From Scratch
Ja m i e F i n l ey
L e v e l beginner
••
most folks equate harmonica with the blues, but
it is also a great instrument for playing Old Time music. That’s
what I mostly do, and that is what we will concentrate on in
this workshop. Any level of player is welcome, even if you
have never played a “harp”. We will work on playing by ear as
I think this is an important skill to develop. We will work on
using the harp as a second fiddle, playing single note melody
and harmony in straight position. We will explore cross harp
position to give a tune more feeling, and work on some rhythm
harp. We will also work on “bending” notes for added effect.
I have come up with a simple tablature for harmonica and will
provide this for a number of Old Time tunes that we can play.
Mostly we will have some fun!
maybe three or four times a year. A non-audition choral class
in college introduced her to classical repertoire, which she
loved. In the mid-80s, she found opportunities in Birmingham
to sing with large and small choral groups: Cathedral Church
of the Advent Choir, Birmingham Concert Chorale, Camerata
and Alabama Choral Artists. In the 90s, she found her way to
Old Time and Bluegrass music. She sings now with the Advent
Choir and The Herb Trotman Band.
••
Jamie Finley has played harp with the Red Mountain White
Trash for 25+ years. In addition, he plays in a local folk/rock
group and has sat in as a guest blues harp musician on several CDs.
Ann Whitley has been playing and singing Old Time music
since the mid 1980’s. As part of The Rosin Sisters, she and
her “sisters” Barbara Panter-Connah and Jan Smith teach
harmony singing at festivals and camps around the southeast
and beyond.
Harmony Singing From Scratch
Ukulele From Scratch
Kathy Hi nkle & Ann Whi tley
Cha rli e Ha rtness
L e v e l beginner
L e v e l beginner
variety of song styles, including the Carter family, Appalachian
gospel and blues. We will explore how to find the tenor and
baritone harmony parts that compliment the lead melody, and
discuss techniques to make songs sound authentic. The class
will practice finding the right vocal range for each participant
and will experiment with pitch and harmony parts. Handouts
will be provided with lyrics and chords for those who play an
instrument. Nothing is needed for the class except the desire
to sing and have fun!
of the ukulele. This little instrument, often viewed as a toy, can
be the source of endless hours of musical joy. No prior musical
experience needed, but please note that this class is designed
for true beginner ukulele players. Handout packets will be
provided. With the support of my wife Nancy we will all hum,
strum, whistle, sing and laugh together.
••
••
our harmony singing experience will include a
••
Kathy Hinkle grew up singing in the car, at home and at
church with her mother and two sisters. Early on she found
the “alto” voice and that’s where she’s been for more than
50 years. PTA meetings in her small rural community, usually
well-attended, always included time for group singing though
the school system could only afford a traveling music teacher
••
easy on the hands, easier on the ear. That’s how I think
••
Charlie Hartness has played Old Time string band music
since the mid-90s. One day he got tired of the way the guitar
hurt his hand and he picked up a ukulele that a friend bought
at the Goodwill. He sold his guitar in short order. He has played
in string bands in three of his favorite cities: Portland, Oregon;
Seattle, Washington, and his current home in Athens, Georgia,
where he and his wife Nancy are the duo Hawk Proof Rooster.
11
Words, Words, Words M AR C H 20 –22
Springtime at the Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell is
the perfect setting, with its beautiful forests and deep canyons,
for this workshop all about the written word. Get away from
the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in
writing, whether it’s poetry, creative writing or songwriting.
Poetry Boot Camp:
Get Your Muse In Shape
M at t L ayn e
L e v e l beginner to intermediate
••
participants in poetry boot camp will write and
very serene
and tranquil
environment
where one may
find joy in the
discovery
of new
knowledge.
——
Kelly
workshop poems in a collaborative environment. Our Boot
camp will help you create a routine that will get your Muse in
shape and performing through a healthy diet of reading and
writing poetry. We will utilize writing prompts, readings, and
the natural wonders of beautiful Camp McDowell. Don’t miss
this weekend filled with poetry and exploration of Alabama’s
natural wonders.
••
Matt Layne is a poet and performer from Birmingham,
Alabama. He is the lead poetry editor of the Steel Toe Review,
a print and online literary journal. He is the recipient of the
Hackney Award for poetry and the National Society of Arts and
Letters Young Writers Award. His poetry appears in numerous
publications and he has served as the emcee of Birmingham’s
Dia de los Muertos Festival for the past 12 years. By day, he is
the young adult librarian at the Emmet O’Neal Library.
shelby county, alabama
Discovering the Undiscovered Self:
Writing from the Imagination
You Might Not Know You Have
Dav i d J o h n son
••
whether you choose to write prose or poetry we will
work with the mystery of capturing your thoughts, observations, and reflections with the written word in a critical free
setting. The class will be exposed to various writers and their
styles as windows into finding one’s own style and to trigger
the imagination. Students will work on editing, polishing and
expanding writings into something that is reflective of their
personality and talents. From a fun and engaging class each
student should leave with pieces of original work and a sense
of writing as one avenue to discovering self.
••
David Johnston is known for his gift of describing experiences and observations, both poignant and humorous. He is
often invited to teach writing workshops, speak at community
and regional organizations and church events. He is professor
emeritus from Columbus State University (Columbus, GA)
where he taught American Literature with a concentration in
poetry and Southern Literature along with creative writing.
A nationally published poet and fiction writer, his work has
been selected for publication in such juried journals as Black
Warrior Review, Carolina Quarterly, Kansas Quarterly, Ohio
Review, Prairie Schooner, and Texas Quarterly. He recently
completed two books Main Streets of Nazareth, a series of
dramatic monologues, and On Becoming, a selection of prose
and poetry. He has been a guest of both the Bread Loaf Writer’s
Conference and Yaddo Artist Colony.
Songwriting: Turning Good Songs
Into Great Ones!
Pi erce Petti s & Pat Terry
L e v e l beginner to advanced
••
for beginning songwriters and seasoned pros,
this will be a weekend dedicated to discovering ways our
best songs can become even better! Career songwriters Pat
Terry and Pierce Pettis will be sharing tips and insights on
the philosophy, the art, and the craft of songwriting as they’ve
experienced it working in Nashville’s music community. With
an emphasis on fine-tuning lyrics, learning new approaches for
creative results, and finding a personal philosophy to enable a
lifetime of writing, it’ll be a rare weekend. There’ll be informal
“song circles” for those who’d like to share their songs with
the group, and Q&A sessions with Pierce and Pat. “One on
One” sessions with Pat and Pierce will also be scheduled in
which writers will get individual input and feedback on their
work. Workshop sessions will include:
»e
very word counts
The Relationship between language and emotion in
lyric writing
» opening the doors to creativity
Alternate tunings, mining for melodies, thinking different,
etc... and more.
If this is your first workshop, have no fear. Fun, positivity and
encouragement will be the watchwords for the weekend.
We’ll be learning together!
••
Pierce Pettis began his long career as a writer and artist in
the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama and
later as a staff songwriter for Polygram/Universal Music in
Nashville. His songs have been covered by artists ranging from
Garth Brooks and Dion to Joan Baez and Art Garfunkel.
Pat Terry was born in 1952, and grew up in the groundbreaking days of American rock ‘n roll. His earliest musical memories
revolve around a jukebox that played in the restaurant owned
and operated by his father. The music of Johnny Cash, Elvis
Presley, and Johnny Horton became the soundtrack for
summers spent working in the family business. It wasn’t until
the Beatles invaded America however, that Terry picked up
a guitar and began making music of his own. In 1970, those
early influences began to surface when Terry started writing
songs. As a pioneer of Contemporary Christian music, he was
part of the first wave of artists to be signed to the then
fledgling Myrrh Records label. Between 1974 and 1980 he
wrote and recorded seven albums with his own Pat Terry
Group, and toured the country playing a unique blend of
inspirational country, pop, and blues, that earned him a loyal
following of listeners. During that time his songs appeared on
albums of a diverse list of artists that included pop singer B.J.
Thomas, country great Ray Price, gospel songstress Evie Tornquist,
and cowboy hero Roy Rogers. Terry’s songs, “Home Where I
Belong”, and “I Can’t Wait” became standards in the Contemporary Christian Music field. In 1985, Terry decided to leave
the rigors of the road and make songwriting his primary
pursuit. The new tradition of country music being recorded by
artists such as Steve Earle, Ricky Skaggs, and Emmylou Harris,
convinced him to become better acquainted with Nashville.
He began making regular trips to Music City in 1986. As the
co-writer of Foster and Lloyd’s “Lie To Yourself ”, he enjoyed
his first country music songwriting success. Then, in 1990,
he co-authored with Travis Tritt, the singer’s first number one
country hit, “Help Me Hold On”. Terry’s foray into country
music continued to yield a number of songs recorded by
various artist’s including, Confederate Railroad, The Oak
Ridge Boys, John Anderson, Tracy Byrd, and Kenny Chesney.
During this period, Terry also enjoyed the success of two more
number one songs, Tanya Tucker’s “It’s A Little Too Late”, and
Sammy Kershaw’s “National Working Woman’s Holiday”. In
2005, radio in both country and gospel formats played Terry’s
beautiful “Someplace Green”, as recorded by The Oak Ridge
Boys, and in 2007 country superstar Alan Jackson recorded
Pat’s classic wedding song, “That’s The Way”. Terry currently
writes for his own ASCAP affiliated company, End of August
Music, and resides with his wife Pamela in the Atlanta suburb,
Smyrna, Georgia.
13
BLUEGRASS & Gee’s Bend A P R I L 19 –22
One of our longest running workshops, the Bluegrass & Gee’s Bend workshop
has a class offering for everyone. There are eight music classes taught by extremely
talented musicians, who will explore the many facets of Bluegrass music. You can
also try your hand at quilting in the Gee’s Bend style, led by China Pettway and
Mary Ann Pettway, two inspiring women from the Gee’s Bend community. Rachel
Wright, a well-know fabric artist, will also be teaching a class where students will
re-use old items of clothing to create sassy tees.
Banjo I
Gee’s Bend Quilting
He r b Trotman
C h i n a P et t way & M a ry A n n P et t way
••
in this class, Herb will guide students as they learn
traditional Bluegrass tunes on the banjo. Herb will begin
the class with basic music theory.
••
Herb Trotman, a lifetime banjo and guitar player, has
owned and operated Fretted Instruments, an acoustic
instrument store in downtown Homewood, Alabama since
the early 1970s. He currently plays in the Herb Trotman Band.
The band’s influences include: Tim O’Brien, Guy Clark,
John Prine, Greencards, and The Steel Drivers. In the past,
Herb performed with the Spaulding Brothers band and the
Front Porch String Band. His band has made appearances at
myriad festivals and the Acoustic Café in Hayden, Alabama
and plays for groups such as the Birmingham Friends of OldTime Music and Dance. Herb’s talent is showcased on Fretted
Instruments’ annual Christmas CD and can often be heard
during jam sessions held at the store. He is quoted as saying,
“I sometimes view myself more as a custodian for a rather
large amorphous therapy group.”
Banjo II: Bluegrass Banjo and Beyond
ja so n bu rleso n
••
students will learn many skills and tunes during
this class. Jason will teach a variety of Bluegrass tunes,
helping students to correctly cover the legendary work of
Earl Scruggs among others. He will also delve into tunes with
more progressive styles.
••
Jason Burleson grew up in a musical family in North
Carolina and first began playing music at the age of eleven.
For the past twenty years, he has been playing with the band
Blue Highway. He has also given private lessons and taught
musical instruction at camps across the country.
••
in this mixed-level class Mary Ann and China will
set you free with beautifully colored fabric strips and your
imagination. They will teach block cutting and assist with
hand stitching and machine-stitching if needed. This class will
focus on the basics including how to blend color and how to
create different patterns and styles, particularly of the Gee’s
Bend tradition. They will discuss how to go from colors, to
blocks, to finished quilt. Singing and storytelling included!
Depending on your skill level, you will go home with some
quilt blocks or a full pattern and many good memories.
••
Mary Ann Pettway is currently the manager of the Gee’s
Bend quilters collective. She made her first quilt for the
collective in the summer of 2005. The seventh of 12 children,
Mary Ann Pettway was born and raised in Gee’s Bend. She has
one married daughter and two grandsons. After graduating
high school in 1975, Mary Ann took college bookkeeping and
accounting classes before working in a sewing factory for 20
years. Pettway is one of the lead singers of the Pleasant Grove
Missionary Baptist Church and became involved with quilting
after hearing about the trips the quilters of the community
went on. “Before I started back to quilting, I was with (friend)
Sabrina’s grandmother Arlonzia a lot and heard about these
trips they would go on (to other cities through The Quilts of
Gee’s Bend traveling exhibition.) So I told her, ‘I’m tired of
hearing how good of a time y’all are having. I want to start having
a good time too.’ So she told me, ‘Well then start quilting!’”
And she is, thankfully, still quilting today. For more information about the Gee’s Bend collective go to quiltsofgeesbend.com.
China Pettway is one of Gee’s Bends leading gospel signers
and one of the few locals who attended college and returned
to live in the community. China was taught by her mother,
Leola, how to quilt at the young age of eleven. “We had to quilt
until 10 at night. Then, she would let us stop and get to bed.
That was every evening except Saturday and Sunday. I made
my first quilt, it was a ‘Star.’ And I still have it.” Now a homehealth worker, Pettway enjoys working with the elderly. “I love
my patients and I think they are the most sweet and beautiful
people you can meet.” Singing is Pettway’s hobby.
Fiddle I
Gathel Runnels
••
we will break down Bluegrass fiddling and see what
it is that makes up the ‘long bow’ style as epitomized in the
playing of Kenny Baker. We will look at bowing, note choices,
slides, and how to smooth out your bowing. We will also look
at standard licks and kickoffs to tunes and how to play in the
keys of B, Bb and C. And we will learn a few tunes to go along
with all of this.
••
Gathel Runnels has played fiddle and banjo for over 40
years. Originally a banjo player he quickly switched to fiddle
after discovering that his grandfather was an Old Time fiddler.
Gathel has played with and learned from some of the early
masters of Bluegrass music and has performed with The Sullivan Family, Mac Wiseman, Chubby Wise, Carl Sauceman and
the Green Valley Boys, Josh Graves, Joe Stuart, Jim Brock and
others. He started out playing with John Stuart and the Bluegrass Five and has gone on to play with The Deep South, Sweet
Dixie, The Bluegrass Parlor Band, The Sand Mountain Boys,
Clear Blue Sky, Cottonmouth Creek, The Bluegrass Cartel,
The Herb Trotman Band and many others.
Fiddle II: Zen and the Art
of Advanced Fiddling
Nate Lee
••
in this class, you will learn kickoffs, endings, and cool
licks to add to any song (and how to make up your own licks,
too!). We will cover chords and backup patterns, rhythm/timing/groove, and some basics of technique and etiquette that
you will need to know to jam with others. Highlights of the
course include learning about the mental aspects of being a
great fiddler (how to keep your head from getting in the way)
and how to play an improvised solo on a song you’ve never
heard before (don’t worry, it will be easy!)
••
Nate Lee is a Nashville based Bluegrass musician with a
well-rounded musical career. His aptitude and dedication to
the fiddle and mandolin have caused mentors, fellow musicians, and the public to take notice. Nate studied under mentors like Joe Carr and Alan Munde while earning a degree in
Commercial Music from South Plains College. Between being
in demand as a studio musician and international touring,
Nate is also a gifted teacher of private lessons. With more than
11 years’ experience as a workshop instructor, Nate has gained
respect as a well-liked teacher at music camps around the
country including Camp Bluegrass, Acoustic Music Camp and
the FiddleStar Camp series. Visit his website at thenatelee.com
17
Guitar I
Mandolin I
J o h n N i em a n n
Ja son Ba i ley
techniques for Bluegrass guitar. Students will learn basic
rhythms with emphasis on accompanying vocals and lead
instruments in an ensemble situation, as well as some study
of bass runs, intros and outros and flatpicking. We will split into
small groups to encourage the sharing of ideas and the asking
of questions.
folks who have never played well acquainted with the essential
basics for becoming a solid player. We will learn songs from
different genres and play both melodies and chords. The class
is also set up to allow intermediate players a chance to learn
more without the stress of an advanced class.
••
this course will cover the essential concepts and
••
he instructor
was top-notch
and the cost
was affordable
which was
a big draw
for me.
——
David
benton, tennessee
John Niemann is a multi-instrumentalist, equally proficient
on fiddle, mandolin and guitar. He has been performing and
teaching professionally for 35 years. John has played with
Stoney Lonesome, Peter Ostroushka and the Mando Boys, and
has performed countless times on A Prairie Home Companion.
He has recently joined forces with Twin Cities’ favorites King
Wilkies Dream. Check out their website at kwdream.com.
Guitar II
••
Jason Bailey is a mandolinist, composer, teacher and studio
musician who possesses the range of musicianship of a well-seasoned professional. He is an essential and powerful asset to
Birmingham based favorites such as Celtic-infused Shilleleagh
Law, folk/rock Three Man Stone, Bluegrass group The Bluegrass
Cartel and the regional touring Jazz/Bluegrass/Southern Jam
band Tonal Vision. Jason has taught at the Alabama Folk School
every year since it began. For more information, visit his
website at baileyjason.com.
Ontario Canada, Emory has been teaching master series workshops at events such as the Mandolin Symposium, the Steve
Kaufman Acoustic Kamp, the Swannanoa Gathering, the Goderich Celtic College, the Alaska Guitar Camp, the Transatlantic
Bluegrass School in Wales U.K., and many other prestigious
schools and workshops far and wide.
St eph en Mo u g i n
Mandolin II
Em ory Lester
Sassy Tees
Rachel Wri ght
••
in this intermediate to advanced level class,
Stephen will delve into strategies and techniques involved in
playing lead and rhythm Bluegrass guitar. Students will work
in small groups on strumming styles, alternate chord positions,
lyric interpretation to involve the guitar with the singer, and
basic/advanced soloing concepts. Students should have basic
guitar knowledge and ability, which includes strumming
a song with correct chords, in time, and by yourself, as well
as a modicum of lead guitar playing experience.
••
Stephen Mougin tours with the Sam Bush Band, is the
Director of Bluegrass at Bethel University, tours with Nedski
& Mojo, owns/operates Dark Shadow Recording (studio, independent record label), and holds a Bachelors of Music from the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst in Vocal Music Education. Stephen has developed a series of Bluegrass educational
CDs and he produces and engineers products for clients.
Go to stephenmougin.com for more information.
••
mandolin i is intended to get both beginners and
••
in this class, students will get a complete look at mandolin
playing in a wide range of categories; efficient techniques,
chord theory and rhythm ideas, developing speed and clarity,
with specialized subjects such as the art of lyrical mandolin,
the art of syncopation, the art of improvisation, as well as
creative back up playing.
••
Emory Lester is one of this day’s foremost exponents of
the acoustic mandolin. The power and attack of his mandolin playing are unmatched and his sound is infectious.
His landmark mandolin-featured recording projects have
placed him among the elite mandolinists of our time. Emory
is currently performing with ‘the Emory Lester Set’, doing
shows across the U.S., Canada, Europe and the U.K. as well as
his fourteen-year friendship and musical collaboration with
noted ‘Clawgrass’ banjoist Mark Johnson. Emory has toured
with Mark all across the U.S. and they have been featured on
several performances with Steve Martin, most notably on the
Late Night with David Letterman television show in September
of 2012. A life-long Virginia native, but currently residing in
••
in this workshop, we will a create one-of-a-kind,
hand-sewn t-shirt out of previously loved t-shirts and recycled
material. The shirt will be made to fit you, either by using
an already existing garment as a pattern, or by draping on a
dress form. You will learn how to make your own customized
patterns, create unique style lines, as well as learn how to embellish your garment with applique. We will also use stencils
to create patterns on the fabric.
••
Rachel Wright has worked in a variety of different media,
including (but not limited to) glass, ceramics, metal, photography, textiles, wax and ceramics. She is inspired by stories and
images from books, as well as objects and critters found in
nature. She has an insatiable curiously and a passion for making
stuff and dancing. She and her husband, Tony Wright, live and
teach in Mobile, Alabama, and avidly watch Project Runway.
Visit her websites at toolgrrl.etsy.com and rachelwright.net.
19
Cajun Weekend M AY 15 –17
Our first annual Cajun Weekend is going to be a blast! We are thrilled to have the talented
Savoy Family Cajun Band as instructors with Wilson teaching accordion, Joel teaching fiddle,
Ann teaching guitar and Marc teaching about Cajun music. This a great opportunity to learn
from highly talented musicians while enjoying the beautiful spring weather!
Cajun Accordion
Cajun Fiddle
W ilson Savoy
J o el Savoy
and make it sound Cajun, emphasizing rhythm and syncopation, the two ingredients that really make the instrument
sound Canjun and give the music that special beat and feeling
that makes everyone want to dance.
with a deeper understanding of fiddling through Cajun music.
Based on a diatonic scale with simple chord patterns, Cajun
music is an excellent introduction to chord theory as it applies
to the violin, rhythm patterns and improvisation. What we
learn in this class will be useful to anyone interested in playing
any genre of fiddle music.
••
wilson will be teaching how to play the accordion
••
Wilson Savoy has played accordion for most of his life,
having been given as a child a hand-built accordion by his
father, Marc Savoy. The accordion was built from the wood
of a sassafras tree that was planted by Wilson’s grandfather.
It was not until Wilson moved to Baton Rouge to study at the
University where he became completely addicted to playing
and progressing on the accordion, inspired by the styles of his
heroes, Iry Lejeune, Amede Ardoin and naturally his father,
Marc Savoy. Wilson has taught Cajun Music Ensemble at
the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for three years, and
continues to teach one-on-one lessons through the University,
all through the Tommy Comeaux Endowment. In 2013, Wilson
won a GRAMMY® with the band Courtboullion (Wayne Toups,
Steve Riley and Eric Frey) for Regional Roots. Wilson was
awarded the key to the city of Lafayette in April 2013 by Mayor
Joey Durel. Wilson has appeared on HBO’s Treme playing
the role of himself in three episodes, as well as the film All the
King’s Men with Sean Penn and John Goodman. Wilson continues to travel with the Pine Leaf Boys, as well as the Savoy
Family Band (mom, dad, and brother Joel), as well as visit jam
sessions around Lafayette. He is also currently producing
a new documentary about the legendary Wayne Toups
(almenapictures.com).
labama Folk School and Camp
McDowell are a little sliver
of paradise. The musicianship of
the instructors was impressive
and the setting idyllic.
——
••
Joel Savoy is a seasoned musician, a Grammy award-winning producer and recording engineer, and founder of Valcour
Records. Growing up literally at the feet of the Cajun greats,
he has been fiddling since the age of 12 and has worked with
just about every band out of Southwest Louisiana, as well as
John Fogerty, Linda Ronstadt, Steve Earle, T-Bone Burnett
and more. He is a two-time winner of the Cajun French Music
Association’s Fiddler of the Year award and he has toured the
world with the Savoy Family Cajun Band and his own band,
The Cajun Country Revival. He has taught Cajun fiddle for
15 years at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, The August
Heritage Center, Louisiana Folk roots, The Blackpot Camp
and other festivals and workshops around the world.
Vicki
Cajun Guitar
Cajun Music
A n n Savoy
Ma rc Savoy
song sheets for you. Simple guitar chords will be shown and
the various styles of guitar playing covered. Guitar will be the
secondary goal in the course with an emphasis on songs and vocals.
••
••
ann will teach many popular Cajun songs and will supply
••
Ann Allen Savoy is a musician, photographer, record producer,
and writer. Her destiny was sealed when she began to listen
to rare collections of Cajun 78’s. She met her future husband,
acclaimed accordion builder/musician Marc Savoy, and after
their marriage she began documenting the Cajun culture, taking
photographs, interviewing important musicians, and transcribing the Cajun French songs. Her documentation ultimately
became a book, Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People Volume 1,
which won the prestigious Botkin book award from the American
Folklore Society. An avid photographer since high school, her
photos have been exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Fine
Arts and at the Festival of American Music in Eugene, Oregon.
A
••
the purpose of this class is to provide students
huntsville, alabama
••
marc will teach a 60-year evolution of Cajun music with
stories, jokes, music and the factors that brought the music about.
Marc Savoy was born and raised in the small Cajun prairie
town of Eunice, Louisiana. Drawing inspiration from ‘bals de
maison’ (house dances) in his father’s outdoor kitchen, Marc
obtained his first accordion and began playing it at the age of
12. Playing the instrument led to repairing it and after disassembling enough accordions, he began to build them. Playing
the accordion has always been a natural part of his life from the
dancehall to the home. The musicians with whom he has played
Cajun music read like a who’s who of the finest in Cajun music,
from the Balfa Brothers, DL Menard, and Doc Guidry to early
fiddle masters Dennis McGee and Wade Fruge. Later he played
the Texas “Cajun Triangle” dancehalls and recorded some 45 rpms
on the legendary producer Huey Meaux’s Crazy Cajun label.
23
YOUTH FOLK SCHOOL WORKSHOPS s u mme r 201 5
The Alabama Folk School is excited to introduce its first summer of
programing for youth. This summer, youth camps include the 2nd annual
fiddle workshop and two new workshops, the blacksmithing camp and
the guitar camp. Students will stay in camp cabins and split their time
between class and traditional summer camp activities.
Youth Fiddle Workshop
JUN E 04 – 06
O p e n t o s t u d e n t s e n t e r i n g g r a d e s 3 – 12
During our 2nd annual youth fiddle workshop, violin students
will learn from one of two highly skilled instructors about Old
Time fiddling. Tim Avalon and Nikos Pappas bring years of experience to their role as instructors and they are great with children.
Beginner Old Time Fiddle
Tim Avalon
L e v e l beginner
••
if you want to have fun for the rest of your life,
you’re in the right class. We will cover the basics: holding the
fiddle, fingering the notes, bow patterns, how to use a tuner
and rhythm. Students will have the option of learning by ear,
notation or fiddle tab. We will play dance tunes in an Old Time
style. This class is guaranteed to be a good time and you will go
home with a better feel for the instrument and music.
••
Tim Avalon is a composer, performer, music teacher and
master of folk tradition. Self-taught, he first learned the guitar,
banjo and mandolin, then took up the fiddle like his grandfather before him. For twenty-six years, he has taught at the
Avalon School for Stringed Instruments, inspiring students of
all ages. He was awarded the state championship at the State
Fair for two consecutive years in mandolin and was named
Mississippi Folk Artist of the Year in 2000. Tim has published
a collection of Irish and Old Time fiddle tunes as well as a
book of compiled tunes by Mississippi fiddlers from the
1920’s and 1930’s.
You Can Play A Violin,
But Can You Fiddle?
Blacksmithing Camp
N i kos Pa ppa s
Learn to work with metal in all kinds of ways from casting
metal to moving it in the more traditional blacksmithing ways.
Students will spend several hours in class, but there will also
be time for swimming, hiking and campfires.
Summer camp for guitarists! Spend 3 days and 2 nights upping
your guitar skills, while also enjoying traditional summer camp
activities like canoeing and the ropes course. Instructors will
teach the basics as well as how to jam with other musicians.
Blacksmithing
Guitar Camp
Lee McKee
Ji m m y Ga uld & La i ne Poole
grades 9 through 12 will explore the many ways to manipulate
metal. There will be opportunities to carve forms to create
cast metal designs as well as time spent in the more traditional
work of blacksmithing, heating and hammering metal.
practical tips that most guitar players use, how to perform solo
or with others, ways for communicating on stage, and how to
become better guitar players.
L e v e l intermediate
••
so you’ve devoted a few years to learn how to play
the violin, focusing on how to control your bow, play in tune,
and interpret a piece from the sheet music. These skills are all
great and necessary towards becoming a skilled musician, but
they’re not the only ones available for you to learn and enjoy
with your violin. This class will introduce a different approach
to your instrument, focusing on traditional fiddle music of
Alabama and the south. We will stretch your ears by exploring
the intricacies of fiddle technique including phrasing, bowing,
timing and rhythm, as well as the use of vibrato, improvisation,
and ways to develop your ear. We’ll even learn alternate ways
to tune your instrument that are part of the Old Time style.
••
Nikos Pappas, of Tuscaloosa and originally from Columbus,
Ohio was born into a family of musicians from New Mexico
and Indiana. Named a Kentucky Old Time Fiddle Master in
2009, he has performed throughout the United States, as well
as Europe, Asia, and South America. Nikos has won several
blue ribbons including a six-time championship at the Ed Haley
Fiddle Festival and a five-time Ed Haley Heritage Award,
as well as contests at the Morehead Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Uncle Dave Macon Days, Seedtime on the Cumberland,
and most recently at the Great Southern Old Time Fiddlers’
Convention in Chattanooga, besides placing at the Tennessee
Valley Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention Traditional Fiddle contest,
and the Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop,
West Virginia. Nikos plays many styles of Old Time fiddle, but
emphasizes those of Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, and most
recently Mississippi and Alabama since his move to Tuscaloosa.
JUN E 09 –11
••
in this summer Folk School Workshop, students entering
••
a focus on metal arts. While working with an Art teaching
collectors from his studio in Avondale, Alabama. Lee is a proud
Guitar Camp
JUly 3 0 – A u g u s t 01
••
students will learn a few jams, alternate tunings,
••
Jimmy Gauld has been playing the acoustic guitar for over
40 years and is self-taught. He has performed professionally
as a solo artist, with multiple bands, and as a studio musician.
He is a published singer songwriter and brings a wealth of
knowledge to those who want to create their own acoustic
guitar style.
Laine Poole has been playing guitar for over 40 years and
is comfortable with a wide variety of musical styles. As a
multi-instrumentalist, he has performed with numerous bands
over the years and has recorded several tracks for different
artists as a studio musician. He later worked as a middle school
teacher and corporate trainer, and now brings those two
skillsets together as a music instructor and band coach.
There is nothing Laine enjoys more than sharing his wealth
of knowledge with the next generation of guitarists.
25
C.A.M.P. CAMP JUN E 19 –21
Celtic Week JU LY 21–24
This is summer camp for
grown-ups! There will
be no classes to attend,
but we highly encourage
you to bring your instrument or art project. There
will be lots of unscheduled
time for people to jam
or finish that quilt they’ve
been working on for
years. We will provide
a few optional activities
like hiking and canoeing.
Our first ever Celtic Week will offer a wide variety of classes
with topics related to Ireland. Choose from entrelac knitting,
Irish dancing, and music classes in fiddle, guitar and songs.
Entrelac Knitting
R eb ec c a H a l l er
••
this class covers the basics of entrelac. Together we
will explore some of the history and foundations of this beautiful technique. The class will start with learning all about the
triangles and units that make up entrelac, and then progress
to learning some time saving techniques for all of your future
entrelac projects. Let me show you why entrelac will quickly
become your next knitting addiction!
••
Rebecca Haller’s grandmother taught her to knit when
she was around 17 years old. After a brief hiatus, she has been
delving more deeply into knitting for the past 8 years. She
enjoys playing with color and texture in her knitting. Next to
entrelac, her favorite things to knit are socks and anything
containing cables.
Fiddle I: Irish Fiddling for the Budding
Beginner—Fun & Easy Irish Trad Tunes
To m Mo r ely
••
in this workshop for beginning and intermediate fiddlers new to (or somewhat familiar) with the Irish style, we’ll
explore some history of Irish fiddling, listen to solo playing,
and learn some typical tunes from the Irish fiddlers’ standard
repertoire. In addition, we’ll study bowing styles and ways of
ornamenting notes for that authentic Irish sound. Tunes will
be taught from a combination of written sheet music (provided),
and some playing by ear, so students may want to bring an
audio recording device as well.
••
Tom Morley has been a professional violinist and fiddler
since the late 1970’s, and a fixture of the Gulf Coast music scene
for over 20 years playing professionally in Celtic, Bluegrass,
Classical, Swing, Americana and Country styles. As an Irish
fiddler, he has made multiple research and performance trips
to Ireland. He is a founding member of Celtic/world music
group Mithril. His latest Irish duo project Banna de dhá (with
Charleston SC guitarist/vocalist Hazel Ketchum) has performed at Celtic festivals and in concert series and their CD
Band of Two has received airplay on radio stations across the
U.S. As a string educator, Tom leads fiddle workshops throughout the Southeast. He teaches on the faculty of the Mark
O’Connor String Method Camp (Charleston SC), also Fiddle
Hell Gathering (Boston MA) and SCOR! Adult String Camps
(Atlanta GA). His method book, Learn To Play Irish Tradition
Fiddle, was published in 2012 and has received positive reviews
in publications including Fiddler magazine and Irish Music
magazine. For more information visit thefiddlecenter.com and
irishtradfiddle.com.
Fiddle II: Mastering an
Authentic Irish Fiddle Style
Russell Hopper
••
this class is for fiddlers who play Irish tunes
and want to take their performance to the next level or have
mastered American fiddle tunes and want to learn an authentic Irish style. Using tunes learned in the class, we’ll focus on
ornamentation, bowing, tune variations and playing with a
groove that makes folks want to get up and dance when they
hear you play. We’ll also examine the styles of great Irish
fiddlers of the past and present and learn the finer points of
playing in advanced Irish music sessions.
••
Russell Hopper is a master Irish fiddler and teacher with
over 25 years of performance experience. He holds an MA in
Traditional Irish Music Performance from the Irish World
Music Centre at the University of Limerick. Russell is a frequent performer in venues throughout the United States and
Ireland, including the Templebar Traditional Music Festival
(Dublin), Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, North Texas Irish Festival
and Berea Irish Music Festivals. Russell has competed at the
national level, including qualifying for the Fleadh Cheoil na
hÉireann in duets and slow airs. When his fiddle is in its case,
Russell works as a violin-maker and restorer from his violin
shop in Birmingham.
Guitar I: Celtic Guitar
Accompaniment for Tunes & Songs
Da n Vogt
••
this course is for beginner to intermediate guitarists.
Students will learn how to accompany songs and tunes in a
variety of rhythms, including jigs, reels, waltzes, etc. The common
Celtic chord progressions, tune structures, and key signatures
will be analyzed. Standard tuning, alternate tunings (DADGAD),
and capo use will be explored.
••
Dan Vogt has over 30 years of playing experience and brings
his passion for guitar and love of traditional Celtic music to
the ensemble setting. In the early 1980s, Dan moved from
Maryland to Tuscaloosa, AL to attend the University of Alabama.
In 1989, he cofounded The Guitar Gallery, Inc., which now
has stores in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Dan currently plays
acoustic guitar in the traditional Celtic music groups The
Vulcan Eejits.
Irish Dancing (Set & Ceili):
Their Figures & Patterns
Ro berta Sta m p
••
we will be covering two types of Irish Dancing—
Set and Céilí. Irish Set Dances, descended from the French
quadrilles and adapted to Irish music and steps, are danced
by four couples in a square. Céilí Dances are in many forms,
for couples or threesomes, in lines, squares, and circles, including several in four-couple sets. Several dances of each kind
will be taught as well as a couple simple Céilí dances that can
be danced at the evening musical gatherings at the workshop.
Both Set and Céilí dances are very social and a lot of fun!
••
Roberta Stamp started Irish Dancing (Céilí and Sets) in
1990 and started teaching Irish Set Dancing in 2003 in order to
ensure she would always have a group to dance the sets with.
She taught a weekly class in Birmingham and led a performing
dance group for 10 years. Currently she teaches workshops,
calls Céilí’s for private parties and leads impromptu dances
during monthly Celtic music sessions as requested.
Singing Traditional Scottish, Irish,
and English Folk Songs
Ji l Cha m blEss
••
the emphasis of this class will be on learning a
selection of songs —some favorites that I’ve picked up over
25 years of performing Celtic music. We may also listen
to recordings of different versions of some of the songs by a
variety of singers to hear how differently they present, express
and decorate a song. We will discuss some mechanical aspects
of singing, as well, such as the importance of breathing,
enunciation and phrasing. But mostly we’ll sing! As an oral
traditional, these songs will be taught by repetition and ear
with lyrics provided.
••
Jil Chambless is an Alabama native who has played an active
role in the Celtic music scene for more than 25 years. As singer
and flute and whistle player, Jil has completed many recording
projects and performed at Celtic festivals and concerts across
the U.S. as well as in Canada, Scotland, and Israel with the
band Henri’s Notions, guitarist Scooter Muse, singer Ed Miller,
fiddler John Taylor, the band Vulcan Eejits!, the Martin de
Cogain Project, the John Whelan Trio, and others.
27
Acoustic Guitar & Crafts September 11–13
A workshop for everyone—come to the folk school and enjoy
the cooling weather while taking acoustic guitar, basket weaving, or indigo dying. There’s even a class on stacked rock wall
construction for those DIY landscapers out there!
Guitar: Fingerpicking Blues & Rags
Beginning Metal Casting
L ee M cK ee
••
have you ever shaped molten hot metal? In this metal
casting sampler class you’ll learn the process of this time-honored art from beginning to end! We’ll cover the basics of direct
carving a one-piece mold, heating our metal until it is molten,
and pouring it into our prepared molds. Safety in the foundry,
basic chasing, and finishing of molds will also be covered.
Please wear closed-toe leather boots (steel toe leather boots
are best) as well as cotton pants, a long sleeve cotton shirt, and
bring a cotton bandana or welding hat. Bring your creativity
and expect to take home a finished piece cast from recycled
aluminum, along with the foundation to move forward into more
complex mold-making processes and, we think, a newfound
love of metal casting!
••
a focus on metal arts. While working with an Art teaching
collectors from his studio in Avondale, Alabama. Lee is a proud
Ribbed Antler Basket Duo
M a ry A n n Sm i t h
L e v e l combination | S u p p ly F e e $25.00
••
make a stunning basket using an antler as the base.
We’ll weave with reed, jute, vines, fiber, sea grass and whatever
else strikes our fancy. Combine textures and colors for a unique
and beautiful basket. As a bonus, we’ll weave an antler tip
basket necklace!
••
Mary Ann Smith has been weaving split oak and other
baskets for over 20 years. She and her husband also teach at
Arrowmont and John C. Campbell Folk School. Their work
is included in museum collections in Alabama and Arkansas.
Ma ry flow er
••
mary will explore left and right hand moves that drive
this great feel good, Piedmont guitar style. She might share
the music of Rev. Gary Davis, Tampa Red and a little of her
own music. She will explore syncopation, movable chords
and alternating thumb. Students will come away with many
new tunes as well as tools to apply to their own arrangements.
Mary’s immense fingerpicking guitar and lap-slide prowess
is soulful and meter-perfect, a deft blend of the inventive, the
dexterous and the mesmerizing. Her supple honey-and-whiskey voice provides the perfect melodic accompaniment to
each song’s story.
wonderful tuning we will also explore is Dropped C (that’s not
a typo). Several tunes in each open tuning mentioned above
will be provided in tablature, and we will also listen to recordings of how these tunings have been used. Open tunings work
great on 12-string guitars, too!
••
“Lost Jim” Ohlschmidt has been a featured finger style
guitar instructor at the Alabama Folk School, and has considerable teaching experience both with private students and as an
adjunct Professor of Guitar Studies at Lakeland College (Plymouth, Wisconsin) from 2010-2012. Jim’s compositions have also
been featured in Craig Dobbins’ Acoustic Guitar Workshop and
Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine, and he has recorded extensively
as a solo artist and a sideman. Jim has three CDs of original
instrumental guitar music, and is currently working on a
fourth album of his own guitar pieces.
••
Indigo Dying
Mary Flower is an internationally known and award-winning
picker, singer-songwriter and teacher. The Midwest native
relocated from Denver to the vibrant Portland, Oregon, music
scene in 2004. She continues to please crowds and critics at
folk festivals and concert stages domestically and abroad, ones
that include Merlefest, Kerrville, King Biscuit, Prairie Home
Companion and the Calgary Folk Festival, among many.
A finalist in 2000 and 2002 at the National Fingerpicking
Guitar Championship (Top 3 both years, and the only woman),
a nominee in 2008 and 2012 for a Blues Foundation Blues Music
Award, and a 2011 Portland Muddy Award winner, Mary embodies a luscious and lusty mix of rootsy, acoustic-blues guitar
and vocal styles that span a number of idioms—from Piedmont
to the Mississippi Delta, with stops in Ragtime, Swing, Folk
and Hot Jazz. Mary’s 10 recordings, including her last four for
Memphis’ famed Yellow Dog Records—Bywater Dance, Instrumental Breakdown, Bridges and Misery Loves Company—show
a deep command of and love for folk and blues string music.
For Mary, it’s never about re-creation. Her dedication to the art
form is a vital contribution to America’s music.
Ja ne Ti m berla ke Cooper
Guitar II: Open Your Minds
with Open Tuning
Ji m O hlschm i dt
••
Open tunings, or tuning your guitar strings to a chord, opens a
world of great tunes and harmonic opportunities to all acoustic
guitarists. Open tunings are as old as the hills and are used the
world over, and they can become a very satisfying part of your
repertoire. In this class we will explore two common open
tunings, Open G, and Open D. A less common but absolutely
L e v e l beginner
••
indigo is the legendary source of colorfast blues,
and its ability to produce a wide range of shades has made it
the most successful dye plant ever known. This weekend
course will focus on learning about the history of indigo and
how to create an organic indigo vat. Once we learn how to
create an indigo vat using the most natural elements of indigo,
fructose and lime, we will spend the weekend using it to dye
textiles. We will also learn to create our own patterns by using
the Japanese method of shibori. Students are encouraged
to bring their own fabrics to dye, though some fabric will be
provided by the instructor.
••
Jane Timberlake Cooper has studied natural dyes with
Catherine Ellis at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and
from Yoshiko Wada, author of Memory on Cloth: Shibori Now.
Rocking Bethany:
Stacked Rock Wall Construction
Scea rs Ba rnes
••
in this class, you will learn how to landscape with
stacked rock walls. The class will construct a stacked rock wall
at Bethany Village, Camp McDowell’s newly expanded site.
••
Scears Barnes is a practicing attorney in Alexander City,
Alabama. He has been a volunteer worker at Camp McDowell
for 25 years and has been building and laying stonewalls
for just as long.
29
Old Time Music & Crafts O C T O B E R 15 –18
We have moved the dates of this longstanding and popular workshop.
Choose from nine Old Time music classes in banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin
or repertoire or try your hand at basket making or storytelling.
Basket Making: Weaving an Authentic
Appalachian White Oak Egg Basket
Fiddle II
Te r ri Mc Mu rray
Su e W i l l i a m s
Banjo I
••
we’ll explore the basics of good banjo playing in the
clawhammer technique through the repertoire of the famed
Round Peak Mountain section of Surry County, North Carolina.
You’ll learn tunes, gain insights into good timing and style and
how to achieve them.
••
Terri McMurray started playing banjo, guitar and banjo
uke as a youngster. She won the Galax, Virginia banjo contest
in 1982, co-founded the Old Hollow String Band with Riley
Baugus and Kirk Sutphin, and went on to play with the Toast
String Stretchers and Mostly Mountain Boys. Terri studied
banjo with famed Round Peak musician Tommy Jarrell and
has taught nationwide at camps and festivals since the 1980s.
Banjo II
Ca rl Jon es
••
in this class, we will focus on the claw-hammer style of
banjo and learn some great tunes along the way. We will hone
our right and left hand techniques with exercise and a nice
dose of music theory stirred in for maximum “up the neck”
comfort and fun. This will also help make more intricate tunes
easier to play. Our goal will be to add to our repertoire and
boost our banjo skills in a relaxed, cheerful setting.
••
Carl Jones is a respected American songwriter and multiinstrumentalist. Originally born in Macon, Georgia, Carl presently
lives in Galax, Virginia. He is widely respected for his instrumental talents and original songs about the joys and tribulations
of day-to-day life in the South. Carl’s songs have been recorded
by The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Kate Campbell, Rickie Simpkins
with Tony Rice, and others. In the 1980’s, he played mandolin
with James Bryan, Norman and Nancy Blake as part of the
Rising Fawn String Ensemble. Carl currently has an Old Time
mandolin DVD to his credit and many CDs as well. The latest
recording features a collection of all original songs and tunes
titled Traveling Star. He is widely respected for his fine
musicianship on many stringed instruments and is a popular
teacher at music camps all over North America and Europe.
Carl performs regularly with fiddler Erynn Marshall and with the
Bow Benders. For more information, visit his website dittyville.com.
L e v e l beginner to intermediate | S u p p ly F e e $75.00
••
this class will teach weaving an oak basket. Students
will scrape, trim and size weavers as they weave the basket.
Due to time constraints, the basket rims, ribs, ties, and initial
weaving will be set up so the student will be ready to weave.
Each student should finish a 7-inch White Oak Egg Basket. A
slide show showing a standing White Oak Tree including break
down of each step required until the basket is finished will be
shown. An example set of baskets made up in stages to show
how the basket goes together will be available for student viewing.
••
Sue Williams has been making baskets for over 40 years and
white oak baskets for 30 years. She has won best of show as well
as grand champion at such places as the Tennessee State Fair
and the Cannon County White Oak Fair. She has been teaching
White Oak Basketry at the University of Tennessee Clyde York
4H Training Center first as an apprentice teacher and for the past
10 years as master teacher. She has taught at the Cannon County Arts Center as well private classes in several other venues.
Fiddle I
Pa u l B r o w n
••
we’ll explore the basics of playing Old Time fiddle:
keeping time, tuning, making notes, drawing the bow and
understanding melody. We’ll also consider repertoire and
styles of Old Time fiddling through listening, singing, whistling,
demonstration and discussion, since listening to and thinking
about music are two profoundly important activities in becoming a good player. Our goal in this fun class is for you to leave
with a toolbox and skill set that will prove useful for many
years to come. It will benefit you to listen to as much Old Time
and Bluegrass fiddle music as possible before you arrive.
••
Paul Brown learned his first songs and tunes from his mother,
who learned them herself from adults in central Virginia when
she was a child. He’s won numerous first-place banjo prizes
in contests throughout the south, and has been teaching at
camps and festivals since the 1970s. He’s a respected recording
producer. He played and studied for years with iconic fiddlers
and banjoists including Benton Flippen, Robert Sykes, Luther
Davis, Fields Ward and Tommy Jarrell.
Erynn Ma rsha ll
••
this class will be an introduction to Old Time
fiddling and we will learn some beautiful tunes from West
Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Alabama. The focus
will be on learning by ear, bowing patterns, left hand ornamentation, and exploring nuances that make southern fiddling
different from other styles. Secrets to great tone and playing
with ease will be revealed.
••
Erynn Marshall has carved out a niche for herself as an Old
Time fiddler in North America and abroad. She has played for
thirty-five years, performed and taught at many music camps
in the US, Canada and England and learned Old Time music
from visiting 80–95 year-old southern fiddlers and singers. She
has authored the book, Music in the Air Somewhere (on West
Virginia fiddle and song traditions), filmed an instructional
DVD and recorded four CDs: Calico, Meet Me in the Music,
Shout Monah (Haints) and Tune Tramp, which features 45
traditional musicians from across North America. Erynn has
won many awards including a prestigious first place in fiddle
at “Clifftop,” (The Appalachian Stringband Festival), in West
Virginia and was the first woman and person from outside the
US to do so. Erynn teaches and performs often with husband
Carl Jones and the Bowbenders—an Old Time stringband featuring Erynn, Carl, Kenny Jackson and Bobb Head. For more
information, visit her website at hickoryjack.com
playing can be heard on 6 CDs produced by those groups. She
has taught guitar at the Alabama Folk School and the Augusta
Heritage Center.
Guitar II
Hi la ry Di rla m
••
if you’re looking for ways to add drive and interest
to your guitar backup, whether it’s for traditional songs or
Old Time Tunes, you’ll find what you need in this class. The
emphasis will be on bass runs, but you’ll learn other ways to
add pizzazz to your back-up style. These might include chord
shapes up the neck, partial chords and using a capo to “color”
a tune. There might be a bit of music theory, including the
dreaded circle of fifths, but this will mostly be a hands-on
class and you’ll have a chance to practice what you’re learning
since we’ll have a melody player on call. If you have specific
questions, they’ll be addressed and specific tunes and songs
will be welcome.
••
Hilary Dirlam was inspired by the Folk Revival and Pat
Seeger and got her first guitar when she was 14 years old. She
has gone on to perform, teach and record on this instrument
with the likes of The Arm and Hammer String Band (in the
1970s), Old Time fiddlers Gordon Freeman, Jerry Luncy, Bruce
Greene, Alice Gerrard, and Gordon, and many others. To find
out more about Hilary, visit her website at hilarydirlam.com.
Guitar I
Mandolin I
Joyce Ca uthen
Pat Shi elds
L e v e l beginner
up Old Time lead instruments and playing in jam sessions.
We’ll work on confidently playing boom-chuck strums with
alternating bass notes and a few basic guitar runs, using a flat
pick. We’ll also work on figuring out a tune’s chords by ear
rather than from chord charts. Mainly, we will all develop our
skills by having fun playing lots of tunes with our class fiddler,
Jim Cauthen.
niques and chording while learning a simple Old Time
repertoire of common tunes. The tunes will teach you what
you need. Pat is here to get you over the rough spots.
••
the goal of this class is to become great at backing
••
Joyce Cauthen learned to play guitar (as an adult) in order
to back up the fiddling of her husband, Jim. Throughout the
past 25 years she has performed with 2 Old Time string bands,
the Red Mountain White Trash and Flying Jenny, and her
••
students will learn the basic keys, picking tech-
••
Pat Shields is a tune player. He enjoys playing tunes with
others. He conforms to the “take one, teach one” method.
Learn a tune; pass it on. He enjoys watching the lights come
on when someone begins to “get it” and he loves the sigh of
relief and satisfaction of a tune learned. Pat has been an Artist
in Residence in West Virginia and Florida and has taught mandolin and guitar at workshops and schools around the United
States and Australia.
33
18th ANNUAL WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP O C T O B E R 25 –30
18 years in the making, this workshop offers 3 classes in watercolor. Don Andrews
and Wayne Spradley will both teach classes on watercolor landscapes and Deborah
Hill’s class will focus on more abstracted designs.
Mandolin II
Storytelling: How About a Story,
Morning Glory?
Watercolor Landscapes
S a m Bart let t
E l i za b et h Va n d er K a m p
composed Old Time tunes, we will unlock the techniques and
practices that make your mandolin melodic and metronomic.
We will explore the essentials of the picking hand, tremolo and
ornamentation and get inside the two and three finger chords
that make the mandolin fun. This will be a fun and funny class.
Be prepared to learn by ear, sing along with your instrument
(no matter how badly!), and kiss bad habits goodbye.
who we are and who we are becoming. In this class, we will
mine the riches of our memories, experiences, and imaginations to create stories for telling. We will also tap into the
greatest gift of storytelling: listening! Through sharing stories,
creative writing prompts, improvisation, and active listening,
students will craft stories for telling. We will also explore oral
history gathering. What stories around us have not been told?
Who might we approach with the question, “Could you tell me
about the time you ____?” By the weekend’s end, each participant will have a least one story to tell and one story to harvest.
can explore the world around us in fresh, exciting and personal ways. The lessons in Don’s class are designed to help
students reach a better understanding of that personal expression. Each day, Don will stress a major visual concern such
as light, color, granulation, organizing nature and utilizing
negative space. Don’s class isn’t geared towards any specific
level of achievement; rather, artists at all levels will benefit from a more intimate understanding of the possibilities
available in the exciting world of landscape painting. This
workshop will be packed with demonstrations, discussions,
individual help and personal and group critiques.
Elizabeth Vander Kamp has been telling stories since she
forgot her homework in the 3rd grade. This led her to the
stage of NYC and writing two solo performance pieces. One of
the solo works, “The Babe’s Back”, chronicles the life story of
the 20th Century’s Greatest Female Athlete, Babe Didrikson
Zaharias. Elizabeth toured the United States telling Babe’s tale
in over 300 performances. Currently, she works as an Artist in
Residence through UAB’s Institute for Arts in Medicine and is
a teaching artist through ArtCare. Elizabeth also has a standing
engagement in her daughters’ bedroom where she tells stories
every night.
Don Andrews is a nationally known watercolor artist
and workshop instructor. He is a graduate of the Ringling
School of Art in Sarasota, Florida, and a resident of Fairhope,
Alabama. Don is an active member and past board director
of the American Watercolor Society. His paintings have
received numerous awards in national watercolor competitions, including three awards from the American Watercolor
Society, and two Best of Show awards from the New England
Watercolor Society. Don has conducted painting workshops
throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and
Africa for over 25 years.
Mini Classes
Mixed Media Watercolor
ava i l a b l e d u r i n g t h e
afternoon to any and all
Debora h Hi ll
Realistic, Transparent Watercolor
Wayne Spra dley
••
band lab Jim Holland
bass Kathy Hinkle
harmonica Jamie Finley
ukulele Charlie Hartness
singing Ann Whitley
••
learn how to accomplish rich multi-layering in
••
this class will zero in on the quality that really distinguishes ••
we are made of stories. They weave themselves into
the mandolinist: rhythm. Through the lens of traditional and
••
Sam Bartlett noodled on his grandmother’s mandolin at
an early age, but did not start learning the instrument until
he saw one played at a square dance when he was 16. He has
studied mandolin with Tiny Moore and Peter Ostroushko,
and pursued the instrument mostly as a dance musician for
the past 36 years. Sam has recorded and performed with a
huge assortment of Old Time musicians over the years, among
them: Jeff Goehring, Pete Sutherland, Garry Harrison, Dirk
Powell, Paul Brown, and Brad Leftwich. His playing has been
featured in two Ken Burns documentaries and his original
music has been profiled on NPR’s All Things Considered.
Old Time Repertoire
••
Don Andrew s
••
through the language of watercolor, we artists
••
M ick Kin n ey
••
more than an instrumental class, here’s a journey
through the many forms of Old Time music. We will be covering versions of favorites as well as obscure pieces in several
keys, tunings, and modes. In addition to fiddle tunes, there
will be a few songs and novelty numbers to round out your
collection. All material will be demonstrated slowly with
attention to detail, gradually moving towards playing together
at full, natural tempo. This is a multilevel course open to both
melody and back-up instruments.
••
Mick Kinney has played a variety of guitar for Old Time
fiddlers, singer- songwriters, Contra, Cajun, or Swing dances, documentaries, and commercial soundtracks. A teaching
veteran of Swannanoa Gathering, Mars Hill, and John C.
Campbell Folk School, he is the recipient of Georgia Arts and
Humanities grant, and the Anita Mathis Award for traditional
music education.
your artwork using watercolor and acrylic mediums. Explore
non-conventional methods and materials and incorporate a
variety of elements to create personalized memorable pieces.
••
Deborah Hill is a professional artist using water-soluble art
materials, collage and found objects interchangeably in her
work. She paints imaginative images that are distinct and
inventive yet immediately recognizable. Her assemblage/
bricolage sculpture reflects the same esthetic and attention
to subtle detail. Drawing influence from common everyday
events, nature and memory she uses a narrative approach to
her work expressing snippets of time or a particular emotion. Deborah prefers to record the ‘story’ or metaphor with
a subconscious interpretation rather than what is physically
seen with the eye. Deborah’s art career began early with wax
crayons and large freshly painted sheetrock walls (this was
discouraged) quickly moving on to graphite pencils and wide
ruled notebook paper she pressed on, honing her skills. Life
took on new meaning with plastic brushes and a tiny set of
pan paints, the request for ‘paper with no lines’ was granted-further expanding potentiality. Her art story continues
to unfold as she progresses toward more sophisticated tools
and materials. Deborah is from the Appalachian foothills
of Alabama, she has been in Texas since 1992 and currently
maintains a studio in Cypress, Texas.
••
creating transparent, realistic paintings will be
the focus of Wayne’s class. Using a limited palette, students
will learn color, value, design, balance, perspective and composition while maintaining transparency. With a great deal of patience,
Wayne enjoys working with beginning students as well as the
more advanced. Completed paintings will be the result.
••
Wayne Spradley, an internationally acclaimed landscape
artist, has exhibited recently in the Waterfowl Festival, Easton,
MD, and Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, Charleston,
SC. His paintings hang in several universities, government
buildings, museums and presidential collections in the U.S.
and abroad.
35
Traditional Arts & Crafts N O V E M B E R 05 – 08
This workshop is timed perfectly at the beginning of the holiday season!
Come to the folk school and make handmade Christmas gifts for your family and
friends. Your loved ones will be delighted to receive beautiful baskets, handmade
soaps, felted scarves, and more!
Basket Weaving:
Making a Quilter’s Tote
Fun With Fiber
Be tty Bain
L e v e l beginner to advanced | S u p p ly F e e $75.00
L e v e l intermediate | S u p p ly F e e $28.00
••
in this class, you will learn the basics of weaving a basket
from reed, which comes from China. Shaping will also be taught.
Students will learn to use color to make a design in the basket.
••
Betty Bain has been weaving for 40 years and teaching for 30.
She has won several awards. She is now teaching classes at Black
Belt Treasures, which is in Camden, Alabama. Her work was
recently shown at Stonehenge Gallery in Montgomery, Alabama.
Splendor in the Glass:
Glass Mosaics & Fused Glass
Linda Mu n oz
••
students will have the opportunity to explore
three different but related art forms which use stained glass:
traditional mosaic art, glass on glass mosaic art and kiln
fused glass. During the workshop, students will learn design
techniques, how to cut stained glass, how to grout the mosaic
panels made in the class, and will also have a chance to make
several pieces of fused glass jewelry for holiday giving.
••
Linda Munoz has been working in the medium of glass since
1980 and has been teaching mosaic art and fused glass jewelry
classes for the last 14 years. Her students’ work can be seen in
many sites at Camp McDowell, including the benches on the
grounds of the chapel , the panels at Eppes Dining Hall and
the covered porch at Stough Hall. She taught students at
a workshop in Birmingham in 2011 and the 5' × 5' mosaic that
was created is on display at the United Nations Worship Center in NYC. She collaborated with another glass artist to make
the iconic “Kentuck Tree” and “Caring Days” mosaic murals
in Tuscaloosa, AL. Recently, Linda was one of four artists in
the state chosen to make art awards for the “2014 Alabama
Launchpad Innovation Award Ceremony” in Birmingham.
A.C. R eev es
••
students in “fun with fiber” will be working with
different fibers, including wool roving, silk, fabric scraps, paper
scraps and other “treasure” A.C. will bring and any treasure
you might want to bring. “Treasure” is code for buttons, broken jewelry, old string, yarn, paper—any scrap of something
that you think is pretty or means something to you. You will
explore ways to use fiber to make scarves, collage, felted soap
(What’s that? You’ll have to take the class!), felted pendants
and whatever else we can come up with. A.C. loves to work
with fiber because there are very few rules and you ABSOLUTELY cannot make a mistake. You will definitely come
home with 3 to 4 finished products.
——
••
A.C. Reeves is currently the qualifying broker and co-owner
of The Real Estate Gallery, LLC in Selma, Alabama. She takes
a break from real estate one day a week and devotes herself
to committing art! A.C.’s art is primarily mixed media using
found items or “treasure” as she likes to call it. She loves
to work with materials that others may see as broken, discarded, and even junk and make something beautiful. A.C.
has fallen in love with nuno felting lately, which is taking
silk and wool and after soaking it in soapy water, “beating
the ever livin’ stew” out of it. Not only is this technique fun
and makes beautiful, unique pieces of wearable art, but it is
also a great way to take out some frustrations. A.C. Reeves
is married to Allen Reeves, who is a lawyer in Selma. They
have 2 daughters, Lizzie (20) and Anne Smith (18). Allen,
Lizzie, and Anne Smith have all grown up at Camp McDowell
and A.C. is so excited about finally finding a way to become
part of Wonderful, Wonderful Camp McDowell as well
through teaching at the Alabama Folk School.
Natural Handmade Crafts
for Gift Giving
Laura Spencer
••
learn to make your own gifts for any occasion. We will
cover the basics of working safely with lye to produce handcrafted soaps, made with natural ingredients and colorants.
Participants will also make scrubs, bath salts, infusions, lip
balm, solid lotion and beeswax candles. Items can be packaged separately or as gift sets, ready to be shared!
ruly enjoyed the instruction
and hospitality at this first-rate
folk school. Memorable experience
that has inspired me to continue
to study folk art.
Allison
southern living magazine
birmingham, alabama
••
Laura Spencer lives with her family on a small permaculture based homestead in Marion, Alabama. She has been
owner of Simply Making It, her natural skincare line, since
2010. Her family raises dairy goats, pork, beef, chicken, lamb,
eggs, honey and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as a
means of pursuing a sustainable lifestyle.
Blacksmithing
l e e m c K EE
••
this is a foundation class in which the seven basic
forge techniques (tapering, scrolling, twisting, punching,
cutting, upsetting and forge welding) will be explored. Students will complete projects incorporating these techniques
and explore personal direction as time allows.
••
collectors from his studio in Avondale Alabama. Lee is a proud
a focus on metal arts. While working with an arts education
37
Frequently
Asked Questions
how many classes may i sign up for ?
what type of food do you serve?
You choose one class per session. This will enable you to become
familiar enough with a handicraft or new musical skills to work
independently once you get home. Our instructors thrive on the
ability of our students to keep their traditions alive.
Our kitchen staff strives to make your dining experience a
pleasure. Here are some examples (vegetarian meals available
upon request, please notify us before your arrival):
do i bring my own sheets ?
Although we are a camp, most students stay in our modern,
hotel-style lodging. Bedding and linens are furnished for your
use. We do ask you to remove your bedding before you leave.
It helps our housekeeping staff prepare for the next group.
If you choose to stay in our dorm-style lodging, you may bring
your linens or pay an additional fee for us to provide them.
what about air conditioning ?
Each room has its own climate controls. Feel free to set it at a
temperature comfortable for you. We do ask our participants
to conserve energy whenever possible.
can i bring my own snacks and beverages ?
Yes, we encourage everyone who comes to bring his or her own
snacks and beverages. There is a full-size refrigerator in each
lodge where you may keep any perishable items. There is also a
stove, microwave and coffee maker. Regular and decaffeinated
coffee are available for your use. Please wash your dishes when
you’re done. Many participants will bring adult beverages to
enjoy in the evenings. They are not allowed in the studios.
» b reakfast
Biscuits, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Grits (OJ, coffee, tea,
fruit bowl, cereal bar)
Pancakes, Sausage and Baked Apples (OJ, coffee, tea, fruit
bowl, cereal bar)
» l unch (green salad always available)
Bar-B-Que sandwiches, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans
Turkey Croissants, Fruit, Chips or Pasta Salad
Quiche, Fruit, Mixed Green Salad, Blueberry Muffin
» dinner (green salad always available)
Oven Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Rolls
Roasted Pork Loin, Rice Pilaf, Vegetable Medley,
Sweet Potato Biscuits
» dessert
Chef Lamar’s Famous Bread Pudding
Carrot Cake
additional questions ?
Visit us online at www.alfolkschool.com
what is your cancellation policy ?
If you cancel 30 days or more prior to a workshop, you will
receive a full refund. If you cancel less than 30 days before
a workshop, you will receive a refund minus the deposit,
which is $100.00
catalog design
Robert Finkel » robertfinkel.com
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
at Auburn University
Registration
is now
open for
all classes!
register online at
w w w. alfolkschool.com
or email folkschool@ campm c dowell.com
with any questions
105 DeLong Road
Nauvoo, AL 35578
205.387.1806
Al folkschool.com

Workshop Schedule — Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell

Transcription

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