CRAFT SCHOOLS

Craft schools are educational institutions with no full-time teachers: instead, they bring in studio artists and university faculty from around the world to teach workshops, which typically last from one to eight weeks. In addition, some craft schools provide short- or long-term residencies.

Work-study programs and craft school assistantships have played an irreplaceable role in developing my technical skills and sense of community. The following are three craft institutions which I highly recommend. I encourage makers of all stages to get involved in any capacity.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Quirky, friendly craft school in the woods just off Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Arrowmont’s tremendous six-week work-study program in summer and fall is highly accessible: accepted work-study students pay only for materials and travel. I was a work-study student in summer of 2018, then returned to work in the kitchen during the Pentaculum residency in January 2020.

Penland School of Craft. Sixteen impressive studios and a gallery overlook a picturesque knoll in rural North Carolina. Work-study scholarships provide lowered tuition in exchange for hours in the kitchen. I was a work-study student twice in 2019 and a studio assistant to Ben Carter in 2021. Penland never fails to activate a sense of awe.

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Consisting of historic wooden studios connected by walkways on the rocky coast of Deer Isle, Maine, Haystack possesses a uniquely egalitarian spirit. The community, landscape, and ocean are deeply affecting. I was a technical assistant to Isaac Scott during an end-of-summer workshop in 2022.