John Dilbeck Musings

I want to thank my friend, Jerry Chautin, for alerting me to an article in the New York Times, A Basket Case in North Carolina, written by David Rakoff, and published on May 20, 2007.

In this article, the author talks about taking a week-long class at the John C Campbell Folk School, in Brasstown, NC.

Originally, like most men, he wanted to experience the thrill of blacksmithing, of smiting hot steel and shaping it into new forms with fire, hammer, and anvil, but (for reasons he details in the article) he changed to taking a basket weaving class.

As a true lover of the Folk School and all that goes on there, I felt the resonance of reading what I know to be true about the Folk School experience, not just what happens when taking a class and learning a new skill, or improving your ability to create pieces of art in your chosen craft.

Mr. Rakoff talks about the unexpected moments of silence and “getting into the zone” that artists strive for while transforming the vision in our minds into the item in our hands.

This is one of the best articles I’ve read about the Folk School, and I recommend it to you. I don’t know how long the New York Times keeps these articles archived, so maybe you should read A Basket Case in North Carolina, now.

(For more information about the John C. Campbell Folk School, its classes, crafts, and events, call 828-837-2775 or 1-800-FOLK-SCH (800-365-5724) or visit www.folkschool.org.)

(From the Folk School Website:)

The new Blacksmith studio fundraising campaign has begun!

Timber framers from all over will gather at the Folk School for an old fashioned barn raising!

The John C. Campbell Folk School is proud to announce plans for an annex to the historic Blacksmith Shop, originally dedicated to Francis Whittaker in recognition of his two decades of teaching and demonstrating at the school.

Whittaker, known as the “Dean of American Blacksmiths,” devoted his life to keeping the art of blacksmithing alive in this country and the existing studio stands as his symbolic legacy. But, while Blacksmithing has long been the most popular of some 50 programs the Folk School offers, the shop has suffered decades of wear and its space is no longer adequate for the size and diversity of classes such a premier program should offer.

The solution is to renovate the Whittaker Studio and to build an annex with the help of the Timber Framers Guild, which has offered to assemble close to 80 timber framers to do a traditional barn-raising in June 2008.

Fundraising for the project kicked off with a $1000 gift from longtime instructor Lou Mueller. Clay Spencer, nationally known blacksmith and fixture at the school also donated $1000. Not to be outdone, Don Neuenschwander, a long time student and friend of the Folk School from Indiana, donated $5000. Julie Clark, Folk School blacksmith instructor, donated $10,000!

While the full architectural plans have not been finalized, the project cost is estimated at an ambitious $500,000. With the strength and spirit of the Blacksmithing community, we are confident the goal can be met. Ours is a community that is resourceful, creative and, like the Folk School, dedicated to the spread of knowledge and education about blacksmithing.

Please contact Susi Hall, Development Manager, at susi@folkschool.org or at 828-837-2775 ext. 118 to contribute or to discuss making a gift and Paul Garrett, Resident Artist for Blacksmithing, at pdg86@hotmail.com or 828-835-8441 with ideas to assist with the project.

Learn more about the new Blacksmithing annex on the Folk School’s website.

I watched Sing Behind The Plow last evening and enjoyed it greatly.

It is an outstanding production and anyone who loves the Folk School and what people have been doing there for decades should get a copy of this DVD.

Hopefully, it will be rebroadcast on UNC-TV and other public stations in the future.

It was nice to see old friends and familiar places and to learn more about the early history of the school.

The John C. Campbell Folk School is one of my favorite places on the planet and attending classes there has the definite possibility of changing your life for the better.

Instead of competing for ranking and grades, students at the Folk School are welcomed into a friendly, supportive atmosphere of learning, trying new things, and helping each other. This supportive environment continues from Morning Song, through the classes, family style meals in the dining hall, and on into the evenings spent talking, dancing, and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery.

If you immerse yourself in what is available, you may well be a different person at the end of the week.

I highly recommend the Folk School and the Sing Behind The Plow documentary to you.

Sing Behind The Plow will be available for purchase on DVD from the Folk School’s Craft Shop.

The Scenic Circle

New Day Trip Guide Scheduled for Release September 4 at Heritage Walk & Festival in Murphy, North Carolina

Imagine a 50-mile radius circle drawn around the Cherokee County courthouse in historic Murphy, NC, and something to find your way to the outdoor wonders of that area. Heritage Partners of Cherokee County is pleased to announce its first publication of The Scenic Circle, scheduled for release at the September 4 Heritage Walk & Festival in Murphy. First in a series, the guidebook provides directions for easy day trips to mountain balds, lakes and rivers, waterfalls, trails and other outdoor attractions to be explored in the northwest quadrant of The Scenic Circle. And, as the first edition is coming off the presses, destinations for future editions are already being assembled for the northeast, southwest and southeast quadrants.

Elizabeth Carter, a part-time resident of Apalachia Lake who has a number of published trail guides to her credit, volunteered her time and energies to author The Scenic Circle. Enthusiastic about her soon to be full-time home, Carter is quick to say “the economics of heritage and ecological tourism are so important to our community, and the outdoor attractions of this beautiful mountain region are certainly something to share and celebrate.”

The OEO Small Growing Opportunities grant program agreed, having provided funding for the project’s first publication. Jonathan and Tammy Fleischer of The Computer Workshop in Murphy lined up to do the layout, photography and printing of the guidebook. Jonathan looks back with a smile about preparing for the publication, saying “we ventured out as a family and found every site on the map. It was really neat to see so many places we’d always heard of, but never knew much about or even how to find them.”

Copies of The Scenic Circle will be on sale for $3 each, or 2 for $5, at the Heritage Partners booth on September 4 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by the Old L&N Depot. Author Elizabeth Carter will be there to sign copies of the book between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the nonprofit works of Heritage Partners, proud sponsors of The Murphy River Walk Project, the annual Heritage Walk & Festival, the annual Holiday Taste of Cherokee County Home Tour, the historical children’s story set in 1840 Valleytown — Becky and The Robber of Buckhorn Ridge — and most recently The Scenic Circle outdoor day trip destinations guide series.

For more information about Heritage Partners, visit heritagepartners.org.

Appalachian Highland Games will be moving to a new venue for their 4th annual presentation of Irish, Scottish, and Celtic heritage.

From their web page:

“In 2004, Appalachian Highland Games will move to Andrews, NC 28901. All events will be held in the Andrews Recreation Park. Our new venue is larger, more people friendly, and easier to get to than ever before. Large parking areas adjacent to the Park make for easy access. Parking is FREE! There is ample seating around the securely fenced athletics area. Take a stroll under the oaks and sample the wares of our vendors. Enjoy a variety of acts and entertainment such as sheep herding, Highland dancing demonstrations and singing, youth events and pipe and drum bands. Tour the Heritage tent and learn about the early Scottish settlers whose descendants still populate these mountains, visit with the mountain crafters as they practice ancient skills. Come by the Tartans Museum booth and discover your tartan. Talk to Clan representatives and learn more about yourself and your forbears.”

The gates open at 8:00 am on September 11, 2004. Visit their website for more information about pricing and for driving directions and a map.

The 4th Annual Appalachian Highland Games will be fun for your whole family.

Agenda: final input on comprehensive plan update (meeting #3 of 3)

Facilitator: Ron Ruehl, NC State Heritage Development Officer, western NC region

Saturday, February 28
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Andrews Community Center*

*please note the change in location (the old furnace died at the Valleytown Cultural Arts Center, and total heating system replacement is now in progress there)

Important Note: for organizations based in Cherokee County with an emphasis on the arts, history, cultural and historic resources, and the natural environment: the updated heritage development plan will be used by a variety of regional and state entities to identify and find ways to support Cherokee County’s heritage development initiatives and achieve the economic benefits of heritage and eco-tourism. It will serve as the reference for Cherokee County’s priority initiatives being undertaken by local governments, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, community clubs and associations, and other community development oriented entities.

If your organization has any role to play in heritage development, please make sure it’s actively represented in the process. The resulting plan document will be the authoritative reference for Cherokee County, and will include:

(1) a roster of contact and other important information about heritage development related organizations based in Cherokee County;

(2) an inventory of sites and attractions;

(3) a calendar of major annual events;

and most important:

(4) summaries of priority projects requiring funding support now, or in the future (”brick and mortar” as well as other program or development funds).

If your organization has not received the input forms package, Gabby Hudson says call her at the Chamber of Commerce (828-837-2242) and she’ll be happy to oblige.

Questions? Contact Heritage Partners of Cherokee County, NC.

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of seeing Ben Utley, owner of the NC Mountain Made website, again. It’s always fun being around Ben, who has a cheerful and optimistic personality.

NC Mountain Made is a heritage database of authentic music, authors, storytellers, and handmade arts & crafts of western North Carolina. In the not-too-distant-future, Ben will be helping artisans in western North Carolina sell their products over the Internet.

He came to the monthly meeting of Appalachian Heritage Crafters and updated us on the progress he is making getting his new venture organized.

A number of our members expressed interest in working with Ben and we’ll probably see some of their art on his site, soon.

Ben’s added a calendar covering Western North Carolina Heritage and Cultural Events. Be sure to check it out!

Don’t forget. If you’re interested in what he’s doing to promote and preserve our Appalachian heritage, you can sign up for his announcements list and he’ll keep you informed.

I hope you have great success with this, Ben!

Yesterday, for the first time in a couple of months, I attended the monthly Heritage Tourism Roundtable meeting in Andrews, NC. This meeting is held the first Tuesday of each month from 10:00 am until approximately 2:00 pm at the St. Andrews Lutheran Church.

I enjoyed seeing friends and catching up on what’s happening in the four western-most counties of North Carolina and on the progress we’re making for promoting heritage tourism in our area.

One of the guests at the meeting was Ben Utley, a lifelong educator who is now residing in western North Carolina.

He announced the upcoming debut of NCMtnMade.com, “A Heritage Database of authentic music, authors, storytellers, and handmade arts/crafts of Western North Carolina.”

If you’d like to be informed of what’s happening at this site, there is a preview page up and running and you can subscribe to their mailing list to be informed when it goes live.

Ben has some great ideas about promoting our heritage of fine art, crafts, toys, music and food, and I’d like to send my best wishes for success with this project.