FOLK ARTS AND SKILLS DEMONSTRATIONS
Curtis Allison and Dwayne Franks – horses and mules
Allison and Franks, both experts at working with draft animals, demonstrate traditional skills of harnessing and driving horse and mule drawn wagons of bygone days.
Lori and Chuck Anderson – corn shuck crafts and broom-making
Anderson, a member of HandMade in America, makes wonderful corn shuck dolls and flowers as taught to her by the late Annie Lee Bryson. Historically, corn was a staple crop for both the Cherokee and settlers. Shucks were used in many functional and creative ways, including as cleaning mops, rugs, and dolls. Chuck Anderson makes different types of brooms the old fashioned way using locally-grown broom straw with hand crafted handles. He often demonstrates at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Mountain Farm Museum.
Robert Craig - wood carving
Craig learned woodcarving from the famous carver and educator, Amanda Crowe. Creating figures of wolves and foxes, he says he sees what he is going to carve when he picks up a piece of wood.
Nancy Hornbuckle and Jim Long – rivercane mats and baskets
Hornbuckle demonstrates rivercane basketry which she learned from Jim Long. Originally taught to work with pine needles by Cherokee elder Myrtle Youngbird, Hornbuckle is a member of Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc. Jim Long keeps Cherokee traditions alive by making rivercane baskets and mats. A member of Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc. Long gathers his own materials including the native plants used to dye rivercane.
William Rogers – copper smithing
Rogers, a well-known metalsmith and member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, showcases his coppersmithing skills. He has taught metalsmithing throughout his career and is currently working with Cherokee High School students.
Joe Williams - bark berry buckets
A member of Handmade in America and involved with Davidson's Fort Historic Park, Williams makes buckets out of strips of poplar tree bark. Historically, this type of Bucket was used for gathering berries or kindling.
R. O. Wilson - logging skills
A long time festival favorite demonstrating cross-cut saw sharpening. Wilson once logged all over the Southern Appalachians. He hand hewed logs and split shingles for a cabin in MHC's exhibit on the Scotch-Irish settlers.
Max Woody – chair-making
Starting with his father's hand tools when he was 4 years old, Woody, a sixth generation chair maker, marks his 62nd year in the chair making business. Many of the styles and designs he uses have been passed down through his family. Now, his sons Myron and Carey both carry on the family tradition.
LIVING HISTORY DEMONSTRATION - 18TH CENTURY ENCAMPMENT
Bill Bisher
- 18th Century Knives
Bisher, a blacksmith and member of The Artist Blacksmith's Association of North America, began making knives in 1998. He extensively researches historical knives and then crafts them for start to finish. He is President of the NC Custom Knifemaker Guild.
Charles Brown - Hide Tanning
Brown is an internationally known maker of 18th century hunting accoutrements and
tanning expert. He researches and practices traditional methods of bark and brain
tanning and has been an instructor at the "School of the Longhunter" at Prickett's
Fort, Fairmont, WV.
Bill Carter - Powder Horn Carving
A journeyman member of the Honorable Company of Horn Workers, master carver and editor
of the journal, "The Hornbook," Carter demonstrates the art of powder horn crafting.
Earl Lanning - Gunsmith and Collector
Dedicated to preserving and teaching the art of making Kentucky longrifles, Lanning's family were early settlers in western North Carolina. As a 5th generation gunsmith Lanning was featured in the "Foxfire 5" book, and is the recipient of the "Pioneer Award" from the Contemporary Longrifle Association.
George Mathews - Windsor Chair MakingMathews, a master carpenter, learned chair making from America's foremost Windsor chair expert and founder of the Windsor Institute, Mike Dunbar. He handcrafts each chair with the tools and techniques of the 1700's using three different woods and historically-correct milk paint.
Bob Plott - Hunter's Camp
Plott organizes the Hunter's Camp and is a descendant of the Plott family that arrived in NC in 1750 with five of the families hunting dogs that are today renowned as the premier bear hunting dog breed in America. Plott has authored four books and is winner of the NC Historical Literary Award. The camp will include salt making, fire and cooking methods and other vital skills of the frontier.