Down From the Mountain

Hiking four miles down a mountain is much easier hiking 4 miles up a mountain. Yesterday a group of the work studies and studio assistants went for a hike to a place called Ramsey Cascades. It was one of the more physically demanding things I think I've done, but totally worth it because the scenery was beautiful. And this is what awaited us at the top of the mountain

The JCCFS Garden in Bloom

I planted this stuff!!! It's really exciting to see it all grown up.

Actual Dialogue, y'all

So this is a very real conversation that went down between the housekeeper and a member of the kitchen staff.

Linda- You should sit down a spell
Joanna- No, I'm gonna go outside and do me a butt.

Translation

Linda- You should sit down and rest.
Joanna- No, I'm gonna go outside and smoke.

Well, I did indeed spend the better part of this weekend visiting the Folk School in North Carolina. I must say the drive from Gatlinburg to Brasstown is one of the prettiest I've seen. The Smokies are beautiful. I need to go into the park sometime and walk through them instead of drive. I'll probably be able to see more and not have to worry about crashing if I'm on foot.
It was nice to be back at the Folk School. Everything has grown up so much, the garden has really taken off and the new blacksmith shop is coming along well. It was really nice to see my buddies Jeff and Lauren and I got to see a few other folks. On Sunday morning as is tradition I went over to Tim Ryan's house for a tastey brunch. I'll have to post some before and after pictures of the garden at some point, but not now because I'm going to bed.

What Happens When Two Craft Schools Cross Paths

It's almost the weekend and I am more than excited to finally get some sort of break from all of the work I've been doing both in the studio and in the kitchen. Let me paint you a picture
6:30 am Wake up
7:00 go to Dining hall eat breakfast
7:30-9:00 Work in the kitchen (doing dishes mostly and running around amidst the chaos)
9:05 Go to class
11:30 Go to Dining hall eat lunch
12:00-1:30 Work in the kitchen
1:35 Back to class where I watch demonstrations, carve wax, take notes, and think profound thoughts about art and what it is I'm trying to accomplish in the art world
5:00 back to the dining hall to eat dinner
5:30-7:30 Back in the kitchen this time closing up
7:30-8:30 This is my first break in the day I use it to either watch the daily slide presentation of instructors work or take a nap
8:35-? Back in the studio, this time by choice to try and get something done
Anywhere between 11:00 and 1:00 I stumble back to the room only to start the cycle over again at 6:30

I still have to work this weekend doing housekeeping on Saturday morning and kitchen duty Sunday night. No one is really going to be around here this weekend and I'm thinking I should go visit the Folk School in North Carolina because it's my buddy Lauren's second to last weekend there...or...do I spend the time I have off this weekend napping the day away? Why is my life so complicated and full of tough decisions?

Emergency Contact Information

In case of an emergency i.e. you really need to send me a care package or a postcard or some manatee memories you should send them to me at:

Miss Maura A. Cartwright
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
PO Box 567
556 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738

In other news there are so many bears here.
I've been here one and a half weeks and already there have been three bear sightings. One by the housekeeper, Linda, one by another work-study, and by me. I just saw a little baby bear scamper into the woods at night so I didn't really get a good look not that I'm trying to get up close and personal with a bleak bear. I've seen the shows on the Animal Planet to know better. We also have locks on our dumpster by the kitchen (Called the Bear Box) to keep those massive critters out.

Sleep Deprived in the Kitchen

While washing dishes my buddy Calvin and I were playing a game where you think of a person and then say what two things they are a cross between. It can be anything, literally anything, you just can't think about it you have to say the first two things that come to your head. For instance Calvin insisted that I was a cross between a tomahawk and a tire iron

Not Your Mother's Folk School

Oh my goodness this is really the first time all week that I've been able to sit down and compose my thoughts and be awake enough to do it. Everyday this week I've been getting up at 5:30 in the am to be at work by 6. I usually work until 2 pm but few days this week I've been working until 7:30 and I'm exhausted. I'm working in the kitchen which is either extremely busy with washing dishes or preparing food or any number of things or there is nothing to do. It's nice though to be next to a constant source of coffee. I try to switch it up though and start with coffee in the mornign and then drink tea throughout the day. I usually try to find tea bags that say "Refresh" or "Awake" on them.
Arrowmont is very different from John C. Campbell. A good way to describe it is that JCCFS was more about learning how to make functional objects with artistic flare while Arrowmont is more art oriented (as opposed to craft) and the things people make may have a functional use but mostly they are aesthetically pleasing. Also there are a lot more young people here. I'm excited 'cause I'm not the youngest, there is work study student here who is 18...however, because there are more young people that also means there are more hipsters which is annoying.
The work certainly is hard, I'm looking forward to my first class next week which is casting!!

Greetings from Gatlinburg

Hello, yes, I am at Arrowmont and yes I have found the internet. This falls under the category of "Lame Post". More later for sure.

Here's Something to be Excited About

SOCCER HAIR!!!

I expect to see some magic this weekend when the USA plays Honduras

Warning: Lame

I wish I had something exciting to write about. Unfortunately I do not. The last few days I have pretty much been in the basement working on metal stuff for upcoming shows (that I will not even be at) and for restocking the Urban Handmade store. I have until Thursday night to get all this stuff made, cleaned up, put together, and organized. I think about 2/3 of the way done. My main focus right now is pewter casting. Like I said, my life is not that exciting right now. And when I'm not holed up in the basement I'm either napping or watching Man vs Wild. Action-Packed!