Day 2+: Chapel Hill, NC

Okay. So another multi-day post. It's not that nothing is going on. It is just that blogging is hard! My kids complain about it all of the time. I fell your pain, kids; I feel it.

A couple of days ago I helped paint at Southland Books, which is expanding in some direction. It was fun because I got to work with the kids and help a neighbor.

And then other stuff happened. I worked out a bunch--I got a bunch of runs in. And made some art: crocheting. I'm practicing and making nice progress.

Of course, sometimes I'm making some pretty crappy stitches. Notice here how the block is just cattywampus. It is just bad. But this is the first time I've tried this stitch, which is a half double crochet. I know it doesn't look like it, but is is supposed to be!

And other stuff...

...then today I drove from E. TN to Chapel Hill, NC. It was only about six hours, but it could have been shorter. I was making really good time when I came upon a sing for a folk art museum. Well you know I had to stop!

There was some historical stuff, which I found really amazing and wonderful. But it was mainly a venue for contemporary crafters to showcase their work, like this whale. I now have ideas about my kids making something like this for the school.

But it really was the historical stuff that got me excited. I love this gate. I so want to make one. I guess I need a wooden fence, though.

There was a lot of fabric and glass stuff, and there were things made out of corn husks or other fibers. But there were no instruments. There were a lot of carvings and displays about carving.

This case was my favorite, and this figure of the guy walking and carrying his load was my favorite piece, easily! There is so much to the piece. It could be read as naturalistic, but the roundness and curviness of it suggests it is stylized. It is a remarkable mix of both, and just a beautiful object!

The museum itself was on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is such a pretty road that I can see how people would make a trip of it! I don't know if there a bunch of museums like this on the road or not, but it would make fiscal sense if there were. Plus it'd be a lot of fun for those traveling on the road. Maybe there can be a folk restaurant, folk laundry, folk farm. You know, folk stuff for all.

And eventually I got here, to the hotel where the workshop is happening. I know I keep mentioning it, but it really is amazing that I get to be a part of "Crafting Freedom: African-American Entrepreneurs of the Antebellum South". This is going to be special because of the NEH workshops I've done I can see bringing this material back to my classroom, especially into two classes that I'm teaching next year. I the fibers class I'll talk about Elizabeth Keckly, and perhaps we'll read her book. And in the STEAM class I'll definitely reference Thomas Day.

We had a dinner, and then we got right into the study! There were lots of introductions, but it is so hard for me to take in a group of persons like that. I really won't remember any of their names, but I will remember some of what they said, which may be the purpose. Who knows.

We had a lot of nuts and bolts talks, and we watched a short video. Plus we had some lectures, but there wasn't much material covered.

One treat that we had was a young actress who came in and read a letter from Ms. Keckly. She did a great job, in costume and all.

It is always risky to get a roommate at one of these, but it worked out great this time. I'm rooming with a 25 year old high school teacher. He is an avid biker and works out. So we've got some things in common, including only buying clothes at used clothes stores because why not.

In our conversations we came up with these nuggets:
I don't get riled up  because I just know the right thing to get rattled about.--Anderson
You can't combat poverty with police.--Me

This is going to be fun!