On the trail for crafts
Exploring the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area's Craft Trail
The Blue Ridge is a region rich in craft traditions and brimming with distinctive artists and galleries. The Blue Ridge Craft Trails, completed in 2022, cover 25 Western North Carolina counties, giving residents and visitors a digital map to 310 studios, galleries and arts organizations.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area was instrumental in connecting these heritage craft sites across a variety of disciplines, from jewelry and pottery to blacksmithing and traditional Cherokee crafts—all against the backdrop of the scenic landscapes and traditional Appalachian culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The idea for linking craftspeople in a dedicated and easily identified trail began years ago with an organization called Handmade in America, which published a guidebook with itineraries and profiles of artists across the Blue Ridge Mountains. “The National Heritage Area picked up on their good work and made it digital,” said Communications Manager Leslie Hartley.
“We bring buyers to makers, increase cultural tourism, and support economic sustainability” in rural mountain areas. “It’s a chance for folks to get outside and explore, while supporting local artists in small towns and really get to know them.”
Smoky Mountain Living is pleased to present some of the artists on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails in this annual focus on Crafts for Christmas.
Woodworker Mike McKinney
18 Nottingham Road • Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Mike McKinney comes from a family of woodworkers. His father and grandfather had wood shops, but he didn’t turn to woodworking until later in life. After 49 years in banking, he now spends 30 to 35 hours a week in his wood shop, specializing in an array of items made from local and reclaimed wood.
Each piece is numbered and documented, and he uses woods like maple, cherry, and walnut, utilizing the natural edges of the wood in many designs.
Mike’s work includes natural edge bowls, salad bowls, lidded bowls, urns, ornaments, bottle stoppers, and tops. Functional pieces are finished with food safe finishes. Some of Mike’s works are textured, carved, or embellished in a variety of ways. He especially enjoys creating items with special meaning for customers, whether it’s a bowl turned with wood from a childhood home or a gift turned out of hand-selected wood.
Visitors can see Mike’s workspace and process, from drying burl wood to turning and finishing. Mike is happy to give demonstrations, and the process is a sight to see as the lathe throws shavings across the room. Mike enjoys hosting visitors to his shop and sharing the finer details of his craft, and the showroom features many finished pieces on display and for purchase.
Pride & Archive
162 Clarks Chapel Extension • Weaverville, North Carolina
Mason and Summer Cooley met while living on the West Coast. When they decided it was time to pull up stakes and find somewhere with more space and a slower pace of life they came to Weaverville.
Their Pride & Archive studio focuses on custom and modern handmade furniture and design objects. With backgrounds in art and design, they offer functional and sculptural influenced works.
Furniture from Pride & Archive is produced from hardwoods with a modern flare, while their jewelry is made to be a part of the wearer’s life and habits. Summer works to provide the customer with information about the woods she uses, its origins, and care instructions. They also do custom work and collaborate on residential and commercial projects.
Pride & Archive sits on two acres with a meadow and a barn, offering a seasonal “you pick” flower farm. Visitors can see the inner workings of the studio and a showroom offering small- to medium-sized hardwood tables, birdhouses, rain gauges, salad tongs, and napkin ring holders. They offer functional smoking pipes made from white oak, osage orange, or bocote, as well as hardwood jewelry.
Starfangled Press
36 West Jordan Street • Brevard, North Carolina
Starfangled Press is an artist-run printmaking studio and gallery with a passion for hand-printed art. Founded by Kristen Necessary, the studio launched in 2015 based on the idea that connecting with original, contemporary art makes life better.
Starfangled Press celebrates the process of printmaking for its rich history and egalitarian tradition of making fine art at affordable prices. They strive to create exceptional and accessible original art using the techniques of woodcut, etching, screen print, and letterpress. All artwork is hand drawn, all printing blocks handcrafted, and each impression printed by hand on an antique printing press in the on-site studio.
Before inkjet and other computer processes, everything was printed in one of four basic ways: relief, intaglio, stencil, and planographic. Embracing both time-honored and innovative approaches, Starfangled Press works within these four basic categories to create original works using the techniques of woodcut, etching, screen print, and letterpress.
Starfangled Press offers work from 16 local and six national artists, as well as supplies for those looking to make prints at home. Visitors can tour the studio and enjoy the dynamic gallery space offering contemporary print art.
S. Oliver Pottery
235 Vineyard Road • Tryon, North Carolina
Sam Oliver came to pottery at a young age when her mother enrolled her in a pottery class. Her growing interest and education continued with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Winthrop University. Ever since, Sam has been busy making pots.
Most of her work is hand or slab-built with red clay. Floral patterns and bursts of color are distinct features of her work. The patterns are inspired by floral motifs from her favorite set of childhood plates, wallpaper borders, curtains, and napkins. Because her family moved often, these patterns were constants she could rely on. Today, she creates inspired patterns on pots with bright colors and an array of textures that are stimulating to the touch.
Visitors to S. Oliver Pottery will find a working studio and display space. Sam’s functional pottery ranges from large hand-built vases to mugs and spoons.
Three Crows Metalworks
28 West Whitehead Street • Sparta, North Carolina
Three Crows Metalworks grew out of a mother/daughter bonding exercise. When Maggie and Diane Morrison took jewelry making and metal-smithing classes together they realized they had a knack and a drive for making jewelry. Husband and father Lou joined the efforts a few years later, and in 2019 they opened their retail store in Sparta, inspired to name it for crows, the intelligent birds known to salvage shiny things.
The family trio is committed to using recycled copper and silver, ethically mined gemstones, and eco-friendly packaging.
Their space in Sparta occupies a building that dates to the1940s, and Maggie also has a studio in New York City. The family says their deep love and respect for the natural environment and the natural artistry of the earth serve as a constant source of inspiration. Many designs are filled with mountain scenes, rivers, sunrises, sunset, birds, and flowers. Visitors can see Diane demonstrating metal-smithing and Cloisonné techniques, while Lou creates chain mail and hammered copper jewelry. One of a kind hand-crafted jewelry is available, including a variety of sterling cuff bracelets, pendants, chains, and rings with or without gemstones.
Night Owl Iron Works
174 North Cleghorn Street • Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Night Owl Iron Works in downtown Rutherfordton began in 2016 when Jordan Jackson turned his self-taught blacksmithing hobby into his trade. In 2019, Rachel Jackson joined the team and added her own skills in custom leatherwork and marketing. Today, the fully functional blacksmith shop runs on a propane forge that reaches 3,000 degrees, while the leatherwork focuses on traditional techniques and custom designs. Night Owl Iron Works creates a large variety of handcrafted items, ranging from large architectural pieces to home décor, handbags, wallets, and ornamental keepsakes. Among the signature offerings are their hand-forged roses.
Night Owl strives to help visitors learn the history of blacksmithing and leatherwork through demonstrations and classes.
Erica Stankwytch Bailey, metal and mineral
492 Royal Pines Drive • Arden, North Carolina
Erica Stankwytch Bailey possesses a certain wonder about the way things are put together, which was the inspiration for her journey into the world of jewelry and metal-smithing. The more she learned, the more Erica was captivated by how malleable metal can be. A Bachelor of Fine Arts in metal design from East Carolina University gave her the background she needed, and in 2003 she left a career as a middle school teacher to become a full-time jewelry maker.
Erica creates handmade contemporary jewelry for conscious customers who like unique, bold, and easy-to-wear pieces. Each piece is meticulously planned and every design is unique, because each piece is made by hand with recycled sterling silver and carefully sourced gemstones. Understanding the elemental building blocks of metals and minerals is the foundation of her jewelry. Erica turns natural characteristics into spectacular pieces of wearable art.
Visitors to Erica’s studio experience a fully equipped metal-smithing and jewelry studio.
Geci/Martin Studios
3224 Snow Creek Road • Bakersville, North Carolina
Geci/Martin Studios offers the chance to see two artisans pursuing their work and life together. John Geci is a glassblower while Courtney Martin is a potter. This husband-and-wife duo were students at Penland School of Craft, and are still a part of that creative community. In 2007, John’s studio sits atop a hill above Courtney’s studio and wood kiln, as well as their home and gardens.
John’s glass vessels are characteristically vibrant and distinctive. Bright colors steal the show or blend into intricate patterns. He produces functional vessels as well as decorative pieces. Courtney’s wood-fired pottery stands out with its elemental shapes and geometric patterns. She makes a wide range of functional offerings including mugs, plates, and serving dishes.
Visitors may visit John’s glass shop and the showroom upstairs that displays both John and Courtney’s work. The juxtaposition of John’s sleek, colorful glass and the earthy geometry of Courtney’s pottery makes for a unique experience.
Sabbath-Day Woods
722 Freedom Drive • Canton, North Carolina
At Sabbath-Day Woods, Desmond Suarez carries on a tradition of craft into which he was born. His mother, Juanita, designed homes and furniture, and his father, Tem, built furniture and cabinets. Early on, Desmond gained an eye for design and the skills for woodworking. After 20 years in design and manufacturing of office seating, Desmond returned to his craft roots, joined by his son Devin.
Works from Sabbath-Day Woods are clean and timeless with inspiration from the American Shakers, Arts and Crafts Movement, American Prairie school, Scandinavian modern design, and Japanese design. Designs are inspired by the best of traditional American art, with a modern interpretation.
Each piece is crafted with the best materials and exact skill to showcase the natural character and beauty of the wood. The products are made with certified sustainable Appalachian hardwoods, time-proven joinery, and a hand-rubbed oil finish. Sabbath-Day Woods features a working studio and gallery where they produce and display wood clocks, lamps, trays, serving boards, and candles, as well as pottery, glass and other art.
Different Drummer Pottery
2614 Soco Road • Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Different Drummer Pottery in Maggie Valley has been producing pottery for more than 40 years. Terry Painter started the business after moving from studying engineering in college to finding his purpose with ceramics. A similar journey developed for his son, Caden, who worked for 10 years in IT project management before deciding he needed a different path and joined his father at the wheel.
Terry got the name for the business from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, but today the name has another variation. Together, the father and son have created a line of crock drums by combining a ceramic crock shape with a wood sounding board. Any visitor interested can likely encourage the duo to provide an impromptu percussion performance featuring their own crock drums.
Different Drummer Pottery makes durable, high-fired pottery. They offer many glaze combinations in service, decorative, and fine art pottery. Full place settings of dinnerware are among their specialties. Terry and Caden also create landscape vessels and tiles featuring bas-relief landscapes of the Smoky Mountains. Visitors are encouraged to step into the throwing room to watch them work at the potter’s wheel.
Sarah Sunshine Pottery
105 Cherry Street • Black Mountain, North Carolina
Sarah Vekasi’s craft story began when she took a pottery class at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. She progressed quickly, making too many pots and outgrowing the community workspace. She bought a wheel off Craigslist and started throwing in the living room of her Swannanoa rental home.
As she worked through major turning points in life she came across the Black Mountain home and studio of a retiring potter just as it came on the market. She put in an offer that was accepted the same day. With that, she dove into pottery full-time and founded Sarah Sunshine Pottery.
Most Sarah Sunshine Pottery is wheel thrown, and the studio features two wheels, an oxidation kiln, a pugmill, extruder, and slab roller. She keeps all materials for glaze mixing and application on hand to make glazes. Sarah offers small classes teaching multiple styles and techniques.
Sarah opened a storefront in 2021 at 105 Cherry Street in Black Mountain. Visitors can browse functional vessels designed to bring beauty into the mundane spaces of life. Offerings include dinnerware, tea sets, mugs, lamps, vases, serving bowls, basin sinks, and many useful items in one of Sarah’s signature glaze patterns.
Axe and Awl Leatherworks
41 Depot Street • Waynesville, North Carolina
Spencer Tetrault began working in leather in 2007, but what started as a hobby quickly demanded more time, so Spencer left his job as a firefighter to focus on leather. In 2016, his wife, Courtney, left her job as a paramedic so they could meet the demand for their leatherwork. From the kitchen island in their home, Axe and Awl Leatherworks grew to occupy an historic 1908 building in downtown Waynesville.
Axe & Awl carries on a tradition of leather working in Waynesville that stretches back to the 1800s. Waynesville was once home to one of the largest leather tanneries in the United States. Axe & Awl pays homage to this tradition with images and styles evocative of this past, but also by continuing to produce fine leather goods by hand. The Tetraults have restored their building, which had served previously as a café and bottling facility, with much of its original character.
Visitors can browse handmade leather items and get a history. Products include belts, wallets, apparel, bags, key chains and more. Axe & Awl collaborates with local potters to produce a series of Axe & Awl branded mugs, while Spencer calls on his experience as a firefighter to design custom radio straps and other leather equipment for firefighters and emergency workers.
Warp7wvr
26 Early View Road • Leicester, North Carolina
At her Warp7wvr studio in Leicester, Peggy Eckel creates a vast range of fiber products. With a background in developing early childhood education programs, Peggy originally moved to Western North Carolina to serve as program director for the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, where she taught knitting, pottery, candle making, jewelry, felting, and weaving. Her Heritage Crafts Program taught school children and adults many traditional Southern Appalachia skills.
Today, Peggy’s studio is set among the woods and fields of her small farm in the Sandy Mush community, where visitors can view an eight-harness weaving loom, a treadle sewing machine, a spinning wheel, a wood-fired cook stove, equipment and yarns for knitting, and a closet with portable supplies for work with clay, mosaics, felting, and painting.
Peggy’s creations reflect the delight of color, nature, and whimsy using natural materials like cotton, wool, alpaca, and bamboo. She weaves baby blankets, towels, liturgical stoles, and tablecloths. She knits hats, blankets, and gloves for babies, children, and adults. Whimsical explorations led to elfkins, dinosaurs, and gnomes felted over old weaving bobbins.
Susan Coe Pottery
1654 Wiggins Creek Road • Bryson City, North Carolina
Susan Coe was born in England, grew up in Alabama, and now lives just outside of Bryson City. There was one spot left in the pottery class she decided to take at Southwest Community College, and soon thereafter pottery consumed her. Today, Susan has a home studio where she produces colorful, functional pottery.
Each piece of work Susan creates is thrown and then decorated using sgraffito and mishima techniques. Sgraffito is a technique where a design is carved into a layer of color on the piece using a tiny loop tool and stylus. Mishima design is inscribed and then the lines filled in with color. Susan’s designs often carry over from the side to the bottom of the piece so that the work functions as art, even when it’s upside-down. Her designs are inspired by nature, and her vibrant use of color stands out from traditional browns and earth tones.
Visitors can see Susan demonstrate how she throws and decorates her pieces. They can also find a large selection of pieces available for purchase, including mugs, dinnerware, tea sets, serving pieces, vases, covered jars, tiles, and knitting bowls. Susan teaches at Southwest Community College and offers private lessons.
OSuzannah’s Fiber Art
130 West Union Street • Morganton, North Carolina
Susan McRae’s journey in fiber art began with doll clothes and a $22 rigid heddle loom from Sears & Roebuck. Above all else, she says she is a maker. When she’s not weaving, she can often be found dyeing vintage and new textiles in her indigo vat to transform them into art for the wall, scarves for personal adornment, functional and decorative items for the home, and bags or totes for a multitude of uses. In 2013 she opened OSuzannah’s Yarn in downtown Morganton. It began to evolve into her working studio surrounded by a yarn shop. On any given day she might be found weaving, helping a customer plan a knitting project, teaching a class in slow stitching using recycled fabrics, dyeing vintage fabric in an indigo vat, or making jewelry using vintage beads and pendants.
Visitors to OSuzannah’s will find yarn and quite a bit more. The walls of the shop are lined with many textiles and baskets Susan has amassed over a lifetime of collecting. Some are for sale, along with supplies for knitting, crocheting, and weaving. Classes are offered in weaving, knitting, dyeing, and stitching.