Southern Highland Craft Guild
Lyle Wheeler works wood.
The Southern Highland Craft Guild will transform the Folk Art Center in Asheville into a bustling open-air workshop for its annual Wood Day Celebration on Saturday, August 9, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Visitors can watch 25+ master woodworkers engage in a live “carve-off,” using techniques to turn a simple log into heirloom art. This year’s roster of woodworkers represents the depth and diversity of Appalachian woodworking.
Artisans will give demonstrations of scroll-saw artistry, spoon-carving, bowl-turning, marquetry, instrument-making, rustic furniture, and more.
From 1 – 3 p.m., watch carvers race to shape a wooden bird in record time — bragging rights (and plenty of wood shavings) included.
Visitors can also explore three galleries of contemporary craft, browse the Allanstand Craft Shop, and find Parkway souvenirs at the NPS bookstore.
The Folk Art Center is located in East Asheville at milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. For a full schedule, demonstrator bios, and other Guild programs, visit www.craftguild.org.
Founded in 1930, the Southern Highland Craft Guild is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to cultivating the craft traditions and makers of the Southern Highlands through shared resources, education, marketing, and conservation.