A group of fiber enthusiasts had a great long weekend of classes and fun recently. The facilities are good and the meals were terrific! I visited Arrowmont several years ago and was very sad to see that the lovely old building that housed a gallery and store for the beautiful crafts made by Arrowmont people is now the entrance to the dreadful Anakeesta experience! There is no winding, wooded road into the school and noise from the gondola overhead echoes all over. And now there is no place for the visitors to see what lovely things have been made for decades by instructors and students. Ah well... things change and not always for the best.

If you want to learn more of your chosen craft, Arrowmont is as good as it gets. On site classes, Instructors from across the US, onsite lodging, great food and the intent and ambiance of the school is without peer. A must for the true lover of real craftsmanship. Enrolled yet? You should be.

Arrowmont is like summer camp but for adults with incredible art studios, delightful food and comfortable beds to crash in. They bring in top rated artist to teach classes to all different skill levels. Try your hand at woodturning, ceramics, weaving, painting, making paper.... the list is long. When you leave the main fray of Gatlinburg you enter a different world and hardly know that a ton of people are rushing around just a few 100 yards away.

Amongst the cacophony of sound in Gatlinburg at this time of year, sits Arrowmont. A haven for artists and artists and want to be’s. This is a place to breathe, create and dream. Crafts that are almost forgotten and the latest innovations are taught by the best artists in their field. If you chose they have housing available with meals included. I’d come back just for the food. You can totally immerse yourself in your creativity. There are few places in this country that celebrates creativity as Arrowmont. My instructor was Gail Stouffer. She was the most generous and informative teacher I have had in my quest to expand my knowledge of my craft. She was assisted by Heidy Ashton, another fine artist in her own right. Thank to these ladies and Arrowmont, I have a new set of tools to advance my career.

I spent a week in early January 2017, along with 75 or so other artists, working, collaborating, and getting inspired by the history of this special arts institution. It felt a little like traveling back in time--to an era when craftsmanship and quality mattered, among other things. It definitely provided a welcome contrast to the commercialism and bad taste that's all over Gatlinburg's strip. Here, you can immerse yourself in art, in history, and in conversations that will propel your work and thinking in positive directions. If you can stay on campus, it will be more immersive and meaningful, even though it's spartan. The food in the dining room was excellent--homemade, high quality, and served with true hospitality. I also found all of the staff, including the kind and accessible Executive Director, to be very welcoming.