“Shades of fall appear as we prepare for another month at the Villages Folk School”

   

     I have noticed by the dipping temperatures and the coloration of the leaves on the trees beginning to turn that fall has most certainly arrived. I love the changing seasons and fall is one of my favorites! But even with a weekend off from teaching, the artist instructors here at the folk school are busy preparing for their October classes. There are ten classes in all throughout the month and each one offers something uniquely different. I continue to be amazed by the number of people who comment on our classes and the beautiful surroundings of our county. Truly this part of the country offers something seldom experienced elsewhere. A peace and serenity that lingers with you long after you’ve returned to your home. It is the magical twisting river valley we see here that draws gifted artists and feeds their souls with a heartfelt desire to paint the landscape, turn the pottery at the wheel, shape the iron into creations of beauty, sculpt lifelike figures from bronze, and turn pastels on canvas into colorful still lifes.

     A life so tuned to its surroundings cannot be described any other way but “living the arts”. People from outside of Van Buren County recognize this when they come to share a brief moment in time with our artist instructors. They journey to this quiet tract of land with its trees and rolling hills undulating about the mighty Des Moines river and when they leave a piece of this region goes with them. They return home to their fast paced lives in the cities but the memory of this solitude lingers on and draws them back again and again. Though we continue to advertise throughout the state nothing else can accomplish what the enthusiasm and word of mouth of our students provides. Not only do they make plans for returning to take more classes but they bring their friends and neighbors along to capture some of what they have tried to share.

     For those of you who live throughout Van Buren County we invite you to join with us in this great endeavor. By becoming a “Friend of the Folk School” you will be taking an active part in the continued success of our school and the increasing stream of visitors to the businesses in the county. Go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com and click the “Become a Sponsor” section on the lower right corner of the home page. Here you may choose the level at which you wish to sponsor the folk school. For your convenience you may click the ‘Donate’ button to access a secure Pay Pal site for credit card transactions. If you do not wish to pay online you may simply choose your sponsorship level, write a check for the amount to the Villages Folk School and mail it to our office at PO Box 51, Bonaparte, Iowa 52620. For additional questions we may be reached at 319-592-3700. Office hours are Tuesday to Friday, noon to 4 p.m. in the Bonaparte Opera House.

     We invite you to come join us for one of our classes. The list of classes and their scheduled times are on the website but for those without internet access here is our October schedule:

Oct 14 & 15       Pulp Play (Paper) & Journal Making

Oct 16              Chair Caning with Flat Reed Splits

                        Painting the Landscape

                        Fall Bird watching

Oct 16 & 17       Artisan Bread Making Made Easy

                        Fried Fiction Workshop

Oct 23               Beginner’s Lightweight Sock Knitting

Oct 28               Natural Dyes in My Backyard

Oct 30               7 Step Chair Caning

     Come enjoy a class with one of our gifted artist instructors and get ready for an experience that will start you on your way to “living the arts” in Van Buren County, Iowa. We look forward to seeing you.