The classes at the Villages Folk School seem to be the only constant as the weather ducks in and out of winter and spring. Last weekend I enjoyed my drive west, out J40 from Bonaparte, to the village of Bentonsport where Betty Printy was teaching one of her five segment classes on Beginning Pottery. The drive stirred up my desire for spring as I could see patches of field grass already beginning their change to the lush green of summer. “It won’t be long”, I said to myself as I envisioned the fields of green and the leaves that form the summer canopy of the lush hardwood trees. Soon the animals will come out of their winter slumber and be visible to the passer-by as we travel throughout Van Buren County.
I arrived at Betty’s pottery studio and prepared my camera for the action. Her student, Jacklyn Smith from Brighton, Iowa, was at the pottery wheel learning how to center clay and form the bowl shape while Betty stood next to her offering her constructive remarks to assure the correct procedure. This is always a treat for me to witness as the students experience the years of knowledge Betty conveys in each remark. The end results are always pleasing, but the process of getting to that place is what the folk school experience is all about. This is not about rushing through a list of procedures, but about taking the time to internalize everything the instructor is sharing and then applying it through your own artistic talents. Learning to be creative and establishing some correct disciplines in an art form will make your personal experience in the arts one that will endure the sands of time. For Jacklyn this is just beginning and will continue to blossom as she moves through each phase of the beginning pottery classes. I think the excitement in watching this unfold is nearly as appealing as the experience itself. We will be back again next weekend to watch as the class continues.
I completed my pictures and loaded up my camera for the drive back to Bonaparte where Meg King was teaching an intermediate knitting class. Her two students today were not new to our classes as they were here last year in the beginning knitting class. It is great to see the students return to take their skills to a higher level. Meg told me she enjoys the quiet time of sitting in the old Victorian parlor and knitting while she shares her knowledge with the students. I think the students enjoy it as much as Meg as they are always talkative and smiling as they go about their work. I am often reminded of songs as I experience life and today I was thinking of Mac Davis’s “Stop and Smell the Roses”. Surely this was what was going on in the parlor as the ladies knitted, shared with each other and enjoyed each others company. Yes, indeed you’ve got to stop and smell the roses along the way and the Villages Folk School in scenic Van Buren County Iowa is a great place to do just that!
If you would like to know more about our school you can visit our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com or call our office at 319-592-3700. Our website offers you a complete listing with artist bio’s and class descriptions for each of our class subjects. We hope you take the time to look through our website and discover for yourself the many opportunities our folk school offers. For a firsthand look at some of our past classes click on our Blog link on the bottom of the home page and see for yourself. On the right hand side of the blog page is a series of slideshows that may be accessed “full screen” by simply clicking on the picture. Any questions you have may be directed to our office by phone or by email at villagesfolkschool@gmail.com
For those of you without internet access here is a list of our upcoming classes for March: Container Candles, 5 March; Scrimshaw a Pendant, 5 March; Beginning Knitting, 12 March; Chair Caning with Flat Reed Splits, 19 March; A Twist in Time Spinning I & II, 24-25 March; Needle Felting, 26 March; and Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting, 26-27 March.
We regret to announce that the 2011 Writer’s Conference will be rescheduled due to a last minute withdrawal of our Keynote Speaker for personal reasons.
We are proud of our school and the many fine artists who live in this county and share their talents as instructors at the Villages Folk School. Their life has become one of “living the arts” and the beauty of the Villages of Van Buren County serves as an inspiration to their creative spirits. We invite you to join them for what may be the most fun-filled experiences of your life. Call us today at 319-592-3700 and reserve your place in our next class.
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