Taking a class at the Villages Folk School begins with a scenic drive through the rolling hills and twisting river valley of Van Buren County. Spring is in full bloom here in our beautiful southeast corner of Iowa and the many shades of green are beginning to capture my attention more than the colors of fall. My morning started with a five-mile drive from Bonaparte to Bentonsport where I visited the Blacksmith academy at Iron and Lace. The forges were all full of iron and students cranked the handles to keep the fire hot enough to bring their project to the proper temperature for another trip to the anvil as they skillfully hammered it into the correct shape. This was another “Tong Making” class and each of the students was enjoying the experience of working together with their instructor at the school. Mark Heisdorffer stayed busy as he moved from forge to forge giving his expert critique and helpful suggestions. This ‘instructor to student’ connection is the process I love the most when I visit the many folk school classes. This is what sets our classes apart from just working on any particular project. Not only do you come away with a quality finished product, but you take with you the knowledge that is imparted by the artist instructor. The class today included a father and son who were returning for their second class in a series of four classes in the blacksmithing trade.
After spending some time talking with each student and snapping pictures to create a memory for each of them I left for Keosauqua where Vern Ramsey was teaching a class on chair caning in fiber rush weave at the historic Congregational Church parsonage. His students today had come from Fairfield and were each concentrating on their chair project. Taking an old cane seat chair and restoring it to its original condition is an easy process when you have the help of our folk school instructor, Vern Ramsey. Vern offers classes in all three types of weave; 7-step, fiber rush weave and flat reed split. If you have an old chair that needs the cane replaced then why not register for our next chair caning class and learn the process for yourself.
Our class schedule is available for you online at www.villagesfolkschool.com or you may call our office at 319-592-3700 to register. If you do not have access to the internet the following is a list of our upcoming classes.
Villages Folk School class schedule for May & June:
Spring and Fall Birdwatching, 21 May; Painting the Landscape, 28 May; Bonaparte Pottery Experience, 4-5 May; Story Telling for All Occasions, 4 June; Blacksmithing: Tool Making, 4 June; Barn Quilt Painting, 11 June; Rug Weaving Workshop, 11-12 June; Carving With David, 18-19 June; Chair Caning with Flat Reed Splits, 18 June; Clothing First Aide-Mending, Patching, 25 June; Sculpture Portrait in Three Dimension, 25-26 June.
Pick your class! Go online, www.villagesfolkschool.com, or call us, 319-592-3700, to register and get ready to have a great time at the Villages Folk School in scenic Van Buren County Iowa!
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