“Villages Folk School instructors at the J40 Farm Crawl”

    

     Last weekend J40 was filled with traffic from Pittsburg to Lebanon and beyond as visitors traveled to each destination on Kim Blair’s J40 Farm Crawl. Folk school instructors were demonstrating their crafts at “Bloom and Bark” owned and operated by Tim and Kim Blair. This annual event gives visitors an opportunity to not only sample and purchase some of the products but to learn more about the history and process involved in producing them.

     Pat and George Crawford demonstrated the art of making brooms and grinding corn meal. Her corn meal cookies dating back to our early settlers were delicious. George cut and tied brooms and was always willing to share the history of his process with every interested visitor.

     Verne Ramsey sold honey straight from his working hives and shared with visitors his love for beekeeping. Vern and his wife Doris have worked the bee hives for 30 years and marked their honey in southeastern Iowa. Verne also teaches the art of chair caning for the Villages Folk School.

     Our folk school offers a wide variety of classes which will give you the opportunity to choose something suited to your desires. The artist instructors who teach the classes will take you through the basics and on to intermediate and advanced study. Go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com and learn more about our classes and instructors. A day at the Villages Folk School awaits you and we look forward to your visit. Find the class that interests you and register for the time of your life. For more information or for help with your registration process give us a call at 319-592-3700.

Classes for the next month are as follows:

7 Step Chair Caning

13-Aug-2011 -

Barn Quilt Painting

13-Aug-2011 -

Blacksmithing: Forge Welding

13-Aug-2011 -

Painting the Landscape

13-Aug-2011 -

Bonaparte Pottery Experience

20-Aug-2011 21-Aug-2011



See you soon at the Villages Folk School!

“A weekend with Gin Lammert at the Villages Folk School”

   

     Take any weekend; set aside some time for yourself; register for a folk school class in the fine arts; experience the passionate, creativity of Gin Lammert. Learning to paint is not only a step by step process through time honored skill sets but with Gin Lammert you look through the basics of art and experience the ability to release yourself onto the canvas. It is a gift that Gin will share with you here at the Villages Folk School.

     Gin Lammert is best known for her years of creating custom portrait work for clients that live across the United States. Her landscape and still life paintings are included in both private and corporate art collections in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Since the beginning of her art career, Gin has taught basic drawing techniques to students in private lessons and group workshops that have been held across the state of Iowa. She recently has expanded to include her accumulated knowledge of soft pastels and oils for those interested in her method of painting. “Creating beautiful, joyous works of art that reflect my surroundings, dreams, and that invoke fond memories has become my passion and why I paint. It’s my way of providing food for the Soul.” ~Gin Lammert

     We at the Villages Folk School are proud to have Gin Lammert as one of our artist instructors and look forward to your attendance and one of our many classes.

     Go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com to find out more about our classes and our artists. Our July and August schedule is filling up quickly so get your registrations in soon. Coming up at the Villages Folk school:

Portrait Workshop in Pastel & Oil

23-Jul-2011 24-Jul-2011

7 Step Chair Caning

13-Aug-2011 -

Barn Quilt Painting

13-Aug-2011 -

Blacksmithing: Forge Welding

13-Aug-2011 -

Painting the Landscape

13-Aug-2011 -

Bonaparte Pottery Experience

20-Aug-2011 21-Aug-2011



     Call us today at 319-592-3700 and discover for yourself the thrill of ‘living the arts’ at the Villages Folk School.

“What’s shakin’ at the Villages Folk School?”

    




     Last weekend students learned the art of making Shaker boxes. The Shakers, a religious group which flourished until after the Civil War, began making oval boxes in 1798 and continued until the mid twentieth century. They were available in a wide variety of sizes and were used to store herbs, buttons, nails, medicines – anything but liquids! Their elliptical shape is pleasing to the eye, fits well in the hand and allows easy removal of the lid.

     The instructor, Bob Ristow, has taught in Montana, Iowa and Minnesota and he and his wife, Bernice, reside in Hopkinton, Iowa. Students learned how to form the fingers, cut the bottom piece from laminated birch plywood, and after soaking the wood in water, wrapped it around the form and secured it with square pegs. The process includes the use of scroll saws, sanders and anvils for pinning the boxes. I guess the best sign of success in this class is that each student comes away with five different sizes of oval Shaker boxes and all of their fingers!

     Classes at the folk school offer you a chance to experience many of the traditional arts as well as fine arts. The instructors at the Villages Folk School are working artists who have perfected their trade and enjoying sharing it with others. You will find our classes to be a relaxing yet challenging experience that will give you the tools and the knowledge to continue developing your personal skill level.

     Go to our web site at www.villagesfolkschool.com and see for yourself the many art forms that are offered. Choose one that you have always wanted to learn, register for the class, and get ready for a fun and exciting weekend at the Villages Folk School. If you have questions just call our office at 319-592-3700 and we will be happy to assist you in your registration process.

     Our July and August schedule is filling up quickly so get your registrations in soon. The following is our schedule for the next two months:

Landscape Workshop in Pastel & Oil

16-Jul-2011 17-Jul-2011

Carving With David

16-Jul-2011 17-Jul-2011

Portrait Workshop in Pastel & Oil

23-Jul-2011 24-Jul-2011

7 Step Chair Caning

13-Aug-2011 -

Barn Quilt Painting

13-Aug-2011 -

Blacksmithing: Forge Welding

13-Aug-2011 -

Painting the Landscape

13-Aug-2011 -

Bonaparte Pottery Experience

20-Aug-2011 21-Aug-2011



Join us soon for a class in ‘living the arts’ at the Villages Folk School.