“The Villages Folk School wishes you a very Merry Christmas”

     The first year of classes has come to a close at the Villages Folk School and we want to thank you all for your support of the folk school. We look forward to the coming year with great anticipation and will be offering even more in our class line-up.

     This is a great time for you to give a gift that will provide the opportunity for your friends and family to experience a class with one of our talented artist instructors. Gift certificates may be purchased at the Villages Folk School office in Bonaparte at the Opera House. Give us a call today at 319-592-3700. Our office is open from noon to 4 p.m. for your convenience. Put a Villages Folk School gift certificate under your tree and give the gift that opens up the world of creativity for your loved ones.

     A coming event for next year is the Villages Folk School Writer’s Conference 2011. This event on September 23, 24, & 25 will not only feature New York Times Best Selling Authors but literary agents, publishers and many other experts in the field of writing from around the country. We encourage you to get your registration in early because this event will have limited seating and we expect it to fill up quickly.

     To get a first hand look at our class calendar go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com and check out our class descriptions, artist bios and more. If you need further assistance give us a call at the Villages Folk School office at 319-592-3700.

     From the Villages Folk School we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

“The Villages Folk School classes help to prepare for Christmas”

     The last class on our 2010 calendar will provide you with a perfect gift for Christmas.  Joy Hanson’s Container Candles class held on Saturday, December 18^th will help you to make the perfect candle in your favorite mug and it even looks and smells like hot chocolate.  The Villages Folk School also encourages you to give your friends and family a “gift certificate” that can be used for any of our 2011 classes.  Go to our website at http://www.villagesfolkschool.com/ for a complete listing with class descriptions and artist bios.  Gift certificates are available through our folk school office in the Bonaparte Opera House, we can be reached by telephone at 319-592-3700 or email us at villagesfolkschool@gmail.com.  Call us today to allow time for the gift certificates to arrive in your home prior to Christmas day.

  

     Our 2011 calendar begins in January with a new slate of class schedules that are designed to allow you the opportunity to live the arts with one of our artist instructors.  This is an experience that will provide you with the inspiration and skills to begin or enhance your creative life in the arts.  We invite you to join us and to share with others what you have experienced.  It is through the efforts of our Villages Folk School Board, the artist instructors and people like you that the creative arts will make their way back into our schools and our communities.  We ask you to join us by giving your monetary support through donations to our school.  Go to our website at http://www.villagesfolkschool.com/, click on “Become a Sponsor”, choose your level of support and either click on the “Donate” button for a secure PayPal payment or send your check to The Villages Folk School, PO Box 51, Bonaparte, IA  52620
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     We thank you for your continued support and look forward to a bright and prosperous future as we “live the arts” in Van Buren County, Iowa.

      

“Give a gift of Creativity this year”

    

     The Villages Folk School encourages you to give your friends and family a “gift certificate” that can be used for any of our folk school classes. Go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com for a complete listing of our 2011 classes. The class descriptions and artist bios are also provided for you. The holiday season is here and with our busy schedules we often find it difficult to include everything we would like to accomplish. We have just two classes left in our 2010 schedule and they are Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting, Dec 11-12 and Container Candles, Dec 18, both taught by Joy Hanson. Joy can teach you how to make those beautiful quilts you see or, if you want something not quite so time consuming, your favorite hot chocolate mug filled with a candle that looks and smells like the real thing. Either of these classes would be a great gift this Christmas and would give you a handmade present for that special person in your life.

     Gift certificates are available through our folk school office. We can be reached by telephone at 319-592-3700 or email us a villagesfolkschool@gmail.com. Call us soon to allow time for the gift certificates to arrive in your home prior to Christmas day.

     The first year at the Villages Folk School has been a great one! We now have 28 artist instructors offering 51 different classes and have seen over 100 students from all around Iowa and from several surrounding states. All of this has added to our counties economy as these students come for the weekend and spend their money for food, lodging and gas. Our goal for sustainability is on track and as we offer more diversity in our class subjects we are forever aware of the need to promote the lifestyle in Van Buren County while at the same time striving to preserve our unique quality of life.

     The continued growth of the folk school relies on class enrollment, recruitment of artist instructors and, above all, the cooperative effort of all of us in the county. Our immediate goals for steady growth are being achieved and we are pleased with that, but our long range plans to bring the creative arts to the forefront in Van Buren County are still a slow process. We are in agreement with studies across the country linking the creative arts with scholastic achievement. Programs offering all of the arts to the students have seen dramatic improvement in aptitude testing on a national level. As a county I would like to see us join together to give more support to our students and our schools. When I was in my high school years there were parents actively supporting their students by coming together and forming what was called the “Band Boosters”. It was groups like this that raised money to purchase uniforms so that there was pride in belonging to the band. Bands as well as choirs all around the county would come together once a year for mass concerts. It is this kind of enthusiasm that we should be seeing in our programs for the kids. It is not always about money, but getting excited and showing the youth that we care about their futures may be a great start towards bringing all of us together to support the arts in our schools and our county. It starts with each of us and becomes the inspiration for all of us.

     Find a teacher or a school administrator this holiday season and tell them how much you appreciate them. The Villages Folk School is proud of our gifted artist instructors and hope to provide a consistant working environment for them as they “live the arts” here in Van Buren County.

     Your sponsorship help as a “Friend of the Villages Folk School” is always appreciated and we encourage each of you to think of our school as we prepare to meet the New Year. Our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com has a list of the sponsorship levels by which you may participate. No matter what your gift, it provides the needed funds to move us forward toward our goals. Call us today at 319-592-3700 and join with us as we seek to expand the arts and creativity in Van Buren County, Iowa.

“Villages Folk School making plans for the year 2011”

     The Villages Folk School is busy planning the class calendar for next year as well as the first annual Villages Folk School Writer’s Conference. The event is planned for September 23, 24, & 25, 2011. The three-day conference will include key note addresses by Robert Dugoni, multiple New York Times Best Selling Author; Elizabeth Lyons, Owner/Editor of Editing International; Noah Lukeman, Literary Agent and Best Selling Author; as well as workshops with panels comprised of leading scholars in the field of writing from around the country. Contact us to obtain your registration form and reserve your spot for the conference. Key note addresses, break-out sessions, and free time for reflection and enjoying the surrounding area all await you at the Villages Folk School Writer’s Conference 2011.

     Although the year 2010 is nearing an end, the folk school classes are still offering opportunities for you to participate. Taking the time to make something that becomes a keepsake or a special gift for friends and family is often a challenge so why not join one of our artist instructors and share in this rewarding experience that produces a high quality result.

     Go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com to see a calendar for the remainder of this year and our new class schedule for 2011, then give us a call at 319-592-3700 to register for one of our exciting classes. Gloria and I are available to answer any questions you may have about the school and our classes.

     For those of you who may not have access to the website, here is a list of our classes coming up: Beginning Blacksmithing by Bill Printy and Mark Heisdorffer, Dec 4-5; Keepsakes-Gift Making by Sandi Dimmitt, Dec 4; Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting, Dec 11-12; Container Candles by Joy Hanson, Dec 18.

“Students are taught to heel at the Villages Folk School”

     Last weekend the students returned to our Victorian home to spend another day learning to knit socks. This was the second of three classes in this subject because of the time required for each student to work their project in preparation for the next command; “learning to heel”. No, it wasn’t obedience school for their dogs it was time to knit the “heel” on their sock project. Their homework from the last class was to knit from the top of the sock to a length of 8 inches. Today’s class would provide them instruction for properly completing the heel of the sock. Karen Land and her students once again retired to the parlor to go about the process of making a proper heel on their knitted socks. I am not one to knit, but it does appear to get pretty involved. I always figured you just started knitting and “voila” there’s a sock. But I soon realized it was not quite that simple. I think the ladies in the class were also realizing that, but they were having such a great time together they didn’t give it much thought.

     Christmas is only a month away and for those of you who would like to make a personal gift for that special person in your life we have some classes to help you do just that. Joy Hanson can guide you through the process of making a candle in a mug that smells and looks like hot chocolate. Join her class this weekend and see how it’s done. You will come away with the satisfaction of making your own gift and with the knowledge to make more of the same. Maybe you would like to make a keepsake gift instead. Register for Sandi Dimmitt’s class in Keepsakes-Gift Making and make one of your own. The Villages Folk School class calendar is available for you on our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com. You can also email the school at villagesfolkschool@gmail.com for more information. Gloria will be out of the office this week but will be checking the emails.

     Here is a list of our classes coming up: Container Candles by Joy Hanson, Nov 27; Vintage Card Making by Sandi Dimmitt, Nov 27; Beginning Blacksmithing by Bill Printy and Mark Heisdorffer, Dec 4-5; Keepsakes-Gift Making by Sandi Dimmitt, Dec 4; Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting, Dec 11-12; Container Candles by Joy Hanson, Dec 18.

     We at the Villages Folk School wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.

“The Rush is on at the Villages Folk School”

     The wind was howling as I started the van and headed for our Villages Folk School class at the Congregational church in Keosauqua. Today was the chair caning class taught by Vern Ramsey. His student’s work today was on an antique chair in the fiber rush weave pattern. The different styles of caning are each unique and Vern teaches all of them. If you think about it, probably most of us have one of those antique chairs that have been in the family for years but because of the deteriorated weave it has been tucked away in the attic or closet. Well now is the time to get that old chair back into good-as-new condition. Before you register for a class, however, there is some preparation that needs to be completed prior to re-caning the seat. If the chair is in need of refinishing or replacement of any broken parts, that must be done before coming to class. Once the chair is fitted with the new cane it is ready to take its rightful place in your home. I’m sure stories will be told as you recall grandpa or grandma sitting in that chair. This series of classes taught by Vern Ramsey for the Villages Folk School will restore those family heirlooms and at the same time bring your ancestral history back to life. Go to our folk school website at www.villagesfolkschool.com and make plans to have your chair project ready for the next caning class. Registration is easily done by printing the online form or by calling our office at 319-592-3700.

     The holidays are fast approaching and it is time to start thinking about those Christmas gifts for family and friends. Here is a great idea for you; why not make something special this year. We have some creative classes coming up that will help you to do just that! See for yourself by going to the website and checking them out. Maybe you would like to make a container candle in their favorite mug, or something that becomes a keepsake. It is all very easy if you have the proper instruction. The next few weeks of classes will offer that opportunity for you. See for yourself by reading through the class descriptions or calling our office for any additional information you might need.

     Here is a list of our classes coming up: Container Candles by Joy Hanson, Nov 27; Vintage Card Making by Sandi Dimmitt, Nov 27; Beginning Blacksmithing by Bill Printy and Mark Heisdorffer, Dec 4-5; Keepsakes-Gift Making by Sandi Dimmitt, Dec 4; Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting, Dec 11-12; Container Candles by Joy Hanson, Dec 18.

     We hope to make your holiday season very special by offering you a class with an instructor who will guide you through the steps required to create a very special gift that you can be proud to give. If not for a gift, then something creative that will be the perfect decoration for your home this year and in years to come.

     Register for that special holiday class by going to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com or by calling our office at 319-592-3700. Make this year very special for someone in your family; perhaps that someone is you!

“Iowa Public Television films folk school classes in Van Buren County”

                   
     This past weekend was not your average weekend of classes for the Villages Folk School. There was a little more excitement in the air as the Iowa Public Television camera crew rolled into town. The filming is in preparation for a special that will air in the Spring. First on the agenda was Gin Lammert’s “Still Life in Soft Pastels” class in the town hall at Cantril. I met the crew at the town hall and watched as they set up the set to interview Gin Lammert. The host of the program, Dan Kaercher, not only interviewed Gin but he took part in the class. The camera was rolling as she started her presentation and continued as each of the students moved to their respective easels and began to paint. Gin moved from student to student watching them as they worked on their masterpieces and giving her expert critic and helpful suggestions. It is a joy to watch as she seems to guide their projects down the right path with only her comments. I love this part of the folk school classes. Sometime you need to just stop in at one of our classes and watch as the artists work with their students. It is an awesome experience!

     It was time for the crew to move on so they packed all the camera gear and off we went for Bentonsport and Bill Printy’s blacksmith shop at Iron and Lace. We arrived at the shop and found Bill working at the forge. After some introductions they set about their work. Several angles for pictures were discussed and the camera man set up for the shoot. Bill began cranking the bellows and the coals were soon engulfed in a searing flame.

     The iron he had placed in the coals was glowing hot as Bill swiftly drew it from the forge and placed it on the anvil. With purposely directed blows he began to shape the tip. As the hammer came down upon the iron the sparks flew in every direction. You could see the iron cooling as the sparks grew less and less. Bill was keenly aware of the proper moment for the iron to be returned to the fire and once again the bellows were cranked to produce the proper flame. Bill makes this look so easy, but, after all, it has been his life for the past thirty some years. What was once a straight piece of iron from the mill was now a perfectly formed poker and Bill smiled with satisfaction as he displayed his finished work. Dan Kaercher moved over next to Bill and the camera man set his lens and microphone for the interview portion of the filming. Bill is always the humble blacksmith but he has truly turned the working of iron into a fine art. Working of iron has been passed down from generation to generation in Bill’s family but his passion for the arts has brought this trade to a new level that results in custom work seldom found in other shops. Classes are offered throughout the year in beginning blacksmithing, tool making, tong making and forge welding. Go to our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com for dates and times. If you have always wanted to learn the blacksmithing trade; what are you waiting for? This is an opportunity you won’t want to pass up. Working along side Bill Printy is his assistant Mark Heisdorffer and the two of them provide you with all the instructor / student time you will need to not only learn the proper methods but to turn out a quality piece of work.

     We were soon out of time and packing up to leave for the next class shoot. This was Meg King’s beginning knitting class being held in the parlor of our 1865 Victorian brick in Bonaparte. 



One of the students was a young lady and I could tell she was nervous with the camera so close but soon she was engrossed in her knitting and not paying attention to the camera. We soon had to move on so the camera gear was packed and off we went.

     The last location for the coming broadcast was from the top of the hill where J40 starts down into Bentonsport. This overlook is so indicative of the beautiful rolling hills and scenic river valley of Van Buren County. The camera was set and Dan, with the valley as a back drop, began his rap up of the day’s events. We are thrilled to have such coverage of our beautiful Van Buren County and look forward with much enthusiasm as the Villages Folk School continues to bring attention to this area.

     We invite you to join us in our endeavor to make the Villages Folk School into a premier year-round folk school. By becoming a Friend of the Folk School your sponsorship dollars will help with the advertising and marketing needed to reach out to the surrounding areas for students and keep our artists working to support their families and this area. Information for sponsorship is available on our website at www.villagesfolkschool.com or call our office at 319-592-3700 for assistance.

     Here is a list of our upcoming classes: Chair Caning with Fiber Rush Weave, Nov 13; Fried Fiction Workshop, Nov 13-14; Container Candles, Nov 27; Beginning Blacksmithing, Dec 4-5; Hand Piecing Appliqué & Quilting, Dec 11-12; Container Candles, Dec 18.

     Taking a class at the Villages Folk School is more than just spending a little time with a craft; it is a chance to experience firsthand the life of living the arts in Van Buren County, Iowa. As the holidays approach and you are thinking about presents for friends and family wouldn’t it be fun to give a gift that you made? There are some classes coming soon that will allow you to do just that. Container candles are made in your favorite mug and would make a wonderful gift. We hope to see you here for one of our classes and look forward to your participation.