The Southern Highland Craft Guild is the oldest craft guild in the United States and the only guild to be defined by a geographical area. First conceived by Olive Dame Campbell in the 1920s, the craft guild was launched in 1930 with an exhibition of regional arts. Frances Louisa Goodrich contributed her Allanstand Shop so that families living in an already depressed region would have a sales venue for their work throughout the Great Depression and the years of World War II. From that early start, the Southern Highland Craft Guild has grown to nearly a thousand members and has established a worldwide reputation for fine workmanship. The guild is governed by the artist membership, which is made up of a wide range of craftspeople from institute-trained artists to local makers trained by parents and friends.

“Mountain Homespun will be of special interest to those studying southern Appalachian handicrafts, the 1890s handicraft revival, and northern Protestant missionary work in turn-of-the-century Appalachia.” —North Carolina Historical Review “Mountain Homespun is much more than a memoir. It offers unrivaled specific information on the processes of mountain crafts—not only on weaving, spinning, and dyeing, the author’s primary interest, but also on basketry, quilting, and other pursuits. All in all, the book is an important publishing event.” —Berea College Newsletter “This is a wonderful book. It belongs at the bedside of every spinner and weaver everywhere.” —Jude Daurelle, Handwoven

Mary Black's Family Quilts includes a foreword by Michael Owen Jones, Professor of Culture and Performance, University of California, Los Angeles, and author of Craftsman of the Cumberlands: Tradition and Creativity.

Illustrated with 200 stunning photographs and encompassing objects from furniture and ceramics to jewelry and metal, this definitive work from Jo Lauria and Steve Fenton showcases some of the greatest pieces of American crafts of the last two centuries. Potter Craft

" In 1908 John C. Campbell was commissioned by the Russell Sage Foundation to conduct a survey of conditions in Appalachia and the aid work being done in these areas to create "the central repository of data concerning conditions in the mountains to which workers in the field might turn." Originally published in 1921, The Southern Highlander and His Homeland details Campbell's experiences and findings during his travels in the region, observing unique aspects of mountain communities such as their religion, family life, and forms of entertainment. Campbell's landmark work paved the way for folk schools, agricultural cooperatives, handicraft guilds, the frontier nursing service, better roads, and a sense of pride in mountain life -- the very roots of Appalachian preservation.

The first comprehensive illustrated book on how to make colorful corn shuck dolls is finally here! Author Anne Freels is sharing her techniques after more than three decades of crafting and selling these entrancing dolls worldwide. She is known for her colorful and contemporary flair on a traditional Appalachian craft, and her work is highly collectible as both traditional and folk-art. The book contains over 200 full-color illustrations and step-by-step instructions on how to make two different styles of a traditional corn shuck doll with, of course, Anne's signature colorful style. Plus, readers receive lots of practical advice, as well as suggestions on how to personalize the dolls so their own creativity shines through. For anyone with a love of folk art and a desire to create, this book will be a treasured addition to their library.

Imagine just for a moment, life the way you have always dreamed it could be. Feeling connected to God and hearing His voice, creating with the Holy Spirit, following His lead as you share your art and see it transform people's lives. Imagine a world where artists are free to thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially in everything they do. Imagine a life where your mind is clear, renewed, and focused on God's purposes for your life and art; no longer struggling with negative patterns of thinking that have held you back for years. My friend, this is not some pie in the sky dream that will never come true. This is the way God designed life to be lived in His Kingdom. This can be your story, fully alive and thriving in everything you do. In Created to Thrive, you'll learn how to start living life from a new blueprint based on God's Word and His divine design for your life as an artist in His Kingdom. You'll begin to see your life without limits as you learn to align with Him and cooperate with the Holy Spirit to create new patterns of living. Your mind will be renewed, your heart will be unlocked, and your imagination will be set free to resonate with the Kingdom that's already living inside of you. You were made to be more than just a frustrated artist, struggling to make sense of your life and art. Get ready to become the artist you were created to be, get ready to thrive!

Here is the first comprehensive survey of modern craft in the United States. Makers follows the development of studio craft--objects in fiber, clay, glass, wood, and metal--from its roots in nineteenth-century reform movements to the rich diversity of expression at the end of the twentieth century. More than four hundred illustrations complement this chronological exploration of the American craft tradition. Keeping as their main focus the objects and the makers, Janet Koplos and Bruce Metcalf offer a detailed analysis of seminal works and discussions of education, institutional support, and the philosophical underpinnings of craft. In a vivid and accessible narrative, they highlight the value of physical skill, examine craft as a force for moral reform, and consider the role of craft as an aesthetic alternative. Exploring craft's relationship to fine arts and design, Koplos and Metcalf foster a critical understanding of the field and help explain craft's place in contemporary culture. Makers will be an indispensable volume for craftspeople, curators, collectors, critics, historians, students, and anyone who is interested in American craft.