NASHVILLE, TN - Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, Tennessee Craft partners with the Tennessee Department of Tourism to celebrate a new tradition, Tennessee Craft Week, with craft artist demonstrations across the state of Tennessee, through Oct.11.
The public is invited to visit Tennessee Welcome Centers and support craft artists from their communities. The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development encourages guests to take a moment from their travels, experience the rich tradition of crafts, and realize why Tennessee is known as "The Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee."
Honorary Chairman, the First Lady of Tennessee Crissy Haslam, will travel across the state to highlight Tennessee artists and events, October 2-11. Tennessee Craft Week honors the "makers" while emphasizing the collective impact of crafts to supporters, media, and the public. The Welcome Center demonstrations provide all a "hands-on" personal craft experience and are truly "Made In Tennessee."
Teri Alea, Director of Tennessee Craft shares, "Tennessee Craft is excited to enhance the visitor experience by providing talented craft artists who can explain how pieces are created, connect with people and share how craft defines our heritage. Handmade craft becomes a hand-to-heart connection between the creators and those who connect with the work. Additionally, craft creates jobs for tens of thousands of Americans, creating vibrant communities where people want to live."
Tennessee Welcome Center Craft Demonstration artists included:
-- Bristol Craft Artist Demonstration, Saturday, Oct. 3, TN Welcome Center | 1-81, Sullivan County, Bristol | Mile marker 75.3 Southbound. Craft artist Barbara Cara demonstrated the art of hand building clay bowls, platters, angels, tiles and tiny animals.
Carch these artist at the following Welcome Centers.
-- Kingsport Craft Artist Demonstration, Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | 1-26, Sullivan County, Kingsport | Mile marker 5, East & West. Craft artist Carol LeBaron will be demonstrating the art of textile dying and stitching. Carol's work is exhibited internationally; recently at the Textile Museum in Washington DC, the Shibori Conference in Hong Kong and the Nashville Airport. She teaches dye workshops out of her studio and at several craft schools. Currently Carol creates large commission work, lately installed at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
-- Erwin Craft Artist Demonstration, Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | 1-26, Unicoi, Erwin | Mile marker/exit 46 (Clear Branch Road, East & Westbound). Craft artist Barbara Cara will be demonstrating the art of hand building clay.
For a full listing of events in Tennessee, visit TNVacation.com and for events across the USA, visit AmericanCraftWeek.com-- Memphis, Craft Artist Demonstration, Friday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | I-40, Shelby County, Memphis | Mile marker .30, Eastbound I-40. Craft artist Becky Ziemer will be demonstrating the art of pottery/ceramics. Meet the artist and explore the rich heritage of handmade Tennessee Crafts.
-- Ardmore Craft Artist Demonstration, Thursday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | I-65, Giles County, Ardmore | Mile marker 3, Northbound. Craft artist Constance Beck will be demonstrating the art of spinning.
-- Jasper Craft Artist Demonstration, Monday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | I-24, Marion County, Nickajack | Mile marker 160, westbound. Craft artist Tim Hintz will be demonstrating the art of making traditional ladder back chairs. Tim will split chair parts from a log and shape them with a drawknife on a shaving horse. He will also weave a seat with hickory bark strips.
-- Chattanooga Craft Artist Demonstration, Tuesday, Oct.r 6, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | 1-24, Hamilton County, Tifftonia | Mile marker 171.8 Eastbound. Craft artist Tim Hintz will be demonstrating the art of making traditional ladder back chair.
-- East Ridge Craft Artist Demonstration, Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | 1-75, Hamilton County, Chattanooga | Mile marker 0.7, Northbound. Craft artist Olive Durant will be demonstrating the art of marbling on cloth. The craft of marbling is an ancient art where the artist is able to build surface tension between colors, then capture the simple, transferrable design to fabric, creating a mono-type print.
-- Jellico Craft Artist Demonstration, Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | 1-75, Campbell County, Jellico | Mile marker 161, Southbound. Craft artist Anne Freels will be demonstrating the art of Corn Shuck Doll Making. Anne has been making corn shuck dolls since 1975. Anne is also the author of "Making Colorful Corn Shuck Dolls". She uses natural and hand-dyed corn shucks to create dolls depicting folk lore and has over the years developed a contemporary take on this traditional craft.
-- Hartford Craft Artist Demonstration, Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TN Welcome Center | 1-40, Cocke County, Hartford | Mile marker 446, Westbound. Craft artist Anne Freels will be demonstrating the art of Corn Shuck Doll Making.
