Did you ever wander into one of the shops in The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community and wonderâŠâHow did they do that?â Well, you can get your hands on some of the media these artists work with to create their visions yourself! What am I talking about? The recurring event known as âHands On Gatlinburg!â
From May 3-5, you will be immersed in a three-day art school, so to speak. There are a total of 25 classes ranging from pottery to soap-making to woodworking, giving you a range of specialties to get your hands on. You will be taught by some of the finest, nicest artisans in the country, living right here in East Tennessee, and showing off their finest crafts in the process.
If you arenât already familiar with the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community, itâs home to more than 100 artists and craftsmen and women along an 8-mile loop, starting at Glades Road off 321 in Gatlinburg. This area is also known as the largest independent organization for artists in the entire country!
Donât be intimidated if you think you canât do it. I guarantee you, it will be a chance of a lifetime learning from some of the best in the business. You can be an expert or a beginner, this event is welcome to all skill levels. This is good news for me, as writing is probably the only creative skill I am somewhat decent at doing. Here are some of the trades you can try: jewelry-making, stained glass creation, watercolor painting, flint-knapping, pottery-sculpting, and basket-weaving. You can sign up for as many as you want, and at the end, you can take home your piece of work so you can play show and tell with everyone. And you can also brag about who taught you, no matter if youâre proud of the end result or not.
Will you be finding your creative side at this event? If youâd like to sign up, go to the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community webpage to get a handle on the magic of these great producers of artwork. Thank you for reading my latest news tidbit in the Gatlinburg area! Be sure to subscribe if you havenât already. I appreciate all of your support and kind words. Hope you stay tuned for whatâs next!