Manly Crafts 101
Submitted by SharpMan Editorial Team on Friday 15th October 2010- Why take a "learning vacation"?
- How can we use "crafts" and "manly" together with a straight face?
- What should you expect?
The words ‘arts and crafts’ usually conjure up images of pig-tailed school girls and tacky projects made from glue, glitter and toothpicks. That stereotype is fading fast, though, as craft schools, also known as learning vacations, are experiencing a surge in popularity. For the traveler who grows bored with laying around for seven days straight, craft schools offer entertainment, education and the chance to do something. While many schools only offer typical crafts such as embroidery and basket making — more likely to appeal to the SharpWoman than the SharpMan — many programs now offer "manly" crafts designed to make you feel that you’ve "done" something with your time off, while leaving your testosterone intact.
Why Take a Learning Vacation?
Ever get the feeling that you’d like to do more than push paper? That you have a more "creative" side left untouched by your career? Was your last home improvement project buying a new remote control? Sure, "interpretive dance" may not be for you, but many other activities that more fully utilize your non-work skills may be just as energizing as a week by the pool. Or more.
There’s a host of reasons why SharpMen from all walks of life take a learning vacation, but they all share a similar theme.....the desire to do something. Many are just looking for a unique way to spend their vacation, having grown bored with just sightseeing or sunbathing. Others are looking for a break from the real world. Free from the constraints of computers and cell phones — for just a few days — many SharpMen find that they return more rested and focused on their greater career goals than when they left. Whether they learned a new skill or created an object with their bare hands, all SharpMen who take a learning vacation are guaranteed to leave more skilled and interesting than when they came.
What Can I Expect?
Though most schools are situated amidst acres of natural surroundings, don’t expect to be roughing it. A variety of accommodations are available from private rooms and condos to dorm-style accommodations, group social activities are always planned and meals can be provided on-site throughout your stay.
Classes range from weekend courses to workshops that are several weeks long, but no matter what you sign up for, expect a highly individualized program to ensure maximum learning potential and interaction with instructors. Classes are open to adults of all skill levels and you’ll be surprised at how many subjects there are to choose from. There’s literally something for everyone, from cooking with wine and photography, to learning how to play a musical instrument and nature studies. From the myriad of course offerings at all of the schools, we found the following:
Blacksmithing. Who can resist classes such as ‘Get it Hot, Hit it Hard" and "Build a Fire - Go from There." Blacksmithing classes offer some of the largest array of ‘manly’ crafts for the SharpMan. If you like the power of fire and the idea of venting your frustrations by hitting metal into submission, a blacksmithing class is for you. You’ll learn the techniques of forging metal, how to work with steel and anvil and fire making.
Depending on the class you sign up for, you’ll be able to create objects, some quite artful. If you’d like to bring out your hidden medieval side, sign up to hammer out an authentic sword or helmet. The more practical blacksmithing classes teach you how to forge your own fireplace tools, boot scraper, shovels and nails which you can take home. Chances are you probably won’t have a studio to return to at home to continue your blacksmithing skills, but you’ll enjoy your foray into the world creating tools with your bare hands, metal and fire.
Woodworking. There’s something about building with wood that sparks a very "manly" — I’m-just-like-that-dad-on-T.V. — feeling in many SharpMen. And the types of woodworking classes you can take are surprisingly varied. Schools offer opportunities to do something as simple as building a humidor box, to building furniture and lamps. Or you can learn how to use different wood finishes or how to make decorative molding. The common theme in each class is learning how to properly use tools such as chainsaws, gouges and routers to create useful items. Cool, huh?
Think of the woodworking classes as a really in-depth home improvement course. After one of these courses, next time you walk into the lumber section of your local hardware store, you’ll be a new man. With woodworking skills in hand, those home improvement projects that you’ve been putting off will now seem like child’s play. Better yet, you’ll be able to impress everyone, from your wife to the neighbors. "Oh that patio furniture? My SharpMan built that!"
Outdoor Sports. Perhaps you live in a metropolitan area and you don’t have many opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Or perhaps you don’t want to climb a mountain by yourself or you’re waiting to learn some of the fundamentals before trying it on your own. If any of these situations sound familiar, then outdoor sports programs are for you.
If you want to gain the skills to be able to catch your own dinner on your next camping trip, then sign up for a fly fishing class. These courses teach the basics, including fly-casting techniques, how to tie knots and flies, entomology and how to read the water to catch fish. Most courses include excursions to area waterways to give you the chance to test your new-found skills, all while your instructor helps you improve your technique.
Hiking excursions aren’t technically ‘arts and crafts’ but are nonetheless popular programs at many crafts schools. In a true test of your endurance and stamina, consider joining a small group for a week of strenuous hiking while you learn about outdoor safety skills. The program at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina will take you on hikes throughout the Southern Appalachia mountains in North Carolina and Georgia. The destinations include portions of the acclaimed Appalachian Trail, as well as Blood Mountain and yes, Pickens Nose.
Where Can I Go?
The previous classes and programs mentioned are only a small sampling of what you can find at the crafts schools listed below.
- The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC has over 750 classes available year round. Contact the school at (800) FOLK-SCH or www.folkschool.org.
- The Penland School of Crafts in Penland, NC is one of the largest arts and crafts schools and offers programs from spring to fall. Contact the school at (828) 765-2359 or www.penland.org.
- The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN offers programs in the spring and summer. Contact the school at (865) 436-5860 or www.arrowmont.org.
- The Anderson Ranch Arts Center is located in Snowmass Village, CO, near Aspen, and offers programs from June to September. Contact the school at (970) 923-3181 or www.andersonranch.org.
- The Augusta Heritage Center of David & Elkins College in Elkins, WV offers programs for five weeks in the summer. Contact the school at (304) 637-1209 or augustaheritagecenter.org