Carver’s choice! Fashion Santas in an old-world style with personal touches, and/or try creating holiday thumbkins—thumb-sized characters that may resemble kinfolk or people you know. Beginners will learn to use a flat-blade knife to carve in the round while those with experience will focus on improving techniques and discussing how to market their work. Settle into a fun and laid-back atmosphere where you can explore your creative side.

An excellent form for beginners, fan birds symbolize peace, happiness, protection, and good health. While the pieces appear complicated, carvers craft these birds from a single piece of wood. The wing and tail feathers are split in a fan-like array of plumage while remaining attached to the body at hinge points. Learn how to design birds, create feathers, make hinges with knives or gouges, and shape bodies to resemble traditional doves, other birds, or even dragons! All levels welcome.

Embellish your lathe-turned work with relief carving using rotary carvers. Choose and learn to transfer designs, then practice using various burrs and techniques to gain the desired carved effects. Discover how to add texture to pieces, remove negative space, and select options for sanding and finishing. Depart with at least one truly unique finished project, ready to display. Beginners welcome

Use power carving techniques to create a realistic, life-sized, red-tailed hawk from tupelo wood. Learn how to carve, wood-burn, and paint detailed and dimensional feather patterns to achieve a realistic look. Complete your majestic carving with glass eyes and mount the bird on a base. This is a fast-paced class with emphasis on fine detail. Students must have previous power carving experience. Note: materials fee may exceed $100.

Practice traditional carving skills to create an in-the-round Nativity figure in the style of the Brasstown Carvers. Learn from a tradition-bearer about the rich history of this local style and its connection to the Folk School as you use knives, chisels, and gouges to shape and detail the piece. Students will work at their own pace and may complete more than one figure, depending on skill level. All levels welcome.

Learn the traditional approach to carving letters in wood. Explore both incised and raised letters as you carve a message on a keepsake, a piece of furniture, or a sign for your home or business. Bring your own project(s) or get suggestions from the instructor. (Pair with Weekend Relief, March 15-17, to further your relief carving skills.)

Learn the century-proven techniques of carving wood in relief, or carving ornamentation out of a (usually) flat surface. Develop a deeper understanding of wood as an art medium and explore the many applications of this unique art form. Bring your own simple design to carve or choose from provided patterns. Return home with at least one finished piece to display and admire.

Transform a block of wood into a carved mask. Learn how to use gouges and mallets to shape a face and hollow out the back. Carve the finished mask with knives, sand it, then complete it with a clear finish or paints. A native of Cherokee and a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Bud Smith studied wood carving under the well-known artist Amanda Crowe and has been passing on his craft to students since 1993. Students of all levels are welcome in this unique woodcarving class.

Discover the mesmerizing geometric patterns and timeless appeal of chip carving. Newcomers will learn and master basic skills like proper knife-holding, “reading the grain,” and following a logical order to remove chips cleanly. More advanced students will welcome the opportunity to apply what they already know to new and challenging projects. Novices and experienced carvers alike will leave with a project to be proud of. Note: materials fee may exceed $100.

That familiar, weathered, bearded face of the Old Man of the Woods is a core subject of the Appalachian woodcarver. Learn to carve a one-of-a-kind spirit face, with special attention given to eyes, nose, and hair. Get some basic safety techniques down, then work on anything you like—wood spirits, Santas, wizards, or even gnome homes carved in cottonwood bark. We’ll also cover tool sharpening. All levels welcome, but moderate hand strength is needed.

Combine two useful skills, carving and weaving, to experience making fiber art with your very own handmade tools! Learn how to carve a rigid heddle and shuttle with simple tools. Then, use your newly carved pieces to weave historical 18th- and early 19th-century tape. Handweave both functional and decorative tapes on your handmade rigid heddle and shuttle. All levels welcome.

Carve your own greenwood spoons and invite handcrafted objects into your daily life. Come prepared to find some fun and exciting ways to enhance your spoon carving in this intermediate-level class. We’ll discuss where to find inspiration and explore a variety of tools and techniques to add enticing textures and colors to your creations. Students will also explore how to make spoons more sculptural through form and finial work. This class will include an emphasis on using tools safely.

Explore the applications of decorative pattern carving traditions and motifs as you create your own hand carved designs. First, learn carving patterns using gouges and v-chisels. Then, apply your new carving skills to decorate a project of your choice, including a serving board, charcuterie board, or hanging panel for a spoon or coat rack.

Learn to make a vernacular, two-board chair in the Moravian style with an embellished back. Practice staked-chair construction and incorporate sliding dovetail battens. Then, work from a template or your own original design to decorate the back of your chair with pierced shapes and shallow relief carvings. All levels welcome. Note: materials fee may exceed $100.

Have you had an introduction to chip carving and are ready to take on a challenge? Embrace this unique opportunity to choose a project that can be completed during the class. In this week of comradery and individual instruction, select a Ready-to-Carve™ project from a collection of more than twenty designs representing a wide variety of interests and advance your skills to the next level. Note: materials fee may exceed $100.