New Craft Trails Highlight the Rich Variety of Traditional Arts & Crafts in the Blue Ridge NHA

Carmen Haynes of Pine Needles and Things in Brasstown, NC

Blue Ridge NHA

Over the past two years, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (NHA) has been hard at work “crafting” vibrant paths for art exploration: they call it The Blue Ridge Craft Trails. The NHA has been instrumental in connecting heritage craft sites across a variety of disciplines, from jewelry and pottery to blacksmithing and traditional Cherokee crafts—all against the backdrop of the scenic landscapes and traditional Appalachian culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Trails now include over 125 artists and craftspeople who regularly open their studios to visitors of the region, so that they can explore the rich cultural heritage of this important part of our nation. The idea for linking craftspeople along a route began several years ago with an organization called Handmade, which published a guidebook with itineraries and profiles of artists across western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

“Handmade lost funding and went away for a while, so the NHA picked up on their good work and made it digital,” says Leslie Hartley, Communications Manager at Blue Ridge NHA. The Craft Trail itineraries are comprised of eight routes across four regions that include studios and galleries featuring local, handmade work, and of course the craftspeople who are keeping these traditional heritage crafts alive and relevant to the present day.

Weaver taking class at John  C. Campbell Folk School

Blue Ridge NHA

On the Craft Trails website, you can filter itineraries by type of craft and/or geography—as an example, you could narrow your search down to crafts galleries and glassblowers in the Central Mountains region. The Heritage Area’s website also includes a Traditional Artist Directory with an ever increasing list of “craft artisans, musicians, dancers, and storytellers”, tying the newer Craft Trails to its complementary older sibling initiative, Blue Ridge Music Trails.

Wondering how artists and craftspeople are chosen to be part of Blue Ridge Craft Trails? It’s a carefully curated process that starts with thorough research and artist visits.

When Blue Ridge NHA was first conceiving the program and online guide, staff “went out into the communities and did listening sessions,” says Hartley with local community leaders, arts councils, and artists to “find out if this was something that would be welcome, how to go about doing it, and the best way to select the artists.”. The NHA collected site recommendations, did their own research on heritage craft priorities, and found other sites and artists to add that hadn’t yet been suggested.

Artisans on the Craft Trails must also meet certain criteria, including being able to open their studio or gallery space to the public, whether all of the time or by appointment. Then Blue Ridge NHA Curator Anna Fariello, who recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Highland Craft Guild, undertakes site visits to the craftsman’s studios along with the NHA team to “get a feel for whether they would be a good match".

“After site visits, I always leave with such an appreciation for how open these artists are to sharing their space and welcoming-in total strangers to see their work, and how passionate they are about sharing their crafts and their story,” says Hartley.

Rob Mangum of Mangum-Cater Pottery in Sparta, NC

Blue Ridge NHA

In 2021, Blue Ridge NHA plans to add another one hundred artisans to the Craft Trails. During the pandemic, NHA staff remained hard at work on Craft Trails development, conducting socially-distanced, masked site visits and making plans to adjust to present pandemic conditions. The Heritage Area has also produced video features on various artists so that people can “visit” from the comfort of their homes, available on their site and on YouTube.

“The Craft Trails serve multiple purposes,” says Hartley. “We want to bring buyers to makers, increase cultural tourism, and increase the economic sustainability for these areas”. Most of all though, “it’s a chance for folks to get outside and explore, plus support these local artists in small towns, and really get to know them.”

For more information on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails and how to familiarize yourself with the incredible artisans of the region who are keeping heritage crafts thriving in North Carolina, visit their website.

Summer view near Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge NHA