Mountain Folk Crafts Revisited

I mentioned in our travelogue that we had spent a day at Mountain View Arts Center. The craftsmen at work were the real focal point of the excursion. Pictured here is a broom maker at work. This was particularly interesting to me as the man's patter was every bit as fascinating as his craftsmanship. Too, the fact that I know a little bit about the horticulture of broom corn gave me an opportunity to interact with the man. The gentleman's products are for sale. They are not cheap; and after watching him construct this beauty, I fully understand why. The broom is guaranteed for life, provided 1) you don't leave it where it will be eaten by an animal, 2) you don't use it too close to an open fire, and 3) you can get the original broomstick back to him to be rebroomed.

Among some of the other truly fascinating craftspeople we watched were a knife maker, a furniture builder, a seamstress, a quilter, a potter, a wood carver and many more.

Here I captured a real Arkansan (Arkansawyer?) taking a bit of a respite from the arduous task of walking up and down the hills. Mostly, I think, to provide comfort and assistance to the contingency of folk he had brought with him to the festival.