Harmony Flora, the education director at Carnegie Hall, was recently selected to participate in the first weekend long Legacy program for Appalachian Administrators sponsored by Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN.
Located just minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Arrowmont dates to 1912 when instructors at the then Settlement School began providing education to children in the remote mountain community. Today Arrowmont is an internationally recognized visual art education center, providing creative experiences year-round. The School also serves as a cultural center in the community offering adult and children’s community classes; an active juried, themed and invitational exhibition schedule; and annual art conferences and symposia.
Based on the annual week-long Legacy program for Appalachian Teachers, the new four-day program offered arts administrators and K-12 support staff the opportunity to learn in Arrowmont’s creative environment with the support of full scholarships including tuition, lodging, meals, and a completion stipend. Participants had the option of selecting from six different arts-based intensives to participate in, including ceramics, basket weaving, art journaling, nature studies, wood carving and fused glass. Along with a fully immersive workshop schedule, students also enjoyed touring the Artist in Residence workshops and a multimedia studio crawl.
Speaking about her recent experience, Flora stated, “It was an amazing opportunity and an honor to be selected to participate in a Legacy program at Arrowmont, and a truly enlightening experience to be able to work with a master craftsperson like Bill Capshaw. I learned a lot and met many wonderful, talented administrators and artists that I look forward to working with through our educational programming here at the Hall.”
