This rivercane tray was made by Cherokee basket weaver, Rowena Bradley in 1982. Traditionally, trays such as these were used to hold foodstuffs and household goods. To make this tray, Bradley used a complex double weave technique that results in a…
This undated rivercane mat was made by Cherokee basket weaver Rowena Bradley (1922-2003). Traditionally, the Cherokee used mats made from rivercane to cover walls and floors, for decoration and insulation. Sleeping mats were also made and used to…
This mule, carved in walnut, was made by Ray Mann, a woodcarver from Clay County, in the 1930s or 1940s. In 1922 Mann married into the Hall family of carvers. His father-in-law was Elisha Allen Hall, brother to carvers John and Ben Hall and uncle to…
This wild turkey hen, or guinea hen, is signed "JH," and is presumed to have been carved by John Hall (1875-1962) in the 1930s. Hall was one of several carvers in the extended Hall family of Clay County, N.C. and was among the earliest carvers…
In the early 1930s, the John C. Campbell Folk School taught woodcarving and also managed a carving cooperative that sold the work of local carvers, providing a needed source of income to many local families. This cooperative eventually became known…
This mule, carved in walnut, was made by Ray Mann, a woodcarver from Clay County. In 1922 Mann married into the Hall family of carvers. His father-in-law was Elisha Allen Hall, brother to carvers John and Ben Hall and uncle to Jack Hall. The mule…
This goose, carved in apple wood, was made by Hayden Hensley (1911-2001). A native of Cherokee County, Hensley's name was sometimes spelled Haden. He was a student at the John C. Campbell Folk School in its earliest years, attending the first…
Sue McClure was a carver who specialized in animal carvings and preferred to use apple wood. These carved possums, however, are made from walnut, a particularly difficult wood to carve. McClure learned to carve at the John C. Campbell Folk School…
This carved figure of a walking boy is a unique piece carved by Hope Caler Brown. It is made from fir, a wood rarely used by carvers who produced work for the John C. Campbell Folk School. Hope Brown and her husband Glenn carved with John C.…
This steer was carved in holly wood by John Hall (1875-1962), one of several carvers in the extended Hall family. His two brothers, Ben and Elisha, were both carvers. John Hall was among the earliest carvers working in the Brasstown area. He…