Ruth Hawkins and Martha Coffey carving

Ruth Hawkins and Martha Coffey carving

Brasstown Carvers

John C. Campbell Folk School

Women woodworkers

Wood-carvers

Wood-carving

Ruth Hawkins (foreground) works on two-dimensional carvings while Martha Coffey works beside her. Ruth Fleming Hawkins (1917-unknown) began carving at age 20, at a time when there were few women among the Brasstown Carvers. Her attention to quality and detail brought great demand for her carvings. She began with napkin rings, progressed to animal figures – especially cats – and later carved Christmas ornaments and human figures. Ruth made her own patterns. Her son Claude Hawkins was also a Brasstown Carver. Brasstown Carver Martha Shaw Jordan Coffey (1916-2004) spent most of her childhood in upstate South Carolina before moving to the Brasstown area with her parents. She learned how to carve in 1968 when she was given an elephant napkin ring and she decided to make another one for herself. Martha learned from Murray Martin, Jack Hall, and Helen Gibson. She became a full-time carver and was especially skilled at chickens and camels.

Crafts 4 Photo Collection

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

photographs

eng

StillImage

72761

https://southernappalachiandigitalcollections.org/object/72761

Brasstown (N.C.)

Craft Revival