This is our 3rd week on Appalachian Culture and Folk Art. This week we will be reviewing all that we have studied thus far, and take a closer look at the "functionality" or usefulness of the items that were handmade by the Appalachian people.
This week's lesson is two fold: First, we will look at all the ways that CORN was used by the Appalachian people and draw a still life of corn at the end of class. The Appalachian people used corn for food not only for themselves but their chickens and livestock. The used every part of the corn. The husks were often braided to make rugs, mats, mops and hats. They even stuffed their mattresses with them. they made cornhusk dolls for the children to play with. The cob could be used as fodder, as a pot scrubber and even as toilet paper! OUCH! The second part of this weeks lesson will be to look at five different "processes" or folk art that the Appalachian people used in their everyday lives.
This is an example of the still life we will draw and color at the end of class
The five processes we will look at this week are: Basketry (weaving reeds and corn husks), Quilting (sewing bedding by using recycled clothing cut into smaller geometric pieces), Woodworking ( both additive and subtractive sculpture such as furniture making and whittling, Pottery(functional art made with clay.. Because we have been working on our own display of these types of items for our upcoming "Pioneer Days" on Mon. Nov. 5th, plus the fact that we have on display in the Great Hall an exhibit from Western Kentucky University on Appalachian culture we can view many of these items discussed in person.
Functional Art processes
Basketry
Woodworking - Wooden Oval shaped boxes and "Whittled Chicken"
Candle making
Pottery
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