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Artsville

Artsville

Written by: Crewest Studio + ArtsvilleUSA
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Welcome to the Artsville podcast where we celebrate contemporary American Arts & Crafts from Asheville, NC and beyond. The Artsville podcast has it all: Painting, Pottery, Weaving, Woodworking, Welding, Glass Blowing and more. Just like Asheville, NC, Artsville is a friendly podcast where good folks like you can discover world class artisans, artists, craftsman and makers who use their hands and natural materials like fiber, clay, metal, glass, paper and wood to create stunning original arts and crafts.Copyright 2026 Crewest Studio + ArtsvilleUSA Art
Episodes
  • How a Small College in the Blue Ridge Mountains Became a Launchpad for Craft Professionals

    How a Small College in the Blue Ridge Mountains Became a Launchpad for Craft Professionals
    May 20 2026
    This episode is a special rerun, originally published on May 16, 2024, in celebration of the Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Graduate Show. The show is hosted online at ArtsvilleUSA in collaboration with the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with the in-person exhibition on view at the Folk Art Center through September 16.Ask any working artist what they wish they’d learned in art school, and you’ll likely hear the same answer: how to make a living doing what they love. For almost half a century, the Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Program—a beloved training ground for craft artists in the Blue Ridge Mountains—has been rewriting the rules around art school curriculum, blending hands-on mastery in wood, fiber, jewelry, and ceramics with essential business skills and a clear career roadmap that won’t leave them stranded post-graduation.In this episode, ArtsvilleUSA founder Louise Glickman brings listeners inside the Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Program through a candid conversation with two of its most respected faculty members: Amy Putansu, who leads the fiber/textiles department and whose work earned national attention in ArtsvilleUSA’s A Tale of Two Cities exhibition, and Brian Wurst, wood instructor. Together, they explore the evolution of craft education, the economic roots of creativity in Appalachia, and what makes Haywood’s approach to teaching so distinctive—not just in the studio but in preparing students for real-world careers and lifelong success in craft.Get Involved / Where to Find MoreHCC Professional Crafts Program: Learn more about immersive, hands-on courses in wood, fiber, ceramics, and jewelry.HCC Professional Crafts Grad Show: See the exhibition online at ArtsvilleUSA or at the Folk Art Center through September 16, 2026.Graduating student roundtable: Read our conversation with recent graduates of the program, Allison Teeples, Esi Hutchinson, and Christine Savage-Mindel.A Tale of Two Cities: Explore Amy Putansu’s work featured in ArtsvilleUSA’s commemorative exhibition reflecting on the 20-year milestone of Hurricane Katrina and the first-year milestone of Hurricane Helene.Contact & SocialWebsite: haywood.eduInstagram: @haywood.studiosFacebook: @haywoodccEpisode CreditsHost: Louise Glickman, Artsville USA FounderCo-host: Elise Wilson, ArtsvilleUSA Executive DirectorGuests: Amy Putansu and Brian Wurst, Haywood Community College Professional Crafts FacultyProduced by: ArtsvilleUSA /Crewest Studio / Arterial Inc.Newsletter: Subscribe to the ArtsvilleUSA Newsletter for more stories and updates on the arts and crafts scene in Western North Carolina.
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    31 mins
  • This Crafting Collective Says Your 'Bad Art' Is Actually Perfect

    This Crafting Collective Says Your 'Bad Art' Is Actually Perfect
    Feb 12 2026

    What happens when you toss perfectionism out the window and invite adults to play with glue sticks and torn paper? You get ArtFolk, the Weaverville-based collective where “making art is the only qualification to become an artist.” In this episode, ArtsvilleUSA Executive Director Elise Wilson joins ArtFolk founders Kelly Reese and Jennifer Jacey in Jen’s delightfully chaotic studio to talk about reclaiming creativity, dissolving the myth of “not being creative,” and why ripping up junk mail might be the catharsis you never knew you needed. From tackling the intimidation factor of Instagram-perfect art to building a genuine community that welcomes total beginners and seasoned painters alike, these founders are on a mission to prove that making bad art is not just acceptable, but essential.

    Episode Credits

    Host: Elise Wilson, ArtsvilleUSA Executive Director

    Guests: Kelly Reese, Jennifer Jacey

    Recording location: Jennifer’s magical, slightly messy Weaverville studio

    Produced by: ArtsvilleUSA

    Subscribe to the ArtsvilleUSA Newsletter for more stories and updates on the arts and crafts scene in Western North Carolina.
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    44 mins
  • Hominy Creek Comfort Makers: Inside the Library-Based Volunteer Group Stitching Kindness Into Action

    Hominy Creek Comfort Makers: Inside the Library-Based Volunteer Group Stitching Kindness Into Action
    Jan 21 2026

    Are you sitting comfortably? Because this week, we’re taking a closer look at how the Hominy Creek Comfort Makers and their Enka-Candler Library partners are combining craft and community service. Host Elise Wilson cozies up with founder Pat White, along with local library legends Kate Spratt (branch manager) and Theresa Wallace (librarian and program master), for a conversation about how a group of crafters is comforting their community, one stitch at a time.

    Why the Enka-Candler Library? The Comfort Makers needed a home base, a place to gather, create, and store their ever-growing stash of materials and handmade goods. Like most regional libraries, the Enka-Candler branch has become much more than a place to pick up books. Under the guidance of Kate and Theresa, the library now serves as a monthly meeting ground for this unstoppable volunteer group. It’s a creative hub where anyone can drop in, find connection, and take part, no sewing skills required.

    Episode Credits

    Host: Elise Wilson

    Guests: Pat White, Kate Spratt, Theresa Wallace

    Produced by: ArtsvilleUSA

    Special Thanks: The Friends of the Enka-Candler Library, Buncombe County Public Libraries, and everyone who’s stuffed, stitched, or crocheted alongside this crew.

    Subscribe to the ArtsvilleUSA Newsletter for more stories and updates on the arts and crafts scene in Western North Carolina.
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    23 mins
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