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Creative Arts

Haywood Community College offers continuing education courses in fiber, clay, metals/jewelry, hand wrought metals, woodcarving, wood furniture construction, stained glass, basketry, seasonal floral design, painting, music, computer design, photography and so much more. Check back often for updated schedules and class offerings.  Please click on class titles for more information.

About Creative Arts

Western North Carolina is fertile ground for craft arts and artists. Over the last 50 years, the area has blossomed into an internationally recognized destination for working artists, craftspeople, shops, galleries and craft education.

Haywood Community College’s Creative Arts programming offers an innovative, affordable, groundbreaking craft education.

  • The HCC Craft programs draw students from across the United States and beyond.

  • The college’s state-of-the-art, LEED certified, green building is a model for art and craft education.

  • The Creative Arts Facility is over 40,000 square feet in size containing both studio and gallery space.

  • Class sizes are small, with teacher-student ratios designed for an optimal studio education.

We welcome students from next door to across the country.  We have individuals that make our campus their vacation destination to participate in workshops and classes, or are lucky enough to have this amazing resource in their backyard.  Continuing education classes vary in price depending on class length and cost of materials, but remain the same for each participant regardless of residency.

Click on a class to learn more and register

Hands and Fingers are shaping a small vase out of clay on a spinning wheel.

Clay. Throwing and Sculpting Pottery

Have you ever wanted to throw pottery on the wheel? In this course Cory Plott will gladly reveal techniques to help you understand the process of pottery. The first few weeks will cover a combination of throwing and sculpting techniques, followed...

Click on a class to learn more and register

Prussian Blue and White illustration of a cyanotype process using flowers

Botanical Cyanotypes

Join us for a hands-on experience in creating cyanotypes, developed by the sun! The class will begin by collecting botanicals which will serve as the subjects for our cyanotypes. Next, we will prep our paper and develop our prints outside. Student...

Close up of Bees in Bees Wax

Beekeeping Hives and Tools

Beekeeping Hives and Tools is a fun and instructive 4-week course designed for individuals who are interested in knowing the requirements for starting a honeybee apiary. Prior knowledge about honeybees or beehives is not required! Subjects covered...

The Organic Indigo Vat

During this one and a half day workshop, we’ll dye sample fabric and silk scarves in indigo, using different resist techniques to create designs. You’ll also learn the fundamentals of starting and maintaining an organic indigo vat, and go home...

A close up of the printing process with black ink on white paper.

Create Holiday Printed Cards and Wrapping Paper

In this one-day class students will create holiday-themed wrapping paper and greeting cards for gift-giving during the holiday season! Students will have knowledge in basic stamp and printmaking upon completion of this class as well as completed...

A woman is measuring a cheeta print to fit the back of her jean jacket, to create a rock look for the wild soul.

ReMake, ReUse, ReConstruct

Have clothes that are no longer wearable but love the pattern or fabric? Want to explore garment deconstruction and reconstruction? We will experiment with remaking unused garments into useful accessories, combining clothes to make new garments...

Click on a class to learn more and register

Prussian Blue and White illustration of a cyanotype process using flowers

Botanical Cyanotypes

Join us for a hands-on experience in creating cyanotypes, developed by the sun! The class will begin by collecting botanicals which will serve as the subjects for our cyanotypes. Next, we will prep our paper and develop our prints outside. Student...

Click on a class to learn more and register

An open book with clear white pages.

Short Story

This short story workshop is for all levels of writers and helps emphasize new ways to approach writing and creativity. The course is reading and writing intensive. It includes participating in weekly writing exercises, reading short stories, and...

Hand drawing of the human eye.

Introduction to Drawing with James Stilwell

Let’s unleash and nurture your creative side together. Learn to visually interpret what you see and capture this on paper. We will cover basic drawing fundamentals: line, contour, shapes, shading, controlling tones, proportion, perspective and...

A mixed media sketchbook with pencils, paint, scissors, and thread.

Art Journaling

Art Journaling is beneficial to artists, hobbyists, or anyone, who wants to be creative. An art journal is a form of visual record keeping. Record keeping of thoughts, memories, and emotions. It can also be used to develop and play with various techniques...

A heroic figure with axes wearing a viking like helmet and armour.

Heroic Myth & Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is the first of the heroes’ journeys in literature. Like any great work of literature, Gilgamesh tells us about ourselves. It is the exploration of the self and an understanding of how our actions shape both our lives and...

A book that is opened and illustrates empty pages in needs of your words.

Writing Suspense Fiction

This course is for students eager to write in the mystery, thriller, or crime genres. Throughout the course, students develop critical craft elements of their work through exercises in dialogue, descriptive action, and in developing three-dimensional...

An open book with blank pages, awaiting to be written in.

Advanced Fiction

Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop provides the space for a writer to write. Students will take their writing to the next level, submitting their work for close-reading and review by their peers and the instructor. Instructor: Andrew Peterson

Hand spraying stencils for a large scale and intricate design.

Paint, Stamp, & Stencil

Create a new piece each week! This course introduces the endless possibilities of designing and producing printed surface designs, patterns. Students will learn basic painting, printmaking techniques and processes such as free flow, stencil painting,...

A close up of the printing process with black ink on white paper.

Create Holiday Printed Cards and Wrapping Paper

In this one-day class students will create holiday-themed wrapping paper and greeting cards for gift-giving during the holiday season! Students will have knowledge in basic stamp and printmaking upon completion of this class as well as completed...

Click on a class to learn more and register

American Bladesmithing Society Logo

ABS Introduction to Bladesmithing

This class is for beginning knifemakers, students will be introduced to the concepts and techniques needed to make a knife. Students are taught metal selection; blade function and different blade design will be discussed. Hand forging to shape, normalizing,...

Palmetto Memories jewelry necklace, part of a 2 Piece Set by Amy Pike. The necklace features 9 cut and shaped pieces of metal with some color treatment having a teared design on an assembled chain.

Metal Art jewelry for Beginners

Carry on the tradition of metal smithing practiced throughout history. You will learn in a well-equipped metals studio on our beautiful campus. Through a series of projects, you will become familiar with the basic tools and techniques used to make...

Click on a class to learn more and register

A mixed media sketchbook with pencils, paint, scissors, and thread.

Art Journaling

Art Journaling is beneficial to artists, hobbyists, or anyone, who wants to be creative. An art journal is a form of visual record keeping. Record keeping of thoughts, memories, and emotions. It can also be used to develop and play with various techniques...

Hand spraying stencils for a large scale and intricate design.

Paint, Stamp, & Stencil

Create a new piece each week! This course introduces the endless possibilities of designing and producing printed surface designs, patterns. Students will learn basic painting, printmaking techniques and processes such as free flow, stencil painting,...

A close up of the printing process with black ink on white paper.

Create Holiday Printed Cards and Wrapping Paper

In this one-day class students will create holiday-themed wrapping paper and greeting cards for gift-giving during the holiday season! Students will have knowledge in basic stamp and printmaking upon completion of this class as well as completed...

Click on a class to learn more and register

Woman weaving a blue and black scarf using a floor loom.

Beginning Weaving 101: Floor Loom

In this six week course we will learn every step of beginning weaving on a floor loom including designing a warp with multiple colors, dressing the loom back to front, and exploring weaving in both plain weave and twill structures. You will learn...

A detailed image of a quilt having wool sewn in shapes of animals into the fabric. The animals include a bear, sheep, bird, and other local Appalachain creatures.

Wool Applique and Embroidery

Slow-Sew. Wool applique and embroidery are soothing, portable and affordable. Blocks work up quickly. Students will explore working with and felting wool and discovering threads and multiple hand embroidery stitches. Three block patterns will...

A landscape picture made with pieces of fabric. Landscape is of a mountain view.

Loose Landscape

This is a hand stitch fiber class that explores design elements and creative stitching. Bring in a favorite landscape picture and play with fabric and stitches to create a piece worthy of framing. We'll isolate a portion of the picture with good...

A woman is measuring a cheeta print to fit the back of her jean jacket, to create a rock look for the wild soul.

ReMake, ReUse, ReConstruct

Have clothes that are no longer wearable but love the pattern or fabric? Want to explore garment deconstruction and reconstruction? We will experiment with remaking unused garments into useful accessories, combining clothes to make new garments...

A chair being upholstered by a woman holding needle and thread. The chair is green with a floral seat cushion.

Upholstery: Fall of 2022 Courses

This course provides hands on experience in tool use, various equipment, and techniques of the upholstery profession. Class work begins on the first day of class so bring a dining room chair(s), a chair with a back and/or bottom, or a footstool as...

Click on a class to learn more and register

A violin and cello set of intruments that are stacked against a white background.

Violin & Cello for Beginners

Through music we learn to become storytellers! This introductory course welcomes students with little to no strings experience for both violin and cello. We begin the class with a tour of the instrument and bow. Together we will learn basic sight-reading...

A stack of instruments such as violins and cellos against a stark white background.

Intermediate Violin & Cello

Through music we learn to become storytellers! This course is for violin or cello students that have either completed the beginner class, have previous experience, or for those wanting more of a musical challenge. Students will learn various bow...

Click on a class to learn more and register

A detailed image of a quilt having wool sewn in shapes of animals into the fabric. The animals include a bear, sheep, bird, and other local Appalachain creatures.

Wool Applique and Embroidery

Slow-Sew. Wool applique and embroidery are soothing, portable and affordable. Blocks work up quickly. Students will explore working with and felting wool and discovering threads and multiple hand embroidery stitches. Three block patterns will...

Lani Hendrix and quilting students holding up their work at the end of the semester. The work is of 4 large quilts of a variety of colors.

2022 Fall Quilting Classes

This Project based class is designed for individuals to learn quilting from cutting and sewing basic squares. Choosing a project figuring fabric yardage, and different quilting methods including using one of our three long arm quilters. Also a great...

A landscape picture made with pieces of fabric. Landscape is of a mountain view.

Loose Landscape

This is a hand stitch fiber class that explores design elements and creative stitching. Bring in a favorite landscape picture and play with fabric and stitches to create a piece worthy of framing. We'll isolate a portion of the picture with good...

A woman is measuring a cheeta print to fit the back of her jean jacket, to create a rock look for the wild soul.

ReMake, ReUse, ReConstruct

Have clothes that are no longer wearable but love the pattern or fabric? Want to explore garment deconstruction and reconstruction? We will experiment with remaking unused garments into useful accessories, combining clothes to make new garments...

Click on a class to learn more and register

Click on a class to learn more and register

A wood sculpture made from branches and twigs to make the 3-d shape of an eagle.

Creative Sculpture from Nature

Create 3D and relief sculpture from ordinary items foraged from nature. Free your creative side by reawaking and deepening your innate connection to the natural world. Your crafted art could be anything from abstract to realistic as you are only...

Click on a class to learn more and register

A chair being upholstered by a woman holding needle and thread. The chair is green with a floral seat cushion.

Upholstery: Fall of 2022 Courses

This course provides hands on experience in tool use, various equipment, and techniques of the upholstery profession. Class work begins on the first day of class so bring a dining room chair(s), a chair with a back and/or bottom, or a footstool as...

Click on a class to learn more and register

Click on a class to learn more and register

A mixed media sketchbook with pencils, paint, scissors, and thread.

Art Journaling

Art Journaling is beneficial to artists, hobbyists, or anyone, who wants to be creative. An art journal is a form of visual record keeping. Record keeping of thoughts, memories, and emotions. It can also be used to develop and play with various techniques...

Hand spraying stencils for a large scale and intricate design.

Paint, Stamp, & Stencil

Create a new piece each week! This course introduces the endless possibilities of designing and producing printed surface designs, patterns. Students will learn basic painting, printmaking techniques and processes such as free flow, stencil painting,...

hand painted canvas of birds and sunflowers

Introduction to Painting

Painting is lots of fun and using acrylic paint is one of the best ways to introduce you to creating colorful art. We are going to demystify color theory by exploring the elements of color and how colors relate to each other. You will discover how...

Painting of a dolphin in the open sea with a boat in the background.

Story Art

This art class encourages and guides you to create a visual art piece depicting a meaningful event from your life experience or a fictional story from your imagination. The task posed to you is to think about what would make a dynamic book cover....

Click on a class to learn more and register

A young woodworker in a studio who is building a table or chair.

Woodworking for beginners: Simple Chair

This course will build on skills students have learned in the previous two classes and each student will design their own simple chair which they will construct using basic woodworking tools that are easily accessible. No prior woodworking experience...

A wood sculpture made from branches and twigs to make the 3-d shape of an eagle.

Creative Sculpture from Nature

Create 3D and relief sculpture from ordinary items foraged from nature. Free your creative side by reawaking and deepening your innate connection to the natural world. Your crafted art could be anything from abstract to realistic as you are only...

Small Wooden box made of two different types of wood that is hinged with wooden pieces on the sides.

Woodworking for Beginners: Small Box

This course will guide students through the construction of a Keepsake box of their own design, using basic woodworking tools that are easily accessible. No prior woodworking experience is necessary. Instructor: Bill Weinert

A young man working on the legs of a table in a wooodshop.

Woodworking for Beginners: Small Table

This course will build on skills students have learned in the previous class, Keepsake box, and guide them through the construction of a small table of their own design, using basic woodworking tools that are easily accessible. No prior woodworking...

Register Catalog Degree Programs

For More Information

Aubree Ross: 828-565-4152 or alross@haywood.edu