As you most likely know, the John C. Campbell Folk School is one of my favorite places in the entire world. I'm headed that way in November to teach another soap class. From time to time, I have taken Campbell with me (yes, she is named after the school) when I head up that way to teach. She thinks it is her school since it bears her name. She had a ball this year at the "Little/Middle Folk School."
A few classes back, I noticed a gentleman standing by the door to my class. I thought he was one of the many visitors that stop by to check out the classes taking place. To my surprise, he pulled out a partially finished painting of my Campbell. I was awestruck. It seems he was inspired by this particular day.
He had noticed her a couple of classes prior. Right outside the classroom is a beautiful field framed by the Appalachian moutains. A few hay bales were in the field, and Campbell was jumping from bale to bale. Apparently , she made an impression. "Uncle Bert" as he is called in Brasstown, NC, snapped a few photos and felt inspired to paint her.
One of the photos from that day
He kindly asked if I minded, which of course I did not. I remember that he had tears in his eyes when he asked me. I don't think I realized at that point what an impression she made on him that day. That was probably a couple of years ago. To my surprise, I found an enormous box at my front door a few weeks ago. I had not ordered anything online, and couldn't imagine what was inside. I found this...
Painting
This is what he wrote to explain his painting:
Campbell Jumps Bale-Original Oil Painting
One spring Sunday morning, I walked over to the Folk School, camera in hand, looking for an inspiration for my next landscape painting. Imagine my surprise to to see this little girl playfully jumping from hay bale to hay bale. Campbell's (most likely named for the school) mother was nearby teaching a weekend class.
Besides the painting, he also included copies of all the pictures he had taken, as well as a mounted posterboard of the picture and greeting cards with the painting on the front. I stood transfixed, staring at these beautiful images of my daughter, my Campbell, in her element at her school. She obviously touched his heart. And he mine.
It's funny, Campbell is such an embodiment of the Folk School. She is so aptly named for the place she calls her own. She captures its spirit, as I'm sure you can see from this treasure. She begs to go, has such a love for art and the types of crafts taught, and seems to almost be a light when she is there...building fairy houses, making cornhusk dolls, and truly loving the creativity of it all.
