From painting an incredible mountain scene on a canvas and forming a wildflower vase out of clay to marbling a beautiful silk scarf and crafting a butterfly house for your monarch friends, creating a work of art with your own two hands is not only a fun activity but also a memorable experience — one you can display for many years to come. Release your inner artist by attending classes at the Hands-On Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts Weekend event from April 13 – 15, 2018 in Gatlinburg, a bustling town in Tennessee filled with entertainment and excitement around every corner!
The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community
Playing host to this artful event is the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, North America’s largest group of independent artisans with more than 120 skilled members. Designated a Tennessee Heritage Arts and Crafts Trail (a treasured 8-mile loop road in Gatlinburg), stop by anytime for a chance to speak with the artists and craftsmen themselves or to simply admire their masterpieces — and take home a few, too!
Along the trail you’ll find…
- Carved bears, birdhouses, eagles, tables, homeware, and more at The Wood Whittlers (the oldest operating craft shop in the community)
- Carefully sculpted candles with heavenly scents at Village Candles
- Handcrafted tea sets, pitchers, trays, and bowls at Gatlinburg Ceramics
- Bronze sculptures and glass pendants at Hills Creek Gallery & Glass Studio
- Handmade soaps from natural ingredients at the Misty Mountain Soap Company
- Scented jewelry made from real roses at The Rose Pedaler
Be an Artist for a Day!
Learn how to make a star table topper or bath fizzy bombs, weave a small basket or rag rug, build a bluebird or butterfly house, and create a sturdy gourd bowl or marbled silk scarf — straight from the pros! With more than 20 classes to choose from, Hands-On Gatlinburg gives you plenty of options, making this event enjoyable for family and friends alike. Spots fill up fast, so be sure to book the classes you want to participate in (sampling below) as soon as possible! Concerned about parking fees? Don’t be — because parking is FREE!
Use your creative skills to…
Make a Vase
Sign up for the Spin a Vase class at Fowler’s Clay Works to learn the pottery way. Spend the first half of the lesson practicing your vase-spinning skills on the potter’s wheel and the latter portion shaping and finishing your lovely vase. There will be 2 classes offered (one on April 13 and another on April 14) with a 6-student limit and a minimum age requirement of 13. Each class will last for 2 hours from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. and will cost $50 per student.
Fowler’s Clay Works
1402 East Parkway, Suite #10
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-412-1003
Sculpt a Glass Bear
Learn how to blow a glass ornament in the one-on-one Glass Blowing class at Sparky’s Glassblowing. The ornament of choice will be a classic Smoky Mountain bear — how fitting! From April 13 – 15, classes will be offered (24 total) every hour from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (minus 1 p.m. for lunch). Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and each lesson will cost $65.
Sparky’s Glassblowing
849 Glades Road, Suite #1C4
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-325-8186
Build a Bluebird House
Zuke’s Woodworkz is ready to take you on a birdhouse-building adventure with their Bluebird House class! Discover the nature and habits of bluebirds as you create a comfortable home for your flying friends. One class will be held on April 13 from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and another on April 15 from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. There will be a limit of 6 students (12 years old and up) per class, and the cost will be a mere $45 per lesson.
Zuke’s Woodworkz
680 Glades Road, Unit 4
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-805-2614
Play the Mountain Dulcimer
Bring the tunes of your melodious soul to life with the mountain dulcimer — a traditional instrument of the Appalachian Mountains. Basic techniques will be taught in the Beginning Dulcimer class at Cliff Dwellers Gallery. This local art gallery will be hosting 2 dulcimer classes (each beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m.): one on April 13 and another on April 15. With a 4-student limit (minimum age of 12) and a fee of only $25, secure your musical spot before they’re gone!
Cliff Dwellers Gallery
668 Glades Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-6921
Paint a Turkey Feather
Have you ever wanted to paint something other than a typical canvas or wooden object? Well, Cliff Dwellers Gallery will also play host to the Painting a Monarch Butterfly on Turkey Feather class, which will introduce students to professional techniques for painting on peculiar surfaces with acrylic paints. Only one class will be offered from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on April 14 with a limit of 6 students, a minimum age requirement of 15, and a lesson fee of $48.
Cliff Dwellers Gallery
668 Glades Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-6921
Quilt a Table Topper
Piece together a strata star table topper for a friend, relative, coworker, or yourself! Put your basic sewing machine knowledge to use in the Star Table Topper class, which will be offered at Mountain Stitches by Susan from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on April 13. This quilting class will be limited to 6 students (18 years of age or older) and will cost $48 to participate.
Mountain Stitches by Susan
601 Glades Road, Suite #13
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-0077
Other Creative Classes
Cliff Dwellers Gallery | 865-436-6921
- Hand-Painted Gourd Birdhouse
- Acrylic Painting on Masonite
- Artistic Gourd Bowl with Lid
- Play with Watercolor
- Marble a Silk Scarf!
- Paint the Smokies
- Basket Weaving
- Paper Marbling
- Rug Weaving
A. Jann Peitso, Art! | 865-436-2363
- Grandmother’s Unfinished Quilt
- Dancing Behind the Fairy Trees
- Everything but The Bird
Zuke’s Woodworkz | 865-805-2614
- Paint Your Own Owl
- Butterfly House
Proffitt’s Woodworks | 865-436-0180
- Create Your Own Pastry Roller & Biscuit Cutter
Firefly Glass Studio | 865-206-6083
- Fused Glass Trinket Tray or Glass Tile
Misty Mountain Soap Co. | 865-430-8084
- Bath Fizzies & Scrubs