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.

Beginning Wheel Throwing

Through demonstrations and one on one coaching, we will learn all the steps to create simple forms such as bowls, cups, and bud vases. Learn More

Ceramic Jewelry

Curious about creating unique jewelry? This 5-week course explores ceramic pendant and bead making! It is available to artists of all skill levels. Learn More

Creating Ceramic Lanterns

Light up your creativity with this ceramic lantern class! Artists of all skill levels will compose a minimum of two lanterns during this 4-week hand building course. Students will learn the slab building method and utilize hand building tools to create illuminating designs, the perfect addition to any living space!  Learn More

Guided Open Studio

This class is perfect for those who have already taken a beginning or intermediate pottery class and are looking to hone their skills. Students will identify a project to work on during the class and work at their own pace to complete the project. Learn More

Pottery Around the World: The Americas

Students will learn about pottery traditions of indigenous people of North and South America. This class will allow students to make pots and animal figures with coil building techniques, explore the use of natural tools and learn to process native clay from our region to use as natural pigment. Learn More

Pottery: Garden Party

This is a hand building class for anyone looking to improve upon their slab building skills. Participants will construct planters, a frog or fairy house, a bird feeder, and fun garden critters. Learn More

Pottery: Get A Handle On It

Are you tired of making nice pots only to put mediocre handles on them? Want to learn more creative ways to shape and apply handles? Come take this fun and fast paced crash course for creating better handles on your pots! Learn More

Pottery: Glaze Creation

This class is designed for intermediate to advanced students who would like to learn about mixing and formulating their own glazes. We will discuss basic glaze chemistry, choose recipes to test, and as a class create a triaxial blend of colors. Learn More

Pottery: Make A Mug

This is a course available to artists of all different skill levels. Through the exploration of hand building with clay, students will learn to create unique utilitarian artworks. Each week students will be learning and working with different hand building techniques to create a minimum of three mugs. Learn More

Pottery: Raku Rodeo

Students will participate in the exciting interactive firing process known as raku! We will do American style raku with color changing glazes, horsehair raku, and obvara, otherwise known as Baltic raku. Students must be able to make basic thrown or hand built pots on their own. Learn More

Pottery: Swirling Clay

Swirling with Possibilities! Learn to use colored clays on and off the wheel to create pottery with beautiful swirls and patterns! We will explore agateware, nerikomi, and millefiori to open up whole new worlds of possibilities for surface design. This class is designed for intermediate to advanced students with a basic knowledge of throwing and handbuilding. Learn More

Intro to Drawing

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 composition. While using pencil, a variety of subject matter including still life, nature, people and buildings will be explored. Learn More

Drawing 2

Let’s keep nurturing your creative side together. Clarify your identity, vision, and voice. Commit to a weekly practice of how to visually interpret what you see and capture on paper. We will sharpen our artistic skills with drawing fundamentals: line, contour, shapes, shading, controlling tones, proportion, perspective, and composition. Learn More

Intro to Painting

Painting is lots of fun and using acrylic paint is one of the best ways to be introduced to creating colorful art. We are going to demystify color theory by exploring the elements of color and how colors relate to each other. Learn More

Painting 2

Clarify your identity, vision, and voice. Commit to a weekly practice of how to visually interpret what you see and capture on paper. We will sharpen our artistic skills with painting fundamentals: color, line, contour, shapes, shading, controlling tones, proportion, perspective, and composition. Learn More

Oil Painting
Typical painting classes do not allow sufficient time for working in oil and for clean-up. In this 3-hour course, we can spend some time in this buttery medium. You may also work in acrylic if that is what you have. Learn More

Stained Glass Flower Holder

Create a leaded stained glass flower holder in this workshop, from start to finish. This is appropriate for both beginners to glass and those who want to learn the lead came method. Students will learn to cut glass, fit lead came, and solder. Learn More

Stained Glass Ornamental Panel

Learn the lead came method of stained glass from start to finish by creating a beautiful panel of dazzling color to hang in your window. In this workshop, students will learn the basics of how to cut glass, fit lead came, and solder. Learn More

Canning Made Simple

Home Canning both economical and a healthy alternative to processed commercial foods. It can also be very rewarding as it can unite friends, family and the community. Learn More

Essential Wilderness Skills

Join us for our Essential Wilderness Skills Course, a fun and friendly exploration designed for everyone, whether you're a beginner or just looking to refresh your skills! Learn More

Building Beehives

Building Beehives is a fun and instructive 5-week course designed for practicing beekeepers who are interested in building their own hive boxes. Prior knowledge of power tools and equipment is helpful but not required. This course requires previous beekeeping experience! Learn More

Broom Making

Explore the lost art of broom making and get swept up in the process! In this class, you’ll learn a little about the history of broom making in the region and the materials needed to tie a variety of hand brooms. We’ll start with a simple whisk and progress to a traditional Appalachian style and Japanese folk brooms. Expect to leave with 4-6 hand brooms and a fun new hobby. Learn More

Honey Bee Diseases, Pests & Treatments
This course is an advanced 5-week study for beekeepers who have previously completed the HCC Backyard Beekeeping course or, beekeepers who have their certification(s) from the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA). Prior knowledge about honeybees is required. Learn More
Weave a Seat

Save a seatless chair from the trash heap! In this workshop, you’ll learn to use Shaker tape to bring function back to a ubiquitous chair form that can be found in thrift stores and on roadsides all over the country. Weave new life into a treasured heirloom or create one of your own over the course of an afternoon. Learn More

Ceramic Jewelry

Curious about creating unique jewelry? This 5-week course explores ceramic pendant and bead making! It is available to artists of all skill levels. Learn More

Enamel Daisy Earrings

This class provides an excellent introduction to enameling, guiding students through the process of preparing copper and using sifting techniques to achieve vibrant colors on copper. By the end of the class, each student will have a finished pair of earrings to take home. Learn More

Enamel Floral Pendant

This class provides an excellent introduction to enameling, guiding students through the process of preparing copper and using sifting techniques to achieve vibrant colors on copper. Participants will also explore sgraffito techniques to add unique designs to their pieces. By the end of the class, each student will have a finished pendant to take home.. Learn More

Fun Fused Earrings

This workshop is ideal for beginners and experienced students eager to enhance their skills. Learn the art of fusing Argentium Silver while creating a pair of stunning earrings. Each student will leave class with a finished pair of earrings. Learn More

Let's Make: Titanium or Copper Cuff

No jewelry making experience needed in this class! You can choose the material, either titanium or copper, to build your cuff. Instructions will be provided to guarantee a successful experience and lots of fun. All tools are provided. Just bring your creativity and a desire to make something beautiful. Learn More

Stone Setting Workshop

This workshop is perfect for students with metalsmithing experience who want to expand their skills and incorporate cabochon stones into their work. Designed for intermediate students, it covers bezel setting for round and oval stones. The class will also cover prong/claw settings for irregularly shaped stones. Learn More

Intermediate Violin & Cello

This course is for violin or cello students that have either completed the beginner class, have prior experience, or have submitted a brief audition file to the instructor. Learn More

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. Learn basic sight-reading skills, ear-training exercises, practice scales, and explore different musical styles such as classical and fiddle tunes. Learn More

Beginning Floor Loom Weaving

Have you ever dreamed of owning a floor loom and making beautiful handwoven pieces? Do you own a loom, but you're not quite sure how to use it? Or maybe you've woven in the past and need a refresher? Learn More

Weaving: Beginner Rigid Heddle

The rigid heddle loom is a small but mighty piece of weaving equipment. It is easy to use yet you could spend a lifetime exploring everything it will do!  This two-day course is designed for the aspiring rigid heddle weavers or experienced weavers looking for a refresher. Learn More

Getting to Know Your Sewing Machine

Get to know your sewing machine! In this class we will do a deep dive into understanding and getting comfortable using your machine. In addition to covering parts, functions, and essential tools, we will master threading and bobbin winding. Learn More

Quilting

Come learn the basics of choosing and project-cutting with a ruler and rotary blade. Sewing will take place on one of our babyloc machines. These classes are for beginners and accomplished quilters. Bring the projects you are working on now and quilt them on one of our longarm 3 quilters. Learn More

Upholstery

Students should bring a simple desk or dining chair with a seat bottom or a footstool for their first project. You will dive right in on your first day of class. Learn More

View All Classes Catalog Degree Programs

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.

If you ahve an idea for a Continuing Education Creative Arts class, please contact our Coordinator at ajhornsby@haywood.edu.

For More Information

828-565-4152 or hcc-creativearts@haywood.edu