Professional Crafts

 

Mission & History

Haywood Community College's Professional Crafts programs offer intensive courses of study in Clay, Fiber, Jewelry, and Wood that blend craftsmanship, design, and entrepreneurship. Our goal is to provide an immersive, hands-on, practical, and affordable education that transforms one's dream into a viable craft business. Graduates can earn a 1-year Diploma or 2-year Associate Degree in their chosen focus area.

In 1977, Haywood Community College and local citizens recognized the craft heritage of the region by creating the Production Crafts program. The pioneering curriculum stirs the creative spirit, develops technical expertise and sharpens marketing and business skills.

  • Clay vase
  • Room screen made from wood.
  • Clay frog on a turquoise rock.
  • Chair made from wood.
  • Jewelry set.
  • Silver earrings
  • Variety of wood used to create circular mirror.
  • Woven scarf

Jewelry

student made dangle earrings with gemstones and silver

The Jewelry program prepares individuals to become professional metalsmiths. Instruction includes jewelry techniques, design, and marketing. Students will learn metal forming techniques, metal decorative techniques, jewelry design, studio safety, and tool and machine orientation.

About Jewelry

Fiber

rainbow thread on loom with hands working for weaving

The Fiber program is an intensive curriculum focusing on the design and creation of fiber work, ranging from textile products to contemporary fiber art. Students concentrate on woven textiles and gain many opportunities to include hand dyeing, stitching, surface design techniques and much more to their original fabric creations. Textile history courses provide an in-depth exposure to textile traditions and techniques around the world including cultural and economic perspectives.

More About Fiber

Clay

clay plate with blue on bottom, gray on top

The Clay program offers a comprehensive curriculum to support the creation of ceramic work ranging from utilitarian table ware to one-of-a-kind artwork. Students learn a variety of clay-working skills and gain technical knowledge of clay and glaze materials to realize their creative visions. Hands-on work includes firing electric, gas and wood-burning kilns and managing a studio.

Clay Program

Wood

student produced small wood table with drawers

The Wood program provides individuals with traditional values of fine craftsmanship, creative design, and an entrepreneurial spirit for a small wood working enterprise. Coursework includes a strong emphasis on creative thinking and problem solving.

Wood Program

Unique Programming

Graduates of the Professional Crafts Program will have the knowledge and business skills to prepare them for a future in their chosen specialty area for a future in production, entrepreneurship, gallery-work or teaching.