The residency renewed in us the determination for interaction and connection in which we can work to restore a belief in harmony between people and place, whether it be in a mountainous or urban setting. In this way art can act to moderate some of the alienation marked by differences of race, gender, and class we find in our homes, schools, and communities.

Learning fostered personal development in the realms of art, literacy, career visioning, and environmental awareness as well as collaboration and leadership skills. Workshops that incorperated principles of recycling or reuse included book arts (paper, paste); wood fireing (fuled by waste matericals from a near-by pallet factory); and stonescaping (native rocks used to construct trail benches and trail head markers. Literacy enhancement included daily journal prompts and student-led poetry exzcersizes and readings. Collaboration and leadership rolse for specific workshops included the wood firing, glazing, paste-paper teach-in, creative writing, and Japanese calligraphy. Preparing and stoking the fireboxes through the 16-hour wood firing, and stonescaping with massive rocks made for high demands of effective team work. The final programming day included visits to the Mitchell County Engergy E-change and the studios of nationally renowned craftspeople who have made their homes and livelihoods in the extended Penland community. The Energy X-change visit brought the art/environment link into sharp focus through the use of leading edge technology to harvest methane from a public landfill to heat studios and fuel kilns for glass and ceramic production. (view image)