The West Virginia Division of Culture and History will present a wheat-weaving workshop as part of its Discover Arts and Crafts series on Saturday, May 3, from 1 - 5 p.m. at the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. There is a $15 fee per person, plus an additional $15 for supplies that is paid to the craftsperson. Participation is limited to 12 students, aged 15 to adult, and reservations are required.
Sue Cosgrove of Millstone will lead the workshop. She became interested in the craft while living in Scotland more than 25 years ago where she first encountered the simple beauty of “corn dollies” or woven wheat, and immediately immersed herself in research and the practice of the ancient art. Frequently requested as an instructor, Cosgrove participates in the Mountain State Arts and Crafts Fair, the Appalachian String Band Music Festival and many other local fairs and festivals, demonstrating and selling the woven wheat art.
Cosgrove says “As time and ability allow, students will learn several basic plaits and then incorporate the plaits into any of three designs.” Participants can take unfinished projects with instructions to complete at home.
For more information about the Discover Arts and Crafts series or to make a reservation, contact Bethany Cline, cultural program specialist for the Division, at (304) 558-0220, ext. 171. The next Discover Arts and Crafts workshop will be held on Saturday, June 7, with Joyce Cain who will lead a basket-making workshop.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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