Arts and Crafts
Arts & Crafts Guilds
and Societies
If you're a blacksmith, pastel artist, or potter, there's a guild for you in North Carolina. There are arts & crafts guilds and societies throughout the state for different art forms. Please let us know what we're missing. For customers, these are great sites to learn about the artists and purchase products.
Longleaf Arts and Crafts Guild - Located in Wallace, the Guild showcases works of local artists and craftspeople, e.g., wood working, basket weaving, painting, jewelry making, photography... Members come from Eastern N.C. counties such as Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, and Sampson.
North Carolina Artist-Blacksmith’s Association (NC ABANA) - (Yes, blacksmiths still exist!) NC ABANA is an organization of men and women who practice and preserve the skills of black-smithing. It includes hobbyists, farriers, blade smiths, architectural fabricators, sculptors, museum inter-preters, furniture makers, and others who utilize the traditional blacksmith skills.
The Pastel Society of North Carolina - The Pastel Society is located in Chapel Hill and show-cases over 80 pastel artists. A list of events, and a short biography & contact information are available.
Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc. - This guild was established in Winston-Salem in 1963. It represents nearly 400 of the region’s most talented artisans including many from North Carolina. It conducts work-shops, mounts exhibitions, and has a gallery & shop.
Seagrove Area Potters Association, Inc. (SAPA) - (This is a great pottery site!) SAPA is dedicated to promoting and marketing the pottery community in a corner of Randolph, Moore, and Mont-gomery counties known as the “Seagrove area.” This area has been home to many potters since the late 1700s. The site has very useful information on the potters, events, and history of the area.
Southern Highland Craft Guild - Chartered in 1930, it is one of the strongest craft organizations in the country. Located in Asheville, the Craft Guild represents over 900 craftspeople in 293 counties of nine southeastern states. It operates the Blue Ridge Parkway's Folk Art Center, runs the bi-annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, & has an online store.
Triangle Potters Guild - The Guild was founded in 1982 and is located in Raleigh. It promotes the art and craft of ceramics in the Triangle Area, and pro-vides a forum for local potters and ceramic artists to share their experiences and knowledge of clay. It has useful information about the potters and ceramists.
Yadkin County Craft Guild - This guild is a non-profit arts organization based in Elkin, in the heart of the Yadkin Valley. The Guild represents professional craft artisans in the 18 county Yadkin River watershed region. They have a gallery shop.