Adirondack Folk School

Copper Embossing
2025-08-15 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Learn the discipline of Metal Working known as Embossing. Students will transfer an image of their choosing from a paper template to a sheet of copper by using various sizes of stylus and other hand tools to create a textured picture. Students will find that copper is a very workable material. Your finished piece will fit in with any Adirondack decor or even in a rustic birch frame! This piece is 8″ x 8″.

Fairies of the Adirondacks
2025-08-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Let the everyday slip away on this imaginative walk along the River Trail of the Adirondack Folk School. Drawing from Celtic lore, we’ll weave a tale about Fairies, while connecting the dots between the Faerie folk of Ireland and the Adirondacks. We’ll start with creating a house out of natural objects, both provided and found, for the Fairies of the Forest and end with sitting around the fire listening to the stories of the Fairy Tree Trail of Ardgillan Castle in Ireland, the Cottingley Fairies of England, and an Adirondack Poem or two on the Faerie realm. Enchanted tea and Fairy Bread will be served.

Copper Pine Branch Wall Hanging
2025-08-14 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Create your own pine branch wall hanging with vines, leaves, and pinecones. Different size pipe will be pounded and textured on an anvil to make the branches and vines. The leaves and cones will be made from sheet copper, then textured. This class will also involve some soldering. The finished piece will be approximately 25″ by 17″.

Introduction to Weaving on a Floor Loom
2025-08-14 09:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-13 09:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-12 09:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-11 09:00 - 13:00 | NY
Learn to weave on a floor loom. With instruction and hands on experience, you will perform each step of the process – winding a warp, dressing a loom, and weaving a cotton towel to take home and use for years to come.

Hiker (Small) Adirondack Pack Basket by Linda Scherz
2025-08-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-13 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
The Adirondack Pack Basket is one of the most recognized objects associated with the Adirondacks. Create your own pack basket patterned from the traditional Adirondack Pack Baskets. Adults and children can wear this pack. Students will weave a plain weave base with the pre-cut spokes. Then learn to continuous weave the sides of the basket, pack tight, level the top, weave a false rim, cut, and tuck, insert the wood handle, fit the rim and lash on basket. Lastly, add an adjustable webbing or leather harness secured with wood skids. This class will be fun for all weavers. This is a great intro size pack to making pack baskets. Linda will demonstrate, teach you weaving techniques and guide you while you weave your basket. Students will be using a drawknife and other sharp tools. Instructor will bring all materials to make the basket. Baskets will not be stained during class. Dimensions are 6″” x 9″” x 14″” high.

How to Tell a Story Part 2
2025-08-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-08-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This course explores the three-act story structure in greater detail and focuses on how to turn a short personal narrative or another story idea into a full-length screenplay/play, novel, or memoir. In this four week class, students with learn the techniques necessary to create multi- dimensional characters, develop a compelling plot, and identify the themes that will tie the elements of their story together. Students will leave with the tools they need to begin a first draft or revise an existing one. Course Prerequisite: How to Tell a Story Pt. 1 or instructor permission.

UFO Studio
2025-08-12 10:00 - 14:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
AFS UFO Studio, formerly known as Sewing Circle, is an out of this world opportunity for fiber artists to come and complete the UnFinished Objects floating around their home. UFO Studio is free to attend, and though it is non-instructional, peer-to-peer help is always available. All forms of projects are welcome ? bring your unfinished weaving, sewing, embroidery, rug hooking, knitting, crocheting, felting, or any other project that involves fiber handwork. AFS has a couple of sewing machines, small looms, and hand tools available but please feel free to bring your own!

Birch Bark Picture Frames and Mirrors
2025-08-12 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-11 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Birch bark picture frames and mirrors have adorned Adirondack camps and cabins for centuries and were a favorite winter project for the guides to make. This is a great class for beginners with limited experience with woodworking and tools. You will select a frame and learn how to cut and fasten the Birch bark, twigs and other natural objects to create your own ‘masterpiece’. Come see why this is one of our most popular classes. You’ll be proud to hang this in your home!

Rug Hooking
2025-08-10 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Students will use pre-cut wool strips to create a 14×15 hooked rug featuring this floral design on linen, and will also learn rug finishing techniques as part of the class. Wool colors may vary slightly.

Map & Compass Fundamentals
2025-08-09 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This course is a great place to learn the basics of field navigation. This class will take place indoors with a few outdoor activities; participants should come dressed for the weather. We will discuss map interpretation, compass use, declination, how to follow bearings to confidently traverse a landscape. No previous experience is required.

Eagle Eyes and Owl Ears
2025-08-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States

AFS Craft Sampler
2025-08-07 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-06 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-05 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-04 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
When is the last time you tried something for the first time? If you?ve wanted to try your hand at one of the many crafts offered at AFS but you couldn?t decide what to try, this program is for you! This summer we are offering a four-day program for students ages 16+ that explores a new core craft each day including basketry, blacksmithing, weaving, and woodworking. Students will learn a new skill and create a new project every day! Please note: No a la carte registration for single day courses. Lodging and food is not provided.
Day 1: Gathering Basket with Barbara Boughton This basket is woven on a pre-stained round oak base and employs continuous chase weave to build the sides. You will learn how to determine the number of spokes needed for continuous weave and watch your basket grow with two weavers. You will make your own leather handles which incorporate into the rim. Woven on a 6? base, this functional basket grows into a 12? diameter basket with 10? sides.
Day 2: Woven Towels with Janet Gallant One loom, one warp, so many possibilities! The looms are warped with a natural color and several towels can be woven on the loom. Several weaving patterns and design options will be demonstrated. Select your favorite pattern and colors and you’ll be on your way to a few hand woven towels to keep or to share.
Day 3: Forged Leaf Keychain with Arnie Barsky This class is ideal for the beginner blacksmith with little to no experience. We’ll explore basic techniques first then move on to forging leaves to create a decorative leaf keychain. Long pants (no nylon clothing) and closed-toe shoes are required. Leather gloves, eye and ear protection are provided; you may wish to bring your own for fit and comfort
Day 4: Wooden Keepsake Box with Larry Benjamin Using a walnut frame and specimen wood, you will create a gorgeous and distinctive piece for keeping your personal treasures safe. Woodworking techniques such as cutting, sanding and creating finger joints will be covered.

Keepsake Box
2025-08-03 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-02 09:00 - 16:00 | NY
Students will build a keepsake box using a walnut frame and specimen wood, creating a gorgeous and distinctive piece great for gifting. Woodworking techniques such as cutting, sanding, and creating finger joints will be covered.

Forging a Chef's Knife
2025-08-03 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-02 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-01 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-31 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This class is taught by renowned instructor and the very first winner of History Channel’s Forged in Fire, Matthew Parkinson. The chef’s knife is the most used knife in almost any home. These iconic knives help to create meals for family and loved ones. Well-made kitchen knives can last a lifetime and this class will give you the opportunity to create one of your very own. In this two-day class students will make their own chef’s knife from high carbon steel. All aspects of bladesmithing will be covered, from forging the blade to shaping, then heat treating, grinding and polishing, making and fitting a wooden handle and finally, sharpening – with very special attention given to the design and geometry of this kind of knife. This class is intended as an introductory bladesmithing class, but some forging experience is helpful.

ADK Creepy Crawlers in Clay
2025-07-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States

How to Tell a Story Part 1
2025-07-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Everyone has a story to tell – what matters is how you tell it. In this four-part class, students will focus on the basics of the personal narrative – a story told in first person that relates the story teller’s own experience. Students will develop a five-minute (750-word) story from start to finish through in-class exercises and take-home assignments. They will learn how to mine their memories for story ideas, structure their thoughts for maximum effectiveness, and find the details that will bring their stories to life. At the conclusion of the course, students will be offered the opportunity to share their work in front of a live audience on a date to be determined by the class as a whole.

Hues of the Hudson: Adirondack Plein Air Painting
2025-07-27 10:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Join artist Takeyce Walter for a hands-on plein air oil painting workshop that celebrates the stunning colors and landscapes on the banks of the Hudson River at the Adirondack Folk School. In this immersive class, you?ll explore the art of capturing nature from direct observation, learning techniques to translate the wildness and colors of the historic Hudson River onto canvas. Whether you’re an experienced painter or just beginning, this workshop is designed to enhance your skills in composition, color mixing, and brushwork while engaging deeply with the environment around you. Takeyce will provide personalized instruction, demonstrating how to observe and capture light, shadow, and atmosphere to create dynamic and expressive works of art. Come prepared to paint outdoors, as we explore the majestic landscapes and shifting hues of the Hudson. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of plein air techniques and a completed painting that reflects your unique experience in the Adirondack wilderness. All skill levels are welcome. Bring your own painting materials and dress for the weather.
