Berea College Student Craft Program Shifts Focus to Student-Designed Works Aligned with Institutional Values

Berea College's Student Craft program has undergone a significant shift in direction in recent years, moving away from producing traditional Appalachian crafts for public sale. According to Aaron Beale, associate vice president of student craft, the program now emphasizes student-designed creations that reflect Berea College's eight "Great Commitments." These commitments include principles such as sustainability and support for Appalachia. The program operates as part of the college's work requirement system, where students who are not necessarily craft majors participate in craft production at the tuition-free institution. A recent tour of the department was led by Beale following a chairmaking class at the Woodworking School at Pine Croft, which is managed by Berea Student Craft. Examples of the new approach include the Chaos Tote Bag, designed by student Dylan Heil to utilize surplus yarn, resulting in unique, non-repeating patterns that align with sustainability goals. Other items like the Community Basket draw inspiration from traditional Shaker oval boxes but incorporate modern design elements such as staggered bent bands and negative space. The program continues to use materials from local forests and maintains traditional forms like the turkey wing broom, balancing Appalachian heritage with forward-looking concepts. The Broomcraft section was noted for producing high-quality brooms that surpass inexpensive imported alternatives. The program's evolution has inspired potential future publications from Lost Art Press. The article was authored by Christopher Schwarz, who has visited the department multiple times over two decades and is a longtime purchaser of student-made crafts.