[Petition] Save the Arrowmont Crafts School

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi all,

There is a bit of a fuss going around with a petition to save the
Arrowmont Crafts School (very worth saving) the petition text is:

from: Petition save arrowmont

The Pi Beta Phi Fraternity, specifically the seven person Grand
Council, has started negotiations to sell and develop the
property they have owned and used for education since 1912 and
has been home to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts since
1968. According to Emily Tarr, Grand president of the fraternity,
“this development is another opportunity to benefit the
community.” Mrs Tarr is completely wrong. The development of the
Arrowmont property will do nothing to benefit Gatlinburg.
Building more tourist traps of excess consumption and greed is of
no advantage to the community. Please sign this petition to send
a message to Mrs. Tarr and the other members of the Pi Phi Grand
Council that you do not support this development and you want to
save Arrowmont! (Note you do not have to donate to ipetitions to
comment)

From the Arrowmont site itself it reads a bit differently (and
is more reassuring-like maybe the school is not threatened) and
it is difficult to tell exactly what the issues are. I would
suggest, if you care about this to send a note of support for the
school and its actions and importance to Arrowmont at info at

Here is Arrowmont’s info on this:

Pi Beta Phi Gatlinburg Property Negotiations

It has recently been announced by Pi Beta Phi Fraternity that
they are in negotiations with a party interested in purchasing
Fraternity property in Gatlinburg, which is currently being
leased to Arrowmont. Arrowmont and its Board of Governors are
currently working with Pi Beta Phi to continue the success of
Arrowmont.

This news in no way affects Arrowmont’s scheduled programs.
Arrowmont is conducting business as usual and is looking forward
to welcoming students to campus this fall for its array of one
week and weekend workshops. The gallery is soon to be brimming
with an inspirational exhibition of pottery in conjunction with
Utilitarian Clay V: Celebrate the Object National Symposium that
will take center stage Sept. 10-13. You won’t want to miss this
fantastic exhibit of world-renowned ceramic artists that runs
Aug. 22-Nov. 1.

Arrowmont is committed to its mission of enriching lives through
art and will continue to provide the highest quality instruction
to our students, fostering self-expression through hands-on art
experiences. from: http://www.arrowmont.org/arrowmontnews.html

2

I have been receiving and reading much on the fuss about Arrowmont
too Charles. The Phi Beta Phi website says under the future of
Arrowmont, that they can choose to continue, or not. The crux is
that they(Pi Phi) seek to possibly sever the ties legally and
financially with Arrowmont. I an distressed over this and truly
hope it doesn’t become part of the circus on the strip. I live in
Nashville and TN is full of curiosities, and Gatlnburg used to be a
wonderful art place full of traditional folk art and fine craft then
developers and such changed into what we have today. Arrowmont and
the Arrowcraft Gallery are the last bastions of true culture in the
main city area. All other art has had to move out to the ‘craft
circle’ out of town. Even that now become threatened by shops much
like the ones on the ‘strip’.

I LOVE Arrowmont and truly enjoy attending the workshops there. I
was a Faculty Assistant this Spring and had a lovely time. I wish I
had more money to attend there. You never know you are right there
in the middle of a busy tourist section and it is truly quiet and
relaxing. However, if you want to venture out you can see taffy
pulling machines and have a SUPER Cuban sandwich at the Cuban
restaurant(I grew up in FL).

I’d just hate to see it go by the wayside.

Susan
www.ThorntonStudioJewelry.com