A few websites get better with age — especially when the subject is as charming as the Penland School of Crafts, located in the picturesque Appalachian Mountains. In 2004, Penland celebrated its 75th anniversary with an extensive exhibition and a supporting website developed by Interactive Knowledge.
Penland was founded in the 1920s to help isolated mountain folk earn extra income through their handiwork. The school went on to become an internationally recognized center for crafts. IK worked with the Mint Museum of Craft+Design and a team of teachers to present the fascinating history of the craft school. Interactive Knowledge worked with the museum’s historian to gather historic images and write a timeline based on the founder’s autobiography titled Gift From the Hills.
The anniversary also provided the opportunity to present a broad spectrum of student art online for the first time. Over 115 art objects created by Penland students can be examined in detail. The objects are categorized in a number of useful ways (medium, year produced, subject matter, etc,) so users can sort the objects to focus on areas of interest.
Also on the site are video clips of Penland artists and teachers demonstrating techniques and philosophies unique to the Penland approach to craft. Former students are encouraged to sign up for an online reunion. E-cards are available with both current and historic images.
