Ocrafolk School Grand Opening Offered Learning and Community Experiences By Sundae Horn Ocrafolk School held its grand opening session last week, offering five classes in cooking, photography, jewelry, basketry and island culture. The week started off with a welcome from Director Gary Mitchell and a meet-the-instructors dinner at the Pony Island Restaurant. After Monday morning’s breakfast at Deepwater Theater, Philip Howard led the group in a walk through the village. He gave them a short history lesson about the island and its people, and wended his way to the Community Store docks, where the group stepped aboard the schooner Windfall for a sailing excursion with Captain Rob Temple. Classes started Monday afternoon, followed by a dinner of John Ivey’s fish cakes at Jason’s Restaurant. After Tuesday’s classes and dinner at the Pony Island, Philip Howard took the group on a ghost walk under the nearly-full moon. David Senseney hosted a shrimp boil dinner at Soundfront Inn on Wednesday night, followed by a bonfire. Molasses Creek, Coyote and other performers from the Ocrafolk Opry provided music, and everyone praised Debbie Wells for bringing the fixin’s for s’mores. Thursday’s rain couldn’t dampen spirits, and the planned sea chantey trip aboard the Windfall became a sea chantey sing-a-long at Soundfront Inn. Later that evening, local musicians and storytellers entertained with a special Opry performance, followed by a traditional Ocracoke square dance led by Philip Howard. On Friday, the group was treated to a delicious grand finale breakfast cooked by Debbie Wells and her students. Then everyone gathered at Deepwater Theater for a show-and-tell, where each class shared what they’d learned, accomplished and created during the week. The Ocrafolk Sampler class went on nature hikes with David Senseney, and clamming and kayaking, too. With Philip Howard they learned about Ocracoke bird traps, making meal wine, and got a tour of the Howard St. cemeteries. Rob Temple taught “the arts of the sailor” (traditional ropework) and provided a meal of homemade hardtack. With a GPS in hand, Temple also led the group to the remains of some historic Ocracoke shipwrecks, and told their stories. Local writer Jamie Tunnell got to sit in on some of the classes. “I learned so much!” she said. “The Ocrafolk Sampler class should be required for everyone who lives here.” Judith Saunders taught Basketry to six students with very different skill levels. Two were complete beginners, two were somewhat experienced, and two are basketry teachers themselves who wanted to learn a particular technique that Saunders specializes in. Ann Sinclair off Manteo was one of the beginners. She completed two baskets during her week, and said she was “thrilled” with the Ocrafolk School. “It’s not just a class, it’s an experience,” she said. Pattie Bagley teaches basket-making at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. She came to the Ocrafolk School to learn “bias plaiting” from Saunders, a technique that was new to her. “It’s my first trip to Ocracoke,” she said, “It’s fun to come here and get to know the people and the island in ways that I couldn’t if I just came as a tourist.” Kathleen O’Neal’s Enamel Jewelry class were all beginners when they arrived, but now they are happily addicted to enameling. Each student finished several pieces of jewelry, and learned to experiment with techniques and materials. Student Carol Doty said she heard about the Ocrafolk School at the Ocrafolk Festival in June, and “dreamed and fantasized about the jewelry class all summer. It was a fantasy of mine to work with Kathleen.” “The class is wonderful,” she said. “I love having the experience of living here with the artists, singing with them, sharing meals with them. I couldn’t sleep at all after the first day – I had thirty ideas in my head all at once!” The students in Ann Ehringhaus’s photography class were equally enthusiastic. “It exceeded my expectations,” said student Zoe Katz, “and they were high!” The class worked with film and digital photography, exploring the island through the camera’s lens. Student Bill Lord of Chocowinity, NC said he was “amazed” at how much Ehringhaus taught them in a week. “In a short amount of time we’ve all learned a lot,” he said. “She taught us new ways of seeing within the first few hours of class.” Each participant left with a portfolio of at least fifteen shots they were happy with and that had passed the group critiquing sessions. (See this week’s Island Images for some examples.) Soundfront Inn was the place to be around lunchtime, when Debbie Wells’s cooking class was serving up the day’s recipes. Her students learned the secrets to making some of the recipes from the Back Porch Cookbook, like perennial favorite Bourbon Pecan Chicken. One day’s menu included the chicken, plus Scallops with Pesto Mayonnaise, Bacon and Tomato, Maple Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus with Red Pepper Mayonnaise, Beef Tenderloin with Olive Tapenade and Chevre Butter, French bread, Brownies and more! Ocracoke Seafood Company donated all the seafood for the class, and the students returned the favor by delivering plates of delicious food to the fish house. Wells invited other cooks in to share their expertise; John Ivey Wells taught the class to make his famous fish cakes and Ruth Toth demonstrated the fine art of Southern biscuit making. The class even made a field trip to Van O’Neal’s garage to learn how to make his clam fritters. Llewellyn Allison came all the way from Onancock, VA to take the cooking class. She said she’d learned that “where there’s Debbie, there’s butter!” Her favorite quote of the week was: “My regret is that I have but one stomach to give to this meal.” Gary Mitchell and the rest of the Ocrafolk School Board of Directors are already making plans for next year’s classes. Check out www.ocrafolkschool.org for more information.