Blog
2020 Summer Program Assistant Job Posting
The Folk School in Fairbanks is looking for a summer program assistant for Summer 2020. The person in this position will provide support for summer programs at The Folk School, and could include:
- offering short course programs directed at both kids and adults
- management of our small retail shop
- providing information about The Folk School to visitors and locals throughout the summer, at both our Pioneer Park cabin and during local events, such as farmers and art markets
- marketing of both summer and year-round classes and programs
- logistical support for both summer immersion experiences, Week in the Woods and Weekend on the River
- opportunity to learn new things and interact with a vibrant community of creative people.
This is a multi-faceted position, and we will take into account the skills and experience of the successful candidate when determining day to day activities.
Requirements:
- Ideally, the candidate would have a background in arts and/or crafts, and have a desire to promote hands-on learning to the community and visitors
- Must complete a background check
- Candidates should be able lift 35 pounds, and have the ability/desire to work outside during both Pioneer Park events and camp and work outside at summer programs Week in the Woods and Weekend on the River
- Have a flexible schedule that may include some evenings and weekends, and overnight during summer immersion programs
Compensation/Hours:
20-30 hours per week, with schedule and hours varying, according to the needs of The Folk School. The position will be from mid-May to early September after Labor Day.
$10-12 per hour, including the opportunity to attend summer immersions as an assistant.
Please check out our full range of courses and programs at https://folk.school.
To apply, please send a letter of interest and a resume highlighting relevant experience by April 3rd, 2020, to Don Kiely, Operations Director, operations@folk.school.
Click here to view a printable version of the job posting.
Printmakers Portfolio Raffle & Print Sale



The three prints above, by Glenna Gannon, Bill Brody, and Ina Timling, are a few of the many prints that will be included in our upcoming Printmakers Portfolio Raffle & Print Sale!
We are raising funds with the goal of setting up the Folk School basement for printmaking. Thanks to Bill Brody we have a printing press, but now we need to make the space workable.
The Print Opening & Sale will be November 22, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, and November 23, 12:00 – 5:00 pm in The Folk School cabin.
In addition to the print sale, two complete sets of original prints from at least 15 artists (from Alaska and beyond) will be raffled.
Tickets will be available at The Folk School cabin, The Bear Gallery at Pioneer Park, and online between Oct. 4 and Nov. 22.
Click here to purchase raffle tickets online.
Tickets are $10 each, or 3 for $25.
Raffle Drawing: November 22, 2019 at 7:30 pm (in the cabin).
Artists include: Mandy Bernard, Hannah Rose Berry, Bill Brody, Glenna Gannon, Scott Hansen, Jessie Hedden, Kayde Kaiser, Yumi Kawaguchi, Mary Maisch, David Mollett, Tony Perelli, Macy Possenti, Gail Priday, Natalie Ott Schuldt, Sara Tabbert, Ina Timling, Jesse Venable
Updating the TFS Membership Program
Dear Folk School Community,
In pursuit of our mission to perpetuate the joy of hands-on learning, we are constantly working to make our classes more accessible to the community. To that end we are changing our class fee structure and our membership program.
Starting with our classes in September, we are moving to single rate pricing for all of our courses. Instead of having different rates for members and non-members, we are going to have just one low rate available to everyone in the community. We also are developing our scholarship program to make classes available to students of all means. We’ll be posting more details about how to apply for a scholarship, as well as an easy way to make donations to our scholarship fund on our website soon.
Memberships have always been about affirming your commitment and support of The Folk School. We use funds raised from memberships to support our programming and keep costs as low as possible. To better reflect this commitment, we’re modifying our membership program so everyone who donates more than $50 is included as a member of The Folk School. Starting in September, members will receive our Annual Report, our newsletter, access to members-only events, 10% off Folk School store purchases, and Folk School Library privileges. More information about making a donation and about the benefits of membership is available on our website.
If you have an existing membership, it will of course remain in effect until it expires and we thank you for your support. If you have any questions or concerns about your membership after this change, feel free to email me or our operations director Don Kiely. As always, we thank you for your support and participation in The Folk School.
Gordon Williams
President, Board of Directors
A Finished Birch Bark Canoe

Finished Canoe
A Folk School class, taught by Randy Brown, recently built a 20 foot long birch bark canoe over nine days, starting at the end of June through the first week of July. During this time period there was a relatively constant flow of people streaming though Pioneer Park. Many of these people stopped by to examine the work and ask questions about the canoe and the materials being used. There were children and adults, some local and some from other states and countries. They were able to see how roots were used and to handle pieces of the thick bark

Using draw knives on the shaving horses

Peeling Roots
Birch bark canoes were essential to the early people in Alaska and northwest Canada, just like they were farther east in North America. However, birch bark canoes in Alaska were constructed somewhat differently, probably because of the different types of trees and materials that were available here compared to farther east. Birch bark canoes in Alaska retain a narrow bottom frame held down by a series of widely spaced ribs. This results in a flat bottom with hard chines and sides that slope out towards the gunnels. Tappan Adney, a birch bark canoe fanatic who documented many different building techniques in North America during the late 1800s and early 1900s, called this classic canoe profile the “kayak-form” birch bark canoe.

Bottom frame spreader

Preparing the building bed
Randy Brown led the class of five builders (he led a similar birch bark canoe class in 2013). The five students worked diligently each day using classic hand tool methods to shape and fit white spruce gunnel pieces, thwarts, and the bottom frame. They split five foot sections of green spruce logs for rib material. They learned how to use draw knives and spoke shaves with a shaving horse to shape, thin, and corner all the wood pieces. They also collected spruce roots and pealed and split them for lashing and sewing material.

Nice gunnel lashing

Bark on the building bed

Sewn seams on bark
Once all the wood components were ready, the group traveled to the woods to collect large sheets of birch bark and compiled them on the building bed, where all the pieces would be held in place for sewing. They steamed and bent the ribs and eventually wedged them up under the inwales and pounded them into place, stretching the bark tight. They sealed the seams with spruce pitch, and paddled the canoe in the Chena River. Several other folks who had gathered to watch took a turn as well.
Although the class used modern hand tools in the building process, the materials in the completed canoe are the same as they were when built by the people who lived here long ago.

First water

First ride
Help Put On the Wooden Boat Rendezvous in August!

- Advertising/promotion/
sponsorship - Transportation and parking
- Speakers and workshops
- Boat registration and voting
- Float master
- BBQ Potluck
- Awards
- Cleanup
Volunteer Needed to Document Craft Projects for TFS Store
The Folk School is looking for a volunteer who has curious hands, and good writing and photography skills, to help us document some craft projects we’ll be featuring at The Folk School Store this summer.
Please contact gordon@folk.school if you are interested in learning some new crafts and documenting the steps involved in making them. (We’ll help with the technical side of things, including page formatting and photo editing, if you need it.)
Thank you!
Job Posting – Summer Store Staff
Summer Store Staff
The Folk School of Fairbanks
Job Description
The Folk School of Fairbanks is looking for motivated and friendly people to staff our Summer Store in Pioneer Park this summer. Duties include:
- acting as an ambassador for Folk School programming and events
- selling local artwork, craft supplies, reference materials and souvenirs to the public
- keeping accurate records of transactions and monitoring traffic to The Folk School
- assisting with managing inventory, stocking, and creating displays
- preparing craft supplies and kits
- may also involve doing public demonstrations or providing craft instruction
- light cleaning
The successful candidate will be passionate about The Folk School’s mission of sharing the joy of hands on learning. We seek an individual who is organized, conscientious, will interact well with the public, and have experience with or a willingness to learn about the proper use of power tools. Position will also require basic computer literacy. Retail experience preferred, and a background check is required.
Work schedules of up to 40 hours per week are available. Salary will be $10-12/hour depending on experience and familiarity with The Folk School.
To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and references to operations@folk.school.