2025 Workshop Schedule

Ceramics with Betsy Oh

+ mini Painting session with Erin Drakeford

Instructors: Betsy Oh Art + Erin Drakeford Art
Date:s: May 23-26 2025


Sign up for 4 days of fun and Clay sculpture with Betsy! We will be making sculptural and functional pieces in the beauty of the North Carolina mountains. This year, we will have an extended bonus painting session with Erin! The workshop will have plenty of time to make lots of awesome artwork, plus space for fun, relaxation, and open studio time.

No experience is necessary. If you are breathing you are qualified. All we ask is that you arrive with an open mind and an open heart. We can’t wait to meet you or, for our returning friends, see you again!!

Expressive Painting: Botanicals 

Instructor: Erin Drakeford
Date: TBD
Expressive painting is art in which the image of reality is distorted to evoke moods, emotions, and ideas. In this intro-mid-level painting class, we will paint in response to the surrounding flora guided by our emotional senses. This class focuses on finding freedom in expression, letting go, experimentation, and loosening up. We will work with various painting materials and techniques and delve into composition, color, and concepts. We will experiment with plein-air painting, large-scale work, collaborations, and smaller works in the studios. Participants are encouraged to work on many paintings during the two days in this course and leave with multiple works and canvas and paper.

Previous Workshops

Me, Myself and I: Handbuilding Forms in Clay

Instructor: Betsy Oh

If you are breathing, you are qualified for this class! Release your inner artist with this hand on introduction to clay and hand-building. The beauty of virtual classes is that the recording is always there if you miss a class or need to go back to take a second look. I wish I had had that option when I was learning!! Learning clay is best with lots of repetition. Lightbulbs will start to go off as you are continually exposed to the concepts.

Painting with Earth Pigments

Instructor Heather Bird Harris

In this 2-day workshop, you’ll learn how to make natural watercolor paint from rocks, soil, and clay from artist Heather Bird Harris. The workshop will take place at Bell Moon Arts which sits on 10 acres of land nestled in the Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina. Classes are intentionally small to help facilitate making real connections with others and the earth in a laid back, friendly environment. Plus, you’ll go home with two paintings you make over the course of the weekend. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided. 

No previous experience required, all skill levels welcome.

Instructor: Terri Dilling

The cyanotype process has been around since 1842 and was one of the first photographic printing processes invented. It produces a distinctive blue print that will interest photographers, painters, and designers. Different approaches will be explored during this two-day workshop. You may use objects such as plants, leaves, feathers, string, lace, dried flowers, etc. to place on the light sensitive paper. Another method involves using transparencies with imagery from your computer or drawings on acetate. You will learn to prepare the chemicals, apply the solution to paper or fabric, then expose and tone the prints to get variations of color.

These basics are easy to learn and experimentation will produce wonderful surprises. On the second day you will learn how to add new cyanotype exposures on top of existing prints for more complex results. Everyone will be able to make both paper and fabric prints during the workshop and will take home all the information needed to continue using this process at home.

Painting with the Sun Cyanotypes

Mythical Creatures: Handbuilding in Clay 

Instructor: Jena Dost

Channel your inner animal goddess and sculpt a figure with a snake tail, lion head, or bird feet. Let your imagination guide you to dream up a wild, expressive and powerful creature! In this 3 day workshop, I will guide you to create your personal mythical sculpture. The focus of this workshop will be on hollow building a figurative piece with animal / mythical elements in clay. This workshop will cover a lot of challenging clay construction techniques but all levels from beginner to advanced clay artists will be able to learn and grow in this workshop. We will spend Friday afternoon / evening getting inspired looking at mythical sculptures by a wide variety of artists and then drawing and collaging our own ideas for a mythical sculpture. Saturday we will spend the day building our sculptures and on Sunday morning we will finish up and critique our sculptures. 

Weekend Workshop Information

MATERIALS

All materials for our workshops will be provided. There will be a materials fee that varies depending on which workshop you take. Material fees will be collected at the time of the workshop. Many of these materials you will be able to take with you so you can practice your new art technique at home. The estimated cost of materials is between $50-$70.

TRAVEL and LODGING

Workshop participants are responsible for their own travel to and lodging. For those traveling from out of town, the nearest airports are Atlanta, GA, or Asheville, NC. Both are about 2.5 hours away. Bell Moon Arts is in Hayesville, NC and about a 2-hour drive from Atlanta. For lodging, we recommend VRBO or Airbnb.  There are beautiful homes for rent on the lake or in the mountains. Limited camping sites are available free of charge on the Bell Moon property - please inquire by email. The exact location of the workshop will be sent to registered participants the week before arrival.

MEALS

Meals and snacks are included in the workshop price.

Dinners curated by the host will be available. Workshop participants are invited to stay after hours and join in with instructors and resident artists for an optional family-style meal. Full menu will be sent out closer to the time of the workshops. Dietary restrictions will be honored with advance notice.

Workshop & Class FAQ

  • All supplies for workshop attendees will be provided. There will be free time to work on projects, and you are welcome to bring anything you wish to work on during your stay.

  • All levels are welcome! No experience is necessary, just an open mind and a desire to create!

  • For our inaugural year, workshop attendees will stay at nearby Inns or vacation rental houses. Bell Moon Arts staff can assist in finding you a lovely place to stay, supporting a variety of budgets. Camping on the property is also available.

  • Hayesville is about 2.5 hours from Hartsfield Atlanta Airport and 2 hours from Asheville Regional Airport and Chattanooga Metropolitan Airports. Email to arrange travel from the airport to the property.

  • Bell Moon Arts are located in Hayesville, NC, in the Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina. It is nestled just north of Atlanta, GA, East of Chattanooga, TN, and West of Asheville, NC. The retreat is about 10 minutes to downtown Hayesville, 10 minutes to Hiwassee, and 20 minutes to Murphy.

  • Yes. The price is divided into a deposit at the time of booking, with the final payment a week before your visit. Other payment plans can be arranged, just send us an email, and we can work with you.

  • Families are always welcome. There are many activities around to keep family members occupied while you make art. Hiking, mountain-biking trails, and public beaches at beautiful Lake Chatuge are just 10 minutes away.