We Make Penland 2019

#WeMakePenland a truly remarkable community.

THANK YOU ALL—you just helped us exceed our goal of 325 gifts in 24 hours! Because of your generosity and unwavering love for Penland, our 3rd annual Giving Day has been a knock-out success. More important than the numbers, your support is a vote for creativity and connection and the freedom to experiment and fail and try again and grow. It truly makes a difference here.

#WeMakePenland a place to share and celebrate creativity. Here on campus, we’re about to gather at Northlight for an evening of slide presentations by some of our staff, many of whom are talented artists in their own right. And that's just one evening in a steady stream of events, from scholarship auctions and show and tells to dance parties and visiting artist talks.

If you haven’t already, please take a minute to make a gift to Penland today in honor of someone who inspired you or made your time at Penland a bit more meaningful. And please share your Penland story, too! Check out the hashtag #WeMakePenland for some great examples from our community.

We're almost there!

#WeMakePenland an option for students from all walks of life. Your support allows us to award hundreds of scholarships every year, and each one is an opportunity for growth and transformation. 

Take it from a student who got a scholarship to attend a glass workshop this summer: "I took Therman Statom’s class, Investigation and Process, to help me find my voice as an artist, but I found much more. The entire Penland community has embraced me in ways unimaginable and I will remember this experience until my final breath. More important than honing my skills, building sheet glass boxes, and showing my work; I honed my self-confidence, I built incredible relationships, and showed myself that I can accomplish anything I pour my heart into."

Your gift to Penland today goes toward our scholarships, studios, staff, and creative programming. Give now to help us reach our Giving Day goal and to keep the Penland experience a vibrant one for generations of future students!

"If you haven’t heard someone say #penlandchangedmylife, you might not have met anyone who went to Penland."

"Eternally thankful I ended up on the same mountain as @penlandschool"

"The two months I spent here weaving/wondering/wandering with a magical group has forever changed me. Can’t wait to wander myself back here someday"

"I have been to Penland as a student, studio assistant, summer intern, and winter resident. Each time I go there, I am inspired, I am rejuvenated, and I am grateful to spend whatever amount of time around an amazing group of artists."

"I replied 'well you’re at Penland now and the impossible is what we do!'"

What's your Penland story? #WeMakePenland

A few shots from today's photo booth fun!

#WeMakePenland

#WeMakePenland a creative oasis. As one student this summer put it, "Penland was such a critical resting space for my mind... I find myself consistently going back there in memory, reliving the abundance of creative creatures and the purity in its collaborative architecture."

In other words, this place is special because YOU ALL make it special! And today's a great day to show up with your love for Penland. It's our 3rd annual 24-hour Giving Day challenge. Make a gift, share your Penland story, and spread the word!

All the details at bit.ly/WeMakePenland2019 (link in bio)

#WeMakePenalnd somewhere to challenge yourself and try something new.

This is Shanti, who took her first ever blacksmithing workshop this summer with Shawn Lovell. Like so many Penland students, she entered the studio with questions and left two weeks later with new skills and confidence and inspiration (not to mention an awesome forged gate of her own design!).

Today, on Penland's 3rd annual Giving Day, we want to hear from you! What was your first time at Penland like? What surprises have you taken away from time in the studio? Share your story with all of us today, 10/2 using the hashtag #WeMakePenland!