2024

Dear friends, old and new,

In the last year and a half my health picture has changed remarkably and I find that I am physically not able to function as well as I once did.   After much thought, Janet and I decided that, regrettably, we will not be offering any formal classes in our folk school in 2024 or in the foreseeable future.  We want to  thank all of you who have joined us on the island and supported our activities over the years.  We hope the experiences you have had enriched your lives as much as they have enriched ours. 

Gary and Janet Hill

Raspberry Island

We admit, the term "folk school" may be a bit grand for what we do -- but Raspberry Island Folk School is a folk school in its truest sense: simply a place where people learn new skills using their hands.

We started offering summertime classes in blacksmithing and pottery on our island several years ago, mainly taught by Gary. Over the years, offerings included workshops taught by well-known and sought-after instructors in the folk arts.

We've been featured on the TV show Common Ground on Lakeland PBS (thank you, Scott Knudson!).  You can see the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NCfcofcDn8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR03CH9WAaVF7ta5ryoqfI7WhWbkW-bMJnOpBz_1vq8daO13rNBWWy-LxAI

Raspberry Island is located on beautiful, historic Big Sandy Lake, about 2 1/4 hours straight north of the Twin Cities, and about an hour west of Duluth. (For more information about life on Raspberry Island, see http://raspberryisland.blogspot.com/)

All seven acres of Raspberry Island, looking from SSE to NNW

To contact:  email hillx001@umn.edu or text 218.851.6085

Photo Gallery

Photos of Classes and Class Projects

2022

Gary's Beginning Blacksmithing class

Below: Bud Larsen's Raku From the Ground Up class

2021

Chrissy Valento's flat-felting class, 2021

Gary Hill's sword made from Damascus billet (billet was made in Jeff Harper's 2019 workshop)

Birch bark weaving with John Zasada and Jack Sneve, August 2019

One of our free blacksmith classes for high school students, cooking lunch with their new hand-forged hot dog forks.
The only requirements to get free classes if you're a teen (aged 14-18): show some enthusiasm for blacksmithing,
and be on time at the boat landing!

Gary Hill's trade axe class, June 2019

Students with their finished axes

Tom Latané with students' rived oak boards, Viking Chest Class, June 2019

Tom explains the construction of the Viking chest

 

After a day of hand-planing!

Hewing a rived board for a Viking chest

Kitty Latané's Tinsmithing Class (June 2019)

Kitty's tin lanterns

Tom Latané demonstrates chasing (photo by Kitty Latané)

Blacksmith demo by Tom Latané (photo by Kitty Latané)

Tom Latane's hammer class, 2016

Getting started on a sunset painting in Anne Rorem's class, July 2017

A few results from Kitty's tinsmithing class

Kitty Latane's tinsmithing class, June 2017

Fred Livesay demonstrates safe spoon carving technique, July 2017

Student work from Fred Livesay's spoon carving class, July 2017

Kjetil Groven's knife students. Kjetil is in the top row on the left. 

Knife students working on leather sheaths

Fire's good for two things: forging iron and grilling chicken
(photo by Kitty Latané)

The crew at Tom Latane's hewing axe class, 2017

Norse axe made in Tom Latane's class, 2017

Gary's barn door latch

Gary Hill's door ring from Tom Latane's 2016 class at North House Folk School

Hammer from Tom Latane's hammer class 2016

Gary Hill's scrolled door knocker from Tom Latane's 2018 class