In preparation for Autumn and Samhain, the season of ancestors and mystery, this hands-on exploration of the nature of bark–and your own wild nature–is the perfect opportunity to create an alternate visage for yourself. Bark is a material of incredible richness, its textures, forms and functions shaped by the trees it protects. Beyond its practical uses, bark has a deeper, more mysterious potential: transformational masks. For centuries, humans have metamorphosed through masks, exploring alter selves and new ways of seeing the world.
In this hands-on workshop, you’ll do just that: explore the nature of bark and your own creative instincts by crafting a unique mask from tulip poplar bark.
What You’ll Learn & Create:
Each participant will leave with a handmade mask and the skills to continue crafting with bark. But more than that, this workshop offers a chance to connect—both with the living trees that provide this material and with the internal landscapes we explore when we create and embody an alternate version of ourselves.
Whether you’re a seasoned carver or a curious beginner, this class invites you to step into the world of bark mask making—an art both ancient and newly rediscovered. Join beloved crafter and inspiring instructor, Josh Barnwell, in shaping something truly unique.
This class will be held outdoors on Saturday, August 9th, 2025, from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm near Asheville, NC.
This class is suitable for both beginners and experienced carvers! Experience with basic knife safety is encouraged. The minimum age is 14.
Josh Barnwell has been a lifelong student of traditional and endangered skills, starting with learning the plants and wildlife from the woods around his home and growing from there. With over 20 years of experience under his belt, he leads classes with enthusiasm and the philosophy that by learning these skills to directly meet our needs from the natural world and attaining a connection to and appreciation of that world, we connect and align ourselves to what it truly is to be a human living on this planet.
Josh lives in Tennessee with his 4 children and teaches for various gatherings, camps, and nature programs around the southeast and beyond. When he is not leading a workshop or teaching for a gathering he is participating in the highly seasonal, cyclical crafts that make up the wheel of his year.
Josh first felt drawn to bark mask making when he discovered the material’s untapped potential. While bark has long been used for containers, cordage, and even shelter, crafting masks from it remains an overlooked art.
✨ “My favorite part of teaching is seeing the joy and enthusiasm of my students as they connect with the natural world in a tangible way. My goal is to share skills that people can carry into their daily lives, deepening their relationship with nature.”
You can find out more about Josh through his website bewelloutdoors.com
In order to make our workshops more accessible, we offer two price options for each class, with an additional Equity Discount for qualifying individuals. Please consider these options and select your price at checkout.
Thank you for helping transform the world into a culture of abundance, resilience, and opportunity for all.
*Please check your pricing options before you register for your first Perennial Workshop. The pricing options are the same for all events, so you only need to do it once!
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PO Box 18758 Asheville, NC 28814
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Lily is an artist, creator, and dreamer. Since a very young age, she has been immersed in the natural world and draws heavy inspiration from the wild. Though her medium changes frequently, Lily’s art and expression always incorporate an element of the organic and unpredictable. She got her associate in fine arts in 2023, and now volunteers at her school as a ceramic studio monitor. She hopes to open a studio of her own one day to have a place to teach and inspire others. In addition to doing commission work, Lily has been creating many graphics for The Firefly Gathering since 2019. Lily grew up in the Earthskills community from the time she was eight years old, so having the opportunity to grow and give back in so many ways has been incredibly fulfilling. No matter where she ends up, this group of people and ideas will always hold a special place in her heart.
