Back in college I was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Things went well until my Junior year when I became more disillusioned with the group, rebelled and eventually was kicked out. Naturally, I have no warm fuzzy feelings towards the group or any fraternal organization since that incident. The Pi Phis have long been associated with the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN which they started in 1910 and still fund today. I knew about Arrowmont in college but never really gave it any thought until now. On Sunday, March 26, I will visit Arrowmont for the first time where I will attend a week-long metals workshop. I admit I feel a bit weird about the whole thing. Here I am, a former Pi Phi, crossing over enemy lines to work on the other side. I know the sorority isn’t as involved in the school as they once were, and it’s not like I’m going to be branded a rebel by anyone there, but it is an unsettling feeling. Will I see a bunch of stuff with arrows or angels on it (Pi Phi symbols)? Will anyone ask me if I was a member of the sorority? Does it matter? Im the big picture, no. I’m a much different person now than I was in college. Today, I’m just an artist who wishes to attend a school to learn more about my craft. I won’t be posting next week since I’ll be knee-deep in metals work, but look for stories from TN and hopefully lots of pictures the first week of April.
Pretty Pretty Bang Bang 