Sunday, August 8, 2010

Schiele Knapin

We attended the Schiele Knapin yesterday in Gastonia NC at the Schiele Museum. I learned this knapin has been going on at this location for 20 years but this is the first time we ever attended. It is the closest knapin to us at 1 hr. away and it is a little embarrassing that we never knew about it all these years.

It was held at a great location, outside of the museum on a walking tour trail that offers a Stone Age and Catawba indian village exhibit among other things. There were a lot of knappers and a good crowd of public walking through.

It was great to meet so many local knappers from NC, SC and VA. It is surprising sometimes how many knappers are actually out there and how much knapping has grown in the last 30 years. I remember 30 years ago, we had to go all the way to Kentucky to even meet a fellow knapper, Robbie Robinson. Robbie passed away a few years back but I will always remember that trip and watching him and dad knap together on the banks of the Ohio river in Robbie's backyard.

I would like to thank Steve Watts for his hospitality and putting on the knapin. We had a great time and I would highly recommend this knapin to anyone who can make it there.

Here is a link to the Schiele Museum http://www.schielemuseum.org