"Aaron is an essential part of the Broomcraft
team. I think of him as a craftsman because he functions like one. I have to
remind myself he is a student. Aaron will be successful in whatever he chooses to
do"Steve Fain, Coordinator of Student Crafts
"I like being part of a tradition older than I am," says
Berea College senior Aaron Pentland, who has spent his four years in the college's Labor
Program working at Broomcraft.
It's great to see the whole process from beginning to end, "
Aaron continues, "And to know that everything - from dyeing the straw to attaching
the tag - is done right.
The Summerville, S.C., native has in fact worked in all stages of
broom making and can create as many as 30 of the brooms produced by Broomcraft.
His specialties are those made using a hand-rolling machine, which include the
Hearthsweep, Fantail and Fansweep brooms.
"It usually takes time to learn the hand-rolling
equipment," explains Aaron. "But I worked well with it from the
beginning, so I make most of those brooms."
Aaron, an art major at the College, stresses that a
broom
making is definitely not a solo effort. Each stage is essential to produce
top-quality brooms.
"If someone else doesn't do their job right, you can't do your
job right." he says. "Everybody is important in the process."
By Karen Lynn
