About

I’ve been a full-time craftsperson for about 10 years now. What started as a love of spinning grew to encompass weaving, dyeing, and woodworking (to make fiber arts tools such as crochet hooks, trilooms, and bobbin lace bobbins).

Today, I make those items on a limited basis at home while I make brooms – yeah, brooms – at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, AR. I find that broom making allows me to use all of the skills I used in the other crafts: I use some of the woodworking skills on the handles, I weave and plait the handles, too, I dye some of the broomcorn, and I stitch the brooms in a variety of plain and fancy patterns.

Before tackling crafts, I was a graphic designer working in the newspaper industry and creating award-winning websites. Once you’ve got ink in your blood – be it digital or otherwise – it’s hard to give it up, so I create websites in and around our community, too.

Over the years, I’ve also had to develop personas for working in various venues. There’s the no-nonsense Scotsman and the whimsical English fop donned at Renaissance Festivals. The down home Southern fella makes his appearance at the Folk Center, and the fast talking traveling medicine show pitchman, Dr. Obadiah T. Fassbinder has proven to be popular at shows around the state.

Not content to sit around and practice my craft, I also am a juried artisan on the Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour and at the Arkansas Craft Guild and Gallery.

Want more? OK. I also teach classes in all of the above. In fact, last year I taught classes in broom making, wood turning, chair making, website design and marketing, story telling, and spinning and weaving. All of the classes are offered through the Ozark Folk Center (see link above).

Welcome! Take a look around…. Ask what questions you have and don’t worry… even if I don’t know the answer, I’ll happily make something up

Oh, and if you want to get in touch for a broom, a class, whatever… I can be reached here…

Shawn Hoefer
Laffing Horse Design
at the Ozark Folk Center State Park
1032 Park Avenue
Mountain View, AR 72560

or here…

Shawn Hoefer
Havencroft Farm
17467 Highway 66
Mountain View, AR 72560

or here…

shawnhoefer (at) gmail (dot) com
870-269-6808 (home)
870-213-6692 (cell)