You have to dig to find the local artisans in Pigeon Forge. I know there are some places around the Old Mill in PF (or there used to be), but the majority of the handmade stuff is up around Gatlinburg, in the Craftsman community. Arrowmont is up in Gatlinburg, too, so I guess the craftspeople just tend to gravitate to that area.
PF caters to the tourons, I mean, tourists, (:D) so it's going to be a bit harder to get going there, but that doesn't mean it's not possible!