Makers of the USA

The episode starts out with Briana Warner talking about her craft of kelp farming and partnering with over 24 farmers throughout the nation. She then jumps right into sharing the in-depth process of kelp collection and processing and how her team does this within a short amount of time to keep it as fresh as possible. Briana has not just expanded her partnerships with farmers, she has started a pr...

For Kazeem, craft is a very broad term because he touches on it in so many ways between curation, fashion design, and showcasing his own life through his brand. He wants each customer to have a unique experience when they come into his shop. His shop reflects anything he is into at that moment from food, to travel, to cultures, to his own journey. Kristan chats with Kazeem about his past life befo...

The episode starts out with Gabriel Frey sharing his thoughts around Maine craft and how it is important to share these stories with the community. He then jumps right into sharing the in-depth process of Black Ash basket weaving and how he continues to innovate the traditional practices by adding color and personal expression to his work.  Many typically think of basket packs when it comes to the...

The episode starts out with Kristan Vermeulen telling her story of her experience mushing along the Umbagog Lake and camping overnight under the full moon in the cold, wintery conditions. Then she talks to Polly to learn more about her experience in Alaska prior to coming to Maine to start Mahoosuc Guide Service with Kevin. She also touches on her mushing adventures up in the Arctic where she eats...

The episode starts out with Sascha Deri, the owner, and founder of bluShift Aerospace , talking about the inspiration behind the craft of the team's rocket. It was quite a long journey to launch day as they were working with Maine's state government and various organizations to assist with funding and permissions to launch a rocket from Maine and they worked with Loring Airforce Base  for setting...

The episode starts out with Milly Welsh who is the owner and founder of Zwellyn Pottery . She went to school for animation and her full-time job is website design and development but her true passion is pottery. Her designs are unique and the ones I personally enjoy are inspired by horror flicks. She also shares her passion for pottery with her three girls and they all reside in Limington, Maine....

Frances Mahoney is a born and raised Mainer as she grew up in Portland. Her passion for art and design started at a young age as she drew up fun  illustrations. She attended Maine College of Art (MECA) and started out her college career going the illustration route but then made the decision of majoring in graphic design where her heart truly gravitates towards. She has worked for many renowned bu...

Chandlyr Jackson with Freckled Fuchsia turned to  the craft of traditional printmaking after spending time as a UX/UI designer after graduating from Wentworth Institute of Technology.  She started her business in Providence, Rhode Island, and is now operating her small business out of a small studio in downtown Portland, Maine. Chandlyr is originally from Connecticut and has been in Portland for a...

Nebo Lodge is quite a charm. A charm that will be a part of your memories and traditions. A charm that holds makers handcrafted adornments. Once you visit, you want to experience it all over again.  Before Nebo became Nebo it was a part of the Mullin House which was a popular spot among the community and many non-residents of the island would stay. Life on an island can get lonely and the little t...

Eric Hopkins is not just an artist, he is a kind gentleman that looks at the world through a different lens. He takes his experiences of life, death, happiness, beauty, and much more and showcases it through his work. His work is portrayed in many forms of art from watercolors to oils to photography. He enjoys the use of bright, vibrant colors and typically you will see in many of his watercolor w...

The episode starts out with Hilary Crowell who is the owner and founder of The Cultivated Thread . She has a passion for farming but needed to find a hobby during the wintertime as farming tends to slow down in the colder months. Weaving became a passion and she recently built a business to showcase her skills and people enjoy her designs and products. The second guest is Jami Bouley with JP Quilt...

Jemma Gascoine has such a unique technique when crafting her pottery. She pays attention to every detail  while on the potter's wheel, is inspired by the breathtaking environment surrounding her studio in Monson, and  uses bold, simple colors to give her pieces the final touch. She was taught by the famous potter Barry Guppy yet she has created her own style of artwork that has Jemma written all o...

Who knew that a woodshop was located on a popular "pick your own" apple orchard in Limington. Now, this isn't just any woodshop as they craft crates and gift boxes for Allagash Brewery put together retail furnishings for Sea Bags, and so much more.  Emily Chelate, daughter of Earl and Nancy Bunting who has owned and operated the farm since 1993 and still do today, started this woodshop due to Alla...

There are many potters in Maine but one potter you need to get to know is Jody Johnstone . She spent time in Japan with a master potter who specialized in wood firing which began Jody's passion for this particular practice. She went over to Japan to be a junior apprentice for Isezaki Sensei but wanted to get more out of the experience and was treated as an apprentice as she was very hands-on with...

Linda and Ken Perrin have quite the story of how they established their  Atlantic Art Glass  studio. Their relationship started while attending a class at San Francisco City College and their love for one another grown further through the many creative endeavors they took on. Their journey took them to Maine as they were driving around Ellsworth and stumbled upon a beautiful brick building which i...

Geoffrey Warner, owner, and founder of OWL Furniture has been a furniture maker his entire life. He started his woodworking career crafting guitars and then went to school in Rhode Island to study the craft of furniture and learned from a Danish master, Tage Frid .   In 2008, he met with a group of furniture makers and came up with the idea of crafting an ergonomic wooden chair. His father had alw...

Maine Craft Weekend falls on the first weekend Saturday and Sunday in October and offers an opportunity for the public to explore the life and work of craft artists and businesses in Maine, and for artists to connect with craft enthusiasts, collectors, and visitors behind-the-scenes. This is an educational, community-oriented, and family-friendly event for all! Typically the event is in partnershi...

Ryan McPherson took over Glidden Point Oyster Farms five years ago as he left Massachusetts to start a venture that has grown tremendously over time. Their goal is to craft the perfect shaped oyster and they have accomplished this and are continually providing these to wholesalers and customers across the nation. His team of farmers works hard to grow and collect millions of oysters, all different...

Fashion and textile designers, Jordan Carey and Madison Poitrast-Upton, graduated from Maine College of Art and started a business while they attended the college which is called Loquat. Loquat is a fairly new venture and they have grown tremendously through their small collection of products including their top-selling handbags and facemasks.  The skills they have obtained from college which have...

I discovered Rose Barboza and Jerry Edwards Black Owned Maine while searching for guests on this podcast as I wanted to create a diverse list. I didn't realize how many black owned businesses are here in Maine until I stumbled upon this database and there are a lot! Being a fairly new resident to Maine, I wanted to dig deeper to learn more about how our state is known as the " white state" and how...

Fashion designer, Roxi Suger , came to Maine to continue and grow her popular apparel collection Angelrox in Biddeford, Maine. She went from designing in her home to relocating to Alfred Street where her flagship store is currently located then joining in with other businesses and designers in Pepperell Mill who are all a part of the revitalization efforts of the mill. She also has a sister collec...

Mark & Stephen Ferguson and Barry Worthing, owners and founders of Brant & Cochran , started a shop almost four years ago that restores vintage axes and crafts Maine pattern axes. These three gentlemen have brought back the craft of axe making in Maine as there are no other axe makers currently in Maine. Back in the 1800s to 1900s, twelve well-known axe makers resided in Oakland, Maine including E...

Kristen and Joe Camp, owners and founders of Campfire Pottery , have been crafting one-of-a-kind contemporary ceramic pieces that are symbols of human-gathering for five years in Westbrook, Maine. They also have a storefront built out of a shipping container located off of Washington Avenue in Portland. The Campfire pair came to Maine from their home state of Georgia to help build a church and the...

Sarah Kelly and Leah Robert, owners and founders of  SaltyGirl Beauty , have been crafting clean body care products out of their office in Kennebunk since 2017. The idea of a clean beauty care line came about when Sarah was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer and was eight months pregnant, her sister Leah came over to her house one day when Sarah was undergoing cancer treatment wi...

Bethany Field and Chris Korzen, owners and founders of Maine Flag Company and Original Maine , have been crafting flags for seven years in Portland, Maine. They started with the Maine Merchant & Marine Flag and have expanded to other designs including the popular and well-known Original 1901 Maine Flag. In celebration of Flag Day, I wanted to sit down with these two to learn more about the history...