Kristan Vermeulen 12/11/21 Kristan Vermeulen 12/11/21

Max’s Tap House

When you venture out into Fells Point which is located in the heart of Baltimore you will most likely stumble upon this maker's spot. Ron Furman built Max's on Broadway which is now Max's Taphouse from the ground up from the building renovations to the actual business and operations. He did it all and he certainly had fun along the way. Kristan got the grand tour of the facility which is quite the maze and she learned about Ron's journey from what the building was before it became Max's, how Max's went from a renowned concert venue to a tap house, and what he had to do to pivot operations during COVID.

Kristan Vermeulen 11/22/21 Kristan Vermeulen 11/22/21

Victory Chimes

Many people may not know this about Maine but located along the coast of Rockland and Camden harbors are nine historic vessels, the largest fleet of Windjammers that offer all-inclusive, overnight cruises in the world. Each of these captains and their families works hard to preserve Windjammers that are hundreds of years old. Many of these vessels would have been turned into bars or left in a junkyard to rot but this amazing community, the Maine Windjammer Association, is keeping these historic vessels alive and bringing guests onboard to experience not just the history, but also introducing them to real sailing and life on the Maine coast. Kristan speaks with Sam Sikkema, the Captain of the Victory Chimes. He had recently purchased the Victory Chimes from former owner Kipp Files and his ship is the largest one in the fleet and the United States. Kristan has a huge heart for Victory Chimes as it has a history sailing in the Chesapeake Bay, where she grew up sailing. Tune in to hear about Captain Sam's life on the water, how he got up to Maine, how he became captain of the Victory Chimes, and what his craft is all about.

Kristan Vermeulen 11/14/21 Kristan Vermeulen 11/14/21

Pete Ross

Pete Ross is a banjo maker, researcher, and musician who lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Pete is one of the earliest contemporary makers of gourd banjos, ranging from those of his own design to exact replicas of historic instruments. His reconstructions of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century banjos have been featured internationally in museums, art galleries, movies, documentaries, and live performances. Tune in to learn more about Pete’s mentors, musicians he crafted banjos for, his time growing up in Maryland, the step-by-step process on how he crafts his banjos, and much more.

Kristan Vermeulen 11/1/21 Kristan Vermeulen 11/1/21

Brandon Woody

I think many would perceive this Baltimore maker as a jazz musician. But what Kristan found interesting while she was talking to this musician is that he doesn't define his music as jazz. He actually doesn't put a definition towards his musical craft. It is Brandon Woody's music, his craft, his passion, his story, his life. He grew up in the streets of Baltimore and grew a love for one of Kristan's favorite instruments, the trumpet, He has performed brass with local legends of the genre like Eric Kennedy and Jeff Reed, as well as DIY rappers with Abdu Ali and Al Rogers Jr. Lead open mic nights at the Motor House. He is an alum of Peabody Preparatory’s Tuned-In Program and the Brubeck Institute in California. He is a highly talented, expressive instrumentalist who brings a fiery flair to every set, he shares with Kristan the struggles he went through to get to where he is today.

Kristan Vermeulen 10/17/21 Kristan Vermeulen 10/17/21

WindHorse Arts

Kristan gets to sit down with Alison Thibault, the owner and founder of WindHorse Arts and the winner of the Makers of Maine pitch competition I did a while back. Thanks again to David Libby from Town and Country Federal Credit Union and Sabina Hitchen, from Press For Success for being the judges of the competition. Alison won the competition with over 170 votes. She has quite the story as her craft is color. She takes color and transforms it into pieces of glass jewelry. When you walk into Alison’s shop each piece shines as the sun shines through the windows. Alison talk to Kristan about how she moved to Vinalhaven and opened her storefront on the main street, the craft behind her glass pieces, how she has a passion for poetry and how that is weaved into her business, what she plans to do over the next five years with her business, and much more. Tune in to Alison’s episode of the podcast to learn more about her craft of color and stay until the end to hear a track from Joshua Eden.

Kristan Vermeulen 10/6/21 Kristan Vermeulen 10/6/21

Imperium Shaving

Who knew the finest razors would be handmade in a historic mill in Baltimore by a gentleman who turned a hobby into his full-time passion. His razor collection is made of various types of wood including maple, walnut, and much more that he locally sources from lumberyards. He continues to innovate his craft by playing around with the materials he uses to make his razors including a more budget-friendly option. Tune in to learn more about how Dan moved to Baltimore to start his business, how his business has continued to grow steadily but has made some minor downfalls along his business journey, how he crafted a razor that is worth over $1000 out of meteorite for a customer, and what he plans to do over the next five years.