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Reclaimed Maine
Mary Zambello is the owner, maker, and designer of Reclaimed Maine. Her beautiful studio and wood shop are located at her home in Windham. Her business encompasses her love for the Maine Outdoors using lakes, pines, and coastlines as her inspiration. She custom designs and hand makes all of her products in hopes that they can inspire exploration and give back to Maine's environment. Her custom Pine Tree Coast design, which was the first design that kicked off her business, combines the love for Maine's forest and coast, the mission to protect it, and the desire to explore it as often as we can! Each year, she donates 10% of net proceeds from the Pine Tree Coast collection to the Natural Resources Council of Maine in order to help protect and reclaim Maine’s environment. She designs hats, apparel, and cutting boards and she even designs custom signs. But what is unique about the wood is that it is sustainably harvested. When you walk into her shop you feel like you’re stepping foot into a miniature LL Bean but it has some fun creatures you can pet including her beautiful cat and her extremely nice dog.
Maine Fly Company
The Becoming a Maker series is proud to present the first Lady Maker on The Fly interview. Meet Maine Fly Company’s rod smiths Izzy Hutnak. Founder Jeff Davis started Maine Fly Company to celebrate his late father’s passion for fly fishing and Maine. Jeff was working a corporate gig prior to starting his own company and traveling a ton for work when his father passed, he stumbled upon his father’s fly rod collection and something clicked. He started toying around with the idea of building rods but not just any rod — a rod that is an art form. From the colorful blank to the custom grip to the finished reel seat — these rods are truly one of a kind. Made by hand, in small batches and many of his rods are inspired by and named after fisheries in Maine. Jeff left his corporate job and went full time with Maine Fly Company and as of two years ago has started to build a team that aims to keep the state’s fly-fishing culture and heritage alive through high-quality craftsmanship of their small batch rods.
Lady Makers On The Fly
Makers of the USA is proud to present a very special series that is a little outside the box than previous episodes that have been on the podcast. Kristan pulled together an amazing group of female makers and fly-fishing anglers to head up to Red River Camps in the northern Maine woods. These ladies have their hands in many types of craft from building fly rods to candles and CBD oil making to woodworking and graphic design to experiences and photography and videography. Some of these ladies are brand new to fly fishing such as myself. Some are quite the anglers and are certainly mentors of mine being a newbie in the fly fishing sport. What I find important to storytelling now having this podcast for over three years is impactful conversations and having these conversations among a group of makers is mind-blowing to me. There is so much raw material that comes from these that I thoroughly enjoy them and I hope you do too.
Patricia Daunis
Patty believes jewelry is an art form and it should be in harmony with the wearer. Patty was born and raised in Maine and is influenced by Maine’s fluctuating coastal waters and the tranquility of her lakes. A close look at Patty’s designs reveal the reflected light on waves and swirling eddies. The design shows the movement of light and the form enhances the person who wears their jewelry. Her pieces are Made in Maine and worn around the World. Tune in to learn more about Patricia's career prior to becoming a jewelry artist, the process behind her Big Reveal piece, how she uses all different types of materials in her pieces, and much more.
Matt & Lauren Tuggle
Matt & Lauren Tuggle share a mutual passion for jewelry and they have created a modern take on traditional design, where color and contrast play an important part and influence the direction of each piece. They’re inspired by patterns and architecture and place an emphasis on contrast and negative space in their designs. They enjoy creating one-of-a-kind pieces and focus on the emotional connection that each of their clients has with their pieces. No matter the reason, each piece of jewelry crafted has a wonderful story to go along with its creation. The beautiful and plentiful stories that accompany a treasured heirloom add so much to its value. Tune in to hear more about Matt & Lauren's journey before they got into the craft of jewelry, how they met each other, the process behind their Big Reveal piece, and much more.
Nick Noyes
Nick Noyes is a fine jewelry artist who is inspired by antique jewelry and ornamental hand-engraving. Nine years ago he started making jewelry as a hobby because he loved creating and working with his hands. From the beginning, he fell in love with the alchemy of metal work and he strives to make jewelry that catches the eye and brings people back for a second look. Through refined stone settings and intricate hand engraving, he works to create pieces that make you rethink what wearable art can be. He crafts unique engagement rings and wedding bands. He loves blending the mediums of hand engraving and metallurgy to continue the process of unique and handmade craftsmanship. Tune in to hear more about Nick's career prior to becoming a fine jewelry artist, how he uses social media and other digital marketing platforms to promote his work, the process behind his Big Reveal piece and much more.
Gerardo Gonzalez
Gerardo Gonzalez is a fine jewelry artist whose work explores the relationship between mechanical/kinetic mechanisms, certain human motions, and the human responsiveness to rings. As used for their respective function, the mechanisms he uses to operate under human power to complete the content of each piece. These pieces embellish the devices that humans have developed over the course of time to create machines or tools that simplify our everyday lives, such as screws and pulleys. He incorporates them as a vehicle to develop the connection between the functionality of a ring and the interaction that a person may have with it. Tune in to learn more about Gerardo's journey as a maker, how he uses the hand as a canvas when crafting his pieces, and the process behind his Big Reveal piece.
Steven Manchini
Steven Manchini converges art with science, and his creative vision unites with thousands of hours of technical mastery. At the intersection of these threads, Steven weaves an ever-expanding web of treasures. He crafts his pieces out of his in-home studio in Salem, MA. He seems to have a thirst for experimenting and playing around with different materials and gems. He thoroughly enjoys bringing joy and amazement through his works as he continues to explore and grow into new territory. Steven honors the other fine jewelry artists that surround him as he learns from them and appreciates the craft they bring to the table as every artisan puts forth their own style. Tune in to learn more about Steven's maker journey, how he crafted his piece for the Big Reveal project and where he wants to go in the future as a maker.
Derek Katzenbach
Derek Katzenbach is an award-winning faceter, gem artist, and custom jeweler. Prior to becoming a jewelry maker, he was a marine biology student. Who knew that when Derek visited a local gem show that the craft of jewelry would begin for him. He spent much of his savings at that show, leaving with a bag full of stones but no idea what to do with them. He decided to take jewelry manufacturing classes and learn more as an apprentice in a jewelry store. The owner convinced him to attend GIA, where he completed the Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Jeweler programs. There he honed his skills and learned new techniques.
Paula Crevoshay
Paula Crevoshay, the Queen of Color, is known for her one-of-a-kind vibrantly hued creations in a dazzling rainbow of gemstones and enamels. After four years in India in the late 1970s, Crevoshay swopped the paintbrush for gemstones and has not looked back. She has crafted pieces such as a Siamese Fighting Fish captured with mesmerizing precision and diamond air bubbles popping out of its little mouth and a pair of knowing beady eyes. Her work has become a favorite with discerning collectors as well as museums around the world. Tune in to learn more about Paula's journey before getting into the craft of jewelry and throughout her time as a jewelry artist, the process behind her Big Reveal piece, and how the place she currently lives helps with her craft today.
Naomi Sarna
Naomi Sarna grew up in Butte, Montana where minerals, gems, and fossils were a part of her everyday life. Early memories are of being in her grandfather’s store where miners came to shop and learning to do many types of handwork. Now she is an international award-winning jewelry artist. After careers as a caterer, psychoanalyst, and medical hypnotist, Sarna went back to her roots. Sarna left Montana and attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where she studied sculpture and the art of fabric draping. She studied gemstone faceting, which taught her about light reflection in gemstones with Bernd Munsteiner and metalsmithing with Heikki Seppä. Tune in to learn more about Naomi's maker journey, the process of how she crafted her Big Reveal piece, and what the jeweler community means to her.
Matt Fischer
The first artisan to kick off the Big Reveal series with the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum is Matt Fischer. Matt started his jewelry career in late 2013. The jewelry scene at the time had created so much drive and inspiration for him. He started with wire wraps and showcased his work at Phish shows which tremendously grew his clientele. Towards the end of 2017, he started making his transition into metal fabrication. This has been his full-time career for the last three years. He continues to push himself as a jewelry designer and artist every day. Tune in to learn about Matt's past before getting into the craft of jewelry, how he wound up being where he is today, the process behind crafting his piece for the Big Reveal project, and much more.
Maine Mineral & Gem Museum
In October 1972, near the top of Plumbago Mountain in Newry, George Hartman, Dean McCrillis, Dale Sweatt, and contract miner Frank Perham unearthed North America’s most magnificent single discovery of gem-quality tourmaline crystals–more than a ton in all. The discovery sent shockwaves through Maine and around the mineral world. Never had such a large quantity of world-class tourmaline gem rough been found in a single locality in North America. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this incredible find, the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum chose twelve artisans and jewelers across the nation to use the historic gem (randomly chosen by the museum staff) in a piece that speaks to them. Kristan Vermeulen speak with Maggie Kroenke, the Store Manager of the museum, to learn more about the museum and its presence in Maine, the Big Reveal & Find project, and the event that will be taking place in October. Kristan will also be launching a ten-episode series where she interviews nine of the twelve artisans and jewelers from across the nation to learn more about their journey and how they took their assigned piece of tourmaline and turned it into their own masterpiece.
SOMERSET CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER, WELDING CENTER
Makers of the USA has partnered up with Skowhegan Savings Bank on a mini-series called Becoming A Maker. For the second episode of the series, Kristan Vermeulen interviews Madison High School principal Christopher LeBlanc and Chris Beaman welding instructor at Somerset Career and Technical Center (SCTC)’s welding center at Madison High School. SCTC trains over 300 students across Somerset County in various tech trades including welding. The welding program had an ongoing waitlist and the team decided they needed to expand. Madison Area Memorial High School offered a space that was previously used as a metal shop. The tech center was awarded a grant to cover a great portion of the costs. David Dorr the Director of SCTC, alongside Madison High School principal Christopher LeBlanc; and other stakeholders including Skowhegan Savings Bank raised funds to complete the project. Not only does this welding shop help students build their skills, it also allows them to receive certifications and college degrees and helps them get a career by building bridges and other interesting projects. Tune in to the episode to learn more about how Christopher LeBlanc supported SCTC in expanding their program by building a welding center attached to Madison High School and how Chris Beaman teaches his students in all areas of welding and best positions his students in getting a full-time career utilizing the skills they were taught at the center.
Smith Island Bakery
Smith Island located in the Chesapeake Bay is an experience many do not know about. As a child, Kristan grew up listening to her grandfather share stories of the island and how the island people have their own language that can be quite hard to understand. Most Smith Islanders descend from 17th-century settlers, most of whom arrived in Maryland and Virginia from southwest England and Wales. The island is known for its soft shell crabs, its mail boat that is also the ferry to get on and off the island and the most important -- The Smith Island Cake, the Maryland state cake. Kristan speaks to Kathey Jones who is the baker who owns and operates The Smith Island Bakery which is located on the island. Kathey did not grow up on the island as she grew up in Baltimore but her and her family vacationed here frequently and they fell in love with it. Her entire family is a part of her business as they help with baking, cutting up the cakes, boxing up the cakes to be shipped out, and manning the gift shop that is attached to the bakery and much more. Tune in to hear more about Kathey's experience keeping these delicious cakes baked on Smith Island, what her take is on the history of the cake, how its like living on the island and much more.
Cravin Crabs
Barry Koluch grew up in a household where fishing, crabbing, and hunting were just a normal part of life. After graduating from high school, he went on to receive a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Marketing from Salisbury University, always staying close to the Chesapeake Bay. During and after college, Barry was always working weekends on his father’s crabbing boat. After spending a few years in corporate sales, Barry took his passion for crabs and turned it into a business, Cravin Crabs. He started the business with his father Paul Koluch whose entire life revolves around the outdoors. Paul worked and retired from Baltimore Gas and Electric with 37 years of service, while his passion truly remained on the water. For Paul, crabbing always held a special place in his heart, and he easily made the decision to become a Full-Time Commercial Waterman. Tune in to learn more about the Koluch family and how they started Cravin Crabs, how they go about catching crabs on a daily basis and how to eat crabs the Maryland way. Also, stay until the end to hear a special tune from John Patti and to hear news about an upcoming Makers of the USA event.
Alternative Manufacturing Inc.
Makers of the USA has partnered up with Skowhegan Savings Bank on a mini-series called Becoming A Maker. To kick off the series Kristan Vermeulen interviews Alternative Manufacturing Inc., one of New England’s best resources for electronic contract manufacturing, that is based in Winthrop, Maine. AMI serves a wide range of clients throughout the USA, Canada & Europe in markets such as; Medical, Industrial, Green Technologies, Robotics, and Mil/Aero. Kristan interviews Kim Vandermeulen and Jim Barry about how they help start-up companies with their tech needs. A great example of how AMI assisted someone in bringing their dream to life was with a woman who lives in Winthrop who wanted to find a technological solution for seniors to remember their walkers when navigating throughout the day. They have also assisted start-ups with indoor vertical farming and ropeless lobster traps. Tune in to learn more about AMI's history, how they have helped not only start-ups but international companies with their tech needs, and how Kim is not only a maker focused on tech but of delicious beverages.
Annie Mahle
Annie Mahle, a maker of all things that surround the dinner table from table linens to the delicious meals, was not only the culinary force behind the fabulous meals prepared and relished by guests sailing on the Maine Windjammer the J&E Riggin for 23 years. She cooks in small spaces outside of the schooner environment and has written various cookbooks including her recent, The Tiny Kitchen Cookbook. Annie gravitates to meals comprised of fresh, local ingredients from her garden, local farmers, and food artisans. In addition to her own boat captain credentials (she holds a 100-ton captains license), Annie has over 25 years of experience in the food industry, is a graduate of the University of Michigan, has studied baking at the Culinary Institute of America, and spent three years under the tutelage of Swiss Chef Hans Bucher. After working for several years as a personal chef in the private yachting industry, Anne settled in Maine with her husband Captain Jon Finger and their two daughters and ran the Maine Windjammer, Schooner J. & E. Riggin. Tune in to learn more about Annie's culinary career, her experiences cooking out of tiny spaces, and what it means to be a maker connected to the Maine community. Also, stay until the end to hear Becca Bigg's new track Genie.
Deanna Bogart
Deanna Bogart traveled around the country as a young girl, partaking in talent shows at the various schools she attended and seeing her family members express themselves through music which she soon learned she shared the same passion. At age 17 she picked up her guitar and traveled to Los Angeles to give her music career a go in the Hollywood area but then traveled back to the east coast to join a friend's band. While she loved vocals and performing at various shows in the Baltimore area, she found that her true calling was the saxophone. Others in the music industry would mention to her "Girls play the clarinet, not the saxophone". Well, Deanna has proven to be one of the best saxophone players and female musicians in the world. She has played with other renowned artists such as Jimmy Buffet, B.B. King, and much more. Tune in to learn more about Deanna's music career, her experiences performing with other renowned musicians, and what it means to be a maker connected to the Maryland community.
228 Grant Street
Kendal Brown, owner, founder, maker of 228 Grant Street Candle Co., was born and raised in Danville, Virginia, and during his childhood, his hometown offered little to no structure for an artsy kind of kid. He always thought he needed to do something with his hands before getting his hands into a craft. He studied religion and took on a career in ministry in DC. He then took on a different career path after coming out as a gay man and ventured to San Francisco to study theological education. But the word craft was still lingering in his head. It's his true calling. He dabbled in writing and art but the only craft that truly hit home with him that was a part of his creative process, the light of a candle, the scent the mood, it filled his creative soul. So candle making became his craft candles will be lit during his creative thinking time and to build on that craft and make it his own. He did some research and has now created a collection of his own in Baltimore.