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blushift aerospace
blueShift Aerospace makes history by conducting a commercial launch of a Maine made rocket using bio-derived fuel. This team of highly skilled aerospace experts did this because they're passionate about space and they wanted to bring the aerospace industry to Maine. Kristan Vermeulen grew up watching planes and rockets in the beach town she used to vacation at in Maryland and when she stumbled upon this team and watching the success of their rocket launch through her television screen at home, she had to learn more.
Makers Market At The Point Series Two
Thompson's Point in Portland, Maine puts together a series of Makers Market events where craftspeople around the state get together to showcase their work. Kristan Vermeulen continues the interview series at their November event where she interviews a pottery business, Zwellyn, who specializes in Sgraffito, and a CBD expert who recently rebranded and is known nationwide.
Freckled Fuchsia
Chandlyr Jackson, a former UX/UI Designer who missed crafting with her hands turned to illustration, block-printing, and other forms of printmaking. Her brand, Freckled Fuchsia, is known for its fruit-inspired illustrations and sustainable practices. The small business has grown over the years as it started in Providence, Rhode Island, and now resides out of a small studio in downtown Portland, Maine. She has partnered with a handful of like-minded brands in launching one-of-a-kind products. She has also connected with many businesses in Maine that now carry her products in their stories. Tune into this episode to hear more about Chandlyr's story in how she got into traditional printmaking, her studio in Portland, and how the Maine community is helping to continue the growth of her business.
Nebo Lodge
Nebo Lodge is a historic landmark filled with history and memories from presidential visits to various families who managed the facility and the many guests that stepped foot into the home. Each room is named after an island off the coast of Maine and the dining area is filled with conversations, delicious smells of seafood, and some nice bubbly. David Hopkins, Chellie Pingree, and Angela Ruffolo are all very familiar with this landmark as they share the history, traditions, and life stories this facility holds during this podcast interview. Also, stay until the end to hear another popular track from Sean McGowan.
Eric Hopkins
Eric Hopkins is an artist that turns his view of the Big Blue Planet into watercolors, oils, glass, photography, mixed media, and creative writing. He grew up on North Haven Island and has traveled all over the nation capturing his view of the sea, the mountains, the roads that take him to his destination, the sky he flys through above the open waters and so much more. Tune into this episode to hear more about Eric's journey of life. From growing up on the island with his family and losing his brother at a young age to exploring the rest of the world which opened his eyes to a more creative light to what he is up to today in capturing America and his travels all over the nation as well as his travels within his home state to help celebrate the Bicentennial. Also, stay until the end to hear a popular track from Sean McGowan.
Makers Market At The Point Series One
Thompson's Point in Portland, Maine puts together a series of Makers Market events where craftspeople around the state get together to showcase their work. Kristan Vermeulen kicks off the interview series at their September event where she interviews a hand weaver who recently started her business, The Cultivated Thread, a quilter who started this as a side gig and full-time is a frontline worker, JP Quilts, and a woodworker who laser engraves, cuts and dye-sublimates, Benoit Design Co.
Jemma Gascoine
Jemma Gascoine, a potter who is known for her focus on sculpture, is originally from England but came here to Maine with her husband who is also a maker as he is a photographer. Jemma brings so much to the table with the skills she obtained from her time with Barry Guppy, who is a well-known potter in England who crafted Princess Diana's china. Tune into this episode to hear more about Jemma's story on how she got into pottery, her studio in Monson, and what she is working on today. Also, stay until the end to hear a track from Half Way Home.
Doles Orchard
Earl and Nancy Bunting bought Doles Orchard in 1993 and have continued to grow its history of farming and even expanded on the fruits being grown in the orchard. One hidden gem many folks don't know about the farm is that there is a woodshop located in the building over from their house. Many assume it's a place to keep farm supplies but instead, it is where Emily Chelate, Earl and Nancy's daughter, and her team design and craft wooden crates, gift boxes, and so much more. Emily tells me about the history of the farm, how the woodshop came about and grew due to a well-known brewer located in Maine, and what they're working on today.
Jody Johnstone
Jody Johnstone is a renowned potter located in Swanville, Maine. The skills she obtained from her time in Japan with Isezaki Sensei and the experiences of teaming up with other potters who enjoyed the wood-fired process to build wood-fired kilns truly show through her work and her studio in the backyard of her beautiful home. She wasn't really looking to come to Maine but once she found an ad in the paper that someone was selling their pottery studio up in Maine, she couldn't let the opportunity go. Tune in to hear more about Jody's story of crafting wood-fired pottery, how she went about building her own kiln, and what new projects she is up to today.
Atlantic Art Glass
Atlantic Art Glass is quite the staple in Ellsworth as they're known for their innovative practices behind the art of glass blowing. Linda and Ken Perrin, the owners and founders of Atlantic Art Glass, met in California and made their way up to Maine to establish their studio in Ellsworth. Not only do they craft beautiful glass-blown vases, cups, and creatures like birds, Linda is quite fond of jewelry and has played around with her skills to come up with beaded glass that looks like sea glass. Tune in to learn more about Linda and Ken's story and to listen to Caroline Cotter's single, Eternal Light.
Sadie Bliss & Emily Shaffer
Sadie Bliss, Executive Director of Maine Crafts Association (MCA), and Emily Shaffer, MCA Program Coordinator, have coordinated Maine Craft Weekend for many years to help bring the people of Maine and outside of Maine to makers all over the states front doors. Tune in to hear more about Maine Crafts Assocation and how their group started Maine Craft Weekend.
Owl Furniture
A wooden stool handcrafted in Stonington, Maine that gives the bodies that sit in it a healthy posture; sign me up! Geoffrey Warner came up with the idea of crafting an ergonomic stool back in 2008 when the economy was at a slowdown. After grinding two holes and smoothing out the wood, he took a step back and looked at his craft and thought this looks like an owl. Tune in to hear about Geoff's journey as a furniture maker. From his time spent in Rhode Island with Tage Frid, to moving to Stonington with his family to continue the growth of his furniture collection, to patenting one of his stool seats to be manufactured and used in schools and by dentists, Geoff has come along way and has quite a story to share.
Glidden Point
Oysters are a highly popular seafood cuisine people look for when coming to Maine. One oyster farm that offers the only tasting room off the Damariscotta River is Glidden Point Oyster Farms. Ryan McPherson and his team of farmers work hard every day to tend to each of the farms they have along the river, culling the oysters they bring in, and teaching folks that visit their tasting room how to shuck. Tune in to hear about how Ryan took over this farm five years ago and where they are now, the process of growing an oyster farm, and how to shuck your own oysters at home.
Loquat
Jordan Carey and Madison Poitrast-Upton started Loquat with the intention of crafting fashion and apparel pieces inspired by various types of cultures and lifestyles. Both graduated from Maine College of Art and brought their fashion and textiles skills to their business to offer a variety of unique pieces such as pineapple leather handbags, form-fitting masks and so much more. I talk to Jordan and Madison about their journey starting their business, their projects and experiences while attending MECA, and future projects they are working on with Loquat.
Black Owned Maine
Did you know that an online database of black-owned businesses never existed in Maine? When the unfortunate event of George Floyd hit the press, Rose Barboza and Jerry Edwards came together to start a website that promotes tons of black-owned businesses here in Maine. From Augusta to Biddeford to Lewiston to Orono, black businesses, designers, craftsmen, etc. reside all over the state. Rose tells me what prompted her to start the project which is now turning into a non-profit organization, future projects she plans to take on, and what it was like growing up in Maine.
Angelrox
Picture a space that is built of all brick and towers and makes you feel like you're going back in time. A time where manufacturing and production were at its peak due to the river it sits next to. Pepperell Mill located in Biddeford, Maine started as a place where linens, towels, sheets, and much more were crafted. Now it continues to be a place where various manufacturers get into their craft including a fashion designer, Roxi Suger, that came from Oklahoma where she was born and New York City where she first started her Angelrox clothing line. When you walk into her studio it is filled with apparel designs that make your jaw drop. Roxi tells me what inspired her to get into fashion and how she ended up in New York City, how she met the love of her life, and moved to Maine to continue her craft, her new collection called Suger and much more.
Brant & Cochran
When you walk into the Brant & Cochran shop in South Portland, the smell of cold cut steel blended with the sweet smell of red hot iron, the sounds of metal being hammered, and the heat of oil firing surround the facility. Mark and Stephen Ferguson and Barry Worthing, came together to bring the craft of axe making back to Maine. Mark and Stephen fill us in the history behind axe making in Maine, how they came up with the idea to start their shop, the craft behind axes, and how they have curated a team of blacksmiths and artists to teach them how to craft a Maine pattern axe so that the craft and tradition can be continued in Maine.
Campfire Pottery
Pottery brought together the Campfire pair, Kristen and Joe Camp, as their love began while taking a pottery class in their home state of Georgia. They opened their studio at the Dana Warp Mill located in Westbrook, Maine, and shop off of Washington Avenue in Portland five years ago. They use a variety of different clays and techniques including Raku which is a Japanese style ceramic process. Kristen and Joe take us on their journey on how they got into pottery in the first place, what brought them to Maine, how they started their business, and what the vision is behind their products.
SaltyGirl Beauty
Have you ever thought about what goes into the products that you put on your body? From lotions to scrubs to mascara to lipstick, there are so many products individuals use on their bodies on a daily. Sarah and Leah take us on a journey on how they went about their research in clean ingredients and how they put together a fabulous collection of products that not only feels good but looks good too. They tell us about how they handcraft their body care line out of their office in Kennebunk and how their beauty line is manufactured out of New York City. The sisters also touch on the non-profits they lead and support as well as how they built their SaltyGirl community.
Maine Flag co.
Bethany Field and Chris Korzen have always been fond of flags. They started crafting the Maine Merchant & Marine Flag seven years ago and they have now expanded to a couple more designs including the first Maine state flag. This design is simple yet truly resonates with many especially this year as Maine celebrates its Bicentennial. Chris fills me in on the history of the Original 1901 Maine Flag and Bethany shares how she goes about crafting their flags. Bethany and Chris are also sailors and inform me of their long sailing trip from Maine to Key West.