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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.