Makers of the USA

Latest Episodes:

Sarah Sockbeson, Wabanaki Basket Weaver, Gets Tips On How To Start A Podcast Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

“I am a Penobscot basket maker. So I actually do come from a long line of basket makers. So it's in my family, and it was always something that I had an interest in. I think I was just an artist like I've always been an artist since I was just, I remember being four or five, six years old, and that's all I wanted to do was draw, color. So making things has always been my real true kind of desire and passion and so when I graduated high school, I planned to go to art school and that's what I wanted to pursue. I ended up taking some time away right after high school, I went, and I stayed and lived at my grandmother's house on the reservation on Indian Island. I ended up living with her for a while and helped her out after my grandfather died. So while I was there on the island, I began becoming more and more interested in hearing my grandmother's stories, knowing more about her as a child. I think it's really important when we have our elders around and available, that knowledge is there," said Sarah Sockbeson, Wabanaki basket weaver located in Maine.

Sarah is the type of person who likes to get her hands on everything native craft including art, basket weaving, and now a newly started project, a podcast. Kristan Vermeulen shares her passion for her podcast and some tips she has learned along the way during her podcasting career.

“I feel like every maker is so different, and has a different story. So what I like to do is fully focus on that individual and what their story is about. That kind of pulls that thread of that theme, that topic, that focus. I feel like getting to know each individual maker first and foremost is probably like my first priority and sort of pulling together the content, pulling together that story, pulling together the questions. Then what I do is I also want to learn about the process of the craft, because that's really why I wanted to start the podcast, I wanted to treat it as an elementary sort of voice process because I know a lot of makers that use terminology where a lot of folks just don't understand. And they're like, Huh, what are you talking about? Like, can you take a step back? So I ask people to just tell us the elementary level, like broad level of a process of your craft, because that's better to understand in that regard," said Kristan, host of Makers of the USA.

To view Sarah's work visit her website, Instagram and Facebook.

Also, stay until the end of the episode to listen to Sarah Trunzo's track Liberty Tool.

If you enjoyed this Makers of the USA episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook. Please check out Makers of the USA's YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all and stay safe and healthy.

Nick Rossi's Fascination With Swords At A Young Age Inspired Him To Become A Custom Knifemaker Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

When Nick Rossi was starting to learn the craft behind knife making in the late 90s, early 2000s, there were not a lot of places around that you could go and learn how to do this, there were only a few seminars. He said especially in Maine, there was not a lot to help move you along through the craft. The luckiest part of his journey was meeting knife makers when he got a job in a retail cutlery store. These coworkers offered to show him the mistakes he was making and examine what he was working on.

Nick was lucky enough to have mentors right from the start. When he was 15 years old, he got his first job at a knife store in Freeport, just wanting to help out.

“I have always been knife obsessed. I grew up in the 90s and there were a lot of action movies. These action movies had these knives that were kind of like stars in and of themselves. Right? For like an eight-year-old kid, it was like, oh my god, that is just so cool!” - Nick Rossi shares.

The very first knife he had made had a cord-wrapped handle and then he later got into the woodworking aspect of knife making. He saw a few people do woodworking before, picked up a few books, but felt like he was on his own. Again, it was trial and error for him. He loves uses wood sourced right from Maine for this portion of the knife.

Nick feels super lucky that his parents moved him to Maine when he was young. He believes that being in Maine has helped his business. He told me, “Maine has some of the best craftspeople in the world. All the jewelers, the metalsmiths and the potters and the good fiber artists out there, it’s kind of overwhelming. Being a part of that scene has really, really helped me and it's inspired me to reach for more. I'd say that that would be the big thing about me is just being surrounded by super talented people.”

To view Nick's work visit his website, Instagram and Facebook.

Also, stay until the end of the episode to listen to The Ghost of Paul Revere's track We Were Born Wild.

Big thanks to Erin Little for capturing Nick Rossi's wonderful craft.

Ramona Allen Goes From Reflexologist to Artist Due To The Pandemic Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

Ramona studied psychology in college and focuses on crisis and trauma counseling. She has set out to be a trauma and crisis counselor and that led her to practice reflexology. It calms the nervous system opening the door for other treatments to work.

She had a full schedule before the pandemic, seeing 15-20 clients a week. She shares that she was glad she picked up painting as giving all of her energy outward was taking a toll on her mental health. Painting was like self-care. She never considered painting professionally or creating anything that would be sellable. Who knew that not long after, her reflexology space would turn into her very own gallery.

“As far as the healing arts go, you know, I really did miss that connection that I had with my clients. Yeah, not being able to connect with them hands-on, not knowing how long I would be good again, and missing that connection. So originally, Ramona Allen healing arts was my Instagram feed for my reflexology practice. And I would post different things relating to health and wellness, mostly with holistic or alternative medicine. So I began to share my artwork on there thinking that it might inspire someone else may be to explore their creativity, not thinking that it would be something that would move into a career with sellable art.”

Ramona’s art began bringing joy, hope, and light to everyone in a dark time. People began reaching out to her and sharing what they experienced through viewing each piece. This gave her back the connection she was missing from having clients. What I've heard from others who know Ramona is that she is great at listening to their stories. She takes their story and turns it into a piece of art.

To view Ramona's work visit her website and Instagram.

Also, stay until the end of the episode to listen to Caroline Cotter's track II est Jaune.

Big thanks to Zach St. Ward for capturing Ramona's wonderful craft.

Welcome to Makers of the USA Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

About a year ago Kristan Vermeulen was sitting in her bedroom closet recording the first episode of her Makers of Maine podcast and today, she is sitting in the same spot recording her first episode of Makers of the USA. She can’t believe the time has come to expand this project she has worked so hard on. Kristan Vermeulen is a storyteller that enjoys interviewing makers of all sorts. She finds that the term maker can be very broad and she wants to keep it that way as many people think a maker is an individual that makes something with their hands. That definition is correct but she thinks there is much more to that. What about the folks who help capture the handmade craft such as the photographers and videographers? What about the musicians who bring life to the air and fills your soul? What about the innovators behind science and technology? What about the creatives behind marketing those handmade products? The list goes on.

Join Kristan in her storytelling by subscribing to the podcast, following her on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribing to her e-mail list on her website. Also, feedback is always a plus so please leave a rating and review.

Thank you to the Makers of the USA band Natale as her music will continue to be a big part of this podcast as she is a good friend and partner in this project. Also, thank you to all of the guests that have already been on this podcast and for all of her followers who have continued supporting her from day one.

Ric Della Bernarda Brings Plein Air Art Back To Ogunquit Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

“But when you are taking fashion illustration at FIT, you have to take a couple of painting classes. The most interesting thing that I've learned over time painting, is that painting is not drawing. That's one of the things that I do teach in my classes. It's not tracing something on a canvas and filling it in, you're actually painting light,” said Ric.

Kristan Vermeulen sat down with Ric to learn more about his craft of plein air art and the important light is for painters. Ric describes looking at various photos to create your painting but really noticing the light in each scene.

It was Kristan's first time taking an oil painting workshop and it was a great experience and her painting turned out fairly well.

I had to ask him, why plein air? He has done so many styles of painting, so why is this his specialty? He shares that this part could be because of where he lives, Maine. There are so many beautiful scenes to paint each and every season. I don’t blame him for wanting to paint these gorgeous scenes - especially the ones he sees from his private studio in Ogunquit. “One of my instructors told me that you have to love the process, as well as the final result, right? So I love painting outdoors, I want to share that love with other people.”

Ric shares what he has learned through the years in workshops at the Cliff House Resort. He also sells his lovely work at the resort and on his website.

Also, stay until the end to hear local musician Liz Beebe's new track Try It Out.

Thanks to Berlin City Auto Group for the eco-friendly option when traveling to Ogunquit and for sponsoring this podcast. Also, thanks to Frances Mahoney for joining me and taking the photos!

Brendan Bullock Is A Photojournalist Yet Dabbles Into All Different Forms of Photography Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

Brendan Bullock, a photojournalist based out of Bowdoinham, Maine, has won many awards for his editorial work but his photo work doesn't stop there. He is also a wedding photographer but he likes to keep each business separate as each is a different form of photography. He may use the same cameras and techniques, but it is a different mindset when stepping into each setting.

He has worked on many projects including a photojournalism project in Jaisalmer, India where he got to capture community and culture for editorial purposes.

To learn more about Brendan please follow him on Instagram and his website.

Cover Photo © Brian G. Peters

Thomas Madden & John Paul Brew Up Some Outside The Box Ideas & Are Among The Fastest Growing Breweries In The Nation Jun 14, 2021

Show notes

John and Tom of Lone Pine Brewing started their business in 2016 in Portland and quickly expanded to their location in Gorham and broadened its product line to include hard seltzer. The business idea stemmed from a conversation both longtime friends and former bandmates had. With help from the local community between financial institutions, other breweries, and much more, their growth continues to skyrocket and expand throughout the nation.

My husband and I visited the Gorham location thanks to Berlin City Lexus for supplying us with a vehicle to show up in style. The car was dark green and matched our Lone Pine Brewing experience perfectly.

“I think beer is amazing in that it's very much a craft and it's an art form. In itself, it's a blend of science and improvisation. When you kind of get into the space where you’re building out a recipe and you have in your mind's eye sort of an idea of what the final product will be, there's a lot of factors that play into making that beer exactly how you envision it. That sort of that big combination of math and science and hard work and sanitization. Every day different and every day is very interesting. That's why we keep coming back and doing it every day.” - Tom

Tom shared that like many brewers out there, and similar to my husband, he learned on his porch and in his basement. He spent six or eight years working at this before they ever even started a business. Tom shared, “I studied everything you could before taking the leap. There's a lot of high-quality brewers here in Maine, we've got award winners and national recognition all around us. They say quality breeds quality. We kind of walked into the lion's den, opening up in East Bayside of Portland.”

Tom and John have grown at such a fast pace in size, geographically, product line and so much more. They were ever recognized for their fast growth in many renowned beer publications. Tune in to hear more about their experience and how they plan to continue their fast growth over the next five years.

Also, stay until the end to listen to Ghost of Paul Revere's latest single Good At Losing Everything. You can find their Q&A session with Makers of Maine here.

Bridget Kearney with Lake Street Dive Continues To Build Her Songwriting Toolbox In A Studio Space That Gives Her Unplugged, Creative Vibes May 28, 2021

Show notes

“One thing I really love about Great North Sound Society is that you can stay on site, it's a great place to hang out and then there are these two specific rooms that are primarily music making rooms. So, you also have a sort of focused area. It's like okay, now we're here and we're working on the record and all that fun stuff we did last night is over and we're working on the record again,” said Bridget.

Lake Street Dive has a big heart for Maine and continues to come back year-after-year to perform in Portland. They will be performing this fall at Thompson's Point. I was just in awe that they had recorded one of their most popular albums here in the great state of Maine at Great North Sound Society.

So how did Lake Street Dive find out about this awesome studio in Maine? “We knew Sam a little bit from his work with the Josh Ritter band. We're all big fans of Josh's music. We knew that Sam had had a big hand in what some of those records sounded like. Then, we heard that he had his own studio, which is remote, in Maine, kind of deep inland, like outside of town. So it sounded like a really great place to get away and kind of focus on the project of making the record, which for me has become a big part of how I like to make records. Making it kind of an event that is separate from your day-to-day, separate from what touring life is like and separate from what home life is like. You go to the studio and you're really able to kind of just stay in that zone for the space of the recording to take place,” said Bridget.

She shared with me that the most important thing to her when picking a studio to record at, is the vibe. There is always a concern for technical capabilities, but how the studio feels will always be top priority.

Her experience at Great North Sound Society, has been truly one-of-a-kind and she enjoys the vibe it brings. She continues to utilize it every once in a while as a writers retreat and who knows may she will come back one day to record a song or another album.

Lake Street Dive recently came out with a new album called Obviously and a bit of their track Hypotheticals is featured at the end of the episode.

To learn more about Lake Street Dive please visit their website and Instagram.

Isa Burke With Lula Wiles Shares Her Fully Immersed Recording Experience At Great North Sound Society May 27, 2021

Show notes

“I've been playing music my whole life, as have my bandmates. All of us come from musical families. Both of my parents are professional musicians and music teachers. My parents' names are Susie Burke and David Seret and they play a lot of different kinds of folk and traditional music. I grew up kind of immersed in the folk and roots music community in the sea coast area. It was kind of a no brainer for me. For a long time I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to be a professional musician, but I always knew that music was going to be a really big part of my life.”

Isa dabbled in a few instruments at a young age, but definitely started singing before anything else. “I was the kind of kid who would just like to mess around with whatever was nearby. I was always drumming on surfaces or my parents would have guitars and ukuleles around the house. We had a piano I would sort of plunk away on that. Thought about learning the flute for a second in school, but that didn't pan out. I played trumpet for a couple years. Then, I played guitar when I was around 10. And then, when I was 13, I started playing fiddle. That was the first instrument that I really lost my mind over.”

Her experience at Great North Sound Society, has been a fully immersed, changed woman typed of experience. Isa along with her bandmates recorded their first two albums at a studio in Boston, but their third album was recorded in June of 2020 at Great North Sound Society.

When they make an album, they aren’t a band that wants to chip away at it over time. When they start, they want to be fully immersed in the experience. “(After recording), then I emerge as changed woman. That's so much what that space is like because it's a house. You are staying there, so you're just there round the clock. It's not like you get up and you go to the studio and then you go home. You’re totally immersed. I think that's a really special way to make a record. That is a big part of what makes Great North so awesome.”

Lula Wiles new album, “Shame and Sedition” produced by Sam Kassirer is now out! Be sure to give them a listen.

To learn more about Lula Wiles please visit their website and Instagram.

Also, please check out the featured musician of this episode, Lula Wiles, and their new track In Dreams.

Dietrich Strause Continues To Build His Songwriting Puzzles & Brings Some Tunes To Life At Great North Sound Society May 26, 2021

Show notes

“It's a puzzle; the shapes of the puzzle keep changing based on my interests in the music that I like at a certain time. You sort of put it together, right? You feel like, okay, I've got that puzzle together. Then, a week later, the shapes change,” said Dietrich.

While viewing the behind the scenes of Dietrich's recording session at Great North Sound Society, which you may have seen in the preview video of this series, it was amazing to see the dynamic between Sam and Dietrich. They carefully listened to the instrumentals and voice build into a magical tune. The voice and individual instruments were recorded one at a time, in separate rooms. The process seems so fluid and just came naturally to both of them. I was excited to have Great North Sound be my first recording studio experience because it is like no other.

Dietrich started to play music at a very young age starting with the piano. In elementary school, he was given a trumpet and immediately got really into it and play all the way up until high school, even going to music school for trumpet performance after high school. He noticed that playing the trumpet can be very lonely and you have to be really, really good.

To learn more about Dietrich please visit his website and Instagram.

Also, please check out the featured musician of this episode, Dietrich Strause. He is also featured in the promo video of this podcast series and is one of the guests on the podcast series.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected