American Handcrafted Podcast

At age 11, when asked for a project that might cheer her up, Nancy Salamon requested modeling clay. By her college years she’d been accepted to apprentice with a potter in the Caribbean on the island of St Lucia. Fast forward to now, clay has been a part of Nancy’s life for over 30 years. From her love for arts and crafts at a young age, to her wonderful collection of products made in the USA, Nancy discusses how her friendships, inspirations, school projects and collaborations led her into developing Clay Born Pottery & Textiles.   | Guest Website: https://claybornpottery.com/textiles/   | Podcast Page: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast    | American Handcrafted: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com     

Style Union Home (SUH) is on a mission to make memories. Created by fashion icon, Kym Gold, the entire collection was inspired by aspects of organic fashion and classical style. It is the founder’s hope that each piece becomes an heirloom, symbolic of the memory’s customers create with them while contributing to their own traditions and family legacies.     RESOURCES   | Guest Websites: https://styleunionhome.com/| Podcast Page: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast   | American Handcrafted: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com     

"Our mission is to empower and connect people through the healing practice of glassblowing and ceramics. We serve those who have been impacted by structural or individual trauma, including violently injured youth, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, undocumented and immigrant populations and Chicago Public School students on the South and West sides. Firebird Community Arts offers highly personalized ceramics and glass blowing instruction from our warehouse-turned-art studio located in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood. We deliberately relocated to be closer to, and of better service to, the Chicago communities most in need of affordable, high-quality arts instruction and a safe space within which to practice art as a tool for healing." Firebird Community Arts      RESOURCES   | Guest Websites: https://www.firebirdcommunityarts.org/| Podcast Page: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast   | American Handcrafted:   https://americanhandcraftedshow.com     

With an immense love for statement accessories-Takara emerged into handmade fashion accenting personal style, expanding on to apparel as clients embraced her style sense. Influenced by the American mid-western, and pop art, modern classics and Scottish plaid and British tailored design.  Takara’s artistic abstractions and geometrics blend and fuse. Today Takara is re-imaging her brand vision, feeling renewed and inspired forward she has launched newest 2021 collection – The Peace Brooch!RESOURCES   | Takara Designs:   https://shoptakara.com/| Podcast Page: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast   | American Handcrafted:   https://americanhandcraftedshow.com     

"We design with intention, so the pieces not only have a positive impact on the recipient, but on the environment as well. That’s why we only use recycled, repurposed, and organic materials to make our Made-In-America jewelry. We want you to feel as good about our products as we do, and to share that positive and inspirational energy with family and friends," Whitney Howard Designs.    RESOURCES   | Whitney Howard Designs:  https://www.whitneyhowarddesigns.com/      | Podcast Page:  https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast   | American Handcrafted:   https://americanhandcraftedshow.com     

"Rich in history, the American textile industry needs support to grow. Producing our yarns domestically helps local economies prosper, supporting dignified work and sustainable livelihoods within these traditionally underpaid fields. We forge lasting relationships from the ranch to the mill, enriching independent businesses while illuminating this very human process for our community of makers. "     RESOURCES   | Podcast Page: https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast   | American Handcrafted:   https://americanhandcraftedshow.com    

Samantha Verrone Textiles produces one of a kind and short run home furnishings and accessories that merge contemporary with traditional design. Inspired by Korean Pojagi patchwork, Japanese layered Boro cloth and the challenge to make something new from that which might otherwise be discarded, these pieces are amalgams of dyeing and repairing, deconstructing, and reconstructing, restraint and embellishment, preservation, and reinterpretation.   RESOURCES   | Podcast Page:  https://americanhandcraftedshow.com/podcast   | American Handcrafted:   https://americanhandcraftedshow.com    

 Persian inspired patterned pottery and Judaic iconography: a collection inspired by themes of Judaism, Israel, and flora of Israel. Jennifer Wankoff works on the melding of Judaica objects and secular work. She spins the wheel as well as hand builds, often pushing out in sections of six, like the six-sided star of David. The resulting sections become a guide for glaze decorating inspired by Persian patterned pottery and Judaic iconography.