The CraftSanity Podcast

In honor of Juneteenth, the day that celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S., I'm posting my conversation with Dano Wall, the artist who created the Tubman Stamp that allows the likeness of American hero, Harriet Tubman, to be printed on the $20 bill.

Artist and activist Diana Weymar discusses how was one of many artists who took note of President Trump's “stable genius” pronouncement and got inspired to create a stitching project that has includes many others.

Making a living as a professional artist can be tricky with the cost of art school on the rise and lucrative art jobs hard to find. Despite this challenging backdrop, Dayna Walton, a 21-year-old Grand Rapids artist has set herself up well to hit the ground running after she graduates from Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art & Design this spring.

Liz Hilton discusses her 3D knit products she makes at her KNITit studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Check out the show notes at craftsanity.com

Learn how Beryl Bartkus created meaningful work for her daughter, Erin, and others with developmental disabilities. Check out the show notes at craftsanity.com

On this episode of the podcast I geek out about wood type and paper and ink with letterpress printmaker Amos Kennedy, owner and chief printer at Kennedy Prints in Detroit. Check out the show notes at craftsanity.com

Interview with Lori Evesque, owner of Natural Cycles Farm in southern Allegan County, discussing raising fresh food, fiber and plants to sell at local farmers markets and her yarn dyeing workshops. Check out the show notes at craftsanity.com

Interview with 22-year-old Martin Schneider, an art student in Cologne, Germany who designed a 3-D printed printing press and shared his design files for free online. Check out the show notes at CraftSanity.com

Interview with Mark Newport, known for his hand embroidered comic book covers and knitted superhero costumes. Check out the show notes at CraftSanity.com

Interview with Katrina Rodabaugh, fiber artist and author of the forthcoming book, “Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More.” Rodabaugh is one of the zen stitchers on the front lines of this important and gentle movement that bucks the trend of overconsumption and throw-away fashion. Check out the show notes at craftsanity.com

Mike and Terry McGarr discuss Mike's plan to revive a bit of family weaving history. The 27-year-old is the great-grandson of Wallace and Melvina McGarr, who were owners of the Norwood Loom Co. for more than 40 years beginning in 1951. Check out the show notes at CraftSanity.com

Felicia Lo Wong shares the story of how she built her SweetGeorgia yarn business.

Practicing psychologist and crochet designer Sandra Eng recognizes discusses her new book “Crochet Kaleidoscope: Shifting Shapes and Shades Across 100 Motifs,” and the role handcrafts can play as a means of coping with stress and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Interview with Josie Gamper, who sells her own brand of popular watercolors under the name RedwoodWillow. Josie shares the story of how she built her business as a side gig and now operates it full-time from the living room of her Connecticut home.

We go behind the scenes of the fascinating art career of Drew Sheneman, a nationally syndicated political cartoonist who started writing and illustrating children's picture books a couple years ago.

Bethany Nixon, owner of Reware Vintage and co-organizer of the upcoming Detroit Urban Craft Fair (DUCF), discuses last-minute tips for handmade business owners who are vending this holiday season and talk about what it takes to produce a large-scale craft fair like DUCF which is celebrating its 12th year. The Detroit Urban Craft Fair is at the Masonic Temple Dec. 1-3. Check out more at craftsanity.com

Interview with Gloria Kirk-Hann, who takes us behind the scenes of her 2017 ArtPrize entry “Fragments of Old Bones; New Soul” a fiber art installation that is a visual manifestation of her artistic journey through divorce, loss and grief and finding love again. Check out more at craftsanity.com

Interview with Patricia Constantine, who entered a piece titled “Sineater” in the 2017 ArtPrize competition that makes a bold statement about American politics and education.

Melodee Jackson discusses the creation of her intricate ArtPrize 2017 work, “Early January on the Pearl Street Bridge.”

Some artists make art to entertain and amuse, while activist artists like Ti-Rock Moore and Keyon Lovett make art to challenge and raise awareness about injustices in society. Both artists discuss their ArtPrize entries inspired by the continuing Flint water crisis.

Self-taught West Michigan abstract painter Mary-Catheryn Baker discusses her life and her entry into ArtPrize 2017.

Interview with Jeana Eve Klein, about her surprising path to ArtPrize 2017 in Grand Rapids.

Angela Smith, owner of Houston, Texas-based tool and supply business Purl & Loop discusses the unexpected turn of events that led to her start business.

Interview with Marlee Cook-Parrott, who used the Instagram app to promote her business and amassed a strong following quickly.

Interview with artist Emily Wohlscheid, owner of Bricolage Studios.

Heidi Fahrenbacher discusses creating the whimsical Bella Joy Pottery line in a former veterinary clinic-turned-clay studio just outside of Plainwell, Michigan.

Alessandra Hayden shares the story behind her impressive new book, “Modern Tapestry Crochet: Techniques, Projects, Adventure.”

Today is Donald Trump's 100th day in office. One of my secret weapons to cope with this seemingly alternate reality has been to follow the.daily.don feed on Instagram, featuring the satirical artwork of Jesse Duquette.

With studio space in New York and a home base in Australia, Maryanne Moodie has quickly become a household name among weaving enthusiasts around the globe. But many may be surprised to realize that the Australian artist who recently published On The Loom: A Modern Weaver's Guide ($27.50, 144 pages) stumbled across her first loom only about five years ago.

On this episode of the podcast we go behind the scenes of Barrett Wool Co., the new yarn business that Susan B. Anderson launched with her son, Evan Anderson.

When thousands of protesters gather for the Women's March On Washington January 21, 2017 the day after Trump takes the helm of our nation, there will be a sea of pink that just might inspire the former host of “Celebrity Apprentice” to once again regret speaking so freely while on wearing a hot mic.

Jane LaFazio is a watercolor and mixed media artist, art quilter and all-around creative force with a passion for travel and teaching others how to draw and paint. However, with a background in graphic design and technical illustration, this is not the combination of work LaFazio thought she would ever pursue full time.

Stacey Trock discusses how she went from grad school to launching her own crochet business, freshstitches.com and community Ami Club.

Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes discuss their long distance friendship, collaboration and their new book “A Year Between Friends 3191 Miles Apart: Crafts, Recipes, Letters, and Stories” (208 pages, $24.95).

Stacie Tamaki discusses what got her started folding tiny and what lead her to downsize her life and relocate to Michigan, where she is building her dream art studio.

Interview with Kathy Nida, the artist behind a quilt recently removed from a recent American Quilter's Society show in Grand Rapids for after a complaint that doesn't seem to add up.

Korey Schnell discusses his illustrations drawn from Craigslist "Missed Connections"

On this episode, blogger, knitting pattern designer and author Wendy Bernard talks about her creative roots, social media and her new book, “The Knitting All Around Stitch Dictionary: 150 New Stitch Patterns to Knit Top Down, Bottom Up, Back and Forth and in the Round.”

On this episode of CraftSanity, we're going sheep to skein to unravel the story of how wool from a West Michigan flock is being spun into a lovely, new independent yarn line called Welcome Home.

Creativebug CEO Ursula Morgan talks about how she shifted careers from magazine publishing to lead the charge to make the business profitable by the end of 2016.

Maya Pagan Donenfeld tells the story of how she healed herself and wrote a book in the process. “Hope, Make, Heal: 20 Crafts to Mend the Heart” is a thoughtful and inspiring book that aimed to help readers create their way through life's most trying times.

Interview with Clara Parkes, author of the newly released “Knitlandia: A Knitter Sees the World.”

An interview with Yulia Brodskaya, the artist who designed the 2016 Love stamp for the U.S. Postal Service. She's also featured in CraftSanity Magazine Issue 10, that's now for sale.

I can think of no better way to wrap up another year of podcasting than to bring you an interview with Lisa Congdon, a fine artist, illustrator and author who has inspired countless people to be true to themselves, love without regret, do the work, follow their hearts and have the courage to call themselves artists – even if it's just in a whisper at first.

If you live in the Midwest U.S. and have noticed that most of the craft con action happens on East and West coasts, Grace Dobush (co-organizer of Crafty Supermarket) has some good news for you. She joined forces with Brit Charek (organizer of Crafty Mart) and Megan Green (organizer of Craftin' Outlaws) to plan and invite you to Midwest Craft Conslated for Feb. 19-21 in Columbus, Ohio.

Artist and author Valerie McKeehan tells the story behind the 2012 launch of her Lily & Val hand-lettered art business that now employees both her and her husband full-time.

If you think bigger is better when it comes to weaving looms, Syne Mitchell may convince you otherwise if you page through her new book that explores the vast potential of the rigid heddle loom.

Lotta Jansdotter, the Brooklyn-based Swedish designer of items ranging from home goods to textiles, discusses her new book “Lotta Jansdotter Everyday Style.”

If you like knitting, sipping tea, building forts and watching the clouds roll by, this episode was recorded just for you. My guest is Lea Redmond, author of the sweet new book, “Knit the Sky: Cultivate Your Creativity with a Playful Way of Knitting.” She is also the creative force behind LeafcutterDesigns where you'll find an fun selection of the clever things she dreams up including the Knit the Sky scarf project and the World's Smallest Post Service.