The Storyteller's Tavern
By The Storyteller's Tavern
The Storyteller's TavernDec 06, 2023
Chapter 5:3 - Four Rivers Studio
Hadeel and Firas from Four Rivers Studio are a husband and wife duo based out of Chicago's west suburbs. By day, Firas is a historian and Hadeel is a nurse, and together they started a woodworking business out of their garage.
Leigh and Mush talked with them right before they presented their second session at WORKBENCHcon this year, and got a chance to speak about empowering diversity in Makerspaces; ways that they infuse past intellectual traditions with contemporary craft; and the overlap between academia, nursing, and woodworking.
If you're listening to this close to when it was released, Hadeel and Firas just had the baby that gets mentioned in this episode - congratulations!
More Four Rivers Studio
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Kutzall, Total Boat, and WorkbenchCON
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Chapter 5:2 - JPaulTheCarpenter
JPaulTheCarpenter (@JPaulTheCarpenter) is a singer/songwriter turned builder, raised in the hustling streets of Dallas TX, who then moved to the creative hub of ATL.
Leigh and Mush talked with JPaul at WORKBENCHcon (@workbenchconference) about his journey from working on military aircraft to getting nominated for Grammys; the mentors who first believed in and thereby empowered him, and how that guides what he does today; and about focusing the power of the Maker Community into a Swarm of positive impact.
More JPaulTheCarpenter:
Chapter 5:1 - Full House Woodworking & Marrazzo Woodworking
Mike Marazzo, or MarazzoWoodworking, is an avid DIY-er and woodworker, often specializing in custom wood flags based out of Elgin, IL. Brandon Silveira, aka Full House Woodworking, is a maker based in Hollister, CA. Both Mike and Brandon are police officers, Mike having recently retired, and together they host the Handcuffs and Sawdust podcast.
Leigh and I sat down with them both, kicking off WorkbenchCON by highlighting the reunion of the Maker Family, overcoming imposter syndrome, and some of the influence our parents had on us.
More Mike
More Brandon
Handcuffs & Sawdust
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Kutzall, Total Boat, and WorkbenchCON.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by Leigh Northrup (@TheTinkerTeacher) and Mush Hughes (@MakerMush). Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Chapter 4:8 - Eric Schimelphenig (@ericschimel)
Eric Schimelphenig (@ericschimel) has an intense passion for digital fabrication and Making. He uses and teaches 3D printing and CNC fabrication, and has helped design and build digitally fabricated homes, geodesic domes, and many other cutting edge projects. Eric is a regular columnist for Kitchen & Bath Design News and MAKE Magazine, teaches Sketchup nationally, and speaks on emerging technologies for the design field. As he'd probably summarize it himself: he's a big ol' digital fabriaction maker nerd, and proud of it.
At Maker Camp, he was helping man the Avid CNC (@avidcnc) booth, and took time at the end of the weekend to close out Maker Camp '23 with Leigh by talking about the bedrock of collaboration in the community, the trust and respect inherent to these sorts of gatherings, and a brief but intense recap of the '23 Total Boat Makeregatta.
More Eric
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Blackthorne Resort and Maker Camp, and The Tasting Lab for making it all happen.
This chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by Leigh Northrup and Leah Hartmann, and produced by Mush Hughes. You can support the show directly on Patreon.
Chapter 4:7 - Makers Workshop & Patrick Gensel
Brooke and Michael, from Maker's Workshop, got their start via a serendipitous confluence of artistic burnout and budding makerspace potential. Based just outside of Boston, they run the Maker's Workshop, both as a physical shop, and as the name of their presences online.
Patrick Gensel (@patrickgensel), from Pennsylvania, will tell you that he is a "maker of things," which can clearly be seen through the items he sells on Etsy as Pine and Print. From there, he began sharing his process on Instagram, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The group talks at length the crossroads of tradition and technology, whether that’s by what’s involved in creating their own maker spaces, 3D printing your own nostalgia and turning your projects loose on the world, or CNCing gingerbread.
Just a heads up: there’s a surprise appearance by Red the Shop Dog (@redtheshopdog) via some barking right around the ten minute mark.
Maker's Workshop
Patrick Gensel
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Blackthorne Resort and Maker Camp, and The Tasting Lab for making it all happen.
This chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by Leigh Northrup and Leah Hartmann, and produced by Mush Hughes. You can support the show directly on Patreon.
Chapter 5:0 - WorkbenchCON 2024 Preview
Leigh & Mush catch up on the goings-ons of the last few months and get hyped for WorkbenchCON 024
Chapter 4:6 - Mark Adams & Andrew Stanfield
Andrew Stanfield is a freelance media producer and Student Success Coach based in Albany, Oregon, who also dabbles in making stuff.
Mark Adams, whose gorgeous black and white photos you've Definitely Seen, is a freelance photographer, splitting time between Cleveland OH and Portland OR. Mark loves photographing people and motorcycles, but loves being able to hear everyone's the most.
Leigh, Andrew, Mark and I talked about the balance and responsibility of social media; feeling seen; and what makes "doing," whether that's making or photography, not feel like "work."
More Andrew
More Mark
Chatper 4:5 - Emmett Newsome (@deadrisewoodcrafts) & Ethan Carter (@ethancarterdesigns)
Emmett Newsome, or Deadrise Woodcraft as he's known online, is based out of Pittsburgh, and is a self taught wood turner and life long maker - you may recognize his turned treescapes, which Ethan praises at length during this episode.
Speaking of Ethan, Ethan Carter, or Ethan Carter Designs, is known for his innovative approach to leather working and woodworking. His journey from tinkering to #unnecessaryleather speaks to his unique blend of traditional skills and modern creativity.
Leigh and Leah got a chance to sit down at the grownup AND kid table to talk to Emmett and Ethan about finally meeting in person, rekindling childhood hobbies, and the wonderful lack of boundaries when it comes to entering the Maker Community.
More Emmett:
More Ethan
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Blackthorne Resort and Maker Camp, and The Tasting Lab for making it all happen.
This chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by Leigh Northrup and Leah Hartmann, and produced by Mush Hughes. You should check out our Instagram, and can support the show directly on Patreon.
Chapter 4:4 - Priscilla & Luke Smith
Leigh and Leah met up with Priscilla and Luke Smith, a married couple based out of upstate NY with a wide breadth of work. While they started their creative journey together with woodworking, they've transitioned to mainly sculptural blacksmithing, metal fabrication, and 3D modeling for different CNC projects. You may also recognize the hashtag #mayformakers or the instagram account @andtheymake, both of which are parts of the online maker community that they've started.
Tales in the tavern today include Priscilla and Luke's long and interwoven history, from high school to college and everything since; their role in helping grow and share Maker Camp (especially in the time of COVID); and we do a little bit of a teacher deep dive, talking about growth mindset, and the story of Gail Glagola, who ostensibly set them on the path that led them to where they are today.
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Blackthorne Resort and Maker Camp, and The Tasting Lab for making it all happen.
This chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by Leigh Northrup and Leah Hartmann, and produced by Mush Hughes. You can support the show directly on Patreon.
Chapter 4:3 - Trevor Higgins & Matt OConnell
Leigh and Leah connected with Trevor Higgins and Matt O'Connell on Day 2 of Maker Camp. Trevor is based out of a small forest shop in Maryland and practices making across skill sets so that he can show others, of any age, how much fun it is. Matt is also from Maryland, where he has spent two decades in the fields of architectural stainless steel, industrial water filtration, and conveyor manufacturing and installation, but enjoys the challenge of working in other materials as well.
The group talks about the importance of being bad at something; generosity with knowledge, and a story about one time when that didn't happen; messing with math teachers; sock puppets; and the self-perpetuating cycle of creating an inclusive Maker Community.
More Trevor:
- Instagram @dustysqueak
More Matt
- Instagram @mattoconnell13
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Blackthorne Resort and Maker Camp, and The Tasting Lab for making it all happen.
This chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by Leigh Northrup and Leah Hartmann, and produced by Mush Hughes. You can support the show directly on Patreon.
Chapter 4:2 - Dean Duplantis & The Grant Alexander
In this episode, Leigh and Leah sit down with Dean Duplantis and The Grant Alexander.
Dean is a hobbyist maker in Houston, TX, who has always enjoyed taking things apart and trying to get them back together, and now does so in the comfort of his backyard workshop. He's also one of the hosts of the Making Our Way podcast.
Returning guest Grant hails from Canada's Capital (Ottawa), and makes also as a hobby, which lets him enjoy being able to solve problems and bring his ideas to life. Grant is one of the cohosts of the CLAMP podcast.
Among other things, the group gets a chance to dig into some shop talk about podcasting and the inspiration for CLAMP & Making Our Way. Through this, they talk about how to approach telling a great story, the communities that were born of and survived COVID, and why sharing is more important than the fear of theft.
More Dean
- Instagram: @dean_duplantis
- Making Our Way Podcast @makingourwaypodcast
More Grant
- Instagram: @the_grant_alexander
- The CLAMP podcast: @clampcast
Chapter 4:1 - Tom Breslin (@the_phoenix_woodshop)
Tom Breslin, (@the_phoenix_woodshop), is a soon-to-be retired NYC Fire Officer hailing from Long Island, NY. We actually met Tom at Workbench Con earlier in the year but never found time to sit down and record, so we were delighted to find that opportunity to kick things off at Maker Camp this year. Leigh and Leah talk with Tom about investing in oneself; the excitement, responsibility, and necessity of finding purpose past retirement; and the power of connection, vulnerability and gratitude.
More Tom
- Instagram: @the_phoenix_woodshop
- Website: thephoenixwoodshop.com
Chapter 3:9 - Kristin Stockdale & WORKBENCHcon
As all magic must, WORKBENCHcon had to come to a close. As the booths started coming down and folks made their way to closing ceremonies, we were honored to get to sit down with Kristin Stockdale.
Kristin is the owner and host of WORKBENCHcon along with being a full-time event manager.As she tells it, she brings WORKBENCHcon to life in order to ignite creatives by giving them connections, education, and inspiration to live a life they love by doing what they love.We got a chance to thank Kristin in person for everything that she and her team does to support this community year after year at WORKBENCHcon and beyond. We also got to talk about the genesis of WORKBENCHcon, the growth and reconnection of the Maker Family and its focus on Community over Competition, and about being Bold and Fearless.
More Kristin
More WORKBENCHcon
Thanks to @workbenchconferenceand @totalboat for making this chapter happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMushand @thetinkerteacher
Chapter 3:8 - Luke Gelman (@lukeinthegarage) and Justin Bailey (@campfirewoodworks)
The sun was literally and figuratively setting on the last real day of Workbench Con, and the stars aligned such that we were able to connect with Luke Gelman and Justin Bailey.
Luke (@lukeinthegarage) is a garage scientist from Chicago. As he puts it: he might have a plan, and me might not have a plan, but he knows either way, it doesn't matter: it's about the ride. Justin (@campfirewoodworks) is a self-taught woodworker and maker who splits his time between his garage shop and the great outdoors making a variety of bespoke wood products from cutting boards to weaving looms.
We caught up with these fine lads and got to know more about them, and their stories. We dig into, among other things, Ignorant confidence, making twelve-year-olds look like idiots, the secret to excellent chocolate chip cookies… and then we kinda turn into a cooking podcast for a couple minutes. Apologies in advance to Five Guys.
More Luke:
More Justin:
Thanks to @workbenchconference and @totalboat for making this chapter happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMushand @thetinkerteacher
Chapter 3:7 - TotalBoat(@TotalBoat) - Mike (@totalbmike) & Kristin (@total_kristinb)
Whenever there's a gathering of makers, for some time now you can be all but sure that there will be some Epoxy People in the crowd repping TotalBoat… and whenever there's TotalBoat out in the wild, you're all but guaranteed to see Mike and Kristin. Workbench Con was no exception!
Mike Mills (@totalbmike) is CEO and Founder of TotalBoat (which itself is a part of the larger Jamestown Distributors business that has been around since the 1970s). Mike started TotalBoat in 2004 with just a few marine products, but since then has been at it nonstop, and is now what we here at the Tavern would consider an essential element of the Maker World these days.
Kristin Browne (@total_kristinb) has been with TotalBoat since 2015 and has been in the photo and marine industry for her whole career. When she's not on boats, she's planning the events that TotalBoat attends each year, planning social media strategy, and helping to manage the network of TotalBoat Ambassadors.
Both Mike and Kristin find the most joy in working with the Ambassadors and doing fun events around them and their content.
While we were at Workbench Con, we sat down with them and got to hear the TotalBoat origin story, learned more about their role in making the Maker community as we know it, heard about what their crew did during lockdown, and a got to know a little bit about what’s coming next.
More TotalBoat:
Thanks to @workbenchconference and @totalboat for making this chapter happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @thetinkerteacher
Chapter 3:6 - Jess Crow (@crowcreekdesigns)
Jess Crow is a teacher, epoxy artist, and maker from Fairbanks, Alaska. When we showed up at our first Maker Camp, one of the first people we met was Jess, who physically ushered us into the Total Boat tent and culturally ushered us into the Maker Community at large. This warm, effortless welcome had a huge impact on us, and we were not just absolutely delighted to reunite with her at this year’s Workbench Con for the first time since we saw her at Maker Camp, but also very grateful to sit down and hear her stories.
This is a heavier episode than normal here at the Tavern: abuse, drugs, alcohol, and addiction all come up, so if those are topics with which you are uncomfortable, you might consider skipping this one.
That said, we heard some powerful stories about Jess’s transformation from a maker on the outside of the fray to welcoming new makers to the inside of it, persevering through the good and the ugly, what happens when you don't ask a question, and how to teach how to take risks.
Some stand-out quotes from this episode:"When you don't ask a question, you rob someone of the ability to educate you""Niche Down On Your Weird"
More Jess:
Thanks to @workbenchconference and @to talboat for making this chapter happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @thetinkerteacher
Chapter 3: 5 - Rex Krueger (@rexkrueger)
As the first Full Day of WBC came to a close, we ran into our new friend Rex Krueger: a writer, content creator and furniture builder in Cleveland, Ohio, who builds Early American furniture (mostly) by hand, makes videos on YouTube, and writes books. His most recent book is Everyday Woodworking: A Beginner's Guide to Woodcraft with 12 Hand Tools.
Rex tells us the story of leaving the classroom and entering the woodshop…and leaving the woodshop; yins and yangs, and the impact of outsiders on an industry; his secret supplier of grandpa's tools; and his favorite childhood cartoon.
More Rex:
Instagram: @rexkrueger
Website: compassrosetools.com
We also kept the mics rolling for a couple minutes and recorded Another Round with him, which you can find at patreon.com/sttavernpod.
Thanks to WorkbenchCon and Total Boat for making this chapter happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
You can support us by rating, reviewing, and visiting patreon.com/sttavernpod
Chapter 3: 4 - Chris Giffrow (@cowdogcraftworks) & Justin Dietrich (@dietrichnsons)
One of the best parts parts about attending Workbench Con was seeing familiar faces, and we got a chance to do just that when we reconnected with Chris Giffrow and Justin Dietrich. Chris is a self taught woodworker and Japanese Tool Enthusiast, and Justin is a high school woodshop instructor at Lincoln Community HS in Illinois. The two have joined forces in the past to lead major timber-in projects at Maker Camp and were on the team that built on the Gong Stand at this year's Workbench Con.
We told stories about Making the world a better place, in and out of the workshop; the therapeutic applications of a lathe; whether a clarinet is a clarinet, a guitar is a guitar, or a saw is a saw; and he story that a chisel, a slick, or a fork can tell.
More Chris:
@cowdogcraftworks on Instagram
More Justin:
@dietrichnsons on Instagram
Chapter 3: 3 - House of Esperanza (@house.of.esperanza & @erinnmakesthings)
As we explored more of Workbench Con, we found ourselves suddenly in what felt like someone's living room - replete with comfortable chairs, tables with treats strewn about, and what looked like a homemade bookshelf full of books on the wall. Before we fully understood where we were, we were being welcomed into House of Esperanza, and started learning about the journey and the community building that Monica Chavez, Erinn Bagnaschi, and the rest of their crew are sharing.
Monica, the CEO and Creative Force behind House of Esperanza shares educational, entertaining, and inspiring stories, and Erinn spends her days juggling parenthood, projects and everything in between. We sat down and heard stories from them about rediscovering identity, influence vs Impact, and finding & filling cups with our communities online
More Monica & House of Esperanza:
- @house.of.esperanza on Instagram
More Erinn:
- @erinnmakesthings on Instagram
Thanks as always to @workbenchconference and @totalboat for making this chapter of the Tavern happen!
The @sttavernpod is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Chapter 3: 2 - Mark Robertson (@mark.thebuilder)
Mark Robertson (@mark.thebuilder) is a woodworker in the Dallas Fort-Worth area, and takes joy in growing the woodworking community and sharing the story of his process alongside what he makes. Mark helped welcome new folks to Workbench Con, and we were immediately taken with his journey and the passion with which he shares it. We caught up with Mark early in the weekend to learn more about him and how he got to be what he's doing now.
He tells us about how he got his start learning from, and then teaching to, his grandfather; how he helps grow a mindset of asking vs. earning; and where he finds the positive in being different.
More Mark:
Thanks as always to @workbenchconference and @totalboat for making this chapter of the Tavern happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Chapter 3: 1 - Char Miller-King (@woodenmaven)
Char Miller-King is a professional woodworking teacher at the Decatur Makers makerspace in Atlanta, GA. She has shared her teaching and woodworking skills across the country as well as online for folks like This Old House, Magnolia, Rockler, Home Depot, and Power Pro. We met Char unofficially as part of our Newbie Welcome to Workbench con, and got a chance to talk more in depth the first night. What started as a nomal couple minute "hi nice to meet you" chat quickly turned into a half hour conversation about our shared passions, histories, and aspirations. Needless to say, we were tremendously excited to continue the conversation to share. Char tells us stories about how she comes from a family of makers, with shout-outs to dad and Uncle Greg, using a table saw to grow confidence, and the responsibilities both of being a role model in a makerspace and being true to yourself online.
More Char:
@woodenmaven on Instagram
Thanks to WorkbenchCon and Total Boat for making this chapter happen!
The Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
You can support us by rating, reviewing, and visiting patreon.com/sttavernpod
Chapter 2 - Conclusion
Mush and Leigh recap Chapter 2: Queen City Makers and preview Chapter 3: Workbench Conference.
Another mighty, heartfelt thank you to all of our storytellers and friends new and old from Chapter 2:
Joel Bonasera (@makingthingsclt)
David Taylor (@fablabdtaylor)
Jacob Daugherty (@otherdogdesign)
Madison Dunaway (@mk_dunaway)
Super Daft Bros (@superdaftbros)
Andrew Thiessen (@branchandfoundry)
Jbird the Vandal (@jbird.the.vandal)
Grant Maginnis (@maginnismade)
Thanks as always to @aftonpub 🍺 & 🍕for hosting this chapter of the Tavern!
Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Another Round: Grant Maginnis
In which we discuss @nodabrewing's Cheerwine (@drinkcheerwine) Ale, order food, jump out of our skin when a crate of silverware gets dropped (5:00 minute mark, watch out), discuss what to do when wood smells like wood, talk about some more storied wood, the circular nature of time, and the oldest red hickory tree in the world.
Episode 19 - Grant Maginnis
In our final episode of this chapter, we talk with Grant Maginnis a woodworker and maker in Concord, NC. Perhaps more than any other guest we've had in the Tavern so far, Grant helps drive home the importance and power of the stories behind making, in this case, in the stories of the wood he uses in his pieces. As we talk, you can hear in his voice the love for the materials, and respect for their past lives. We also talk about the magic of tables, Cheerwine, and what to do with the wood from a 176 year old oak tree.
More Grant:
- Instagram: @maginnismade
Thanks as always to @aftonpub 🍺 & 🍕for hosting this chapter of the Tavern!
Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Another Round: JBird the Vandal
We let the mics roll with Jbird the Vandal. It's mostly about bands that we've played in!
If you're listening via Spotify, you can give us feedback with the player, otherwise shoot us a DM or leave us a comment on Instagram to let us know your thoughts on these "Another Round" episodes.
Episode 18 - Jbird the Vandal
We were introduced to Jbird the Vandal through Joel, another Queen City Maker who you may remember opened this whole chapter up. Joel described Jbird as a tinkerer, and indeed, his Instagram profile starts simply and all-inclusively with "I make things." Jbird has street art, murals, and graffiti all over Charlotte, and stories and skillsets that have taken him much further than just our city.
We hear from Jbird about ignoring the instructions; being content with Wheel of Fortune; and the Wilderness Survival, Streetlights, Taco Shops, and other experiences that mark his journey so far.
More Jbird the Vandal:
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jbird.the.vandal/
- Website https://tinkerbirdcreative.com/
Episode Shout-Outs:
- Shepard Fairey https://www.instagram.com/obeygiant/
- Osiris Rain https://www.instagram.com/osirisrain/
- Tough Ass Crew https://www.instagram.com/toughasscrew/
- Flux Galleries https://www.instagram.com/fluxgalleries/
- Heist Brewery https://www.instagram.com/heistbrewery/
- Protagonist Beer https://www.instagram.com/protagonistbeer/
- PBR https://www.instagram.com/pabstblueribbon/
Episode 17 - Andrew Thiessen
Andrew Thiessen is a Charlotte area maker who makes wood and steel furniture & architectural accents with lumber milled from Charlotte trees. We talk about his bridge from landscaping to welding to woodworking, how "the medium doesn't matter", Neighbor Stan's basement, and when "trying is not enough."
...and we DON'T talk about bees. Much.
More Andrew:
Instagram
YouTube
Thanks as always to @aftonpub 🍺 & 🍕for hosting this chapter of the Tavern!
Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Episode 16 - Super Daft Bros
The stuff that Ian & William of Super Daft Bros (@superdaftbros) make is hard to summarize in just a couple of sentences, so this is out of character, we've included some of their work in this post that you should check out before listening to this episode. Are they makers? Are they artists? Are they awesome? I mean, the answer to all of those is yes, and it's hard to pick which to list first. Regardless, we had a blast talking with them about origin stories, embracing the nerd, our deepest ever build story so far about the joys and trials of building a 1/64th scale model of Hogwarts, and as we almost always do, the importance of embracing, sharing with, and teaching the Maker community.
More SuperDaftBros:
Episode Shout-Outs:
- @volpinprops
- @toughasscrew
- @cltshout
Thanks as always to @aftonpub 🍺 & 🍕for hosting this chapter of the Tavern!
Storyteller's Tavern is hosted by @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Chapter 3: 0 - Tiff Marchand & WorkbenchCon Preview
This episode is a little different than normal: Later this week Leigh and I are headed to Atlanta for WorkbenchCon 2023, the fifth gathering of its kind for makers and content creators. So to get maybe our only chance to talk with her in advance of the craziness of the weekend, we zoomed with Tiff Marchand, aka nightcarverdesigns, to hear about her story, and to get a sneak peak of what to expect while we're at WorkbenchCon. We got the opportunity to hear about her journey into, out of, and back into art; what it's like to find and celebrate members of the Maker Community; and what to look forward to this year's WorkbenchCon.
More Tiff Marchand:
More WorkbenchCon:
Episode 15 - Madison Dunaway
Madison Dunaway (she/her) is an artist, leader, and self-professed ambiguity lover. She grew up in Charlotte and has created and run makerspaces for nearly a decade, most currently at Boston College. On top of all this, she is an official #friendofthepod.
Normally we meander through a number of different themes in these stories, but our overarching topic this time around focused around the self-reflective journeys of finding and growing communities, and importance of representation in every space - especially makerspaces.
This is a great episode to listen to if you want to start to learn about the experiences Madison, Leigh, and Mush have had in starting their respective makerspaces.
More Madison:
Thanks as always to @aftonpub for hosting this chapter of the Tavern!
The @sttavernpod is @MakerMush and @TheTinkerTeacher
Episode 14 - Jacob Daugherty
Episode 13 - David Taylor
David Taylor is a middle school Engineering and Computer Science teacher and Fab Lab instructor at Charlotte Latin School, where he's passionate about student-led design and developing an environment where students can learn through making and prototyping.
We talked with David about the critical element of vulnerability in learning how to learn, and being OK with not knowing; the Kevin Baconing of the Maker Community; and the challenge and responsibility of enabling failure.
You can find David at
Episode 12 - Joel Bonasera
Our guest in the tavern today is Joel Bonasera. He, like all our storytellers this chapter, is a maker based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. After spending over a decade in science and technology education, Joel turned his focus to digital fabrication to make things. Now, he spends his time on e-commerce sales, commissioned work, and ongoing support for educators and institutions interested in learning the basics of 3D printing and design.
Joel shares with us about the good and the challenging of what the pandemic did to Making in Charlotte, how to make science fiction aspirations a Maker Reality, and his meandering road to Making.
You can find Joel at
Episode Shout-Outs
- Charlotte MEDI https://www.charlottemedi.org/
- Cory Doctorow @cory_doctorow
- The Prusa Guys @josefprusa
- The Legendary Mr. Wizard @mrwizard
- Local loaf @localloafnoda
Episode 11 - Chapter 1 Conclusion
Episode 11, in which we close out Chapter 1. Leigh and Mush look back on some of the highlights of this chapter, discuss our plans for what's next, and celebrate one last time with all our friends from Maker Camp '22.
Much love to:
- Leigh Northrup (@thetinkerteacher)
- Lindsay Zeulich (@wood_brain)
- Jared Geddes (@eveningwoodworker)
- Brittney Carbone (@brittneycarbone.art)
- Dave Miao (@3d_diy_dave)
- Leah Hartmann (@leah.learning)
- Sam Ciferno Skidmore (@sammyvae)
- Andrew Szeto (@szetoszeto)
- Jimmy DiResta (@jimmydiresta)
- Grant Alexander (@the_grant_alexander)
- Jon Peters (@jonpeters_)
- Walter Peters (@walter_peters)
- Chad Grosklags (@Mancrafting)
- Jacob LaRocca (@RocketProps)
- Brett Mcafee (@sullandspade13)
- Austin Handel (@cant_handel_it)
- The Maker Camp (@themakercamp)
- The Blackthorne (@theblackthorne)
- The Tasting Lab (@the_tasting_lab)
- Afton Pub & Pizza (@aftonpub)
We'll see you soon! ♥
Episode 10 - Brett Mcafee
Our last story from Maker Camp 2022 comes from Brett Mcafee, an Artist, blacksmith, and fabricator of other beautiful things in and around the Joshua Tree region of California.
We talk with Brett about the craft of teaching and its root in connection between humans; the best way we think there is to learn; and how maker camp helps fan the flame of hands-on tinkering.
You can find Brett online at YouTube.com/brettmcafee or by searching @skullandspade, and is on Instagram at @skullandspade13
Shout-outs
@jimmydiresta
@brentbaileyforge
@andrew_larson_blacksmith
@will_stelter
@alexpoleironwork
@laurakampf
@cant_handel_it
@maumasifirearts
Episode 9 - Chad Grosklags & Jacob LaRocca
Two of our last storytellers from Maker Camp this year are Chad Grosklags of Mancrafting (@Mancrafting), and Jacob LaRocca of Rocket Props (@RocketProps).
Chad is based out of Atlanta and is an all-around Maker, specializing in, among other things, powder coating, welding, woodworking, and knife making.
Jacob hails from Boston and is an electrical and mechanical engineer, specializing in props and cosplay, and a whole host of other Maker Skills.
We get a chance to dig in with them about how making stuff has been a boon to mental health; the joy that comes from sharing not only what we make, but how and why we make it; and we explore pushing the envelope to the edge of failure - and what happens when you push too far.
You can find Chad:
- https://www.youtube.com/c/ManCraftingTM
- https://www.instagram.com/mancrafting/
- https://twitter.com/mancrafting101
- https://facebook.com/ManCrafting101
- https://vm.tiktok.com/JjTbete/
- https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer20170928262
You can find Jacob:
- https://www.rocket-props.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/rocketprops/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@rocket_props
The Storyteller's Tavern is:
Mush Hughes (@MakerMush)
Leigh Northrup (@theTinkerTeacher)
Episode 8 - Jon & Walter Peters
Jon and Walter Peters are father and son woodworkers, makers, and YouTubers from Red Bank, NJ.
They share an introspective look on their experiences with multigenerational making, reflect on the paths that got them to where they are and what might be next for them, and ways that the maker community comes together to create things larger than themselves.
You can find them online: Jon is on YouTube at Jon Peters - Longview Woodworking and Instagram at @jonpeters_
Walter is on Instagram at @walter_peters and on YouTube as Walter Peters.
Episode 7 - Jimmy DiResta & Grant Alexander
Jimmy Diresta lives in in East Durham, NY and is affectionately referred to by many in the community as the Godfather of Making.
Grant Alexander is a maker and Youtuber based out of Ottawa, and is the host of the Creating, Living, and Making Projects Podcasts - aka the Clamp Podcast.
Jimmy and Grant visit the Tavern to talk about why and by whom they were inspired to begin making, the beauty and magic of tools that come with a history, the long road to get to East Durham and Maker Camp, and the realization that we're all grown ups who can buy the grown up tools and toys we've always been fascinated by.
You can find Jimmy online at JimmyDiResta:
Grant is online at TheGrantAlexander:
Episode 6 - Andrew Szeto
Andrew Szeto is a maker and skateboarder who hails from Ottawa. During his time in the Tavern, he shares with us the challenges and joys of finding fellow Canadian Makers, celebrates the memory of his mentor Richard Scott, digs into the value of failure, and teams up with Leigh to hijack the episode to transform it into an ad hoc hockey podcast.
You can find Andrew online:
- TikTok: @szetoszeto
- Instagram: @szetoszeto
- YouTube: @AndrewSzeto
Episode 5 - Leah Hartmann & Sam Ciferno Skidmore
Leah Hartman and Sam Ciferno Skidmore run The Hive, an open access makerspace at Lakeland Community College outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Leigh and I were excited to geek out with fellow educators and learn about how they introduce making to learners from three to ninety-five years old, how they dealt with the atmospheric and cultural whiplash that was introduced by Covid restrictions, and how they planned to drinkfrom the firehose of knowledge that is Maker Camp. Plus, at some point Leigh and Leah discover that they've both built their own ice rinks and get a chance to unpack that.
You can learn more about what Leah and Sam do at @HiveLakelandCC on Instagram, or by visiting lakelandcc.edu/hive
Episode 4 - Dave Miao
Dave Miao, or 3D DIY Dave is a maker from Long Island, NY, who spends a good deal of time playing in between the worlds of digital 3D design and traditional hand-tooled woodworking. Dave tells us about the magical and practical elements of 3D scanning, rediscovering lost passion, and making friends for life in the woodworking and maker community.
In this episode:
You can find Dave on Instagram @3DDIYDave.
Episode 3 - Jared Geddes & Brittney Carbone
Our stories this time come from Jared Geddes, AKA The Evening Woodworker, and Brittney Carbone, who shares her work as BrittneyCarbone.art.
We talk about their similar entry touchpoints into the human side of Maker Community, the exciting world of Contact Dermatitis, the path from necklaces to nightstands, and share a thank you to the teachers who got them started on their journeys.
A quick heads up - we did our best with timing, but the Friday Night Karaoke does kick off just as we're wrapping up this conversation, so thanks for sticking through some of the rowdiness that erupts at the end of this episode!
Jared Geddes - The Evening Woodworker
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theeveningwoodworker
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@eveningwoodworker/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eveningwoodworker
Brittney Carbone - BrittneyCarbone.art
- Instagram: @BrittneyCarbone.art
- Website: https://www.brittneycarboneart.com/
Episode 2 - Lindsay Zuelich
Our storyteller this time around is Lindsay Zeulich, known as Woodbrain. She’s a mixed media maker and artist from LA, and you can find her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, Youtube, and all the things at Wood_Brain. Today she tells us about inventing her own art style, fighting about the dictionary, and the importance of having your homies’s backs.
In this episode:
Find Wood_Brain on:
Cover Art Photo by Lisa Marie Photographie
Episode 1 - Leigh Northrup
Leigh Northrup is a Makerspace Teacher at Cannon School in Concord, NC. Leigh shares with us about the journey from professional America to being a makerspace teacher, lighting Legos on fire, embracing the epic fail, and what you can learn from making quadratic sound diffusers that don't diffuse sound.
Episode 0 - Welcome to the Tavern
Welcome to the tavern! Here's what this whole thing is all about.