Craftsmanship

The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities

Thu, 07 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

India’s artisans are often knowledge-keepers of centuries-old craft traditions. But they face an uncertain future. In this episode of the Craftsmanship podcast, writer Laura Fraser looks at some of the ongoing efforts to support these master artisans before their skills fade into history.

Laura Fraser's article, “The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities,” was originally written for Craftsmanship magazine. This audio version was narrated and produced by Pauline Bartolone.

Craftsmanship is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. More episodes—along with original feature stories, short videos, and more—can be found on www.craftsmanship.net.

Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director of the magazine and its parent organization, The Craftsmanship Initiative. Laurie Weed is the magazine's managing editor.

LINKS:

Read "The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities” here: https://craftsmanship.net/field-notes/the-fragility-of-indias-artisan-communities/

Laura Fraser's website: https://laurafraser.com/

Craftsmanship's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/

Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

"The New Didgeridoo," with Andy Graham (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Fri, 02 May 2025 20:00:00 -0400

On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we talk with musical inventor Andy Graham, whose long-term fascination with a centuries-old Australian aboriginal wind instrument, the didgeridoo, has yielded several off-the-wall new musical creations.

The Electric Stringed Didgeridoo, the Didge-ly Bow, the Fiddleridoo and the “Didge Bass” all are just a few iterations of the ancient instrument that Graham has fashioned over the past 25 years.

From his Santa Rosa-based studio, his experimentation has also created the Nixa Wobbler, a percussion instrument composed of a magnet on a rod. And he sells the SlapStick, which he patented. It looks like a metal walking stick with frets, and Graham plays it as if holding a guitar.

Graham can be seen performing as a one-man band with his wild-looking instruments, everywhere from Maker Faire in the San Francisco Bay Area to the annual National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) musical trade show in Anaheim.

I sat down with Graham to learn more about how he sees himself fit into the historical tradition of the didgeridoo, and what motivates him to devote his life to creating new musical sounds.

LINKS:

Andy Graham’s website: http://www.andygraham.net

Craftsmanship Magazine: https://craftsmanship.net/

Other episodes of Craftsmanship Magazine's “The Secrets of Mastery” series: https://craftsmanship.net/interviews/

"Taking Bamboo to New Heights," with Jonas Hauptman (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Thu, 01 May 2025 19:00:00 -0400

On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we’re talking about taking bamboo to new heights.

Jonas Hauptman, an industrial design professor at Virginia Tech, has been experimenting with ways to use bamboo, a giant grass, to build multi-story housing.

Hauptman says bamboo could be key to housing the world’s growing population in a more ecological way.

Bamboo culms, or stalks, can be harvested in just 3-5 years, and they grow back in place from the same rhizome bulb. Contrary to wood, steel or concrete, bamboo is lightweight, making it easier to transport, and cheaper to use on the construction site.

For the past seven years, Hauptman has collaborated with organizations in Ecuador and other countries in the Global South to experiment with bamboo construction, which includes planing bamboo stalks and turning them into panels.

Hauptman has had his hands on many different materials throughout his varied career as an entrepreneurial craftsperson. He’s a trained blacksmith, he’s made modernist furniture out of tree flakes, and while living in Los Angeles, he researched how to divert palm tree fronds away from the landfill.

I sat down with Hauptman to learn more about his ambitions with bamboo, and to find out how his hands-on experimentation with materials informs his design work.

LINKS:

Jonas Hauptman at Virginia Tech: https://design.vt.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/industrial-design/hauptman-jonas.html

Craftsmanship Magazine: https://craftsmanship.net/

Other episodes of Craftsmanship Magazine's “The Secrets of Mastery” series: https://craftsmanship.net/interviews/

"Tear Out Your Lawn," with Doug Tallamy (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400

On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine: why is entomologist Doug Tallamy on a national crusade to get private landowners to tear their lawns?

As a wildlife ecology professor at the University of Delaware, Dr. Tallamy sees the world from a bug’s point of view. He’s also a co-founder of an organization called Homegrown National Park. The organization is trying to convince Americans to grow native plants — not ornamental, non-natives — in order to increase biodiversity. Tallamy says rewilding approximately 44 million acres of lawn is critical to restoring the natural order of insects of animals that keep our food webs strong and help alleviate the climate crisis.

We interviewed Doug Tallamy about how he’s rewilded his own land in Pennsylvania and the steps landowners can take to be craftspeople of biodiversity in their own yards.

The “Secrets of Mastery” podcast series is a production of Craftsmanship Magazine. It's a series of conversations with artisans and innovators about what it takes to master their craft, and what their journey has taught them.

Craftsmanship Magazine is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. For more Secrets of Mastery episodes, or more stories about craft, check out Craftsmanship.net.

Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Pauline Bartolone is Senior Audio Editor for Craftsmanship.net. Managing Editor for the magazine is Laurie Weed, and Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director.

LINKS:

Homegrown National Park: HomegrownNationalPark.org

Craftsmanship Magazine's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/

"Humility, Hustle, and Building a Craft Business," with Rebecca van Bergen (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400

It’s one thing to make, it’s another thing to sell.

On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we talk with Rebecca van Bergen, founder and executive director of NEST, about what craftspeople need to have thriving businesses.

NEST helps craft businesses around the world grow by providing training, resources and sales opportunities.

The international organization has worked with 2000 artisans and businesses in more than 100 countries, from quilters in Alabama to candle makers in Taiwan.

Because of Nest’s work, potters, jewelers and textile workers sell their wares through major brands such as MadeWell and Anthropologie.

“One of the questions I’m often asked is whether or not with robotics and AI whether the death of craftsmanship is upon us,” van Buren tells Craftsmanship Magazine. “We’ve seen the opposite. And the more we swing in that direction, the more the human psyche craves something else.”

Van Bergen brings her training as a social worker to help craft businesses grow. Her own grandmothers were textile workers. I asked her about what craftspeople need — and offer — in an increasingly manufactured world, and about the role both humility and hustle play in business.

LINKS:

NEST: https://www.buildanest.org/

Craftsmanship Magazine's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/

"Why Letterpress Endures," with Blake Riley (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0400

This week on "The Secrets of Mastery" produced by Craftsmanship Magazine, we’re talking about letterpress printing.

For centuries, newspaper and book publishers used this analog method of printing, involving heavy machinery, ink, paper, and thousands of tiny metal typecasts, to reproduce their words for the masses. Though it’s largely been replaced in commercial printing by cheaper, faster methods, there’s a tactile, handmade quality to letterpress that makes the digital word feel merely two dimensional.

Craftsmanship Magazine visited San Francisco’s iconic Arion Press, one of the last fully integrated letterpress printing shops that casts, types, and binds its own limited edition books. We sat down with Creative Director and Lead Printer Blake Riley, who surprised us with details about the craft’s history and recent revival— though he was skeptical about applying the term “master artisan.”

Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions.

Pauline Bartolone produced The Secrets of Mastery series for Craftsmanship Magazine.

She is also Senior Audio Editor for Craftsmanship.net.

Managing Editor for the magazine is Laurie Weed.

Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director of Craftsmanship.

LINKS:

Arion Press: https://arionpress.com/

More podcasts from Craftsmanship Magazine: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/

This podcast episode is inspired by the Craftsmanship Magazine photo essay “Printing with Love” by Douglas Cruickshank, with Todd Oppenheimer and Claire Bloomberg.

https://craftsmanship.net/printing-with-love/

How Glass Artist Annie Morhauser Adapted—and Built "Annieglass" (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0400

On this edition of "The Secrets of Mastery," we’ll hear one woman’s journey from starving artist to owner of a successful, large-scale glassware company.

Annie Morhauser, founder of Annieglass, started her business 40 years ago with little more than debt and determination. Today, her glassware can be found on fine dining tables across the country—as well as in the Smithsonian.

“The secret to mastery is adaptability,” Morhauser says. “I don’t care how talented you are, how much money, opportunity, [or] if you’re at the right place at the right time. The most important thing is adaptability.”

Annie Morhauser first fell in love with glassblowing in the 1970, when she saw the craft at a beach party on the California coast. She went to art school, and began selling her own handcrafted glassware at galleries and craft fairs. But she soon learned that wouldn’t pay the bills. So she scaled up and started her company, AnnieGlass, which now has a factory in Watsonville, California.

Morhauser has found a way to mass-produce plateware that is durable enough to survive a storm, but still has the unique beauty of glass made by the human hand.

The 20+ workers at AnnieGlass use minimal technology, like waterjets, to produce Annie’s designs for a broad client base that includes high-end department stores like Neiman Marcus, and hotels in Las Vegas Hotels.

Annie shares her wisdom about “letting go” of mistakes, the importance of “hiring up,” and how she feels about babies being baptized in her glassware.

LINKS:

AnnieGlass: https://annieglass.com/

Craftsmanship Magazine's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/

"Climate-Resilient Gardening," with Cricket Riley (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0400

On this episode of "The Secrets of Mastery," from Craftsmanship Magazine, we walk into the world of drought-resistant gardening at the Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery in Walnut Creek, California.

Cricket Riley, former design services director for the garden, gives us a tour of the 3-acre oasis of succulents, cacti, and herbaceous plants that need very little water. Then we sit down for a chat about the unique horticultural design principles of the late Ruth Bancroft, and how her love of succulents turned into an international model of climate-resilient gardening.

When she died in 2017, Ruth Bancroft was 109 years old. She worked in the garden 8 to 10 hours a day into her late 80s, according to a New York Times profile.

Ruth Bancroft’s garden design sensibility was unusual for her time. She started planting succulents back in the early 1970s, when succulents weren't in style.

Ruth created visual interest, Riley says, by blending plant texture, such as the angular, coarse texture of agaves with the finer texture of herbaceous plants.

The Bancroft garden is also noted for a sense of seamlessness. There are no retaining walls or landscaping edging. Three-to-four-foot mounds provide plants with adequate drainage and create smaller “rooms” for visitors to wind through.

When Ruth started the succulent garden, her family was limiting water use on the part of the farm designated for her pleasure garden. Instead of seeing that as a limitation, Ruth used the parameter to create a stunning landscape for any Mediterranean climate.

“She didn't do it for like an altruistic idea,” said Riley. “It was this idea that ‘I'm going to create this garden that will be able to withstand the conditions of this place.’ And isn't that what climate resilience is?”

Over the years, Ruth Bancroft took meticulous notes about the horticulture project and the trial and error she practiced. In the 1990s, the garden opened to the public. And since then it has become an example of what everyone can do to reduce their carbon footprint and use fewer resources in the garden.

—

The “Secrets of Mastery” podcast is a production of Craftsmanship Magazine. It's a series of conversations with artisans and innovators about what it takes to master their craft, and what their journey has taught them.

Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Pauline Bartolone is the senior audio editor for Craftsmanship.net. Managing editor for the magazine is Laurie Weed, and Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director.

LINKS:

Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery

Cricket Riley’s forthcoming book, “Designing The Lush Dry Garden,” co-authored with Alice Kitajima & Kier Holmes.

"Lessons from a Master Gelato Maker," with Andrea Soban (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:00:00 -0500

On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we hear from Italian gelato-maker, Andrea Soban, based in the northern city of Valenza, Italy.

Soban is a third-generation gelato maker, who continues to win prizes at international competitions for the quality of his coveted dessert.

In 2019, Soban published a book titled simply “Making Italian Gelato.”

In this short interview, Soban talks about the differences between gelato and ice cream, and about what his family has taught him about mastering this creative culinary endeavor.

This story draws on original reporting from journalist Erla Zwingle, who wrote “Secrets of an Italian Gelato Maker” for Craftsmanship Magazine.

LINKS:

Gelateria Soban: https://www.gelateriasoban.com/en

"Making Italian Gelato" book by Andrea Soban: https://www.gelateriasoban.com/en/the-book.html

"The Secrets of an Italian Gelato Maker by Erla Zwingle:" https://craftsmanship.net/the-secrets-of-an-italian-gelato-master/

Craftsmanship Magazine: https://craftsmanship.net/

The Curious Art—and Origins—of Horsehair Hitching (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 16:00:00 -0500

On this episode of "The Secrets of Mastery," we learn about an unusual folk art of the American West called horsehair hitching. Horsehair hitching involves the knotting of horsehair into complex patterns to make belts, necklaces, decorative walking sticks, and—of course—accessories for horses.

Shoni Maulding, who has been practicing the craft for more than 30 years, talks with Craftmanship's Pauline Bartolone about its mysterious origins, how she’s found the patience to master this unique art form, and why a machine could never learn to hitch.

"The Secrets of Mastery” is a series of conversations with artisans about what it takes to master their craft, and what their journey has taught them.

"Why Choose Handmade?" with Gary Rogowski (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:00:00 -0500

On this episode of "The Secrets of Mastery," we discuss the value of handmade work with master woodworker and furniture maker Gary Rogowski. The founder of the Northwest Woodworking Studio, Rogowski is also the author of many books about woodworking and creativity in the digital age.

In this interview, we discuss whether technology helps or hinders us in the creation of beautiful things. And about how he sees patience as key to mastering anything.

Gary has his own podcast, Splinters, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.

The “Secrets of Mastery” is a production of Craftsmanship Magazine. It's a series of conversations with artisans and innovators about what it takes to master their craft, and what their journey has taught them.

Craftsmanship Magazine is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. For more Secrets of Mastery episodes, or more stories about craft, check out Craftsmanship.net.

The Great Washing Machine Scam

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As consumer technology improves, basic household appliances, like the washing machine, keep sprouting new, high-tech functions. Not surprisingly, they’re also increasingly difficult to repair. So our journalistic gumshoe ventured to find out: Who put us in this jam? And why?

“The Great Washing Machine Scam,” originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — free of charge and free of ads.

You can find more written stories like this one on our website,Craftsmanship.net. That’s also where you can make a donation to support Craftsmanship’s journalism. We’re funded by grants and individual donations, and every bit of financial support goes a long way.

Written by AARON BRITT

Introduction by PAULINE BARTOLONE

Narrated by MITCH GREENBERG

Produced by PAULINE BARTOLONE

Music by BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Read the original story: https://craftsmanship.net/the-great-washing-machine-scam/

The Cowboy Folklorist

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Though he calls himself simply a “songster and storyteller,” Andy Hedges is compiling a rich, unique audio archive of cowboy music and poetry—and bringing the legends of the genre together on CD and stage.

"The Cowboy Folklorist" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — free of charge and free of ads.

You can see more fantastic photos of cowboy poets by Meredith Lawrence on the Craftsmanship website. That’s also where you can make a donation to support our independent journalism. We’re funded by grants and individual donations, and every bit of financial support goes a long way.

Written and photographed by MEREDITH LAWRENCE

Introduction by PAULINE BARTOLONE

Narrated by GÖRAN NORQUIST

Produced by PAULINE BARTOLONE

Music by ANDY HEDGES, DOM FLEMONS, RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOT, JACK THORP, BRENN HILL, MAGGIE ROSE HEDGES, BLUE DOT SESSIONS.

Chemicals in our Clothes: A Conversation with Alden Wicker

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Ever open a brand new package of clothing and get a strong whiff of chemicals? Journalist Alden Wicker took a deep dive into the chemicals in our clothes in her new book, “To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick and How We Can Fight Back.”

Craftsmanship Magazine interviewed Wicker about the prevalence of chemicals in clothing, and about the regulatory efforts and personal choices that can keep fashion safe.

Written by CRAFTSMANSHIP EDITORS

Introduction by PAULINE BARTOLONE

Narrated by PAULINE BARTOLONE & ALDEN WICKER

Produced by PAULINE BARTOLONE

Music by BLUE DOT SESSIONS

You can find out more about Alden Wicker’s work on ecocult.com, including how to get her new book, “ To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick—and How We Can Fight Back.”

If you liked this episode, subscribe to Craftsmanship on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Craftsmanship Magazine is funded by grants and donations from readers and listeners like you. If you like our journalism, please consider making a donation at craftsmanship.net. Every bit of financial support goes a long way.

You can also support us by sharing our work with others. Thanks for listening. Until next time!

An Update from Craftsmanship Magazine

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:00:00 -0400

Our hands are deep in a new audio project - a series of interviews with master artisans and craftspeople. We’ll be talking to makers of culturally distinct crafts from around the world - about their passion, and secrets to their mastery.

We’ll hear from a horsehair hitcher in Montana, a compost king in Oregon, and about Greece’s secret to honey making. And there will be many more stories.

Look out for the series starting in January 2024, on our website - craftsmanship.net.

In the meantime, consider making a donation to craftsmanship, so we can continue to bring you these stories. None of our journalism would be possible without your financial support.

Keeping the Beat: Custom-Made Conducting Batons

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 19:00:00 -0400

A good conductor can lead an orchestra with almost anything — even a chopstick. Leonard Bernstein was known to conduct a full symphony with just his eyebrows. Why, then, in this age of cheap manufacturing, are handmade, customized batons still in demand?

Written by JEFF GREENWALD
Introduction by PAULINE BARTOLONE
Narrated by JEFF GREENWALD
Produced by PAULINE BARTOLONE
Music by
Town Market by Blue Dot Sessions
Palms Down by Blue Dot Sessions
Beethoven’s Sixth (Pastorale) Symphony
Jean-Baptiste Lully: "Armide"
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade" by Sinfonia de Galicia
Music of the Ancient World: Sumerian Music I

The Cigar Box Guitar Maker

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 14:00:00 -0400

When a promising rock musician tired of the road and the pressure, he gave up music and got a job at a hardware store. Then one day, he had a revelation.

"The Cigar Box Guitar Maker" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — free of charge and free of ads.

Written by NANCY LEBRUN
Introduction by PAULINE BARTOLONE
Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN
Produced by PAULINE BARTOLONE
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN, CODA TUITION, JEROME GRAILLE

The Return of the Harmonica

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

When Hohner, the world’s largest harmonica manufacturer, changed its flagship model (and in the process, its signature sound), a few musicians and harp customizers waged a quiet rebellion—and won.

"The Return of the Harmonica" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — free of charge and free of ads.

Written by BEN MARKS
Introduction by KATHERINE MONAHAN
Narrated by GORAN NORQUIST
Produced by KATHERINE MONAHAN
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Agony and Ecstasy of an Oboe Reed Maker

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 13:00:00 -0400

Oboists can spend more time making reeds for their instrument than playing their music. One such musician, the comic monologist Josh Kornbluth, has a lot to say about reed making's painfully exacting process.

"The Agony and the Ecstasy of an Oboe Reed Maker" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — free of charge and free of ads.

Written by JEFF GREENWALD

Introduction by KATHERINE MONAHAN

Narrated by JEFF GREENWALD

Produced by KATHERINE MONAHAN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Conductionist

Thu, 04 May 2023 11:00:00 -0400

The late Butch Morris, a figure from the outer edges of jazz, reimagined conducting as a form of composition, coining his own word for the combination of the two.

"The Conductionist" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by FRANCIS DAVIS
Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA
Narrated by MITCH GREENBERG
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Play Gap

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0400

In the inner city neighborhoods of Providence, Rhode Island, Janice O'Donnell set up playgrounds where kids could build anything they want, and break anything they want. She has been stunned by what everyone has learned in the process.

"The Play Gap" originally appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by TODD OPPENHEIMER
Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA
Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

What? A Bamboo Bicycle?

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0500

A bicycle made of bamboo might look a little silly—brown and fat, with swollen joints. But Craig Calfee, a respected pioneer of carbon fiber bicycle frames, swears by their strength, flexibility, and ecological value.

"What? A Bamboo Bicycle?" originally appeared in the Summer 2016 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by JEFF GREENWALD
Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA
Narrated by JEFF GREENWALD
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Antidote to Fast Fashion? System Dressing

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Jill Giordano makes women’s clothing with fine fabrics in timeless styles, and in combinations that can be mixed and matched in multiple ways. The goal: Improve your look, save the planet, and save money.

"The Antidote to Fast Fashion? System Dressing" originally appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by LAURA FRASER
Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA
Narrated by LINDSAY SCHERBARTH
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Throughout history, wine had always been aged in clay vessels. That’s just how it was done. But when French vintners discovered the marvels of aging wine in oak barrels, it was a total game changer. The flavors oak brought out in the wine set off a revolution throughout the winemaking world. Now—for fun, for distinctly different flavors, and to save some fine old trees—a few wineries are giving clay a second chance, Roman style.

"The Revival of Nero's Wine" originally appeared in the Fall 2015 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by TIMOTHY TEICHGRAEBER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by CHRIS EGUSA

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Food Shift

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400

California, where much of our nation's food is produced, is facing a historic drought — again. It’s become a familiar refrain, year after year, and the growing climate crisis is only expected to make things worse. Our food system has to change, and a few forward-thinking farmers are adopting some ancient, low-water agricultural techniques for the modern age. In an era of chronic drought, could desert crops become the new sustainable dinner?

"Food Shift" originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by CHRISTOPHER D. COOK

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by MITCH GREENBERG

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Tomorrow's Library

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400

In a simple, residential neighborhood in San Francisco sits a former church for Christian Scientists. The building's white exterior and massive columns give it a stately, antiquated look. But behind its doors sit stacks of servers, which contain billions upon billions of web pages, media, and other delights. This is the Internet Archive.

In today’s episode: what happens when an eccentric tech entrepreneur decides to devote himself to preserving every scrap of information that gets put online and make it accessible to all.

"Tomorrow's Library" originally appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by TIM REDMOND

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

A Woodworker’s Tale

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400

In today’s automated world, why bother toiling with hand tools and sawdust? In his new book, Gary Rogowski—a master furniture maker in Portland, Oregon—ruminates about lessons he’s learned “at the bench,” and the quest for mastery and creative focus, no matter what your calling.

"A Woodworker's Tale" originally appeared in the Winter 2018 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by GARY ROGOWSKI

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by GARY ROGOWSKI

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The California Mirage

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400

The blind spots in the American West’s approach to managing water are on full display in Ventura County, a coastal region of Central California that holds the most lucrative farmland in the state.

"The California Mirage" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by CRAWFORD COATES

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by CHRIS EGUSA

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Mezcal’s Dance with Extinction

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Now that the tequila craze has crested, the latest Latin liquor to capture the world’s alcoholic imagination is tequila’s grandfather: mezcal. But an explosion of authentic mezcal is impossible—for reasons our correspondent discovers when she goes to Oaxaca to learn how this hyper-local spirit can be sustained.

"Mezcal's Dance with Extinction" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by GRACE RUBENSTEIN

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by GRACE RUBENSTEIN

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Vegetable Detective

Thu, 26 May 2022 09:00:00 -0400

It’s 2015, and in the health and wellness world, the Kale Craze is in full swing — people are eating, roasting, blending, and juicing it. But one molecular biologist in Marin County stumbles upon evidence that this queen of greens might be hiding toxic levels of certain heavy metals. And it’s even worse in organic varieties. Could kale be behind the mysterious symptoms in his patients?

EDITOR’S NOTE: Several updates were published in our Fall 2015 issue, exploring how thallium functions, its prodigious history in scientific literature, and how people should now think about eating kale and other vegetables. These are collected in an article entitled “The Vegetable Detective, Take Two.“

"The Vegetable Detective" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by TODD OPPENHEIMER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by GÖRAN NORQUIST

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

"Healing our Soil, and Going Beyond Organic," with Paul and Elizabeth Kaiser

Fri, 13 May 2022 11:13:20 -0400

Craftsmanship's founding editor Todd Oppenheimer sits down with Paul and Elizabeth Kaiser, a husband-and-wife farming team who have been at the forefront of a promising approach to growing food called regenerative agriculture. Hear about the success of the movement they helped start; some mind boggling results from recent testing on their soil and produce; and how they harness Mother Nature to make their land more productive than any human technology ever could.

This episode is part of the series of “Artisan Interviews” produced by Craftsmanship Quarterly, in which we bring you conversations with the artisans behind the stories, and with those who write about them.

You can visit the Kaisers' website at www.singingfrogsfarm.com. And, you can read our original 2015 article on the Kaisers titled, "The Drought Fighter."

Written by CRAFTSMANSHIP EDITORS

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by TODD OPPENHEIMER WITH PAUL AND ELIZABETH KAISER

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Cover image by MICHAEL WOOLSEY PHOTOGRAPHY

The Glass Builder

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Ann Morhauser started with nothing but debt in a tiny glassware studio in Watsonville, a coastal community in central California. Now her work is in stores across the country—and in the Smithsonian. What is her secret to artisanal success?

"The Glass Builder" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by PEGGY TOWNSEND

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Hidden Powers of a Sheep

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Not only is wool unusually cozy and durable, but its creators (the sheep) can help regenerate the world’s drying, fire-prone landscapes. The good news: a wool revival seems to be underway.

"The Hidden Powers of a Sheep" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by JUDITH D. SCHWARTZ

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by CHRIS EGUSA

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

A Black Artist’s Haven on a (mostly) White Vineyard

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Martha's Vineyard has long been seen as a summer retreat for the East Coast elite. The island’s reality, however, is a far more complex environment that has welcomed and inspired generations of Black Americans, including an artist and doll maker named Janice Frame.

"A Black Artist’s Haven on a (mostly) White Vineyard" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by SKIP FINLEY

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by JOSHUA SIROTIAK

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Toolbelt Masters

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0400

With gumption, insight, and brilliant use of social media, a few guys in Virginia built an operation that makes what could be the world’s finest toolbelts.

"The Toolbelt Masters" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by LORRAINE SANDERS

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The New Sign Painters

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:51:58 -0500

The commercial signs of yesteryear, which were all painted by hand, offer a kind of beauty, personality, and longevity that today’s industrial signs have been unable to duplicate. While exploring what’s left of the old sign-painting traditions, we stumbled upon small but lively seeds of revival.

"The New Sign Painters" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by LAURA FRASER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by GÖRAN NORQUIST

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

James & Deborah Fallows on ‘Our Towns’

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:16:05 -0500

James and Deborah Fallows spent four years crisscrossing the United States in a small plane, visiting dozens of small towns. The stories they found were surprising—and entirely contrary to the narrative we've all read about in the news. They saw communities engaged in a vigorous process of economic renewal—a stunning portrait, in sum, of an America reinventing itself, literally from the ground up. They published their findings in “Our Towns: a 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America,” (Penguin Random House, 2018) and produced an HBO documentary of the same name in 2021. They also founded Our Towns Civic Foundation, a nonprofit initiative that continues their work.

Because their story overlaps so forcefully with the theme of our Winter 2022 issue, “Reviving Our Abandoned Small Towns”, we snagged Jim and Deb for a sit-down interview with Todd Oppenheimer, founder and executive director of The Craftsmanship Initiative.

This episode is part of the series of “Artisan Interviews,” produced by Craftsmanship Quarterly, in which we bring you conversations with the artisans behind the stories, and with those who write about them.

Written by CRAFTSMANSHIP EDITORS

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by TODD OPPENHEIMER WITH JAMES & DEBORAH FALLOWS

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

The Craft of Sustainable Rice Farming

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:00:00 -0500

The Isbell family of Arkansas has spent decades experimenting with new ways to grow rice. In the process, they pioneered American-grown rice for sushi and sake, along with farming techniques that can save water and help slow climate change.

"The Craft of Sustainable Rice Farming" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by DAVID RAMSEY

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by MIKE EGUSA

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Secret to Vintage Jeans

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 04:04:55 -0500

In November, 2017, the doors closed on North Carolina’s White Oak plant — one of the first, and (almost) the last, big textile mill in the U.S. to make true, vintage-style denim. Our correspondent tracks down the secret to classic jeans, and their unexpected future.

"The Secret to Vintage Jeans" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by BRIAN HOWE, with updated reporting by TODD OPPENHEIMER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by CHRIS EGUSA

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

Parts & Recreation

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

What makes people devote hours to the frustrating task of gluing together pieces so small you have to pick them up with tweezers? And does this obsessive hobby even matter anymore? To find out, a devotee of the art dives into Revell’s world of plastic models.

"Parts & Recreation" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by JEFF GREENWALD

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by MITCH GREENBERG

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Historical Clothing’s Comeback

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 18:00:00 -0500

A collection of sewing enthusiasts, dedicated to the anachronistic art of making old-fashioned clothes, stumbles onto a path that revives quality, comfort, ecological consciousness—and respect for the female form in all its varieties.

"Historical Clothing’s Comeback" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by BETH WINEGARNER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

Could Co-Ops Solve Income Inequality?

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 04:53:09 -0500

In the Basque country of Northern Spain, the Mondragon Corporation—the world’s largest co-operative business enterprise—has found ways to weather economic crises, avoid severe income inequality, and build long-term worker loyalty. Why don’t more businesses follow “the Mondragon model”?

"Could Co-Ops Solve Income Inequality?" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by ROBERTO LOVATO

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by GÖRAN NORQUIST

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

"Slow Fashion and Place-Based Economies," with Fibershed's Rebecca Burgess

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 12:44:43 -0500

Rebecca Burgess is the executive director of Fibershed, an internationally recognized nonprofit focused on transforming the clothing and textile system, the author of two books, and a vocationally trained weaver and natural dyer. She sat down with Craftsmanship Quarterly to talk about price and privilege when it comes to "slow fashion," why the world can no longer afford fast fashion, and what she learned from a year of only wearing clothing produced within 150 miles of her home.

This episode is part of our series “Artisan Interviews,” in which we bring you conversations with the artisans behind the stories, and with those who write about them.

Craftsmanship Quarterly is a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Human Cost of Recycled Cotton

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 12:11:25 -0400

Everyone in the fashion world wants to find a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way to make cotton clothes — or a benign (and comfy) alternative. Some are on the brink of succeeding. But almost no one understands these innovations’ social costs.

"The Human Cost of Recycled Cotton," written and narrated by Alden Wicker, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Editor’s note: This story was updated from the original by the author for re-release in our Fall 2021 issue.

Written by ALDEN WICKER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by ALDEN WICKER

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

"Sustainable Fashion and Toxic Clothes," with Alden Wicker

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 11:32:26 -0400

This episode is part of our series “Artisan Interviews,” in which we bring you conversations with the artisans behind the stories, and with those who write about them.

Alden Wicker, award-winning journalist, sustainable fashion expert, and founder of EcoCult, talks about her disillusionment with the idea of “voting with your dollars;" why the cotton industry is in disarray; and some concerning new research around toxicity and chemicals in fashion.

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Argentina’s Textile Crusader

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:07:28 -0400

If you want an unusually cozy scarf or sweater made of natural fiber, merino wool or alpaca are the usual choices. But what about the guanaco, the alpaca’s little-known cousin, which grows even finer fleece? For Adriana Marina, the guanaco’s time has come to be South America’s finest source for sustainable textiles.

"Argentina’s Textile Crusader" written and narrated by Alden Wicker, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by ALDEN WICKER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by ALDEN WICKER

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Alden Wicker is an award-winning journalist and sustainable fashion expert.

The Perfect Pen

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 15:00:00 -0400

Fountain pens have always served as the quintessential combination of beauty, tradition, and dexterity. But did you know they’re also tools of environmental consciousness? Join our tour of the fountain pen’s history, infinite varieties, and remarkable powers. With tips for shopping and maintenance.

"The Perfect Pen" written by Tim Redmond, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by TIM REDMOND

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by CHRIS EGUSA

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Lost Art of Traditional Bow Hunting

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 02:12:34 -0400

As interest in hunting with a bow and arrow has risen, much of the gear has gone high-tech. Meanwhile, a small band of purists like Gabriel Miossi have turned to a traditional Native American weapon: the stick bow.

"The Lost Art of Traditional Bow Hunting" written by David Munro, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by MEGHAN WARD

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by Göran Norquist

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

Let Tinkerbell Tinker

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 05:12:06 -0400

As the economy’s reliance on innovation grows, the offering of toys for girls remains–well, somewhat less than innovative. Fortunately, a few smart women are starting to solve this problem by reviving the time-honored principles of tinkering, this time for girls.

"Let Tinkerbell Tinker" written by David Munro, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by DAVID MUNRO

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by Göran Norquist

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Led by the Nose

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:00:00 -0400

In a growing number of artisanal shops dotted around the globe, small-scale perfume artists are bottling a world of scents left untapped by commercial fragrance houses.

"Led by the Nose" written by Barbara Tannenbaum, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by BARBARA TANNENBAUM

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Soul of French Invention

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:00:00 -0400

An American woodworker’s love affair with “the best” (and perhaps least well-known) sculpture museum in Paris – and what the affair taught him.

"The Soul of French Invention" written by Gary Rogowski, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

The Reed Artist

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:45:31 -0400

A writer searches Istanbul's cafes and alleys for the king of the ney, an enigmatic — and at times, endangered — flute that has long been a mainstay of Muslim musical traditions.

"The Reed Artist," written by Rollo Romig, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by ROLLO ROMIG
Narrated by GORAN NORQUIST
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / NEYZEN EMIN

"Go-Go Music," with Shorty Corleone and Roy Battle

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Go-go music is a rhythm-heavy blend of funk, soul, and blues that is at the very heart of Washington, D.C.'s Black community. And while the style has been influencing Top 40 hits for decades, it's little known outside the District. In this episode of Craftsmanship Quarterly's Artisan Interviews, two key artists in the go-go scene, Shorty Corleone and Roy Battle, discuss go-go's distinctive sound, growing up in the scene, and why a live show is not to be missed.

For a more in-depth look at go-go music, check out "Washington, D.C.’s Homegrown Funk: Go-Go Music", written by Alona Wartofsky. Craftsmanship Quarterly is a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Chris Egusa

Produced by: Chris Egusa

Music by: Shorty Corleone, Roy Battle, Rare Essence, Chuck Brown, Grover Washington, Jr., Killa Cal, Hot Cold Sweat, The Pure Elegance Band, TOB

India’s Rug Saint

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:00:00 -0400

Nand Kishore Chaudhary built Jaipur Rugs into a runaway success by working closely with India’s poorest citizens, and by developing an apprenticeship system around India’s chronic battles with child labor. How do such difficult pieces fit into India’s social and economic puzzle?

"India's Rug Saint," written by Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by CATHRYN JAKOBSON RAMIN
Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA
Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Greece’s Secret to Perfect Honey

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 15:00:00 -0400

While prosperous countries like the U.S. have struggled to keep their honeybees alive, Greece continues to produce what many consider the world’s finest honey. What’s the Greeks’ secret? And why can’t everyone else keep up?

"Greece’s Secret to Perfect Honey," written by Robert Lovato, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by Rob Waters

Introduction by Chris Egusa

Narrated by Izaak Sibley

Produced by Chris Egusa

Music by Mike Snowden / Blue Dot Sessions

Real Film Strikes Back

Tue, 25 May 2021 15:00:00 -0400

Against all odds, and despite the best efforts of Hollywood and Silicon Valley, old-fashioned, analog, motion-picture film is suddenly making a comeback. What’s the magic in this old medium that digital technology can’t seem to match?

Real Film Strikes Back, written by David Munro, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Chris Egusa

Narrated by: Goran Norquist

Produced by: Chris Egusa

Music by: Mike Snowden

The Hydraulic Genius of Shari’ah Law

Wed, 19 May 2021 03:28:39 -0400

You’ve probably never heard the term “acequia,” but it describes one of the oldest methods of irrigation on the planet. Too bad American ranchers have largely ignored it.

"The Hydraulic Genius of Shari’ah Law," written by Robert Lovato, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by Robert Lovato

Introduction by Chris Egusa

Narrated by Mitch Greenberg

Produced by Chris Egusa

Music by Mike Snowden

The Wizard of Old Wheels

Wed, 05 May 2021 04:18:36 -0400

As today’s motorcycles become more high-tech, the simplicity of a vintage bike becomes more appealing. Among the simplest are Japanese models from the 1970s, particularly the Hondas. That’s why people visit Dave Stefani, whose San Francisco shop looks like a mechanical surgery ward.

"The Wizard of Old Wheels", written by Todd Oppenheimer, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by Owen Edwards

Introduction by Chris Egusa

Narrated by Göran Norquist

Produced by Chris Egusa

Music by Mike Snowden / Blue Dot Sessions

Occupy Your Bathroom

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:47:25 -0400

One man’s quiet fight to save your face, your bank account, and the environment from an endless case of shaving rash.

"Occupy Your Bathroom", written by Todd Oppenheimer, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by TODD OPPENHEIMER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by TODD OPPENHEIMER

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

Is Digital Craftsmanship an Oxymoron?

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 02:30:43 -0400

On a funky old pier along San Francisco’s waterfront, Autodesk, a world leader in digital tools for makers, runs a futuristic prototype shop that may be redefining the meaning of craftsmanship.

"Is Digital Craftsmanship an Oxymoron?", written by Todd Oppenheimer, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Written by TODD OPPENHEIMER

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by IZAAK SIBLEY

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The Celluloid Gumshoe

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 01:34:42 -0400

Eddie Muller has dedicated his life to finding, restoring, and re-releasing lost films of the great Film Noir era of the 1940s and ’50s. His goal: the preservation of our cinematic history, well beyond film noir.

"The Celluloid Gumshoe", written by Barbara Tannenbaum, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Written by Barbara Tannenbaum

Introduction by Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by Dinah Berkeley

Produced by Larry Rosen

Music by Mike Snowden of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker”

Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions

The Soul of the Italian Shoe

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 23:12:53 -0500

In Venice, Italy, a city built for endless walking, a determined young woman named Daniela Ghezzo has mastered the rare art of simultaneously beautifying and comforting the human foot.

"The Soul of the Italian Shoe", written by Erla Zwingle, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Written by ERLA ZWINGLE

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker”

The Architecture of Trust

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 23:10:14 -0500

With only a quick glance at today’s overheated political climate—the balkanized geography between red and blue states, the bombastic former president, the strident social media culture, all culminating in the recent attack on the U.S. Capitol—you get an unmistakable message: We don’t know how to talk with each other anymore, let alone build common ground. An expert in linguistics explores our new argumentative culture to find ways that Americans of different beliefs can start believing in each other again.

"The Architecture of Trust", written by Michael Erard, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Written by MICHAEL ERARD

Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA

Narrated by MITCHELL GREENBERG

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

Women Who Embroider the Air

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 01:17:24 -0500

On a small island near Venice, the fine art of hand-sewn lace somehow remains alive. Our correspondent visits with the master craftswomen of Burano to learn their history, their secrets, and the prospects for their future.

Women Who Embroider the Air originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Written by ERLA ZWINGLE

Introduction by ANH OPPENHEIMER

Narrated by NANCY LEBRUN

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

Additional Music by BLUE DOT SESSIONS

The New Water Alchemists

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Animals, plants, soil, and air have long collaborated to regulate our climate by stimulating “the water cycle.” They have also helped control natural disasters like the wildfires now raging in Australia — until we disrupted their partnership. The good news is that there is a clear pathway to reconciliation.

The New Water Alchemists originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Written by JUDITH D. SCHWARTZ

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

A Black Entrepreneur Finds Her “Vegan Soul” — in Idaho

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:00:00 -0500

When Mae Gaines moved from Los Angeles, CA, to Boise, Idaho, she expected her life would be different. What she didn't anticipate was the response when she opened Boise's first — and only — vegan soul food restaurant.

*Trigger warning: This episode contains an offensive racial slur, repeated by the interviewee as she describes a real-life incident of verbal assault. We chose to leave the word as spoken in the context of the story. The episode has been marked 'explicit' to ensure that listeners are aware of it; there is no other offensive language or adult content in this story.

This podcast is a supplement to the story, Soul Food Gets the Vegan Treatment, written by Terry Collins and published in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Introduction by MELANIE EVERSLEY

Narrated by TERRY COLLINS & SHAKEEMA SMALLS, with MAE GAINES

Produced by CHRIS EGUSA

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

The Norwegian Sweater Detective

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 12:28:25 -0500

In a postcard-perfect valley in southern Norway, Annemor Sundbø nurtures her life’s work: old garments, paintings, and other clues to the myths and meaning woven for centuries into Norwegian sweaters. Now she’s trying to bring back the sheep that used to sustain this time-honored craft.

The Norwegian Sweater Detective originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Written by SARAH POLLOCK

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

The World’s Greatest Goldbeater

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 12:00:00 -0500

Marino Menegazzo hammers gold leaf by hand into sheets 200 times thinner than a human hair. He works in the same studio where Titian, one of Italy’s great Renaissance artists, once lived and painted. Now Menegazzo’s craft, where the hand can still beat a machine, is on the edge of extinction.

The World's Greatest Goldbeater originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Written by ERLA ZWINGLE

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

The VW Doctor Is In

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0500

In a corrugated tin shed that somehow survived California’s massive fires in Sonoma Valley, Gary Freeman labors to keep old VW Beetles and vans—the cars that defined the counterculture of the 1960s—chugging along. Some become great “daily drivers” for as little as $15,000; some get auctioned for more than $200,000. It’s all part of one man’s quest for automotive immortality.

The VW Doctor Is In originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by ANH OPPENHEIMER

Narrated by GORAN NORQUIST

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

The Rawhide Artist

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Bill Black has poured his life into refining a simple piece of handmade horse gear called a hackamore. Although the device is rarely used anymore, it can teach a horse to work cattle with unusual brilliance, and beauty.

The Rawhide Artist originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by ANDY RIEBER

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

Mexico's Master Guitar Makers

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:10:42 -0500

The now iconic white guitar made famous by the Disney film, “Coco,” was created in Paracho, a small Mexican town where almost every shop makes guitars. Underneath the new icon lies centuries of craftsmanship.

Mexico's Master Guitar Makers, written by Laura Fraser, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Adriana Morga

Produced by: Adriana Morga

Music by: Mike Snowden

Do the Most Interesting Musical Pipes Come from Ireland?

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

While Scotland is branded by its famous Highland bagpipes, Ireland has long made a very different kind that plays a much wider range of music. Meet the indefatigable, obsessive masters of Irish uilleann pipes.

Do the Most Interesting Musical Pipes Come from Ireland?, written by Larry Gallagher, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Mitchell Greenberg

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden; John Butler

The Toolbelt Masters

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 12:19:44 -0500

With gumption, insight, and brilliant use of social media, a few guys in Virginia built an operation that makes what could be the world’s finest toolbelts. Meet "The Toolbelt Masters of Diamondback".

The Toolbelt Masters, written by Lorraine Sanders, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Nancy LeBrun

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden

Japan’s Gorgeous, Precarious Fishing Poles

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:19:55 -0400

While Japanese master craftsmen command up to $100,000 for turning bamboo into a fishing pole, aspiring younger makers can barely find anyone to take them on as apprentices. And this isn't the only time-honored Japanese craft at the brink of extinction. How could this happen in a country that, for centuries, has served as a model of handmade perfection?

Japan's Gorgeous, Precarious Fishing Poles, written by Yukari Iwatani Kane, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Nancy LeBrun

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden

The Healing Power of Bello

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:44:08 -0400

On the Northeastern coast of Italy, an unusual drug treatment community uses craftsmanship to rehabilitate some of Europe’s most intractable drug addicts. San Patrignano — or "SanPa" — was founded more than 40 years ago by a hotelier who inherited a 200-hectare estate and wanted to do something about the epidemic of addiction in nearby Rimini. He began by inviting drug addicts to his estate for Christmas, then bringing them home to live with his family. Eventually, he founded an informal, alternative medicine free clinic at their weekend farm, and from there, he began building the community.

The Healing Power of Bello, written by LAURA FRASER, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Summer Brown

Narrated by: Avanthika Srinivasan

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden of The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.

The Power of the Scribe

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 12:00:00 -0400

Spiritual faith has long been shaped by the lettering on a religion’s sacred texts. This is particularly the case with Judaism, so we visited three Hebrew scribes—in Jerusalem, New York City, and the liberal enclave of Berkeley, California—to understand why such laborious traditions continue.

The Power of the Scribe, written by BRYCE T. BAUER with contributions by LYNN HOLSTEIN and TODD OPPENHEIMER, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Mitchell Greenberg

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden of The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.

Artisanal Homemade Bread, Made Simple

Fri, 29 May 2020 12:01:04 -0400

Confined to our homes during the Covid-19 quarantine, many of us have realized this is an ideal time to start baking our own bread. The idea has spread so fast that stores are running out of flour and yeast. But fear not. Resources abound for how to make your own yeast, and even your own flour.

Artisanal Homemade Bread Made Simple, written by Todd Oppenheimer, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Todd Oppenheimer

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden of The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.

The Bug Whisperer

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0500

Mark Sturges doesn’t advertise. Clients have to find him by word of mouth, but find him they do. He’s become a master of an agricultural art as old as agriculture itself: basic compost.

The Bug Whisperer, written by Kristin Ohlson, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Summer Brown

Narrated by: Dinah Berkeley

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Straw Bale: The Ultra-Ecological House

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 11:16:15 -0500

As our environmental challenges mount — from devastating wildfires to hurricanes and floods — one solution, largely ignored thus far, may lie in using an unlikely-sounding material for home-building: straw. Has the lowly straw bale home’s time finally come?

Straw Bale: The Ultra-Ecological House, written by M.E.A. ("Mea") McNeil, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown

Narrated by: Dinah Berkeley

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.”

The Bonsai Kid

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 16:00:00 -0500

A young Oregonian believes that he can create a uniquely American form of the Japanese bonsai tree. And he is literally betting the farm on the idea that if he builds it, they will come.

The Bonsai Kid, written by Nancy Lebrun, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Avanthika Srinivasan
Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.”

When Indigenous Women Win

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 20:00:00 -0400

In the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, a band of determined indigenous women led the overthrow of a criminal cartel. Their victory revived the town’s traditional livelihood, and ushered in a model form of self-government.

When Indigenous Women Win, written by Andrew Sullivan, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Goran Norquist
Produced by: Aaron Cundy

The Jewelry Archaeologist

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 11:00:00 -0400

Through years of painstaking, often combative detective work, Hugo Kohl rescued an era of early American jewelry manufacturing technology that was on the brink of extinction. And what Kohl makes with these old machines turns out to be superior, in many ways, to the finest modern jewelry.

"The Jewelry Archeologist", written by Alison Main, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Dinah Berkeley
Produced by: Larry Rosen

How Far Can Beer Science Go?

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 18:57:23 -0400

Where else would you expect to find a band of techno-scientific craft beer geeks, except in the industrial side of San Francisco, ground zero for startups? Join our fermentation correspondent as she travels to the outer edges of beer flavors with the boys of Method Brewing.

"How Far Can Beer Science Go", written and narrated by Grace Rubenstein, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Grace Rubenstein
Produced by: Aaron Cundy

Music by: Mike Snowden of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.”

The Watchman of Lausanne

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 13:00:00 -0400

For more than six centuries, a lone figure—part guard, part human angel—has circled the bell tower every night in the Cathedral of Lausanne, calling out the hour. For the last 28 years, it’s been Renato Häusler’s turn. High above the ancient city, Häusler calls out the time five nights a week. “C’est le guet! Il a sonné dix…Il a sonné dix!” (It’s the night watch. It’s 10 o’clock. It’s 10 o’clock…).

"The Watchman of Lausanne", written by Michael Cervin, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Leroy Graham
Produced by: Aaron Cundy
Music by: Mike Snowden of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.”

The Secrets of an Italian Gelato Master

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 13:00:00 -0400

Gelato, it turns out, is a very different creature from ice cream. And there are reasons that the best gelato tastes so creamy yet somehow still light—and indescribably perfect. In honor of summer, we delve into the secrets of artisanal gelato-making from master gelatiere Andrea Soban of Valenza, Italy.

"The Secrets of an Italian Gelato Master", written by Erla Zwingle, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Avanthika Srinivasan
Produced by: Aaron Cundy
Music by: Mike Snowden of “The Cigar Box Guitar Maker.”

The Art of the Joke

Fri, 24 May 2019 13:00:00 -0400

When you watch masterful stand-up comics perform, they seem just naturally hilarious. Don’t kid yourself; this is hard work — a craft like making anything else of value.

"The Art of the Joke", written by David Munro, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Todd Oppenheimer
Produced by: Larry Rosen & Aaron Cundy

Eco-Fashion's Animal Rights Delusion

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 13:00:00 -0500

In this exploration of the hidden stories behind materials such as wool and rayon, silk and polyester, and vegan leather, Alden Wicker — a frequent writer, blogger, and speaker on sustainable fashion — finds some inconvenient truths about the animal rights movement.

"Eco-Fashion's Animal Rights Delusion", written by Alden Wicker, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Dinah Berkeley
Produced by: Larry Rosen

The Drought Fighter

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 20:00:00 -0500

Could a small, controversial farmer in California have found the most effective way to grow food in a warming world? With only minimal irrigation, and gross profits of more than $100,000 an acre, Paul Kaiser certainly thinks so.

"The Drought Fighter", written by Todd Oppenheimer, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You can find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and resources on our site.

Introduction by: Summer Brown
Narrated by: Todd Oppenheimer
Produced by: Larry Rosen