What do a ceramicist, leather crafter, metal fabricator, woodworker, engraver, dressmaker, crocheter, and two soap makers have in common? They’ve discovered that craftsmanship transcends materials and mediums and demands more than technical skill. They bend, stitch, blend, shape, carve, and craft raw materials into refined pieces, bringing the same essential ingredient to their work: a creative spirit. Here, they explain their process for crafting handmade works that endure.
Goat’s Milk Products: Hope Hill Farm
Best friends Amy Parmer and Jessica Church turned a soap-making adventure into a business.
Leather: Cedar Barrel Leather Co.
Curiosity spurred Joshua Enright to start stitching patterns into wearable works of art.
Woodworking: Ben LaBudde
Decades into his woodworking career, Ben LaBudde is still discovering the craft — and himself.
Engraving: Harvey Bench Works
Retired firefighter Tom Harvey adds intricate designs to trophies, firearms, jewelry, and more.
Sewing: Emily Gartner Designs
Fashion designer Emily Gartner’s work has a new purpose through wedding attire alterations and sewing classes.
Crochet: Looped!
Barb Woodruff has spun a crafty hobby into colorful handmade attire and accessories.
Ceramics: Treadway Clay
Tony Treadway’s natural artistic talent shows through his connection to clay.
Metal: Brass Bones Fabrication
Shane Strickland uses steel and brass to create one-of-a-kind commercial and residential projects.
