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For the past two years, West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Inside Appalachia team has been working on a folkways project that focuses on artisans and craftsmen within Appalachia.
For many of these people, their art or craft is their primary income, and a lot of them depend on social events, like concerts, farmers markets and craft fairs. In this new world of coronavirus and social distancing, that is proving difficult.
So we circled back with some of the artists, craftsmen and local business owners our team has interviewed over the past couple years and a few new voices as well, to see how they are doing.
Many are coping by continuing to make their art, and some are even finding inventive ways to continue making an income. A few examples include curbside pickup kombucha and a “pay what you can” roadside garden stand that includes aloe vera plants – a key ingredient in homemade hand sanitizer.
As the way we live our lives continues to change in the coming days and months, we plan to stay in touch with these artists, as well as others who are affected. Reach out to Insideappalachia@wvpublic.org if you would like to share your story.
Artists, craftsmen and local business owners featured include, Clara Lehmann, co-owner of the Hütte in Helvetia, WV; Kara Vaneck, herbalist and owner of Smoke Camp Crafts in Weston, WV; Ginger Danz, professional artist in Fayetteville, WV; Eddie Austin, furniture builder in Hamlin, WV; Brannon Ritterbush, owner of Wild Art & Wonderful Things in Fayetteville, WV; Kelsi Boyd, owner of Silver Market Co. in Point Pleasant, WV; Shane McManus, member and cofounder of Greensboro Art Cooperative in Greensboro, PA; and Robert Villamagna, professional artist in Wheeling, WV. Click the links to read and listen to the original stories on these artists.
This story is part of the Inside Appalachia Folkways Reporting Project. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more stories of Appalachian folklife, arts, and culture.
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This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith. Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy. And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsFor nearly 100 years, Snuffy Smith has been a staple of newspaper comic pages, though these days, it’s easier to find him online. Snuffy Smith was brought to life by Artist Fred Lasswell in the 1930s, but now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. We hear from Rose about drawing the famous hillbilly.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsVirginia writer Emilee Hackney has a complicated relationship with her home. She loves the place where she’s from, in Tazewell County — her friends, family, the swimming holes and mountains and wild places — but she also felt stifled. Her new memoir "All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir" explores this tension and her experience when she did leave. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with Hackney about the book.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsThe West Virginia Manufacturers Association has just launched its inaugural Coolest Thing Made In West Virginia tournament. We caught up with WVMA President Bill Bissett to find out what organizers hope will come from the competition – and what makes a really cool product.
Continue Reading Take Me to More News
