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VOLUME ONE

VOLUME ONE

Contents 

Volume One 

4 

5 

5 

6 

10 

12 

15 

16 

20 

22 

26 

30 

32 

34 

38 

39 

42 

43 

Editor’s Note 

Meet The Makers 

Our Mission 

Jessica Johnson 

littledrill creative 

Josh Jenkins 

Emily Cromwell 

Kelly Jean Florals 

paperweight 

Copenhagen 

Linsdsay Latimer 

Chloris Floral 

Kristin Ponsonby 

Natalie’s Garden 

Tessa O’Brien 

Icelandic Adventures 

Collected Poems 

Inspiring Spaces 

46 

48 

51 

52 

56 

61 

64 

66 

70 

72 

74 

77 

80 

82 

86 

88 

90 

91 

Starting Fresh 

Katie Hyatt 

J.M. Costigan 

Rachel LaBarre 

Daily Spoon 

Ballads of the Earth 

Erin Murphy 

Djae Outlaw 

Walker Jewelry 

Olivia Gatt 

A Day in the Life 

Danielle LaPointe 

Radiant Friendship + Good Habits 

Erin Borzak 

Ashley Dorney 

Eliana Anthony 

Contributors 

Thank You 

Katie Hyatt

Editor’s Note 

Meet the Makers 

There is an air of excitement and optimistic expectation as I sit down to write. This project 

started as a passing thought; a quick connection of words going through my head, that would soon 

begin an odyssey leading me here. On the 18th of April this year, I told the world I wanted to start 

a magazine. I wrote in my journal that same sleepless night, they were okay with it. 

This adventure has truly been one of peaks and valleys. Together, the team and I have 

ventured to do something none of us have ever done before. My purpose is to create an honest, 

genuine, and approachable magazine. One that can be a platform to show the incredible makers 

that surround us in the world. While doing so, I’ve learned something important for myself. That 

“something”, is for my joy, it is necessary to help others succeed. As a clothing designer and 

merchandiser by trade, it means everything to me for someone to say, “I believe in you.” I want to be 

that person, that platform, that source, communicating to artists all over the world that we believe in 

them; in their talent, vision, and inspiration. 

I have had the honor of working with numerous creative individuals over the last eight 

months! Fearless humans who have given their time, efforts, and incredible knowledge to make this 

magazine what you are seeing today. For them, I am undoubtedly grateful. They have spent countless 

hours on skype calls, answered my early morning/late night emails, and helped me keep my thoughts 

straight during hours way past my bedtime! Their laughter and spirit has brightened my old soul. 

As for beginnings, they continue to be refreshing and remarkable. You will read in the 

following pages how different artists begin their works. For some, it’s a new notebook, the beginning 

of a nap just as consciousness fades; or as with me, a lyric or poem drawing me out of myself, giving 

me desire to change the world. 

The words and images beyond this page are for your inspiration. They are words of people’s 

mind and soul; filling blank pages. It is my greatest pleasure to present to you, The Maker’s Post, 

Volume One. 

Kassie Dyes- Editor-in-Chief 

Hannah Costello-Photography Director / Photographer 

Christian Gaston- Creative Director, Online 

Damarea Watts- Creative Director, Print 

M. Donovan Fisher- Marketing Director 

Logan Kreider- Social Media Director 

Liz Somerville-Lifestyle Editor / Photographer 

Jack Costello- Literary Editor 

Hannah Knight- Visual Editor 

Charlie Long- Advertising Consultant 

A special thank you to: 

Derick Anies 

Malcolm Fisher 

Victoria Janka 

Erin Murphy 

Evan Hundelt 

Jessie Hutt 

Our Mission 

Best, 

Kassie Dyes 

Editor-in-chief 

Creativity comes in many forms. Painting, writing, music, filmmaking and so many more serve as 

ways to explore our emotions, ideas and beliefs. We as humans have a desperate need to explore the 

outer limits of our own creativity, as well as seek out that which inspires us. In an effort to make that 

search a little easier, The Maker’s Post was born. 

We are a collection of creatives across the U.S. in search of those painters, writers, musicians, filmmakers 

and every other form of artist that inspire us. Our goals are to illuminate and expose the 

work of talented people, as well as help everyone find their creative side. 

As we hunt for the beauty in the world we will learn many lessons, meet amazing people, and have 

great adventures. We believe everyone has the potential to make something beautiful, and we hope 

you take this journey into the wild heart of inspiration with us. 

Welcome to The Maker’s Post.

Jessica Johnson 

Illustrator 

Photography By Louie Abellera Photography

J 

. Renee Illustration started unintentionally. I was working for a 

college in suburban Chicago back in 2014, spending my 8 to 5 

writing and cutting my design teeth for a development department. 

I found that I often had a sense of unfulfilled creative potential at 

the end of each day and decided to return to my long-time love of 

illustration to fill my evenings. After my husband and I returned 

from a trip to Europe, I painted two of our favorite views in 

London and Paris, just intending to hang them in our home. After 

receiving a number of inquiries, I listed the two prints on Etsy and 

slowly began expanding my line. 

There had always been this little pang in my heart when I would 

read articles about stationery designers and illustrators, but I never 

thought I would open my own shop. There are many times when 

I am painting a custom order or packaging a print and think “I’m 

actually doing this!” 

Each piece I create is the product of a fairly long brainstorming 

process. To make sure I don’t forget any ideas, I keep an evergrowing 

list of phrases, objects, and cities. Some of my paintings 

float around in my mind for a few weeks or even months before I 

feel ready to put pencil to paper. Once I begin, though, I typically 

don’t stop working until the piece is finished. 

First, I carefully sketch every line and detail in pencil, to be sure 

the image in my mind translates well on paper. Then, I begin to 

paint. This is the part where the piece changes from my initial 

vision and I have the chance to improvise. Though I follow my 

sketches closely, I give myself license to add or subtract as the 

painting slowly solidifies. 

I believe it’s the unique task of the illustrator to draw the 

extraordinary from the ordinary. My greatest hope for my work 

is that it gives others a new perspective on something they see 

every day. Armchairs, wildlife, city skylines, and the like—they 

all offer limitless possibilities and ways to be seen. And I love 

that I have the opportunity to share my own perspective through 

illustration.

littledrill creative 

Photo By Tyson Edwards 

Shelby Edwards, Creative Director of Littledrill Creative, a content 

and photography studio currently based in Brooklyn NY. She 

and her business partner James Lee Whitney work and abide by their 

motto - ‘Have fun. Get weird.” Together they explore objects and 

moods through vibrant colors and graphic presentation. Inspired by 

pop art, modern design, coastal cities and Saved By the Bell, littledrill’s 

images are distinct, varying from clean compositions to quirky and 

unconventional. Shelby is perpetually shopping online and spends way 

too much time on Instagram under their handle @littledrill. 

Hannah: Where are you from and where do you call home now? 

Shelby: Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. 

H: How does this influence your art? 

S: I’m a west coast girl, through and through. The PNW is colorful, 

beautiful, culturally diverse and inspiring all year round. 

H: How would you define your artistic style? 

S: I would describe my style as graphic, often minimal, and 

hopefully always fun. 

Interview: Hannah Costello 

H: Tell us about how you got started. 

S: After realizing I was no longer having fun in my career, I 

decided to start investing a little time and energy into my art 

everyday, and use it as an escape from the stress of my 9-5. After a 

year or two, I started receiving inquiries from companies interested 

in working with me. That’s when I started to realize that my escape 

from work, could potentially lead to a new career. 

H: Do you have a favorite piece? 

S: Right now, the watermelon beach ball for Target’s #designcrush 

series is my favorite. It was a little tricky to set up, but really fun to 

make. The best part - eating the practice melons. I’ve been making 

this awesome salad recently, It’s just watermelon, fresh mint, and a 

little feta sprinkled on top. So bomb. 

H: Is your home as colorful as your art? 

S: Ha! I love this question. A few years ago, my boyfriend and 

creative partner James and I moved in together. We were (and still 

are) crazy about each other, but at the time, not so crazy about 

each others interior design aesthetics. I was basically living in an 

Alice in Wonderland tea party with french victorian furniture, 

surrounded by pastel blue and pink walls. James’ previous home 

Maker’s 10 

indipop 15

(continued) 

looked like a mining-town antique store that was going out of 

business. He kept his clothes in a repurposed 1930s Frigidair... 

No joke. So rather than meshing our styles, we decided to change 

everything and do something completely different. We painted 

the walls white, sold everything, and replaced it all with furniture 

and art that is clean, colorful, and modern. My home has definitely 

inspired my art, and my art has inspired my home 

H: What is your work routine? 

S: Coffee first. Always. We are a Chemex household and there’s 

something therapeutic about brewing coffee by hand in that 

beautiful hourglass. Over coffee, James and I will discuss how we 

want to attack the day and make our plan. Our secret weapon is a 

massive Stendig calendar hanging in the kitchen with all projects 

broken down by task on different colored post-it’s. Once the coffee 

kicks in, we pick a big task together, or we divide and conquer. We 

aren’t always in the mood to do the same type of work. Knowing 

when to work alone, is key to working well together. 

H: What is on your work playlist? 

S: My current jam on repeat is Nicki Minaj’s ‘Truffle Butter’ feat 

Drake and Lil’ Wayne. Also pretty much anyone whose name ends in 

‘eezy’ is cool with me. 

H: What is the most helpful creative advice you have received? 

S: Ban.do has the best company slogan I have ever heard in my life 

- ‘Have fun, okay?’. If I ever stop following that advice, I’ll have to 

quit my own company, and I’m having WAY too much fun to let that 

happen. 

Josh Jenkins 

Donovan: What inspires you? 

Josh: That is always an interesting question. Waking up everyday, 

when it comes to design, I like minimalism. Neutral colors, grids, 

straight lines and blocks. I play with proportions and silhouettes. I 

take lots of notes from designers and artists that I am fond of. 

D: Anyone specifically? 

J: I’ve really been into ACNE Studios and more recently, Henrik 

Vibskov. He is a designer from Denmark who does a good job of 

keeping things utilitarian and leaves room for the viewer to openly 

interpret his work.. 

Designer 

Interview: Donovan Fisher 

It was early September in central Connecticut and we were riding 

an industrial elevator up to the fourth floor up to what is popularly 

known as The Loft, a space where all of his roommates are creators 

and innovators, from coffee to American-made shoes. As we get 

settled in, Josh Jenkins of DE MUERTE begins to work in his 

bedroom / studio. Though attentive he manages to multitask, cutting 

pieces of a pattern and prepping for an oversized sweatshirt. 

D: What gives you drive? 

J: The opportunity to share and create. I think that is why I am 

partial to Henrik and Acne, their expressions aren’t dictated 

by any particular direction. So the things I do pushed me with 

feedback. I like to hear how my ideas give people ideas, how it 

makes them feel, do they see similarities. 

D: What do you feel has made you the artist that you are today? 

J: I feel that I made decisions that felt pretty natural. My artistic 

direction is based off of things that I am influenced by, and by 

not sacrificing my integrity for things that aren’t particularly 

marketable. But, I believe in design and aesthetic. 

D:Do you feel like your location sways your design? 

J: Yeah, I think. I acknowledge that the taste level [here] isn’t 

the highest. But, that motivates me to push my art and see if 

I can make my vision capture people. I want to shed light on 

contemporary and unique design. 

D:What are some of your difficulties by being self taught and 

an entrepreneur? 

J: The process of trial and error can be great and you learn many 

invaluable lessons. Sometimes it is at a loss of resources but often 

Maker’s 12 

Maker’s 13

(continued) 

on that fifth or sixth time you get it. I strive to realize the goal that 

I set for myself and see if I can really do it. The most difficult is not 

having proper instruction on how to do things the right way. It’s 

hard to balance resources. It’s harder to not sell yourself short. 

D: How do you get out of the creative rut? 

J: I read. I read about designers and methods on design. Recently, 

I read about Alexander Wang, his beginnings and how fast things 

can change. 

What you do: I am a hand letterer, illustrator, and maker of paper goods. I create hand lettered and illustrated designs such as greeting 

cards, art prints, and wood prints that are upbeat, colorful, and inspirational. The main goal of my business is to design things that make 

people smile, laugh and to provide them with unique and one of a kind products. I first started out in hand lettering because I have a great love for 

designing words in several different styles that are unique because they can’t ever be created on a computer, only by hand! I letter words and phrases 

that I either personally say or things that I find encouraging and uplifting. 


D: Where do you see yourself headed? What is the dream or end 

goal? 

J: I’m not sure if there is an end goal. [pause] Just continue to 

curate what I believe in, keeping my eyes open, keeping a broad 

perspective in design and fashion. Working towards being the best 

that I can be. 

D: What’s one thing that the world needs to see? 

J: There’s a fashion photographer named Joshua Woods. He 

captures that attitude and essence in his work. He hones in on an 

environment and finds great shots. 

Maker’s 14 

Maker’s 15

Kelly Jean Florals 

Kelly Ross is a young and talented floral designer based out her native city, 

Nashville, TN. I had the honor of sitting down with her, at one of our favorite 

local spots, Fido, and hearing the love and enthusiasm she has for her craft. 

While her years at Belmont University earned her a degree in Art Education, Kelly 

quickly changed her focus to floral design once graduation came around. During 

my chat with Kelly, I asked her a few questions about the beauty and the mess of 

floral design. 

Interview: Kassie Dyes 

Kassie: What is the hardest part, the least 

glamorous bits of it all? 

Kelly Ross: It’s hard to ask for help. You’re 

outside and sweaty, and water is heavy! But 

I love using my hands, and I love being 

physically pushed. 

K: On the flip side, what is your favorite 

part? 

K.R: It’s all so magical and I love giving 

people magic! There is an immediate 

reaction to flowers. Its like I can make 

art, give it to them, and immediately satisfy 

them. Then because I often do weddings, 

I get to document that reaction. I love 

seeing people happy, and flowers have a job. 

Whether it be for a wedding, funeral, party, 

or to get well soon. They serve a purpose! 

K: How do you run the business aspect of 

the operation? 

K.R: I run that myself, as well as executing 

the jobs I book. I do weekly floral 

arrangements for Merchants Restaurant. 

With that, I’m able to keep business up 

through posting through social media. I’m 

constantly posting photos from weddings 

I’ve done as well. There is no shortage of 

business, due to word of mouth, social 

media, and the fact that all of my friends 

are getting married! 

K: Best life, what do you see yourself 

doing? 

K.R: I really want to be self sufficient. I’m 

so grateful for the people who were willing 

to teach and train me, and I’d love to use 

what I’ve learned and move forward. An 

actual studio, connected to my house would 

be ideal! 

K: What advice do you have for other 

makers out there? 

K.R: You just have to roll with it! You have 

to keep doing what you do and loving it. 

As soon as you think about the bad things 

you get weighed down. 

Erin McCall Photography 

Maker’s 17

Erin McCall Photography 

Ashley - Photography Anthology 

“I love seeing people happy, and 

flowers have a job.” 

“It’s so magical, and I like giving 

people magic.” 

Maker’s 18 

Maker’s 19

Olivia Hermosillo & 

Beth Weeks of 

paperweight 

taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s 

just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But 

your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer… And your 

taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this 

phase, they quit. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will 

close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took 

longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna 

take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way 

through.” 

Closing thoughts: It is obvious to me that God has art at the core 

of his being, and has freely blessed so many. The internet has made 

me acutely aware of how amazing our world is, stuffed full of highly 

talented individuals, it really is quite overwhelming at times. It is very 

difficult to not compare and get discouraged…. hence the Ira Glass 

quote that keeps me going. 

Hannah: How you define your artistic style? 

Olivia: Simple and refined. Nothing too glitzy or overboard. 

H: How have you developed this style? 

O: Overtime, it’s naturally turned into what it is now. I’m a pretty 

minimal person and I don’t like to keep unnecessary things around 

and the same goes for art. Clutter and too much “stuff ” stress me out. I 

think simplicity is really refreshing. 

H: What role does Beth play in your creative development? 

O: My mom’s a pro. She helps pull everything together and put our 

vision on paper. 

H: How long have you been doing calligraphy? 

O: Calligraphy is a recent endeavor but I grew up around the world 

of artistry with my mom being a graphic designer and artist herself. 

Like my mom, I learned to have an appreciation for letters and 

typography which naturally led to creating exactly that. 

H: Where does your inspiration come from? 

O: This is a tough one! I’m inspired by so many things around me. 

Anything from architecture, interior design, photography, nature... the 

list goes on. 

H: Who is your biggest artistic inspiration? 

O: Brown Linen Design has it going on. Everything she creates is so, 

so beautiful. 

H: What is on your work playlist? 

O: Currently, Novo Amor, Dustin Tebbutt, and always Ben Howard. 

H: What advice would you give to those just starting out? 

O: Just go for it! Start creating. You can never fail when you’re doing 

something you love and enjoy. 

Organic Calligraphy 

Interivew: Hannah Costello 

Hannah: How you define your artistic style? 

Beth: My calligraphy tends to be loose and a bit closer to my 

actual handwriting; in calligraphic terms, it’s more modern than 

traditional. It is where I am most at home. 

H: How have you developed this style? 

B: A love of letterforms has driven me to be passionate about 

handwriting… it has always been there. There isn’t any substitution 

for good old repetition, along with getting inspired by many great 

talents. 

H: What role does Olivia play in your creative development? 

B: Olivia has an amazing natural eye for design. We bounce ideas 

and sketches off each other on every project. I trust her taste 

implicitly. 

H: How long have you been doing calligraphy? 

B: I learned calligraphy as a young child and fell in love with 

typography then. I’ve been a graphic designer since the 80’s so I 

have worked with type for a long time… 

H: Tell us about how you got started. 

B: My collaboration started with Olivia after we worked together 

on her wedding and she approached me on doing a business 

together, creating hand-lettered work for other brides and creatives. 

What a blessing to be able to build these memories with her. 

H: Where does your inspiration come from? 

B: I have many favorites; as individuals—Doyald Young, Marian 

Bantjes, and David Smith would top the list. I also absolutely adore 

anything vintage, especially Sanborn Insurance Maps. 

H: What is your work routine? 

B: I need to know my client’s vision first and gather inspiration and 

research from anything that pertains to that vision/concept. After 

that, sketching with pencil and finalizing with pointed pen, or 

marker. Cleaning up in the computer is my nemesis, always has and 

always will be. I feel like a dinosaur in a digital age. 

H: What is the most helpful creative advice you have received? 

B: I can relate strongly to this quote from Ira Glass: 

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. 

All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good 

Maker’s 20

Copenhagen 

Travel Photos: 

Alana Benavides + Mayra Flores

Alana Benavides + 

Mayra Flores 


In 2009, Alana Benavides and Mayra Flores met at Texas A&M 

International University while working towards degrees in 

communication with a concentration in media production. Their 

friendship started in film class, but didn’t stop there. After leaving 

Texas, they spent time as roommates in New York taking on a whole 

new adventure. Fast forward a couple years to 2015; The pair live 

hundreds of miles apart as many best friends do. Mayra resides in 

Brooklyn, NY and Alana has made moves south to Nashville, TN. 

The two have spent the last year planning their trip to Copenhagen 

and I have to honor of sitting down with Alana just after their 

return from the adventure. 

Kassie: Why Copenhagen? 

Alana: After doing much research, I learned that Denmark 

is the happiest and most progressive country in the world, so 

obviously that would peak my interest. Beyond that, I love 

Scandinavian culture and fashion. And I mean Vikings are cool! 

Most importantly, I like so much of the music that comes out of 

Denmark, the Post Punk genre. 

K: How did you handle travel and lodging? 

A: I first flew to New York to meet Mayra, and then we flew 

to London and spent a few days there. We actually got to 

Copenhagen on my 25th Birthday which was amazing. And 

from there we stayed at a great Airbnb in Norrebro! 

K: This is so cliche, but what did you love most? 

A: I’ve wanted to visit for so long, that every part seemed to be 

my favorite! But no, I actually have a few that I loved most. 

Skagen for starters. That one was a check off my bucket list. It is 

the northernmost tip of Denmark. You can actually stand there 

where the Baltic and the North Sea meet. Its incredible. 

K: So tell me a little bit about your photographs. 

A: Well Mayra and I both have a love a photography, and 

just kind of picked it up naturally. It’s not something we do 

professionally, just enjoy it. We took turns taking these, and she 

did the editing. We wanted to document our trip exactly how we 

saw it. 

Maker’s 24

Lindsay Latimer 

Musician 


Photography By Tabitha Booth 

Lindsay and I sit at a teetering wooden table surrounded by coffee drinkers all living their 

own lives, but we, together begin to reminisce about the cozy, honey tinted night of her EP 

release just days before, and how she got here. There are few people with such a lovely presence 

as hers. She is warm and speaks about her craft with admiration and excitement. As an import 

to Nashville from Ohio, she grew up in the beautiful surroundings of her family and living life 

outside. She made her way to Nashville, as so many musicians do, finding her home in Lipscomb 

University’s Classical Voice program. 

There is a air of calmness and humility as she speaks, so often thanking the people in her life, 

and opportunity for getting her to where she is. But her classical training, forced piano lessons, 

and inspiration from her favorites like Patty Griffin, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King, have made 

her an incredibly talented and well rounded musician and songwriter. She explains the process 

of writing, self releasing, and her sound as we continue to discuss that particular evening. It was a 

humid Tennessee night as most are, with a backyard lined in benches. Friends and admirers created 

a constant humming of sound, holding cups of beer and wine. Glowing lights hung above 

our heads as Lindsay and her band played. Her set list included originals such as Grow Wild, 

Down the Street, and Connecticut, as well as perfectly executed favorites like Billy Joel’s Vienna. 

“I’m old fashioned. I look at things differently. My mother is an art teacher, and I get my 

musical influence from my father. Two of my songs are written about them. I love to tell stories 

in my music, and they are a beautiful story to tell.” 

She continues to talk about her favorites, being a musician in Nashville, and what being a 

full time songwriter looks like. 

“Its full time writing. I treat it like any other job. I turn my phone off, block out time, and 

write everyday. I like to co write a lot as well. Nashville is a great town to collaborate, it can be 

cut throat, but I am surrounded by people to write with.” 

Lindsay also spends her time teaching music lessons and leading worship and youth group 

at church and working part time at Anthropologie. As many musicians do, Lindsay fills her time 

with music gigs and side jobs. While she has dreams of doing music full time, she has such an 

optimistic and admirable spirit about her. 

I want whatever music wants to do with me” 

Make sure to purchase her EP, Grow Wild, available on most platforms. 

Maker’s 27

“I want whatever music wants 

to do with me.” 

Maker’s 29

Chloris Floral 

Betany Coffland 

Starting a new career in my mid-thirties was terrifying . The only thing I knew was music, for I began my opera training at age 13. A graduate 

of The Juilliard School and with 20 years of classical training, how could I possibly think I could be a floral designer? However, it was also 

completely freeing to be a novice again! Now older and wiser in my new beginnings, I understood that making mistakes was a blessing and it was 

fun to learn something completely new again. I actually stumbled upon flowers by reading a book. The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball inspired me to 

start volunteering on a local flower farm. I wanted the outdoors to be my office and to literally be closer to the earth. I was entranced immediately. 

After learning to grow flowers, I realized that most people don’t know the yucky history of the floral trade. 80% of our flowers in America 

are flown in and often poisonous pesticides are on these flowers. Guess where those chemicals go when you touch them and smell them? That’s 

why Chloris Floral exclusively supports local flower farmers growing with organic practices. The namesake Chloris perfectly combines my two 

artistic endeavors; classical singing and floral design. Not only is Chloris the Greek goddess of flowers, she is also the heroine of my favorite French 

art song. I have also found that my musical training impacts my floral design work and my two passions continue to influence one another. 

“The namesake Chloris 

perfectly combines my two 

artistic endeavors; classical 

singing and floral design “ 

Maker’s 30 

Maker’s 31

Recipe 

Make the pastry: 

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, 

and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and using a pastry blender or 

two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Keep working it 

until the butter is the size of small peas. Chill in the fridge for 10 

minutes. 

In a small bowl whisk together the ice water and egg yolk. 

Remove the butter and flour mixture from the fridge and slowly. 

pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a fork or 

clean hands to bring it together. Work the dough gently until it 

comes together in a ball. Sprinkle lightly with flour, form into a 

disk and wrap in plastic wrap. 

Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. 

Unwrap the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a 

floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle. Its okay 

if the dough tears a little as you roll it out, you can gently patch it 

back together once in the tart pan. Use your rolling pin to carefully 

place the dough in the tart pan and press it against the sides and 

edges. Be sure to really press in the corners. Cut any excess dough 

flush with the tart pan. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes while the 

oven preheats. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the unbaked tart shell with a 

piece of parchment paper. Fill the tart shell evenly with pie beans( 

or just any dry bean). Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake 

for another 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and weights and 

bake for another 5, or until the tart shell is starting to turn golden 

brown. Remove from oven and cool completely. 

Make the filling: 

Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. In the bowl of a 

stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream until smooth 

and light in color, about 5 minutes on medium. Beat in eggs one at 

a time until evenly mixed, about 2 minutes. Add ground almonds 

and flour. Using low speed, mix just to combine. 

Spread the almond filling evenly into the par baked tart shell. 

Drain the syrup from the plums into a bowl. (if not quite thick 

enough, cook over medium heat in a skillet and let cool). Arrange 

the plums in concentric circles around the tart, overlapping them. 

Bake for 1 hour or until the filling begins to puff and brown. Cool 

tart completely on a wire rack. Once room temperature, drizzle 

the reserved plum syrup over the tart and dust with confectioners 

sugar. 

Kristin Ponsonby of Milk + Honey Bake Shop 

Honey and Thyme Roasted 

Plum Tart 

2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature 

1 cup ground almonds 

¼ cup all-purpose flour 

Pastry: 

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup cornmeal 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes 

3 tablespoons ice water 

1 large egg yolk 

Almond Filling: 

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 

½ cup granulated sugar 

Roasted plums: 

2 pounds plums (about 8) 

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme 

2 tbsp honey 

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 

pinch of salt 

Roast the plums: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each plum into 2 inch thick 

slices. Combine the thyme, honey, salt, and butter in a cast iron 

skillet or 9X13 baking dish. Add the plums and toss to coat. Bake 

for 20-25 minutes or until the honey caramelizes. Note: plums 

should still be tender but not loose their shape. Cool completely. 

Maker’s 32 

Maker’s 33

Natalie’s Garden 

Florist 


Photography: Hannah Costello 

Kassie: How did you get your start in 

Floral Design? 

Natalie: Well, I was 24 and working in the 

HR department at a boring corporation. 

Days of filing and faxing left me feeling 

empty and bored. I started writing lists 

about what I wanted my life to look like. 

I needed to work with my hands, flexible 

hours, to be around art and I wanted to 

be connected to nature.I found that floral 

design fit the bill. I quit my job, and started 

studying as well as reaching out to florists 

and apprenticing for them. 

K: Is this full time or part time for you? 

N: Now, it is a full time gig- actually allthe-time 

gig. I feel like if I’m awake I’m 

working. Whether I’m making flowers 

for clients, dreaming up new ideas, 

studying plant species, gardening, meeting 

with other creatives and entrepreneurs, 

bookkeeping, answering emails or washing 

buckets. So many buckets. 

K: What has inspired you through this 

journey, and what keeps you going on a 

day to day basis? 

N: The things that inspire me are very 

diverse and everywhere. From wanting to 

mimic the colors of a California sunset 

to impressionist Monet paintings. The 

feeling of a cup of coffee and fresh air in 

the morning stirs my soul into creating. 

Sometimes, my twinkle lights and a glass 

of wine on the patio puts me in the zone. 

During the day-to-day grind of running 

a company, I get discouraged and burnt 

out. But in those moments, I let go and 

remember that creativity ebbs and flows. 

Periodically, a night of Netflix is what my 

brain needs. 

K: What is something about being a florist 

that no one understands, or that everyone 

gets wrong? 

N: Everyone assumes that I must smell 

great being around flowers all day. It is 

extremely sweaty and loads of hard work. 

It’s not so glamorous, I’m getting dirty and 

dealing with cuts and scratches from feisty 

plants. 

K: Do have any advice for those out there 

trying to create? 

N: Keep going. The only way to improve 

your skill set is to do vast amounts of work. 

Study the people you admire and make the 

craft into your own. Never let self doubt, be 

louder than your dreams! 

K: Is there anything else you would like 

our reader to know about you? 

N: If fear tells me not to do something, I 

force myself to do it. It is in those moments 

that I find the most growth. Things like 

traveling without plans, skydiving, and 

eating expired cheese, though the last one I 

do not recommend. 

Maker’s 34 

Maker’s 35


Painter 

Icelandic Adventures 

Words + Photos: Liz Somerville 

Tessa Greene OBrien was born in a small coastal town in Maine, and grew up surrounded by woods, fields, ocean, and 

creative types. The landscape and the people continue to inspire her work. She graduated from Skidmore College 

with a degree in studio art, and spent the next 10 years traveling the country and painting sets for music festivals. During 

this time she fell in love with large scale painting and was able to work alongside with many contemporary artists. 

I 

celand is a magical country unlike any other place I have ever been. It is alive and unpredictable. Lush green 

mosses, black sand beaches and cloudy blue glaciers pierce the landscape, all while sitting atop a volcano. 

The countryside is barely populated, but the few who live in this extraordinary country are laid back, hard 

working, and extremely accepting. My heart will always be aching to return to this beautiful land. 

Today she lives and paints in Portland, Maine, where she is working on an MFA from Maine College of Art. When she 

is not painting in the studio, she paints murals, signs, and specialty finishes for clients. 

Maker’s 38 Maker’s 39

Collected Poems 

Charlie Long 

Reparations 

An Island 

How fragile our bodies. 

A hammer beating against my ribs to shatter, 

A man yelling to be free, breaking drums. 

My body collapses. 

I fly freely through the eye of a storm, 

My legs, arms, hands, feet, head 

Scattered across my living room floor. 

Surely his hands are not too short to 

Sew me back together. 

I blink, staring through a begrimed 

Sliding glass door, unlocked. 

My hand presses the pane, erasing 

The veil of grease that 

Hid both my reflection and my 

Future for so long. I can see myself projected 

Where the sun floods 

Where the birds serenade 

Where life is abundant. 

These stitches will hold. 

A boy swings himself on the playground. 

Frozen petals litter the Earth, 

Dissolving into puddles that 

Stain his sneakers. 

Bluebirds’ songs decayed, the 

Caws of crows cutting through 

Rain battering pavement. 

Veins drizzle towards a resigned heard 

Buried in an ashtray. 

The TV laughs and smiles in 

The living room. 

Furniture sits still, 

Seats untouched. 

Wheels crunch the edge of a narrow road, 

Crippled car 

A woman inhales nothing, exhales smoke. 

Her pulsating body grabs only itself. 

She envisions headlights in the distance 

As her eyelids softly slam shut. 

Inspiring Spaces 

Photography: Liz Somerville 

Maker’s 42

The home of Abby + Mitchell 

There is a house full of magic and wonder on the south side of Nashville, and in it you’ll find Abby, Mitchell, and their lovely dog Lulu! Around every 

corner there are pieces of history, stories to tell, and small moments that together create one of the most inspiring and cozy homes. 

One of my favorite characteristics of the space, besides the natural sunlight of course, is the perfectly curated story the home tells. The decor is a balanced 

representation of both Abby and Mitchell, with a tid bit of family history which is a most importance to them. The home’s eclectic style is thanks to 

treasures passed down from grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as years of working at Anthropologie. 

Here are a few things I learned: 

Words: Kassie Dyes 

Show your history: 

Family treasures passed down from one generation to the next make a house feel like a home. They can be just the right touch to add a nostalgic feel to 

your space, and if I’ve learned anything from Abby and Mitchell, those treasures usually come with a great story! 

Collect something: 

Abby has an affinity for panoramic photographs capturing groups of people. I have never met someone with so many, but have found myself appreciating 

them very much. There are photographs of people she knows, but also those she has collected while thrifting, whose faces are a mystery. 

Hospitality is not overrated: 

As soon as you walk into this home you will most likely meet the pleasant aroma of a burning candle, sweet sounds from Mitchell’s record player, and a 

bubbly water before you sit down. Unlike some spaces that seem intimidating and more showroom then living space, this one has inspiring books to read, 

beautiful textiles to cozy up with, and the most inviting company which truly making it the hardest place to leave! 

Maker’s 44

Starting Fresh 

Words: Jack Costello 

Photography: Hannah Costello 

often associate new beginnings with fresh notebooks, specifically the black hardcover Moleskine classic collection ruled notebooks. 

I love new notebooks so much that I often don’t finish them before I start another. I bought a new one just to write this. 

I 

I assign specific subjects to my notebooks: a daily journal, stories, prayers, so that I am usually working through 4 or 5 notebooks at 

a time. I always write in pen because I don’t believe in erasing your work when creating or expressing yourself, but I do believe in 

rewrites. I try to avoid writing on a computer until I need to edit or send out copy. There is something about writing by hand that a 

laptop or typewriter cannot deliver. Maybe it’s the tactile nature, the true portability of the medium, or the ability to feel each letter 

connect to the next with the rhythm of your hand. When I have a fresh notebook I like to leave the first page blank, to remind 

myself that all stories start somewhere. I know a lot of writers who are terrified of the blank page. Sometimes it represents the 

unknown or the grueling work that is to come, but where there is open space there is room for ideas to grow. 


Katie Hyatt 

Calligrapher 

Katie Hyatt, founder of Shoppe Signora, is a calligrapher and creator of beautiful handmade papers. Here she describes how a 

special couple’s correspondence inspired her current passion. 

“My desire to make paper began before I was ever a calligrapher. I found a small wooden chest buried in the back of a closet during one of 

my visits to my grandparents’ home. Inside the chest were love letters from when my grandfather was in the Navy. Their letters spanned over a 

four-year timeframe back and forth between the two. As I looked over every gossamer and finely scripted letter, the feel of the aged paper really 

enveloped my nostalgic tendencies. It was all so romantic. The words on the page, to read my grandfather’s constant love for my grandmother. 

I couldn’t think of anything more poetic than the tangibility of the handwritten word and the love conveyed in each note. And now, I am in 

possession of that chest and those letters, almost 70 years later. My grandparents have long since past, but their love remains in those many 

bundles fastened with a worn silk ribbon. Since that find, my fascination with lettering and the tactile elements has bloomed to include the art 

of making paper. 

Paper making was an idea that began with my preference toward the venerable and quickly spread to a need. I began experimenting with different 

handmade papers, but found that many did not fit my calligraphic needs or aesthetic. So I set out to create a handmade paper that would work 

not only well with calligraphy ink, but with the different print methods I use. I also wanted to control the size, color and delicacy of the paper, to 

manipulate as needed. What commenced as a personal endeavor, quickly grew to be more public. I could see a growing demand for paper: brides 

or creatives yearning for a digital reprieve and looking for originality. Shoppe Signora manifested itself soon after to provide artists and makers 

alike a source for inspiration and unique heirloom-quality papers. It is my hope that when one encounters my paper, they’re transported to a time 

of slow days and lovely words on a page. 


J.M. Costigan 

Lessons From the Caterpillar 

caterpillar is born from a cylindrical egg amongst several of its brothers and sisters on a 

A nondescript leaf. This same leaf will be eaten to sustain and help that little family to grow. 

The caterpillar is technically a larvae, with a long torso and no extremities, but with several feet 

connected up and down it’s spine. As the caterpillar grows rapidly, his skin molts quickly and 

soon, the caterpillar will construct a protective shield around its soft body, commonly referred to 

as the pupa, the cocoon, or the chrysalis, and thus beginning a mysterious process. 

Within the chrysalis the caterpillar’s body will melt down to a white yellow goo. The head, 

abdomen, and everything else dissolves down to the cellular level and even then some cells 

rupture allowing the amino acids to float freely in the soup that was once its body. Through this 

seemingly self-destructive process, a new body emerges through the chrysalis, that of an entirely 

new looking creature: a butterfly. The earthbound caterpillar has died, and the winged butterfly 

has been born. 

This process has become the analogy for human transcendence. When we die our lowly bodies 

decay, allowing our spiritual selves to form into our true more perfect form. And while the 

spiritual implications for this are beautiful- death leading to a more refined life- the metaphor 

is not entirely accurate. 

Technically, the caterpillar does not die. Certain parts of the caterpillar within the chrysalis do 

not dissolve fully. Little specks of brain matter remain and studies have shown that memories 

made during the caterpillar stage carry over to its butterfly stage. Furthermore, a careful 

dissection of the caterpillar shows that its future wings, antennae, and legs are pre-formed and 

compressed within the structure of the caterpillar almost as if in storage. 

Maybe a more accurate metaphor for this process is about the power of self-transformation. 

Maybe we carry the tools for change within us as well as the potential for a more perfect self 

before we depart this earth and we must be willing to go through a tremendous and dramatic 

change to bring that more perfect self forth. 

The question changes from what part of me continues beyond death, to what of my future 

self is already present in me, and the answer to this question will help bring forth that very 

transformation. 

Katie Hyatt 

Maker’s 51


Textile Designer, 

Painter, Installation Artist 

Maker’s 52

Photographs + Interview: 

Hannah Costello 

Hannah: Do you work with music or do you mostly work in silence? 

Rachel: I don’t know, I often times work in silence. Sometimes, I’ll 

put music on. But, I really like the silence. 

H: Do you focus better that way? 

R: I think so, it’s so influential. So, I usually put something very 

ambient, every kind of nothing. As long as I know the music, it won’t 

distract me. Usually, I will work in the morning or very late at night. 

There’s the rare occasion where I just need to rock out. Sometimes, 

when I am trying to cover a canvas, I will throw a bunch of paint 

down and just get going. That’ll be the initial stage. These are all at 

the initial stage status (pointing to several pieces in her studio). 

H: What is some of the best creative advice that someones ever 

given you? Or advice that you’ve read and try to follow and keep in 

mind. 

R: I think the best advice that has been given in so many different 

forms is to “keep going”. When you are an artist, you are your worst 

critic. It’s to your benefit but its when people become their worst 

critic and become self-defeating with it, there the problem lies. At 

that moment, that’s where a lot of people become discouraged. You 

know that Ira Glass quote was brought into my life again and it was 

so nice to see. The basic message is “Don’t worry, your taste is good. 

You just need time to have your skills catch up to that.” That is the 

biggest thing, to keep going. I know there a lot of areas where i want 

to improve. Or, its not quite up to what i want to be doing and in that 

way. I will just work through my juvenile productive phase. I have to 

go through that awkward art school time. 

H: Why do you choose to do most of your art in black? 

R: It’s something I just started recently. I’ve always gravitated to minimalism, 

for my stuff and my space. It feels really clean and I want 

to make things that I want to have around. I’ve done a lot of color 

before. 

H: That’s right, you have. 

R: Yeah, I’ve depleted my stock. Black is just my current series of 

stuff. It’s totally black and white and I’ve been working in indigo. 

With that being said, I love the high contrast. The contrast is really 

nice. 

Maker’s 54

Daily Spoon 

Interview: Hannah Costello 

Stian Korntved Ruud is a maker through and through. 

His 365 spoon project has his hands busy everyday. 

He is a carpenter based in Norway and although he is 

a man of few words once you get him talking about his 

projects, he can’t stop. 

Hannah: Where are you from and where do you call home 

now? 

Stian: I was born and spent my youth just outside Oslo, 

Norway. It is also my home at the moment. 

H: How does this influence your projects? 

S: Hard to tell. the people around me probably influenced me 

more than the surroundings. 

H: Tell us about how you got started in carpentry. 

S: I have always liked to make, disassemble and investigate the 

objects around me. so going into design and craft was a natural 

course for me. 

H: What inspires you? 

S: I get inspired by, technology, science, beautiful mechanical 

solutions and music. and of course the nature around me. 

H: Please tell us more about the spoon project. 

S: The past year I spent most of my time exploring the unique 

organic qualities of wood and how adding a function can 

beautifully refine a piece of wood. The project will eventually 

consists of 365 unique hand carved spoons made from various 

types of wood. By repeating the production of a spoon 

every day for a longer period of time (365 days), the goal is 

to challenge and explore a spoons aesthetic and functional 

qualities. I make all the spoons in a traditional way with only 

hand tools. The point of this is to actively cooperate with the 

material, in this case wood. In a modern industrial production 

the machines overwrites the wooden structures and natural 

growth pattern. When using manual hand tools my hand 

collaborates with the wood structure during the forming 

process. This underpins all the spoons unique qualities. 

H: Can you walk us through your process? 

S: It often starts with an idea or sketch in my head or on 

paper. Followed by a look into my box of blanks looking for a 

Maker’s 56


(continued) 

suitable piece of wood. Then I start to carve with the suitable tool. If 

there is a lot of wood to remove I use a big tool like an axe. To do the 

more refined shaping I often use spoon knives, gouges and Japanese 

kogatana knives. It does not always succeed on the first try, so a 

sketch often results in several spoons. I also find/use twisted pieces 

of wood that often make themselves, I just follow the grains and 

patterns. 

H: What is your favorite way to use a spoon? 

S: I like eating ice-cream with a small spoon. 

H: What advice would you give young and upcoming creatives? 

S: Get quality tools. 

Noah Mata 

a Filipino-American writer from Philadelphia: 

Graduate of Political Science and Creative 

Writing program at Temple University - having 

his work in various publications in the Temple 

community. Out of all of the modes of writing, 

poetry is the most freeing yet the most challenging 

mode of expression of writing, and he chose 

the route of a poet because it speaks to the heart 

in ways that could only be spoken of in poetry. 

Heavily influenced by historical narratives and 

his own odd experiences - both in the realm of 

imagination and things that feel like imagination 

but are actually real - much of his work draws 

upon these things. 

Table of Contents 

(or I promise this is necessary and part of the experience of 

my packet) 

Illustrations By Erin Borzak 

Introduction – “On Ballads” 

What is a ballad? 

What is love? 

Baby, don’t hurt me. 

“Horizon” – or flat earth 

People seriously thought the earth was flat. 

Nothing can flatten our love. 

Being flat-footed makes it hard to dance and be light on 

your feet. 

“Rooftop” – or geocentrism 

Hate to break it to you but everything isn’t about you. 

This theory should probably be renamed “egocentrism”. 

Eh, rooftop views are still pretty romantic. 

“Warmth” – or heliocentrism 

Don’t be blinded by the light! 

Don’t get burned by her! 

Just remember, she might indeed warm you, but she’s going 

to explode one day. 

“Prompt” – or write your own ballad using your, quite 

literal, “worldview”; draw what it would look like. 

Your worldview illuminates your love-view. 

If you can’t draw that’s okay. 

This is about poetry anyways. 


Introduction “On Ballads” 

“May I have this dance?” a suitor might say, as a rambunctious but oddly charming 

singer riffs your grandparent’s favorite jazz tune and the suitor extends both hands to 

possibly clasp yours. You know this moment is romantic, but you hear a voice, now two 

voices, ricocheting opinion back and forth. Dance! Don’t dance. Love! Don’t love. 

Ballads will operate in this packet as love songs meant for dancing. 

Love songs. Dancing. 

Love can have us delusional 

Love romanticized can have us punch-drunk 

These are things we can perhaps agree upon 

I like sitting on this roof top with you 

It’s 4:30am when the stars and the moon 

make the most of their time with us 

I think they root for us 

Their light shuts and shines 

For us 

Everything 

Revolves 

Around 

Us 

Rooftop 

(or geocentrism) 

Everything 

Revolves 

Around 

Us 

But why? Why are we willing to dance (whether it tickles our fancy or not) and fulfill 

the ballad? Is it because love is a given within the nature of a ballad? Does the structure 

command the choices we make within love itself? What is love itself? 

Horizon 

(or the flat earth) 

I degust the horizon set perfectly before my eyes 

her eyes 

fixated on mine 

the sun sets on the water that seems to be 

endless 

But end it must, so I will just degust in her eyes 

that show me the same horizon in which the sun set. 

Yet, I still wonder. 

The world around us shapes our love 

What is the world around you? 

Flat? 

Spherical? 

What is your love? 

Are you the anti? 

Does your love shape your world? 

Lactantius (AD 245-325) 

Where does the water go? 

Its flow ends 

Falls 

Somewhere I cannot see 

To see is what I seek 

Beloved 

To see eye to eye 

Level 

To discover her tears 

where, how, and why they fall 

“I have the warmth of the sun” 

if only for a moment 

I know you gallivant 

Here 

There 

Your warmth 

HOVERS 

the masses 

I like sitting on this rooftop with you 

6:03am and the stars and the moon proceed to hide 

giving the sun some time with us 

I know the sun roots for us 

It fights for a front row seat just to view us 

The sun rises and sets 

For us 

Ptolemy (AD 90-168) 

Warmth 

(or heliocentrism) 



do you relish in our instant? 

Wishing 

Hoping 

Your warmth 

HOVERING ME 

never passes? 



the rays of your embrace I cannot supplant 

Melting 

Taunting 

Wanting 

Getting 

Settling 

I hate that I love being just another part of the orbit 

Yet, “I have the warmth of the sun” 

if only just for a moment 

NICOLAUS COPERNICUS (AD 1473-1543) 

Prompt 

(or write your own ballad using your, quite literal, “worldview”; draw what it would look 

like)

Erin Murphy 

“This kind of work lets me talk aboout the same surface over time and 

the object aging or changing in its environment. Making my wn object 

to work from allows me to revisit it again and again, each time with 

different results.” 

orking Backwards” explores with my interest in process, industrial materials, and the 

“Wintersection of atmosphere and object. I like to think that I’m working in reverse; 

forming a sculptural “sketch” and making 2D work from that piece. In landscape painting, the 

artist sees something in the world and then attempts to replicate it by sketching on a 2D plane. 

In my work, I’m reversing the process from sketch to finished product. By doing this, I can talk 

about the same surface over time and the object aging or changing in its environment. Making 

my own object to work from allows me to revisit it again and again, each time with a different 

result. 

Much of the work begins with a concrete cast, and then I make rubbings with charcoal on 

canvas from that cast. Much of the motivation for working this way comes from my interest 

in mold-making and my background working with process-based mediums like cast iron and 

printmaking, where making a mold of an object is a huge part of the finished piece. In these 

mediums, so much of the process—it’s intimacy, labor, and time commitment—is never fully 

expressed to the viewer and is only experienced by the team of artists and technicians working 

on it. 

Erin Murphy received her BFA in painting from the Maryland 

Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. She has 

exhibited in the states and abroad, including shows at Current 

Space Gallery in Baltimore, The International School of 

Painting and Drawing in Montecastello Di Vibio, Italy, Art 

Week Cape Town, in South Africa; and recent solo shows at 

the Adkins Arboretum in Maryland, and Fort Houston in 

Nashville. She has participated in residencies at Salem Art 

Works, in Upstate NY, and the Bijou Studio in Cape Town, 

South Africa. She loves traveling, J.M.W.Turner paintings, 

British history, and coffee shops. She was once allowed to 

make watercolour paintings inside of a cave in Ireland during 

a backpacking trip, which has been one of the high points of 

her career. She is a full time member of Fort Houston. 

Maker’s 64 

Maker’s 65

Djae Outlaw 

Photographer

Words + Photos 

By Djae Outlaw 

There are certain moments that define an experience, specific 

instances that trigger certain feelings. This trip was full of those 

moments. Being able to take a step back from my lens and just close 

my eyes to hear the voices of children worshipping, smell the scent of 

the slums, see the beautiful landscapes and animals, taste the amazing 

breakfast that was prepared for use each morning, and touch the face of 

my sponsor child for the first time. July of 2014 held some of the most 

unforgettable moments that would change the course of a life. 

This trip was the first opportunity for me to shoot abroad and 

I couldn’t have been any more excited! Being a SoCal (Southern 

California) native, born and raised, I’ve become very familiar with the 

nearby surroundings and over the past five years, since I began shooting, 

I’ve desired to get out and see more. Not traveling for just the sake of 

traveling but traveling in hopes of seeing something great. I had no idea 

what that “something” was until the opportunity for Kenya presented 

itself. I learned early on that photographing people was most fulfilling 

for me. Being able to interact and experience personalities and get to 

know individuals is such a rewarding aspect to what I do, so experiencing 

another culture came as a natural next step to me. 

Maker’s 68 

When I’m shooting portrait, making my subjects feel comfortable 

and excited about the photos that are being produced is a huge factor. 

I want the expressions and motions to be as authentic as possible. This 

can also be said when I am shooting more documentary styled things 

like this trip. I try to be as invisible as i can so that I can capture things 

as they would be happening without my camera present. With this trip 

to Kenya, it was truly beautiful to capture the community, the love, the 

emotion and the authenticity of the culture and conditions in Mathare 

Valley as well as in the Maasai Mara. It’s a beautiful thing to experience 

such a radically different culture for the first time and the most 

rewarding and captivating moments for me came when I was able to 

put the camera down and fully immerse myself in what was happening. 

All in all, this trip not only opened my eyes to what lies beyond my 

immediate surrounding of the United States but also solidified in me the 

kind of artist that I am. I want to capture emotion, experience cultures 

and people around the globe, and I want to create art that makes people 

feel something. Simple enough, right?

Her current collection features both soldering and casting 

methods, and each piece is designed and handmade by Walker 

herself, right down to the final .925 sterling imprint. She is 

beginning a second collection where geometric forms are giving 

way to more organic shapes, but says she doesn’t like to think 

about her work in terms of seasonal collections. “I would like 

to think that you can wear the pieces longer than one or two 

seasons” she said “I always think it’s odd when jewelers try to 

participate in the seasonal trends.” When looking at Walker’s 

jewelry, the timelessness comes through, modern, yet elegant 

and handmade with patience to be worn for years to come. A 

recent piece walker designed was inspired by a pair of earrings 

owned by her grandmother, which were, in turn, inspired by a 

pair of earrings worn in ancient Egypt, proving the history of 

wearable art is not lost in her work. 

The future of Walker Jewelry isn’t set in stone, but aside from 

building her second collection, she is also beginning to teach 

jewelry making classes, and collaborate with other artists. In 

watching her work, I’ve not only learned about the art of jewelry, 

but have come to respect how much time, sweat, and know-how 

goes into making a piece that can be worn for years to come. 

Walker Jewelry 

Words: Erin Murphy 

Since joining the maker-space Fort Houston in 2014, the one 

word I’ve heard from almost every member of the space is 

patience. In an era where it can feel like a race to the bottom in 

terms of production quality, the members of this coworking space 

are involved in a different conversation: opting to make objects 

that are hand crafted and personal, instead of faster and cheaper. 

Designer Lindsay Walker is no exception. Walker’s sleek, sterling 

silver pieces echo Nashville’s industrial architecture, and showcase 

her years of training in metalworking. 

Walker says she stumbled into metal working as an apprentice for 

the Urban Electric Company in her hometown of Charleston, SC; 

cutting parts for the other craftsmen, painting lights, and generally 

trying to get a feel for production. When a coworker taught her how 

to solder one day, she said “something about the physical aspect of 

metalworking clicked and she thought: this is it! ” After two years 

with the Urban Electric Company as a coppersmith she decided to 

make a change and traveled to Denmark. She interviewed with 

the Institut For Fine Metals and was told she probably wouldn’t 

be accepted. “Most of the students there already had training 

in goldsmithing” she said, and the instructor who interviewed 

her seemed disinterested. “I guess they thought I would be a 

wildcard” Walker joked “they must have wanted to see what I 

would make.” The program required a grueling amount of work. 

Walker even enrolled in outside classes in metalworking to fill 

in a few gaps in her hands-on education. After five years in 

Denmark completing her degree in sustainable design, Walker 

decided to move back to the states and once again found herself 

working with lighting designers, this time at Southern Lights in 

Nashville. She began making jewelry in her spare time in the 

Southern Lights studio. As the first Nashville collection began to 

come together she moved into a more permanent studio space at 

Fort Houston and has been working there for two years. 

Maker’s 70

Olivia Gatt 

What inspires you? 

I gain a lot of my inspiration from other artist and designers from all 

over the world. I also find that going to galleries, bookshops, cafes 

and walking around the city of Melbourne helps me to ‘charge up’ 

creatively. I know I have a strong idea in my head when I get excited 

and want to sketch it out right away. 

What is your work playlist? 

I’m the type of person that loves optimistic and positive music, especially 

when I’m working on a bright and bold design. At the moment 

the two albums on repeat for me are ‘Bad Self Portraits’ by Lake 

Street Dive and ‘Graceland’ by Paul Simon. I am also into some wonderful 

Australian bands like The Harpoons, Hockey Dad and Jagwar 

Ma, to name a few. The only exception to this is if I’m doing work on 

a band’s logo or album art, then I love listening to their music. This 

helps me get the right mood and style across in my designs. 

Graphic Designer 

How would you define your artistic style? 

I define my artistic style as fun and colourful. I love balance and 

contrast; bright colours with white space; busy patterns with block 

colour; decorative typography with simple, clean letters. 

How did you get involved with these musicians? 

Back when I was only starting out, I was lucky enough to have some 

wonderful creative friends asking me to do some odd poster designs 

here and there. As we grew more professional, my work became 

recognised throughout the local industry. We have a very tight music 

scene in Melbourne so my name ended up being passed around to 

other musicians and band managers, helping me to broaden my client 

base. 

How do you choose your design? 

I have my own taste and style but I like to think that when it comes 

to a musician’s personal project, such as an album or a logo, I take on 

their mood and feel. At the end of the day I am making something 

for someone who is very passionate and has put a lot of work into 

what they do. It already sounds beautiful; my job is to make it look 

beautiful. 

How have you developed this style? 

I feel like I still haven’t finished developing my style! I can look 

back at work I did about a month ago and feel like I could have 

done it differently, though I’ve always loved using colour and 

shapes in my designs and artwork. I believe that I’m going to be 

constantly learning more and adapting my work, and I think that 

my “style” reflects that. 


A Day in the Life 

The goal is to wake up around 9:30am. I don’t 

like to set alarms, but rather wake up naturally, 

so sometimes it’s earlier, sometimes later. I am 

usually inspired late at night so I try to sleep in to 

create some balance. I do my best to not look at my 

phone or check my emails until after breakfast but 

most of the time I can’t resist. Because I work from 

home most of the time, after I shower I don’t put 

on make-up, and mostly wear comfortable pajamas 

or house clothes. 

Hannah Costello is a lifestyle and wedding photographer based in Los Angeles but travels often. She is also our very own 

Photography Director! Here she shares about her daily work routine when she’s not out shooting. 

Photographs and Essay 

By Jack + Hannah Costello 

The very next thing I do is put on the kettle. My mother in law is from Birmingham, England and she got me started on PG Tips black tea 

with milk and sugar. My favorite breakfast is two eggs over medium with scallions, cilantro and avocado, some fresh fruit, and toast along with 

my tea. I dip the toast into a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper- a tribute to my Italian roots. At breakfast I like to read books 

pertaining to spirituality, it helps me get into a calm, thoughtful mindset before I take on a fully loaded workday. 

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Once I sit down at my desk, I’m not able to get up for a while. I have a hard time staying focused if my desk isn’t clean and organized, so that is 

my first priority when I sit down. I light a Capri Blue candle- volcano is my favorite- early and keep it burning all day- I go through them pretty 

quickly. I write a to do list usually consisting of paperwork, communicating with vendors and clients, and then editing. Editing photos takes a 

majority of my time. I will sit there for hours, adjusting exposures and colors to pull out the beauty of the raw images from my camera. 


“There is a necessary connectedness between form, function and context 

simply because one cannot be found without the other.” 

Danielle LaPointe (born: December of 1987, in Dedham, MA) is a Portland based designer maker identified with 

monochromatic forms and minimalism. She believes that by eliminating the unnecessary means focusing on the important. 

This notion was influenced by the De Stijl movement learned through a bachelor’s degree in Architecture & Design at the 

University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in Spatial Design at the London Metropolitan University. As a 

maker, she uses non-traditional materials that coexist with purpose and function to generate a form, or space. Her work can be 

found in home and restaurant design, graphics, blogs and large-scale installation work. Within the past couple years, she turned 

to 2D work as a way of documenting and understanding the relationship between her internal dynamics and the surrounding 

environment. She does this through abstracting natures refined processes and applying them to her own principles. Danielle 

LaPointe (born: December of 1987, in Dedham, MA) is a Portland based designer maker identified with monochromatic forms 

and minimalism. She believes that by eliminating the unnecessary means focusing on the important. This notion was influenced 

by the De Stijl movement learned through a bachelor’s degree in Architecture & Design at the University of Massachusetts 

Amherst and a master’s degree in Spatial Design at the London Metropolitan University. As a maker, she uses non-traditional 

materials that coexist with purpose and function to generate a form, or space. Her work can be found in home and restaurant 

design, graphics, blogs and large-scale installation work. Within the past couple years, she turned to 2D work as a way of 

documenting and understanding the relationship between her internal dynamics and the surrounding environment. She does 

this through abstracting natures refined processes and applying them to her own principles. 

I keep essential oils nearby for when things inevitably 

get stressful. Music is also a daily staple, with a playlist 

of City and Colour, Beach Fossils, Real Estate and 

occasionally Paramore. I’m a hard worker and wear a 

lot of hats as a business owner so I have a hard time 

taking breaks, but thanks to my husband he makes me 

take a step back, either by watching some Netflix or 

going outside for a breather. My workdays don’t usually 

end, but bleed over to the next day so it is important 

for me to set aside time to be with my husband, have 

some sort of social life and of course eat. 

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Ext. 0715 

Acrylic, mica 

10x16 

2015 

“This collection of work is an acknowledgment of 

the soul that exists within a body, within nature.” 

Maker’s 78

Radiant Friendships 

+ Good Habits 

Interview: Jessie Hutt 

Interdisciplinary artist Danielle Freiman embarked on her Radiant Friendships Tour at the beginning of 2014 

and shows no sign of slowing down according to her tours self titled, positively charged Manifesto, in which she 

encourages herself and those around her to “fill the heart up and outwards” and “go to things people invite you to” 

among other prompts. “By giving the tour a name, I’m holding myself accountable for following through.” Whether 

she is making zines, jewelry, dancing, or writing, Danielle has the natural ability to attract an audience and invite them 

to fall hard in love with her delicate but thought provoking spirit. 

Jessie: You are constantly producing work in different mediums. 

What keeps you motivated to try new art forms? 

Danielle: The work I make tends to be conceptually motivated, 

so the idea will often come first and the medium will come after. 

There are materials I always end up returning to, but I enjoy the 

process of finding the right medium to complete an idea. 

J: Congratulations on releasing your recent zine, Good Habits! 

Where did the inspiration behind creating a zine come from? 

D: I like the idea of zines because they often feel very personal 

but easily shared. The most recent ideas I’ve been working with 

(The Radiant Friendships Tour, memories,connections, missed 

connections, etc.) felt like they could be shared in this way, so that 

the recipient could hold a physical object that could be kept or 

traded or read aloud or sent in the mail. It’s a convenient way of 

sharing secrets. 

J: Can you share an experience of your conceptual or not 

necessarily image-based works of art? 

D:Last year I had the opportunity to tell a story in a story slam 

hosted by Massmouth, a non-profit storytelling organization in 

Boston. I eventually got to tell the story at the “Big Mouth Off,” 

or the final event of the season - it was perhaps the most outward 

thing I’ve ever done, but I got to share a memory with over 400 

people. 

J: Your jewelry pieces appear as full of wonder as your verbal 

storytelling. Can you describe the vision behind this collection 

as a whole? 

D: These pieces were the first physical manifestations of Good 

Habits, and wholly inspired by my aunt Susan who taught me how 

to put magic in small boxes. They’re made in a similar process to 

my larger assemblages, but can be taken with you and (ideally) 

worn close to the heart. 

J: Dreams and personal history are recurring themes in your 

work. Can you share one such dream or memory that has helped 

inspire one of your pieces? 

D: Most of my dreams take place where I grew up in California, 

usually in my old house or surrounding neighborhood. Even 

though it’s difficult to share specific memories with others, I like 

the idea of finding similarities in memory through objects or 

smells or sounds. The first piece I made that directly addressed 

this was “Scent Composition,” a series of small bottles containing 

individual scents that I associated with specific memories. Viewers 

could read what my associations were and also write down their 

own memories, forming a dialogue through a simple gesture. 

J: Do you remember the first time you felt confident in your artistic 

abilities? Is there something that has inspired your career? 

D: I was given a lot of positive reinforcement (and markers) when 

I was younger, especially from my parents and my aunt Susan. In 

school I was only interested in the assignments that had coloring 

or crafts in them, and I took my time with those. There are a few 

times when I’ve felt confident in my art, but the first may have 

been when I was accepted into art school. I try not to worry about 

constantly producing work or showing in exhibitions, because I 

know that the work has always been there in some capacity and 

always will be. 

J: What’s next for Good Habits? 

D: I should note that Good Habits started as the name of a music 

side project that would release three albums and an EP. I have all 

of the album names and song titles, but I’ve never learned to play 

music. (If anyone wants to start a band...) Apart from that, I’m 

currently working on Vol. 2 of the zine that will be released in 

October. 

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Erin Borzak 

Freelance Illustrator 

“I’m really interested in all things that fall under the Southern 

Gothic genre, be it books, music, movies, places, etc. I absolutely 

love reading Flannery O’Connor, have whole playlists dedicated to 

that feeling of driving through the deep south on a balmy summer 

night when the bugs are just coming out and you can almost feel 

a palpable uneasiness of ghosts in the air. From growing up in 

the South but farther away from the more rural communities that 

are written about and filmed for shows like True Detective (ah! 

So creepy and so good!) I just have this deep fascination with 

that whole southern-witchy-spanish moss in an old cemetery-old 

abandoned places overgrown with kudzu sort of vibe. It really 

speaks to me, artistically and emotionally.” 

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“Those few minutes as I’m drifting to sleep, that’s when I have 

my best ideas”. 

Sitting in Nashville’s Provence, surrounded by the smell of 

pastries and fresh ground coffee, we sit and discuss the ideas 

of beginnings. Freelance Illustrator, Erin Borzak, Lifestyle 

Editor Liz Somerville, and I all have our personal ideas on the 

topic, but today Erin is our subject of interest. 

Every artist has a beginning. On a grand scale, their creative 

beginnings, where it all first started for them, and then we have 

beginnings that happen more often. How we begin each day, 

or in this case, how we begin a new creative project. For Erin 

this is at the beginnings of naps. 

“I wake up 20 mins, an hour later, I start working. 

It’s that weird interlude between waking and sleeping is rich 

with ideas for me” 

Like many artists, Erin wears many hats, and if I may add, she 

wears them well. After graduating From Belmont University, 

she works as a freelance illustrator, making and selling her 

illustrations and felt pins. She is a one woman team as she 

makes, markets and runs her own business. She participates in 

craft fairs, shows in gallery space, and all while working as a full 

time barista at Hot and Cold. As she calls it, 

“full time coffee, part time art. The goal? Full time art, Part 

time coffee!” 

Hearing Erin talk about her work, is truly mesmerizing. As 

she speaks you get this incredible excitement. She loves what 

she does, and has the talent and ability that makes people 

all around fall in love with her work. Her felt projects, that 

once started as something to do as she spent the summer in 

her father’s hospital room, turned into an thought process of 

hand dying and creating these little pins full of optimism and 

personality! 

“How do I begin? New notebooks and art 

supplies. Sometimes I just need a new color 

marker”. 

This Nashville native, is excited to call this city of creativity and 

inspiration her home base as she continues to charm the world 

with her creations. 

Maker’s 84

Ashley Dorney 

Illustrator 

My inspiration can come from different things at different times. Sometimes it’s a song that evokes emotion, sometimes it’s a color, or sometimes 

it’s a picture of a stranger. Anything that I come across that makes me feel something special, usually small but still beautiful. I love doing 

portraits because a person’s face shows expressions and feelings. I mostly draw women because, well, they’re prettier (no offense guys)! Once I have that 

inspiration I usually just listen to some music and draw my feelings. I mostly draw with pastels, either oil or the powdery kind, or charcoal. I gravitated 

towards pastels because I love drawing with random colors. Two of my lifelong inspirations were Van Gogh because he always added subtle pops of color 

throughout his portraits, and Klimt because there wasn’t a color he didn’t love. 

I love being an artist because it helps me see the beauty in everyday life. Van Gogh said; “The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing 

more artistic than to love others”. Anyone who knows me knows I love everything. As a portrait artist, I fall in love with peoples’ faces. I appreciate all 

the curves and colors, textures and imperfections. And our eyes are so beautiful, so intriguing. I’m lucky enough to have art to help me see everything 

with my heart. My advice to other creators is to let yourself be inspired by everything. Look for the beauty. Feel as deeply as you can. 

I went to school for Fashion Design. Luckily, that came with art classes which I loved. Understanding how to create clothing could only be accomplished 

with the understanding of the human form. Figure drawing classes turned into fashion illustration classes. From there I found that what I love to design 

are intimates. It seems like I only draw physically attractive women, but my inspiration is drawing how a woman feels. I imagine the physical beauty 

a woman feels, of the beauty someone who is in love with that woman sees. Intimates are supposed to make you feel beautiful. I love the romance and 

dreaminess and lace. Hopefully in the future I can get to a point where I can design intimate apparel and still focus plenty of attention on my art. I have 

a degree in fashion, but drawing will always be my first love. 

Maker’s 86


Photographer 

As an ordinary 17 year old trying to capture beauty, I believe my purpose as a photographer 

is to document meaningful moments. I try to always inspire others and portray profundity, 

not just a pretty picture. Because of my appreciation for color and beauty, I became very interested 

in photography at a young age. I had a little green digital camera for several years that I truly 

cherished. It wasn’t much, but it allowed me to express myself through pictures. Three years ago I 

bought a not so great DSLR camera that helped express my new passion even more. After getting 

it and realizing I had no idea how to deal with all the complicated settings, I started taking lessons 

from a local photographer, Lindsay Anne Dransfield. She taught me all the basics, encouraged me 

throughout the learning process and eventually became one of my greatest inspirations. After the 

lessons, I began photographing a couple of my friends’ senior portraits. Now, along with senior 

portraits, I am shooting engagement photos, family portraits and weddings. My biggest struggle 

as a photographer is having confidence. Sometimes I undersell myself just because I am young. 

However, the passion God has given me for art and expression keeps me motivated to influence 

people. I think I will always love to photograph people because of the joy and depth humans 

portray. 

Maker’s 88

Contributors 


Alana Benavides 

Erin Borzak 

Hannah Costello 

Jack Costello 

J.M. Costigan 

Betany Coffland 


Ashley Dorney 

Kassie Dyes 

Jessie Johnson 

Shelby Edwards 

M. Donovan Fisher 

Myra Flores 

Danielle Freiman 

Olivia Gatt 

Natalie Gill 

Olivia Hermosillo 

Jessie Hutt 

Katie Hyatt 

Josh Jenkins 



Lindsay Latimer 

Charlie Long 

Abby Lovshin-Smith 

Noah Mata 

Erin Murphy 


Djae Outlaw 

Kristin Ponsonby 

Kelly Ross 

Stian Korntved Ruud 

Liz Somerville 

Lindsay Walker 

Beth Weeks 

elianacarolynphotography@gmail.com 

benavides.alana@gmail.com 

erinalise.com 

hannahcostello.com 

jackcostello@me.com 

costiganjm@gmail.com 

chlorisfloral.com 

emilycromwell.com 

ashleydorneyart.tumblr.com 

cloveandlarkspur.com 

jreneeillustration.com 

littledrill.squarespace.com 

mdonovanfisher@gmail.com 

mayraaflowers@gmail.com 

daniellefreiman.com 

oliviagatt.com 

nativepoppy.com 

mypaperweight.com 

jessiehutt.us 

signoramare.com 

demuerteusa.com 

rachellabarre.com 

dtlapointe@gmail.com 

lindsaylatimer.com 

charlielong1115@gmail.com 

lovshar@gmail.com 

noahmata@gmail.com 

erinmurphystudio.com 

tessagreenobrien.com 

djaeoutlaw.com 

milkplushoneybakeshop.com 

kellyjeanflorals.com 

stiankorntvedruud.com 

liz@themakerspost.com 

walkerjewelry.com 

mypaperweight.com 

T 

hank you for being a part of the first volume of many! If you are interested in being featured in our next issue, please 

email us at info@themakerspost.com. If you are interested in stocking our magazine, please contact Kassie Dyes at 

kassie@themakerspost.com

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