Living Heritage Podcast

In this episode we talk with mentor Duncan Major, and apprentice Katie Butler Major who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.Duncan learned the craft of letterpress from Tara Bryan, a painter and book artist who was well known internationally for her letterpress work. He started working as Tara’s apprentice in 2000 at the age of 14. In this role Duncan helped make handmade, limited-edition artist’s books. The pair continued to collaborate until Tara’s death in 2020.Since 2004, Duncan has operated Walpurgis Press with Katie Butler Major, making cards and sundries. Duncan has introduced bookmaking and printing to kids in St. John’s, Goose Bay, North West River and Nain.Katie has always been drawn to handcrafts. She is an avid sewer and knitter, and enjoys working with her hands creatively—so letterpress is a natural fit for her. Katie has helped design and produce invitations, coasters, and cards. As Duncan’s partner, she has learned the basic printing process and is also familiar with the materials that go along with printing. Katie has participated in Printer’s Fairs organized by the Book Arts Association, met letterpress artists from abroad, and visited Running the Goat’s printshop in Tors Cove.

In this episode we talk with mentor Charlene Rumbolt, and apprentice Katie Lee who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Charlene is the lead artist and knowledge keeper at the Great Caribou Studio in Mary's Harbour. A talented seamstress, she was a winner in the Senior Visual Arts division of Arts & Letters NL in 2019 and 2021. Charlene is a member of the NL Craft Council. She began sewing at 11 years old and has since made dresses, pants, handbags and more. Charlene has taught crafting and art for over twenty years, in both group and individual settings. For the last 12 years, after learning from elders in Nain and Hopedale, Charlene has been making the traditional Cossack/Dickie and the Akalik. Learn more about her work at Great Caribou Studio. Prior to the start of the program Katie had basic skills in cossack making and was intent on improving her abilities. Her artwork has been inspired by her Indigenous roots and she plans on making more traditional outerwear to carry on her ancestors traditional craft while simultaneously expressing her own creativity within her culture. She has previously worked at the Great Caribou Studio in Mary's Harbour.

In this episode we talk with mentor Danny White, and apprentice Arlene White who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.Danny learned the teachings, stories, and process of basket making starting at the age of 12 from his father, Anthony White. Anthony was considered a master basket maker. Danny has taught courses and held exhibitions at Pow Wows, schools, and colleges. His work has been documented in newspapers, magazines, and videos.Arlene completed a course with Master Basket Maker Dan White in 2018. She has an understanding of how to dig spruce roots, and how to harvest some of the material. She has made two baskets but is interested in taking her knowledge to the next level in order to keep the skills alive, and pass it on to the next generation to ensure the tradition continues for years to come.

In this episode we talk with mentor Morgaine Parnham, and apprentice Sylvie Mitford who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.Morgaine has been a practicing craftsperson for over 10 years. She graduated from the College of the North Atlantic Craft and apparel design program in 2012 majoring in Print and Dye, Surface Embellishment and Weaving. After graduation Morgaine held a studio at Quidi Vidi Village Artisan Studios. Later she moved to Bonavista to open her own craft shop and weaving studio. Aside from formal training Morgaine learned a lot from her mother who has been informally teaching Morgaine since she was a child. Morgaine has experience teaching group workshops to both adults and children.Sylvie has been interested in weaving since she was a teenager, and has moved from a simple handmade loom to a floor loom. She has woven scarves, wraps, blankets, tea towels and yardage. Sylvie is a knitter and sewer and also has an interest in natural dying. She wants to learn more advanced weaving techniques and weave structures, and also learn how to spin, and make use of the local wool from the sheep in Bonavista.

In this episode we talk with mentor Marnie Parsons, and apprentice Abby Hann who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.Marnie first learned letterpress printing from Tara Bryan, who invited her to her studio in the summer of 2000. After working for several years in Tara’s shop, Marnie set up her own letterpress studio in her home in St. John’s. She then moved her shop to Tors Cove in 2013, where it remains. The shop is open to visitors throughout the year.Abby graduated with a Bachelor of Fine arts from NSCAD University in Halifax in 2020. During her degree she focused on printmaking, primarily using the relief technique. Since then, Abby has maintained a prolific printmaking practice from her home studio and small printing press. Abby has participated in artist residencies in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and South Africa, while exhibiting prints in multiple solo and group exhibitions.

In this episode we talk with mentor Richard Park, and apprentice Michelle Park who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.Richard Park is a retired teacher who was first exposed to the birch broom in 1957 while teaching in the community of Fox Roost-Margaree. Later in 1979 in Francois, he learned the skills to make birch brooms from a fisherman in the community. He has been making birch brooms since, and has made several brooms including many as gifts.Michelle is a history teacher with an interest in local history and folklore. Since the age of 10 she has watched her father make birch brooms as gifts for family and friends, as well as for the family’s own use. Michelle’s experience was admittedly limited; she helped make brooms in the past and was looking to refine the skill.

In this episode we talk with mentor Loretta John, and apprentice Kevin Drew who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Mrs. John has over 45 years’ experience making moccasins. She originally learned the craft from Ms. Johnson (known as Doctor Granny among the Mi’kmaq) of Eskaosni First Nation. Since learning her craft, Mrs. John worked at the Glen John Craft Shop in Miawpukuk First Nation for year until she retired. She has shared her skills and knowledge through one-on-one mentoring and group workshops. Kevin Drew has worked with the Glen John Craft Shop for several years now. Over that time, he has worked with many crafters in the community, having an opportunity to observe different Mi’kmaq crafts. Over the course of his time at the craft shop, Kevin has focused on beading and embroidery work.

In this episode we talk with mentor Lori McCarthy, and apprentice Tina White who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Lori has lived close to the land her whole life. In 2010, she opened Cod Sounds, a company dedicated to preserving and sharing the cultural food and footways in the province. She has taught foodways workshops for 10 years on everything from wild game butchery to bread making. Tina has been gathering knowledge on traditional food/recipes, preservation and foraging for the past several years, inspired by her training in Forest Therapy. She began to share her foraging knowledge with others in 2021, when she offered her first Wild Food Walk & Tastings in Tors Cove.

In this episode we talk with apprentices Francine Winters, and Dave Chaulk of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and mentor Walter Fowler of Capstan Island. All three are are  participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Francine and Dave's mentor, Alfred Winters Jr (also known as Sonny), learned to make komatiks from his father, Alfred Winters Sr. Sonny's father was originally form Kamarsuk near Hopedale and was a renowned komatik builder featured in Them Days magazine. Sonny has made six or seven komatiks a year for the last twenty or thirty years. Apprentice, Francine, developed carpentry skills from working on her house and cabin. She has always wanted to learn to build komatiks, and saw this program as a great way to learn the traditional methods. Dave is also interested in traditional activities, and found it important to learn from Elders in the community. He has worked with wood all his life creating everything from Christmas ornaments to ramps. Mentor, Walter Fowler, taught apprentice Peter Fowler how to make komatiks. Walter has been building komatiks for over 50 years. He first learned from his father, and older brother and continues making them for himself, his family, and people in Capstan Island and beyond. 

In this episode we talk with mentor Guy Barnable, and apprentice Eric Escudero who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Guy is a teacher by trade and learned the craft of wriggle fence (or as he calls them - riddle fence) construction from a neighbour and started building them on his own in the 1990s. He is proud to say that his two sons know the craft and have helped him teach it to others. Eric is studying Ethnomusicology at Memorial University. As a newcomer in Newfoundland, he hadn’t had an opportunity to practise Newfoundland riddle fence making prior to the program. Eric has some experience in building wooden fences back in Brazil and learned the basics of building wooden fences and gates from his father.