Interview with Ann Bradley, July 13, 2011

Partial Transcript: The date is July 13, 2011. The interviewer is Amanda Fickey with the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Ann Bradley talks about the history of Letcher County Extension Office and her involvement with the office since she graduated from college.

Keywords: 1967; Clients; Community; Consumer science agents; Contact; Extension Homemakers; Extension agents; Home economics; Homemaker clubs; Letcher County Extension Office; Priorities

Subjects: Agricultural extension work--Kentucky; Agricultural extension workers; Arts and crafts.; Home economics extension work; Letcher County (Ky.); Women agricultural extension workers

Partial Transcript: That sounds good. Let me, uh, follow up on a point that you just made, Ann.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about how homemaker clubs work to improve the quality of life in their local communities through their volunteer work and mentoring.

Keywords: Family; Home life; Improvements; Information; Lower income; Mentors; Mentorships; Quality of life; Resources; Services; Skills; Surrogate grandparents; Teaching; Volunteering; Volunteers; Young families

Subjects: Agricultural extension work--Kentucky; Agricultural extension workers; Arts and crafts.; Families.; Home economics extension work; Kentucky--Economic conditions; Letcher County (Ky.); Women agricultural extension workers

Partial Transcript: Um, now you mention the example where some of the individuals, they were really good at sewing, and they could pass that information on to others.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about the evolution of crafts from producing items of practical utility to aesthetic works of art. She talks about the origins of the Pine Mountain Craft Co-op. She talks about how artisans create crafts to supplement income and to support the local economy.

Keywords: 1993; Aesthetic value; Board of directors; Craft co-ops; Craft cooperatives; Craft fairs; Extension Homemakers; Financial value; Homemakers Club; Income; Incorporated; Letcher County Extension Office; Meetings; Personal use; Pine Mountain Craft Co-op; Practical use; Selling; Sewing; Shops; Success; Whitesburg (Ky.)

Subjects: Agricultural extension work--Kentucky; Agricultural extension workers; Artisans; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Baskets.; Families.; Handicraft.; Kentucky--Economic conditions; Letcher County (Ky.); Quilting.; Quilts.; Weaving.; Women agricultural extension workers; Woodworking industries.

Partial Transcript: Well, let me step back and ask you a question about something you mentioned earlier when you were talking about, um, basket makers and quilt makers and wood workers...

Segment Synopsis: Bradley continues her discussion of the economics of producing crafts. She notes craft artisans are often retired and on fixed income, and that income from craft work is often supplemental. She talks about a craft project that was featured on QVC Network. She describes craft work as a hobby, similar to gardening. She discusses garden produce as another form of supplemental income.

Keywords: Benefits; Enjoyment; Farmers markets; Fixed income; Fun; Gardening; Growers markets; Hobbies; Hobby; Jobs; Mass production; Members; Orders; Quality Value Convenience (QVC); Quilts; Retired; Retirement income; Sales; Selling; Supplemental income; Trade shows; Woodworking

Subjects: Agricultural extension work--Kentucky; Agricultural extension workers; Artisans; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Gardening.; Handicraft.; Hobbies.; Kentucky--Economic conditions; Letcher County (Ky.); Women agricultural extension workers

Partial Transcript: So, it doesn't cost anything to set up next to the Grower's Market.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about the business arrangements for the co-op including a pooled fund for overhead derived from product mark-up which is managed by a board of directors. She says the operational dynamic of the board is family-like, and the board members are volunteers. She discusses the economics of programs managed by the board.

Keywords: Advertisements; Board of directors; Business arrangements; Business operations; Community development; Community groups; Conflicts; Craft co-ops; Craft cooperatives; Craft festivals; Craft shops; Economic development; Expenses; Income; Information; Issues; Markup; Meetings; Membership fees; Overhead; Pine Mountain Craft Co-op; Places of interest; Power structures; Problems; Profits; Quality; Quality of life; Revenue; Rotation; Self-sustaining; Tourism commission; Tourists; Utilities; Visitors; Visitors centers; Volunteers

Subjects: Agricultural extension work--Kentucky; Agricultural extension workers; Artisans; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Handicraft.; Hobbies.; Kentucky--Economic conditions; Letcher County (Ky.); Tourism.; Women agricultural extension workers

Partial Transcript: So let me ask you sort of a tough follow up question to that. Um, and I ask this of most of the organizations that I interview, particularly in mining communities.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley expresses doubt there is much mountain top removal mining in Letcher County. She says if done correctly, this form of mining can improve land for building and improve the economy.

Keywords: Appalachian Artisan Center; Benefits; Building; Construction; Contour mining; Conversations; Economic development; Income; Natural beauty; Tensions

Subjects: Art & community; Art and business.; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Communities.; Economic development--Kentucky; Handicraft--Kentucky; Knott County (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Mountaintop removal mining; Tourism--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: So, t-to get back to the craft co-op though. Uh, how do you see that evolving and growing over the next five to ten years? What do you see happening with the craft co-op?

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about growth opportunities for the Craft Co-op. She describes crafts as fun, part-time, and a "heritage skill." She expresses hope that the Craft Co-op will continue to grow.

Keywords: Basket-making; Children; Craft co-ops; Craft cooperatives; Goals; Growth; Heritage skills; Hobbies; Income; Letcher County (Ky.); Membership; Pine Mountain Craft Co-op; Predictions; Skills; Students; Teaching; Time; Young people; Younger generations

Subjects: Art & community; Art and business.; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Baskets.; Communities.; Economic development--Kentucky; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Handicraft--Kentucky; Tourism--Kentucky; Weaving.

Partial Transcript: Uh, you can go to a store and buy something and it might be pretty for a while but in many instances might not be made of the best materials...

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about the relative values of goods purchased from discount retail stores versus hand-crafted products. She discusses the sources for materials for producing crafts.

Keywords: American-made; Appalachia; Basket-makers; Costs; Craft fairs; Craft shows; Craig Dial; Demonstrations; Hand-made; Labor conditions; Locally made; Mass-produced; Needs; Overseas; Prices; Products; Profits; Somerset (Ky.); Sources; Teachers; Wal-Mart; Walmart

Subjects: Art & community; Art and business.; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Arts and geography.; Communities.; Craft and art; Economic development--Kentucky; Handicraft--Kentucky; Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: I know that the extension office has put a lot of time and effort into supporting crafters here on the local scale. Will you talk a bit about the organizations you work with on a regional scale?

Segment Synopsis: Bradley says that the extension office does not work much with the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program. She talks about her work with the Kentucky Appalachian Craft Council, which began as a way for artists to network with one another. She talks about the structure and workings of the Kentucky Appalachian Craft Council.

Keywords: Booths; Craft co-ops; Craft cooperatives; Discussions; Events; Extension offices; Guilds; Information; Kentucky Appalachian Craft Council; Kentucky Appalachian Craft Council Fair; Kentucky Craft Marketing Program; Meetings; Names; Networking; Organizations; Promotion; Regional; State; Suppliers; Tourism

Subjects: Art & community; Art and business.; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Communities.; Craft and art; Economic development--Kentucky; Handicraft--Kentucky; Kentucky Arts Council

Partial Transcript: Um, as far as the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, I, I wonder--so you've not worked with them very much.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley discusses the varying quality of crafters, comparing those in Letcher County to those in the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program. She talks about hand-made crafts as unique pieces of artwork.

Keywords: Artwork; Craft co-ops; Craft cooperatives; Crafters; Differences; Improvements; Informal jurying; Judging; Juried; Kentucky Craft Marketing Program; Letcher County (Ky.); Local; Museums; One of a kind; Personal enjoyment; Quality; Self-confidence; State fairs

Subjects: Art & community; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Communities.; Craft and art; Handicraft--Kentucky; Kentucky Arts Council

Partial Transcript: Now, do you think even if they're not working with the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, do they still sort of benefit by the creation of that program in this state?

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about how all Kentucky crafters benefit from the marketing of Kentucky-made crafts. She talks more about the quality of hand-made crafts.

Keywords: Appalachian Artisan Center; Authentic; Basket-makers; Benefits; Examples; Hand-made; Hindman (Ky.); Individuals; Juried; Jurying; Kentucky Artisan Center; Kentucky Craft Marketing Program; Kentucky School of Craft; Kentucky crafts; Marketing; Money; QVC Network; Quality; Quality Value Convenience (QVC); Teaching; Unique; Workshops

Subjects: Art & community; Art and business.; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Berea (Ky.); Communities.; Craft and art; Economic development--Kentucky; Handicraft--Kentucky; Kentucky Arts Council

Partial Transcript: So, just to think about how we might wrap up today, Ann...

Segment Synopsis: Bradley talks about what she sees for the future of the craft industry, especially in terms of the popularity of craft co-ops and tourism. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Craft co-ops; Craft cooperatives; Craft industry; Cultural heritage; Focus; Future; Growth; Hindman (Ky.); Membership; Perry County (Ky.); Resources; Sharing; Shops; Support; Tourism; Trends; Visitors

Subjects: Art & community; Art and business.; Artisans; Artists and their art; Artists--Economic conditions.; Artists--Kentucky; Artists--Social conditions.; Artists.; Arts and crafts.; Communities.; Craft and art; Economic development--Kentucky; Handicraft--Kentucky