Testimonies from a small coastal town in Maine
“One should not pass over in silence the little home industries where young and old toiled long and patiently, at those useful arts and crafts which would add a few dollars to personal and family income.”
– Jasper Stahl, The History of Broad Bay, Vol. 2, 1956
When I was four or five, my mother taught me how to knit, so I could make clothes for my dolls. I got totally hooked on fabric and yarn. My mother … Continue reading about Sara Hotchkiss
I was in New York studying for my master’s in musicology, when I decided to join a musical group, the Columbia University’s Collegium Musicum. It was … Continue reading about Carolyn Bryant-Sarles
All through my childhood my mother and I would go out junking – it was mostly at second-hand stores but also antique stores. I loved doing that and … Continue reading about Ed Openshaw
I moved to Waldoboro from Bath with my parents halfway through second grade and I did Miller School. In fact, Mrs. Butler inspired one of my pieces … Continue reading about Jay Sawyer
I see people at the motel who always asking me what there is to do that they wouldn’t know about? So, I tell them about the guy who sells oysters … Continue reading about Melissa Hunnibell
When I got here, I felt I was home. I could be myself. I could breathe. Sure, I was doing some freelancing and consulting in the beginning, but … Continue reading about Susan Kellam
I was never one of those girls who said, “I can’t wait to leave Waldoboro.” I loved Waldoboro. To be in town was so amazing to me. You could go … Continue reading about Martha Bush
My family was really poor. For air-conditioning, when my grandma would hang the sheets on the clothesline, I would go out and stand between them … Continue reading about Jen Barrows
I did not have a locked-in idea for the schoolhouse, but I did have visions. Originally, I thought it could be a creative space for either galleries, … Continue reading about Willy Wong
When I first began working in metal, I thought it was totally bad ass. It was, “Look what I can do!” I was an extremely shy 5’2” gal. Being able … Continue reading about Erica Moody
Waldoboro is exactly as described to me -- more conservative than its neighbors, more politically divided, and more resistant to ideas thought to … Continue reading about Michael Amico
It’s the tightening in your chest. It’s the burning in my veins. It’s the anger out of nowhere. It’s the never-ending pain.
It’s the … Continue reading about Becky Libby
When I first read about the Women’s Club in the paper after moving here, I said, “Any group who gives scholarships, I support.” So, I … Continue reading about Charlotte Gulezian
I just packed up the car and left Portland (OR) and drove to Waldoboro, being, “What have I done? Why did I do this?”
But when I … Continue reading about Alexa Stark
Ever since I was little, my mom would say to me, “You’re such a drama queen. You should act.” Then she’d tell me all about the high school plays … Continue reading about Shari Wills
I didn’t know anyone in Waldoboro when I first arrived. But my grandfather, who used to frequent the Narrows Tavern, finally said, “Why don’t you go … Continue reading about April Reed-Cox
I know I talk about these romantic sojourns like the date farm in Death Valley or tending the pigs in upstate New York. But in a lot of ways, I … Continue reading about Henry Cauffman
I don’t call myself a healer. Jesus Christ could do that, but I can’t. I can release soft tissue. I can do mechanical things to people’s … Continue reading about Nancy Dail
My first rug took me eighteen years. I got started, and then I had a baby. You don’t hook when you have a baby. You can’t. And then I had … Continue reading about Kathie Hills
The first story I ever wrote was about an auctioneer who had been indicted for receiving stolen goods. And my father gave it to me to write. … Continue reading about Sam Pennington
I really love winter. Visually, it’s not a season that enters my work. But it does spiritually. It’s the time of year when I slow down, hunker … Continue reading about Holly Berry
