Martha Stewart today is no doubt recognized as the doyenne
of all things artistic, creative, and artisanal, especially in the domestic
design areas of gardening, crafts and technology, food, and fashion. Her empire is vast and her influence is
unmatched.
But the fact is, Martha started her enterprise in her
suburban, Westport Connecticut home with a catering business cooked up on her
kitchen table.
Like millions of dreamers and those she calls “doers” have
done, she turned her passions into success.
(She just did it better, one might argue!)
If she didn’t exist, we’d have to invent her
Over the years, she has taught her fans how to create -- to
unleash their own innovative spirit.
She prides herself on being an educator.
Having worked with her and her team on many occasions for
the botanic gardens, I have seen
first-hand how Martha’s scholarship is genuine and impressive.
Her curiosity seems boundless and it infuses the quality of
everything she makes.
With an infectious enthusiasm from the Julia Child and
Shirley Temple pull-yourself up-by-the-bootstraps/can-do school of American
optimism, she teaches us how to discover and make the best soft cooked eggs, or
decorate our small spaces or create the best “Pies and Sides,” as the November
Martha Stewart Living issue claims with a come-hither seduction of seasonal
desserts perched on the cover.
Therefore, who better than Martha and her talented team, to
produce an innovative, inspiring red, white, and blue program, such as the American Made Awards? www.americanmade.marthastewart.com
Hats in the air for American
Made Awards – it is the quintessential example of practicing what you
preach: MSL created a never-been-done-before program for entrepreneurs! It’s dizzying how zen this is…
At an intimate, swanky wine and cheese celebratory party
hosted by Gael Towey, chief integration and creative director of Martha Stewart
Living Omnimedia (MSLO) and her charming husband, Stewart Doyle, at their
townhouse that looks like it came right out of well, umm -- right out of a
magazine!
It was all sparkly, twinkling lights, art, including books,
and unique décor.
The wine was crisp. The cheeses were fresh, clean and
creamy, labeled, and from an American Made Honoree, the cheese makers from The
Cellars at Jasper Hill.
But we’re getting ahead of things.
The American Made
Awards is a little complicated. It’s a multimedia outreach.
But at its core, it’s this: a grand, inspiring way to honor
“15 rising stars in American gardening, food, crafts and technology, fashion,
and design in the magazine’s core areas of interest.”
The way the
honorees are being celebrated is better than a caffeinated Kickstarter and more
like a huge Independence Day parade down America’s Main Street. If Main Street
went from, well, Maine to California.
In addition to the 15 honorees featured in the November
issue, the public chose an honoree via an
online nomination and voting process.
The Audience Choice
American Made winner will receive $10,000 to further his business, in addition
to being honored at the October event and featured in the December issue of Martha
Stewart Living.
The Honorees I spoke to still looked almost shell-shocked --
trying to take it all in.
Brian Howell said he just learned two weeks ago that he was
the Audience Choice winner. “A friend
told me about the program just in the middle of August,” he noted, his face
revealing it’s been a fast ride ever since. “We went from 50 emails a day to
more than 500,” he says softly, sort of shaking his head with humility and
incredulousness etched on his face.
 |
| Peoples Choice Winner, Brian Howell (L) |
His company, The Bee Man Candle Company, www.beemancandles.com hails from Syracuse and is the only candle maker
to handcraft pure bayberry and beeswax candles.
He claims he started his business when he was 12 or 13 years old. Talk about childhood greenshoots!
The handsome and studied Jonah Meyer and Tara De Lisio, can
honestly say love is a key ingredient in their furniture cum sculpture. She
loved his work upon walking into his Catskill studios and it wasn’t long before
they fell hard for each other and got married. How has the Made in America changed them and their Rhinebeck, NY Sawkille
studio, www.sawkille.com
 |
| Sawkille's Tara De Lisio |
“It’s incredible -
beyond words,” whispers De Lisio.
For a full listing of the 15 Rising Stars:
I have to add, the
Alisa Toninato, FeLion Studios, Madison Wisconsin, www.felionstudios.com aka Iron Maiden, and her featured collection
of limited-edition cast-iron skillets cast in the shape of the 48-contiguous US
states. (This Examiner has more than a
few Hawaiian foodie friends. Perhaps you
can do Island skillets to honor the Aloha State?!)
After remarks at the wine and cheese party by Martha – who
was resplendent in all-white fashion, having just come from the MSL Bridal
event -- and Lisa Gersh, the MSLO CEO, Martha was scheduled to appear on the
Piers Morgan show to talk about the American
Made Awards later that night. She
admonished the guests not to leave the party in order to catch the show. The bonhomie was such that Towey joked they
could all watch it on her TV.
 |
| Martha, flanked by Lisa Gersh, CEO MSLO (L) & Gael Towey (R) |
Gersh explained that the program was dreamed up by Towey and
Pilar Guzman, the editor in chief of Martha Stewart Living magazine in one of
their ideation sessions and who are the “heart and soul” of the initiative. Gersh thanked the tastemaking editors at MSL
for their thoughtful nominations and curating of the program, and acknowledged
the incredible creativity and hard work on the part of all the Honorees.
Martha also acknowledged New York City’s Mayor Michael
Bloomberg and his tremendous support of homegrown entrepreneurship.
Can’t let it go without noting that Hizzoner is also an
entrepreneur, having built Bloomberg www.bloomberg.com
into a world-class financial and news enterprise.
About her work with the Mayor on behalf of American Made, Martha has been quoted
saying, “Bloomberg has taken his
entrepreneurial spirit into the public sector and is supporting creative
business owners with remarkable programs such as the 12 incubators they’ve
launched across the city that bring together public and private dollars and
talent and provide individuals and companies with community-oriented work
spaces and support to develop their enterprises.
I am committing to
join him in this endeavor and look forward to serving as a mentor for the
E-Space Kitchen incubator in Brooklyn and the Cashama Arts incubator in Queens,
where more than 200 artists, artisans and chefs are attempting to turn their
passions into a successful businesses.”
Made in America, Celebrated in New York
For two days, starting tomorrow, October 17th and
18th at the landmark Grand Central Station, the Honorees will be
center stage at an artisanal fair pop-up
in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central. Consumers will be invited to take part in
how-to workshops hosted by Martha Stewart, as well as other culinary, crafting,
design and gardening experts from MSLO and around the country, including Dan
Barber, master executive chef, culinary thought leader and co-owner of Blue
Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
Calvin
Klein, Tory Burch, J. Crew’s Millard “Mickey” Drexler, Karen Mills, the
Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Clear
Channel CEO Bob Pittman, Ralph Rucci, Etsy’s Matt
Stinchcomb, and Diane von Furstenberg will join Martha Stewart throughout the day on Wednesday as she transforms
Grand Central Station’s Vanderbilt Hall into a veritable tribute to artisanal
greats and up-and-comers alike for her first-ever “American Made” event.
Visitors will also
enjoy shopping, tastings and giveaways. Etsy, www.etsy.com the marketplace for independent creative
businesses, and a natural, ‘made in heaven” programming partner for the American
Made workshops will be on hand to give demonstrations and share techniques and
tips. Products and expertise from the other program sponsors, Avery Dennison
and The UPS Store® will also be featured.
New York Rising Stars include:
The November issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine puts the
spotlight on the 15 American Made Awards
craftspeople with a series of profiles that honor and respect their work and
passions.
The stories about each
creative entrepreneur are lovingly told and the photos are truly our Norman
Rockwell portraits for this generation. They are powerful profiles that will
inspire for years to come.
If you are a budding
entrepreneur, hang these images and channel their innovation and steadfast
spirit.
Flora Grubb, Flora
Grubb Gardens in San Francisco captured the optimistic essence of the movement,
saying, “Entrepreneurship has to be in your blood. It’s an ability to see
opportunity when others people might see problems.”
Indeed
 |
| Pilar Guzman, MSL Editor in Chief |
Guzman’s Letter from
the Editor is a profile in courage.
It oozes respect and
admiration and pride.
She writes of the passionate
efforts of the honorees: the new American artisanal craftsman.
She makes the link to
a “defining cultural moment when so many people are making a go of their
creative passions and in doing so, fueling a new American economy.”
This Examiner covered
another foodie event touting the ability of the culinary world to create jobs.
Further, Guzman makes
the link that the American Made story “lives alongside the many pages devoted
to the most American of holidays:” Thanksgiving.
And finally, she
points the way that the stories are “an artful expression of” Martha – “and the
editors’ – for those game changers who inspire us…”
Don’t miss the two-day
American Made Awards salute at Grand Central.
A full listing of
workshops and demos:
ALL EVENTS AT GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL
Entrance via Vanderbilt Hall doors at 42nd Street
HIGHLIGHT/KEYNOTE SESSIONS AND EVENTS OCTOBER 17TH
7:00-8:30AM - Wake Up Call: Yoga
and Breakfast with Martha
Yoga
session with Martha Stewart and James Murphy, instructor and director of the
Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York. Following the class, there will be light
breakfast served featuring Bouchon Bakery’s pastries that are made with
American Made Honoree, Lena Kwak’s, Cup4Cup gluten free flour. Sponsored by
jcpenney.
9:30-10:30AM - The Makers of American Fashion
Martha
Stewart and a host of luminaries within the fashion and retail industries kick
off American Made, featuring a fashion preview, tips and tricks, and a panel
discussion on American fashion. J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler, Calvin Klein,
Diane von Furstenberg, Ralph Rucci and Tory Burch will participate in the
session, including an "Ask Martha" segment, in which members of the
studio audience will get the chance to get expert advice from Martha and
guests. Sponsored by jcpenney.
12:15-1:30PM - The Elevator Pitch
Competition
Sue Herera
of CNBC will host The Elevator Pitch Competition between undergraduate and
graduate students from the School of Visual Arts and the Rhode Island School of
Design. The contest will culminate in the crowing of one as the Inaugural
American Made Entrepreneurial Challenge winner on site. U.S. Small Business
Administrator and Cabinet Member Karen Mills, as well as Martha Stewart and
MSLO CEO Lisa Gersh will take part in the session. Guest judges and keynote
speakers include Bob Pittman of Clear Channel, Matt Stinchcomb of Etsy, Mark
Hoffman of CNBC and Kay Koplovitz of Koplovitz & Co. and Springboard
Enterprises. Brought to you by The UPS
Store.
2:30 - 3:30PM Etsy Success
Join Matt Stinchcomb, VP of
Brand and Social Responsibility at Etsy, Lauren Indvik of Mashable and some of
Etsy’s best sellers to discuss trends within the online commerce world, best
practices, key learnings and tips for artists, artisans, and creative
entrepreneurs who are interested in starting, promoting and growing their own
businesses. Included within the session
will be information how to start your own Etsy shop, and a demonstration by
Avery that illustrates how their organization and merchandising tools can help
put small businesses on the road to success.
Session attendees will receive a gift bag with products from Avery.
4:00 – 4:30PM – Martha Stewart Book Signing of American Food
4:00 – 4:30PM – Martha Stewart Book Signing of American Food
Martha will sign copies of
her best-selling book American Food (Clarkson-Potter) publishing
May 2012; a collection of favorite recipes from five regions of the US that are
enjoyed nationwide. Books will be available for purchase in the American
Made café area of Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall.
4:30 – 5PM
– Lucinda Scala Quinn Book Signing of Mad Hungry
In Mad Hungry, Scala Quinn shares
winning strategies for how to sate the seemingly insatiable, bring back the
family meal with easy, simple recipes. Along with her techniques that help make
homemade meals second nature, nourishing both diner and cook, Scala Quinn
offers empowering advice on how to feed one's family's spirits as well as fill
their bellies.
5:30-6:30PM - What Is American Food?
Corby
Kummer, author and contributor to The
Atlantic, hosts a panel discussion featuring leading chefs, food critics,
and authors debating and redefining the changing American food culture: what
American cuisine has come to mean, current topics within the foodie zeitgeist
(farm to table, locavorism, gluten-free, molecular gastronomy, food trucks, the
slow food movement, etc.), and what role our culture plays in how we
appreciate, savor, and create food. Participants include: American Made
Honoree, Mateo Kehler from Jasper Hill Farms, Dan Barber, Executive Chef and
co-owner of Blue Hill; Bill Taibe, Chef/Owner of LeFarm and The Welk
restaurants; and Tom Philpott, Mother
Jones contributor. Following the discussion, attendees are invited to stay
for a tasting, featuring a variety of wines, beer, and cheeses, including
selections from Jasper Hill Farms.
“American
Made” honorees and Martha Stewart Living experts such as Martha Stewart Living’s Editor in Chief
Pilar Guzman, Marcie McGoldrick, Stephen Orr, Jennifer Aaronson, and Gael
Towney, will join Martha Stewart
throughout Thursday, October 18th
for the last day of programming for her “American Made” event, a multimedia
celebration of artists, artisans and entrepreneurs from the worlds of food,
fashion, design, community, crafts and technology.
HIGHLIGHT/KEYNOTE SESSIONS AND EVENTS OCTOBER 18TH
8:30-9:30 AM - Crafting Master Class: Mold-Making and
Casting
Master
class featuring American Made Craft Honorees, Alisa Toninato of FeLion Studios
and Chris Lyon and Brett Binford of Mudshark Studios, and Martha Stewart
Living’s own Marcie McGoldrick show the basics of the mold-making and casting
processes. Part demonstration, part workshop, students will learn how to make
food-safe silicone molds, and get tips and tricks for using the finished molds
to create a variety of products – from candles to madeleine cookies to
chocolate.
10:00-11:00 AM - Gardening Master Class: Kitchen
Composting
Erika
Allen, American Made Community Honoree, and Martha Stewart Living’s own,
Stephen Orr, will teach a master class focusing on composting in the kitchen.
Students will learn how to turn trash and scraps into supercharged garden soil
for backyard vegetable and flower beds and containers; best of all it's free
and organic. Participants will receive tips on getting started, along
with their own countertop composting pail.
11:00- 11:30 AM – Five Things Everyone Should Know
with Martha Stewart
From how to safely remove thorns from a rose, to
how to peel garlic, Martha will demonstrate five easy, yet showstopping
signature skills that everyone should have in their arsenal.
11:30-12:30 PM - Food Master Class: Gluten-Free Baking
Lena Kwak,
American Made Food Honoree, and Martha Stewart Living’s Jennifer Aaronson, will
teach a master class on gluten-free pizza making. Participants will get
the first taste of an innovative product that has yet to be released to the
public, and learn secret techniques for making delicious gluten-free pizzas and
toppings. A Q & A with our special guest chef will follow the
hands-on demonstration and attendees will receive a preview sample of the
product and recipes to continue their gluten-free baking at home.
1:00-2:00 PM - Gardening Master Class:
Urban Gardening
Flora
Grubb, American Made Gardening Honoree, and Martha Stewart Living’s own,
Stephen Orr, will share tricks and tips for the city gardener.
Participants will discover your own green thumb with the latest
space-saving techniques and trends. Attendees will pick one project and
will create their own piece, with inspiration and guidance from the hosts along
the way and each participant will leave with an aerium to start their urban
garden.
3:00-4:00 PM - Driven by Design: Aesthetic
as a Guiding Principle
Gael Towey
hosts a panel that explores how businesses in various disciplines (from
technology to hospitality to handcrafted furniture) utilize design as a core
value, from development of their brand statement to execution and presentation
of the end product. Select American Made Honorees from the fields of design and
technology will share their experiences, followed by a panel discussion with
Martha Stewart and Q&A session with the audience.
4:00- 5:00
PM – Emeril Lagasse Book Signing – Emeril’s Kicked –Up Sandwiches: Stacked with
Flavor
Renowned chef, restaurateur and author Emeril Lagasse will appear in
the American Café to sign his just-published book, "Emeril's Kicked-Up
Sandwiches: Stacked with Flavor" published by Harper Collins.
Click http://www.amazon.com/Emerils-Kicked-Up-Sandwiches-Stacked-Flavor/dp/006174297X for additional information and to purchase the
book.
4:30-5:30 PM - What's Next?
Martha Stewart Living Editor-in-Chief, Pilar Guzman, hosts a roundtable of
top lifestyle bloggers and commentators for a panel discussion. As we
look forward to American Made 2013, hear from experts in the fields of design,
food, crafting, and technology on the trends they'll be following.
Special guest bloggers include Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, Maxwell
Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy, Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom, Erica
Domesek of P.S. I Made This, and Stacy Morrison of BlogHer.
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