May 6, 2022
2022 Apprenticeship Team, Tappel & Kirby
2022 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program: Gigmakers Bernard Tappel & John Kirby Missouri Folk Arts staff is happy to sustain the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, especially through the last two years! In the current year of the project, the 37th annual, six teams have worked over the last several months to teach and learn their traditions. Staff has been happy to support the artists with master artist honoraria, travel, and supplies with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Missouri Arts Council, Mizzou’s…
Sep. 28, 2021
Legends & Lore Marker Grants
Missouri’s first Legends & Lore Marker grant has been installed! William G. Pomeroy Foundation awarded a grant to the University of Central Missouri‘s…
June 1, 2021
Ozarks Alive: Springfield Stories
With a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and support from the Missouri Arts Council, our state folk arts staff has been thrilled these last four years to establish new relationships and strengthen established relationships via the Show Me Folk initiative. Missouri is such a large and diverse state to explore that we have broken down documentation of traditional artists and arts to more manageable target areas in collaboration with local partners. Show Me Folk gives us the time and resources to dive deeper,…
April 20, 2021
Ozarks Alive: Springfield Partnership
With a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and support from the Missouri Arts Council, our state folk arts staff has been thrilled these last four years to establish new relationships and strengthen established relationships via the Show Me Folk initiative. Missouri is such a large and diverse state to explore that we have broken down documentation of traditional artists and arts to more manageable target areas in collaboration with local partners. Show Me Folk gives us the time and resources to dive deeper, alternating annually between rural and urban communities.
March 22, 2021
Exhibit: MO Blacksmiths Sampler
In 2019, Mid-America Arts Alliance and Missouri Folk Arts partnered to create a blacksmithing exhibition at the M-AAA offices at the Crossroads in Kansas City, Mo. Bernard Tappel of Osage Bluff Blacksmith Shop provided expert input and loaned objects. That exhibition and accompanying “hammer in” with Tappel and Mike McLaughlin were very well-received, but the event was short-lived. Fast forward to 2020, Missouri Folk Arts hoped to install a smaller version as the newest Focus Exhibit in March at the Museum of…
March 9, 2021
Tribute to Vesta Johnson
We were very sad to hear the news on Friday, March 5, 2021, that master old-time fiddler Vesta Johnson had died. At the same time, we understand from her devoted family that she passed peacefully after recent struggles with cancer. We are of the belief that there never has been or will be anyone like Vesta. It is hard to know where to start with a tribute to Vesta, as we are so lucky that much of her life and her music has been documented for posterity. Certainly, there are files in Missouri Folk Arts’ collection at the State Historical…
March 2, 2021
Missouri 2021 Presents
On March 2, 2021, Missouri Folk Arts director Lisa Higgins joined Missouri 2021 Presents' host Beth Pike on a panel to discuss the Wm. G. Pomeroy Foundation's Legends & Lore Marker Grant Program. From the State Historical Society of Missouri: Missouri is rich in its history, folklore, and storytelling. The bicentennial year offers a range of opportunities to engage in our state’s history and culture through storytelling with performances, workshops, poetry, book talks, online resources, and more! In this presentation, hear how organizations around the state are preserving the stories of our past and engaging new audiences. We…
Jan. 14, 2021
State of Stories: Missouri Quilting
On January 14, 2021, Missouri Folk Arts director Lisa Higgins joined Missouri 2021 coordinator Michael Sweeney for a State of Stories discussion of quilting in Missouri, hosted by Mark Livengood of The Story Center at the Mid-Continent Public Library. Dr. Lisa Higgins and Dr. Michael Sweeney describe quilting traditions from across the state as well as the state’s Bicentennial quilt. State of Stories is a series of free public programs commemorating the Missouri Bicentennial. Developed…
Dec. 23, 2020
Tribute to Gary Johnston
Once again, we must share sad news. Early this week, we learned that previous Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program master fiddler Gary Johnston (Nevada, Mo.) has died. We are thankful, though, that Mr. Johnston’s friend and one-time apprentice Samuel Kendrick wrote the following tribute, which we share here in its entirety. We at Mo Folk Arts send our deepest condolences to Mr. Johnston’s family and all who knew him. A TRIBUTE TO GARY JOHNSTON (1937-2020) BY SAMUEL KENDRICK (Previous Mo Folk Arts Apprentice) Hey Y’all,…
Dec. 9, 2020
Tribute to Evelyn Pulliam
We at the Missouri Folk Arts were very sad to hear the news that previous Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program apprentice Evelyn Pulliam of Kennett, Mo. (1998 and 1999) recently passed away. We thank master storyteller, author, and community scholar Dr. Gladys Caines Coggswell for writing the following tribute to Mrs. Pulliam, which we’re sharing here in its entirety. by Dr. Gladys Caines Coggswell Too many folks have crossed over to the other side. This year, the death rate was exceptionally high in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It makes my heart heavy with…