Show Me Folk

Photo of Jennie Cummings surrounded by family and friends in the Missouri House Lounge. Jennie Cummings sits center, she is an elderly white woman with brown hair tied back. She wears a red dress with decorative beading around the collar, and red shoes. Beside her on the left, a middle aged blonde woman sits. She wears a longsleeve matching grey suit and holds one of the proclamations of Jennie's. On Jennie's right sits an older white man, he wears a black suit with a red button down shirt. He holds Jennie's other award. Beside him sits another woman in a longsleeve dress with blue floral design. Behind them stand more of Jennie's family and friends.

Jan. 29, 2021

200 Stories Jennie Cummings

Ahead of the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976, the National Endowment for the Arts seeded folklife programs across the country, leading to our own folk and traditional arts program anchored at the University of Missouri. In Missouri’s own bicentennial year, our staff will share 200 stories over the course of 52 weeks in 2021 about folk and traditional arts in the Show Me State. Some of those 200 Stories will land here on the Show Me Folk blog first, as we share portraits…
Promotional material for Show Me State of Stories. Graphic reads,

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…
Headshot photo of Gary Ray Johnson for his tribute. Gary is an elderly white male wearing silver aviator style eyeglasses. He wears a light green colored button down shirt and in front of his neck/chest area rests a wooden violin.

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,…
Image of Evelyn Pulliam; from the chest up. Evelyn is an older Black woman, she wears a light pink lace patterned top and matching over jacket. She wears a thick pearl necklace, and has a white broach on her shirt. She wears thick plastic framed glasses, hair is tied back in braids.

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…
Storytellers share ghost stories and legends on stage. Center is Angela J. Williams, a plus sized Black woman. She wears a short sleeve black shirt and loose black pants with white shoes. Her braided hair is tied up in a ponytail. On her left sits another storyteller, listening to Angela J. Williams. She is an older lightskin Black woman with short salt n pepper hair, she wears an earth toned patterned shirt over green pants, and brown sandals. On the right of Angela J. Willaims sits another older Black woman, she wears a short cut black hairstyle, a pink shirt with black pants, and a white long cardigan.

Oct. 1, 2020

KCUR 89.3: Legends & Lore

KCUR’s Anne Kniggendorf describes how citizens can “put more stories on the map” via Missouri Folk Arts’ partnership with the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s Legends & Lore Marker Grant Program.   Kansas city storyteller and educator Angela J. Williams (center) shares a ghost story from her hometown of Hannibal, Mo. with an audience at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site in St. Louis. Photo credit: Heather Rhodes Johnson…

Sep. 30, 2020

Tribute to Martin Bergin

We are saddened to learn that cowboy poet and master saddlemaker Martin J. Bergin, of Overland, Mo., passed away on September 24, 2020. His funeral services are scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2020 with Ortmann’s Funeral Home in Overland (obituary link follows this tribute). Mr. Bergin was a longtime participant in projects of Missouri Folk Arts and its predecessors the Missouri Friends of the Folk Arts and the Missouri Cultural Heritage Center. Through Missouri Friends of the Folk Arts, Bergin often took to the stage or…
Sarah Denton photographed during a community scholar workshop in Columbia, Mo. Sarah is an older white woman with salt and pepper hair pushed back using her red eyeglasses as a headband. She smiles while holding up a peace sign, wearing a blue and white patterned shirt tucked into a long black cardigan. She wears denim jeans. Sitting beside her and behind her are other workshop attendees.

Sep. 12, 2020

Tribute to Sarah Blevins Denton

Sarah Ann Blevins Denton, 1956-2020 Sarah Denton (left) checks her camera in the kitchen while documenting canned goods put up by Patti (right) and Bernard Tappel during a 2015 fieldtrip to their home in Osage Bluff, Mo.. Photo by Lisa L. Higgins Two weeks ago, we were shocked and so sad to learn that our friend, Ozark regional community scholar Sarah Denton, died unexpectedly from a heart attack on her morning walk near her home in scenic Calico Rock, Arkansas. When we first met Sarah, she lived in West Plains, Missouri, the location…
Photographed in studio, James Price and Steve Eikerman stand together for a photo at the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways workshop of 2019. Left is apprentice Steve Eikerman, he is a middle aged white man with a greying beard. He wears a tan botton down shirt and matching cap, a pair of denim overalls, and a wristwatch. Beside him stands James Price, wearing the same tan button down and matching hat, he wears blue jeans and has a brown belt.

July 2, 2020

2020 Apprenticeship Team, Price & Eikerman

It is with great pleasure that we continue with the roll out profiles of the 2020 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (TAAP) teams of master artists and apprentices. Stay tuned; we have a few more profiles to come. [Be sure to click on hyperlinks for more of the story.] James Price & Steve Eikerman: Ozark Woodworking James E. Price, PhD (Naylor, Mo.) is no stranger to the Missouri Folk Arts Program and its Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (TAAP). He taught his first apprentice Nick Heatherly in 1986, the project’s second…
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June 26, 2020

2020 Apprenticeship Team, Kasthuri & Kasthuri

It is with great pleasure that we continue with the roll out profiles of the 2020 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (TAAP) teams of master artists and apprentices. Stay tuned for several updates in the next several days. [Be sure to click on hyperlinks for more of the story.] Prasanna Kasthuri and Samanvita Kasthuri, Bharatanatyam and Kathak Dance The Kasthuris join a special cadre of TAAP artists–teams who have dedicated time and space to intensively teach and study a tradition that is vital to their families. Guru Prasanna Kasthuri is well-known in St. Louis,…
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June 22, 2020

2020 Apprenticeship Team, Williams & Mackey

It is with great pleasure that we continue with the roll out profiles of the 2020 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (TAAP) teams of master artists and apprentices. Stay tuned for several updates in the next several days. [Be sure to click on hyperlinks for more of the story.] John P. Williams & Cynthia Mackey, Old-Time Fiddling John P. Williams (Madison, Mo.) is another Then & Now: Apprentice Journeys featured artist. In 2017, Missouri Folk Arts recorded his story of apprenticing with the late, great Boone County fiddler…