Val Lucas, 36, of Monkton-based Bowerbox Press, is luckier than some of Baltimore’s up-and-coming artists and craftspeople. Lucas, who does letterpress printing and woodcuts, has income from outlets other than her art. But she knows there are many others who are really suffering because of the pandemic, despite their best efforts to gin up their virtual sales efforts.

“I’ve been working on updating and improving my website and social media presence and have connected with a lot of other artists doing the same,” says Lucas. “It’s not as effective though, as it can be hard to show the work in detail [online]. Being able to touch and hold the work definitely helps with sales but, with good photos, I’m hoping to show the aspects that make my work special.”

As is the case with many local businesses, the pandemic is having a major impact on local craftspeople’s ability to sell their work. “The inability to have in-person sales or work with custom clients is hard for many one-person ventures, since many retail stores are closed and, therefore, not buying goods from these businesses,” says Lucas. “Many are pivoting to online sales, but it’s a big switch to make and not feasible for some.”

How can we lend a hand? By showcasing the work of some of these artists to help them get the word out.

Above: Wooden tables, bowls, and accessories by Ally Silberkleit.

Shop more at furloughwoodco.com.

From left: Campfire mug by Chloe Murkli at SweetMintHandmadeGoods.com; Plaid vases by Whitney Simpkins at Personal Best Ceramics on Instagram @personalbestceramics; Pillow cover by Chloe Murkli at SweetMintHandmadeGoods.com.

MICHELE’S GRANOLA

Necessity, or at least cravings, really can be the mother of invention. Years ago, Michele Tsucalas was waiting tables in Martha’s Vineyard when she fell in love with the granola at the famed Black Dog Bakery Café. “Every morning, I’d go there for a cup of coffee, and they made these scratch-made granola bars,” says Tsucalas. “I’d eat them right out of the oven. They were made with bundles of oats and seeds and nuts—and I was obsessed with them.” Inspired by these bars, Tsucalas started making her own granola back home with simple, wholesome ingredients, which was nothing like the overly sugary sticky stuff usually found on supermarket shelves. “I’d give it to family and friends but was told that I should try to sell them,” she says.

It’s been 13 years since Tsucalas started selling her eponymous all-natural granola at area farmers’ markets, and she now employs a staff of 40 in her bustling Timonium production facility. Though the volume has grown—more than 20,000 pounds of granola, from cherry chocolate to almond butter, are made weekly—it’s all still done by hand—and from the heart. Even the design of the iconic brown paper bag—with its Art Nouveau lettering and a beautiful woman emblazoned on the seal—was inspired by Tsucalas’ travels.

“I was in Prague visiting a friend, and she introduced me to the work of Alphonse Mucha,” recalls Tsucalas. “And that’s what inspired the look of the label. When I was at the farmers’ market, a man at the next table said, ‘You should just call it Michele’s Granola, and you should have your image on the bag.’ I thought I’d come up with something better, but I didn’t, and it ended up working out—the simple quality of the packaging conveys the authenticity of the brand. We are small-batch real people, and, while we’ve grown, not a lot has changed about who we are—there’s a person standing behind the name of the granola.”

PURE CHOCOLATE BY JINJI

In a sense, Jinji Fraser owes it all to actor Woody Harrelson. Back in 2012, Harrelson was visiting his friends at The Black Olive for a dinner to help their struggling Agora Market, and Fraser, a holistic nutritional counselor, was putting a dinner together for the vegan actor. “I said, ‘That’s funny, we don’t have a dessert offering. Wouldn’t it be cool if I knew how to make chocolate?’”

Fast-forward seven years and a few chocolate-making workshops later, and Fraser’s Pure Chocolate stall at Belvedere Market has become a Baltimore institution with a full brick-and-mortar store to open any day now in Lauraville. Through the years, Fraser (and her co-owner father, Guy) have taken sourcing seriously, traveling from Mexico to Guatemala to Ecuador to find the right beans.

“I’ve been obsessed with not only finding a farm” says Fraser, “but finding women farmers, or at least a farm that’s family-owned.” Fraser points out that there’s a disparity between the number of women working in the labor force and those who actually own the farms. “I have the resources to find where these women are and to be supportive of them,” she says.

SECRET SAUCE CO.

When Matthew Steinberg and Vaughn Weitzman set out to start their own ketchup company in 2018, they brainstormed a company name. “We came up with Secret Sauce,” says Steinberg, “but we were sure that it was taken and were surprised that it hadn’t been.”

They settled on the name Secret Sauce Co., then got a call that made their hearts skip a beat. “The person said, ‘This is the CEO of McDonald’s. You’re infringing on our name!’ It was Nick Schauman from The Local Oyster playing a trick on us,” says Steinberg. The ketchup itself, however, is no joke.

Weitzman developed his recipe over many years at his Farm to Charm food truck. Steinberg told him it was so good that he should market it. And a business was born. “Our ketchup is rich in tomato flavor, first and foremost, with notes of onion, garlic, and celery salt,” says Weitzman. In addition to ketchup, Steinberg and Weitzman are set to open a Secret Sauce Co. restaurant in Station North.

The eatery will serve as a testing lab. They’ll feature sauce-starved items like burgers and fries, as well as other inventive toppings. Says Weitzman, “The restaurant will be one big vessel for trying new sauces. We’ll bottle whatever rises to the top.”

With the maker movement in full swing and showrooms like Second Chance’s Made in Baltimore popping up around town, we thought it was time to sit down with some of the local talent and have them describe their work.

Jess Sturgis
Spilled Paint Design

Pictured: It’s a ’50s vintage children’s hoop chair that I have upholstered using an indigo African mud cloth textile. Her muse: While I’m working on pieces, I find a lot of inspiration in music and nature. Tell us more: We offer a wide range of redesigned vintage—and some original!—furniture and interior decor.

---

Christian Donnelly
Philosophy With a Hammer

Pictured: A modern geometric steel side table with triangle top. His muse: Geometry as a system of structure that the furniture object relies on for both form and function. Tell us more: PWH merges furniture-making with modern sculpture.

Joshua David Crown
Joshua David Crown Studios

Pictured: The Woodard Stool. The legs are reclaimed maple wood and the top is made from oak barn siding. His muse: My inspiration comes from my relationship with both my customers and my materials. Tell us more: My work can be viewed on Instagram—I build much more than stools!

---

Jorgelina Lopez
La Loupe

Pictured: The “Agata Table Lamp” is handcrafted with American walnut and mercerized cotton yarn. Her muse: I am inspired by the natural world—its basic yet complex structures, shapes, and palette of colors. Tell us more: La Loupe has its origins in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Now relocated and based in Baltimore, La Loupe is a collaboration with my partner, Marco Duenas.