Despite COVID pandemic, Berea is experiencing a modern-day craft revival

Long known as Kentucky’s craft capital, Berea is home to expert jewelers, woodworkers, photographers and other creative types.

Thanks to a program that recruited more active artists to the area, the city continues to be a creative hub that is attracting and developing a new generation of craftspeople.

At the center of Berea’s new generation of up-and-coming crafters is Cynthia Main, who at the end of April opened up Sunhouse Craft with her business and life partner, Doug Stubbs. Main makes craft brooms and has been getting some national attention while Stubbs constructs cutting boards.

“Our idea was to tackle items in our homes that we all use to clean and cook that are notoriously hideous and disposable through capitalism,” says Main. “We wanted to create items that are sustainable, beautiful and exceptionally functional to have in their place to show that, similar to the little joys of life we regularly take for granted, these mundane items can also have beauty and aren’t to be forgotten either.”

Originally from Raleigh, N.C., Main spent time as a woodworker in Chicago and Missouri before relocating to Berea in 2018 to take part in Berea Tourism’s Art Accelerator Program, which provided studio and gallery space as well as grants and a monthly stipend for artists. The program offered selected artists $1,200 a month for a year to bring their operations to Berea.

Berea Art Accelerator program fuels revival

Main also credits other local makers and fellow Art Accelerator graduates like jeweler Becky Brown, woodworker Tim Wade, potter Jonathan Dazo and others for encouraging her and helping to revive the town’s long cherished history of craftspeople, some of which were brave enough to open when other businesses were struggling.

Brown, a Berea native, opened her store in towards the end of 2020, during the pandemic. But despite that challenge, the support has been overwhelming.

“Unfortunately the Arts Accelerator Program wasn’t sustainable for the tourism department to continue funding,” says Nancy Conley and Donna Angel of Berea Tourism. “However, we’ve continued to see an influx of artists relocating to the city since discontinuing it. Some of them have opened up brick and mortar spaces and others are still selling online or out of their homes, but most all of them are thriving. In the meantime we’re constantly looking for new ways to support our artists like the Festival of LearnShops program, Berea Craft Festival and more.”

Although Main is disappointed that the program is no longer around, she’s grateful that she was able to take part and everything that’s come as a result of it.

“I took the program for all it was worth, but I lucked out with some fortunate timing as well,” says Main.

Sunhouse Craft gets national attention

That serendipitous timing came from “New York Magazine,” which published a story in September 2018 about the comeback of handmade brooms that included a mention of Sunhouse Craft that came out the day after Main launched the company’s website. Shortly after she got another boost when southern culture magazine “Garden & Gun” honored them as the runner-up in the craft category for their tenth annual “Made In The South Awards” in December 2019.

It was also around the same time that Main first met Stubbs, quickly forging a strong friendship that led to becoming business partners. Prior to their meeting Stubbs hadn’t done any crafting but quickly took to woodworking, surpassing Main’s level of skill in only a few months.

“I’ve been in this business a long time, so I can safely say that Doug is a freak of nature,” says Main. “I’ve been woodworking for almost 15 years and within six months of doing it he was better than me.”

Both Main and Stubbs’ work is done as sustainably as possible by using reclaimed woods gathered from various sources throughout the state, broomcorn from independent farmers and more. As a result, they’ve built up an extensive network of clients, customers and partners nationwide. Sunhouse wares are now in 75 shops around the country along with ones overseas in Paris and Switzerland.

Similarly, their quaint downtown Berea shop also holds space for products from nearly 40 craftspeople spread throughout the country, including over 25 from Kentucky and nearly a dozen from Berea. These items range from soaps to barbecue sauces, pottery, jewelry, photography, nail polish and more.

Berea jewelry store finds support overwhelming

Brown, also an Art Accelerator graduate and Berea native, also opened her store, Becky Brown Jewelry and Metalwork, towards the end of 2020, during the pandemic. But despite that challenge, the support has been overwhelming.

“We must continue nurturing the arts to stay true to who we are, and who we always have been,” said Brown. “Being the folk arts and crafts capital of Kentucky brings us many visitors, which not only benefits makers but our local economy in general… The more restaurants, shops, outdoor activities, and events there are in our town the better. All of these aspects feed into and benefit each other. We have a lot of passionate people here right now building towards the future of Berea, which will most definitely include artists or all varieties.”

“It’s incredible the number of talented craftspeople we still have in Berea,” says Main. “A lot of folks think of crafters as older folks, but I’ve been amazed at how many younger people like myself are flocking to the town to build roots. We feel very fortunate to be able to stock some of their wares and to be located in a town that cherishes their artists as much as Berea.”

Sunhouse Craft

Where: 414 Chestnut St, Berea

Hours: 12-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (or by appointment), closed Sunday-Wednesday

Online: SunhouseCraft.com