makers|23

reported by SARAH CARPENTER ISABEL HOCHMAN ISABELLA JOSLIN SEAN McALINDIN MITCH RUSTAD

o, when I first moved to this corner of the planet, I kept hearing cool, creative people being referred to as “makers.” Makers? Really? Aren’t they simply artists and designers and chefs and photographers and musicians and so on? Yes, but collectively, in this region, they’re proudly stamped with the “makers” moniker. When in Rome…

To inaugurate the now annual roster of celebrated makers in The Mountains we’re calling it makers|23—we’ve assembled an impressive list of our most talented neighbors. To be clear, we’re not inferring that these particular people are the best or even among the best makers in our area, we’re just saying these 23 individuals are impossibly interesting and gifted and should be on the guest list for your next cocktail party.

We live in a ridiculously makers-rich environment. In fact, you can’t throw a rock 50 feet without hitting a legit world-class maker in these parts. These 23 folks are just the ones we chose to throw our rocks at this time around. Have a look. Doesn’t your guest list need a boost? Our makers|23 honorees can help. ☞

Chad Silver

I was thinking the other day what a loaded question that softest of softballs we all get hit with upon entering every cocktail party must be a toughie for one Chad Silver: “So, what do you do?” It must take him a full minute to gather his thoughts. Silver, for starters, is a Hudson-based interior muralist as well as a master woodworker, an accomplished photographer and inventive videographer who happens to be married to the sublime cookbook author (and former feature in these pages), Colu Henry. If there ever was a “maker” in our midst, I present you with Chad Silver, Exhibit A. But, the question must be asked, is Silver doing too much?

“Working on diverse projects is the key for me maintaining interest in my art and craft,” Silver says. “Whether executing the craft meticulously reproducing huge mural designs from blueprints passed down from museum design departments or grabbing a wood carving knife and seeing where the meditative process leads me, I cherish both kinds of art, craft and learning.”

I wonder about his creative environment and there, too, Silver hardly disappoints.

“What I love most about working in this region are the differences between the relatively close areas,” Silver says. “I’ve had workspaces from the Catskills to The Berkshires. It gets weird in the Catskills and quiet in the Berkshires and with almost 20 years of having a studio in Brooklyn, it took moving my studio to Hudson to find my first dead rat!”

C’mon, now…who doesn’t love some cat-and-mouse shenanigans to spice up the work day?

–RICHARD PÉREZ-FERIA

Lisa & Tom Motzer

“We’re both born and raised here in the Hudson Valley and watching it grow into thriving communities has been really exciting for us,” says Lisa Motzer, who with husband Tom operates The Lone Duck Farm, their family-owned farm specializing in pastured poultry and eggs, woodlot raised pork and fresh produce. “This is an incredibly supportive area for small farms, and we’ve been lucky to witness it first-hand.” Her vision for the future’s clear: “I dream of people working together to form community sufficient systems. Farming brings people together while rewarding you in so many ways.”

Nadia Conners

Before writing each morning, Nadia Conners walks through the forests nearby the restored hunting lodge on the border of Hillsdale and Austerlitz, NY where she lives with her husband, celebrated actor Walton Goggins. Best known for writing and directing environmental documentary The 11th Hour with Leonardo DiCaprio, Conners is releasing her first feature film, The Uninvited, in 2024. “It’s a story about self-absorbed people coming into consciousness when faced with their own mortality,” she says. “I’m very interested in this idea of dysfunctional denial.”

Aaron Dessner

While no one seems to know exactly where Long Pond recording studio is, Swifties will tell you it’s about a mile from the Hudson River. Fans of indie rockers The National have loved Aaron Dessner since 1999, but he shot to superstardom after producing Taylor Swift’s Grammy-winning pandemic albums folklore and evermore Maybe it’s because he’s a twin, but Dessner feels like he was born to collaborate—just, now with the world’s biggest pop stars. His most recent landmark project was Ed Sheeran’s Autumn Variations.

Lidey Heuck

“The Hudson Valley is an inspiring place to be a cook and recipe developer,” says Lidey Heuck, who shares musings on home, entertaining and travel, along with easy, crowd-pleasing recipes on her website, LideyLikes.com. “There are so many people doing interesting things in food—from restaurateurs to farmers to food purveyors, and it’s invigorating to be a part of.” Looking forward, Heuck’s first cookbook, Cooking In Real Life (“a dream come true”) will be published in March 2024—and that’s just the beginning, she says. “At the moment, much of the work I do (and recipes I share) happens online, but one day I’d love to open a store that features the food and culture of our region.”

Jeffrey Gibson

With a wide-ranging, inclusive and critical approach to art-making, the Hudson, NY-based queer indigenous artist Jeffrey Gibson has work featured in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as well as the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. By fusing together American, Native American and queer perspectives, Gibson continues his aim to make the art world value Indigenous histories and artistic representations. “There’s this gap historically about these histories existing on the same level and being valued culturally,” he says. “My goal is to force them into the contemporary canon of what’s considered important.”

Kelli Galloway

Meet Kelli Galloway, the incredibly talented florist who works her magic in the picturesque Hudson Valley region. With her floral expertise, she’s the go-to guru in Kingston for creating stunning arrangements that elevate weddings and other special events to a whole new level. She says she’s always loved this industry because of the way flowers become little messages, bringing people closer together. “We offer a way for people to communicate with one another, delivering flowers or hosting a party for loved ones,” she says. “To be able to send an artful gift to someone who needs you or is important to you is a real treat.”