Things I Learned from My Mother from Arcadian Revival

Where Everything Beautiful Begins: A Conversation with Beekeeper Anna Knapp

Welcome back to Things I Learned from My Mother from Arcadian Revival, a podcast grounded in slow living, seasonal beauty, and the art of creating a life connected to land, lineage, and meaning through the lens of home. In this episode, host Bethany Khan steps away from the tangible work of creating home to explore a more poetic kind of living. She’s joined by Anna Knapp, a neighbor and kindred spirit in Saratoga Springs. Anna is a beekeeper, mother, educator, and community leader whose life embodies what it means to live in tune with the seasons. From her early fascination with bees as a child in New Mexico to her thoughtful approach to building community and slowing down in upstate New York, Anna invites us into a world where tending becomes a form of beauty, perseverance, self-discovery, and meaning through connection. So settle in. Pour a cup of tea, perhaps sweetened with local honey, and join us as we journey into the world of bees and the quiet lessons they hold about home, care, and the sweetness found in the smallest and most nuanced ways of the world.

The Art of Craftsmanship, Community, and Leaving a Legacy

Episode 6: "The Art of Craftsmanship, Community, and Leaving a Legacy" with Master Craftsman Chuck Donnelly Things I Learned From My Mother from Arcadian Revival In this episode, I sit down with master craftsman Chuck Donnelly, a man whose work speaks for itself and leaves a lasting impression. Over the span of his rich career, Chuck has not only touched hundreds of home with his craft, he has carved out a career that speaks of pride of the spaces he has built, but also the relationships that he left room to cultivate along the way. Together, we explore the parallels between project and path. Chuck shares stories that carry the grain of wisdom earned only through time, patience, and a deep reverence for doing things the right way, especially when no one is watching. We talk about the exquisite millwork Chuck created here at our home and for the Arcadian Revival studio, and share a few of our favorite details, deep-rooted inspirations, those details that might initially go unnoticed, but make a space feel like home. In this conversation, craft becomes more than output. Millwork becomes a language of thoughtfulness, connection, and place. As a designer, Chuck brought me to my own deep path of appreciating millwork through a lens that I will always wear, a to a niche passion of mine within the building arts. Come sit with us in the stillness of good conversation. This is the kind of episode that reminds us that the best things often take time, and the most beautiful places are built rich with intention.

Crafting Home with Cabinetmaker Justin Steinberger: On Kitchens, Nature, and the Art of Getting Things Done

Episode Five – Crafting Home with Cabinetmaker Justin Steinberger: On Kitchens, Nature, and the Art of Getting Things Done Welcome back to Things I Learned From My Mother, a podcast by Arcadian Revival about creating home, cultivating community, and finding deeper connection to nature, our heritage, and to one another. In today’s episode, I’m joined by collaborator and friend Justin Steinberger, a cabinetmaker, father of six, devoted husband, and fellow dreamer rooted in the bucolic countryside of upstate New York. Justin not only helped design and build the kitchen in our home, but he’s someone who understands that true craftsmanship is about more than measurements and materials, it’s about listening closely to how people live. Our conversation moves from kitchen design into deeper territory: the balance between creative work and raising a family, the realities and rewards of small business ownership, and the quiet discipline it takes to keep showing up for both the big dreams and the daily to-dos. Justin shares his philosophy on cabinetry as a deeply personal expression of home, one that’s shaped not just by style or trend, but by the rhythms of everyday life. We talk about the power of place, especially the role that nature plays in shaping our work and our well-being. We reflect on what it means to step up to the plate, even when no one’s watching, and what it looks like to build a meaningful career doing something you believe in, one project at a time. We also look ahead at what’s next...some exciting collaborations we’re dreaming into being...and wrap up with a few thoughtful reflections from Justin on what homeowners should really know before diving into a kitchen or home design project, and how working so closely with people in their most intimate spaces has expanded his view of the world. This is an episode about craft, character, and connection. It’s about making space for beauty, for family, and for the kind of homes that feel as good as they look. If you’re craving that mix of inspiration and groundedness, pour a cup of something warm and join us. Follow along @arcadianrevival for more stories about slow living, seasonal design, and the art of building a life with care.

Creating Community | Lessons on Opening Our Home and Thinking Beyond Ourselves

Episode 4: Creating Community – A Conversation on Opening Our Home and How Experience Shaped the Creation of a Special Community In this fourth episode of Things I Learned From My Mother, I’m once again joined by my mom, Dee Bowyer for a heartfelt conversation about what it means to create community. This episode centers around the legacy of the seasonal craft shows my mother hosted for decades, events that were not just about handmade goods, but about building a home-based business rooted in people, the environment, and shared experience.  We reflect on how these gatherings, often timed with the start of the holiday season (especially the week leading up to Thanksgiving), became annual rituals for so many in our Ohio hometown.  Hundreds would come through our doors over the years, not only to support local artisans and small businesses, but to feel part of something meaningful, warm, and connected. I wish I could bring you there now.  We also explore how those early memories shaped the work I do now through Arcadian Revival, creating a sense of place, belonging, and intentional living here in Saratoga Springs, New York.  From porch gatherings to pop up shops and workshops and the stories we share through this very podcast, community remains a cornerstone of everything we build. This episode is a reflection on how giving to community nourishes not only others but ourselves. It’s a story about humble beginnings, handmade treasures, and the significance of connection.  We hope you’ll listen in as we trace the roots of what “creating community” has meant across generations, and how it continues to grow. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts, and remember to subscribe so you won’t miss what’s next.

Creating Home

This episode is all about creating home. In this episode, my mom and I sit down to explore what it truly means to create home. We reflect on how design has been passed through generations in our family, not just as an aesthetic, but as a language of care, creativity, and continuity.  From incorporating heirlooms that carry stories to embracing the rhythms of seasonal living, we talk about how the spaces we shape reflect the lives we lead. We also share design and styling tips for anyone starting from scratch, and how even the simplest decisions can turn a house into a home using what you have.  One of the most thoughtful sentiments is from my mom talking about accepting change, and how the seasons allow us to embrace the mindset of an ever-evolving world.  At its heart, this conversation is about designing with intention: making spaces that feel warm, lived-in, and welcoming. Home, after all, is less about perfection and more about meaning.