Woodbeard Meets Makers

Ep.7 : Lacie Williamson and the Art of Resiliency

Summary Today I’m meeting Lacie Williamson from Dunnville, Ontario. Lacie is not only an accomplished artist of many skills, but she also founded the art studio Creative Barracks where people from all ages, backgrounds and skillsets are encouraged to create art by any means they see fit. Resiliency is a major focus of our conversation and after hearing Lacie’s story of how she arrived at where she is now, you’ll see why.  I really enjoyed meeting Lacie and getting to know her more. Please check out the links below on how you can see and support her work.  Links worth checking out Creative Barracks website: https://barracksbythegrand.ca [https://barracksbythegrand.ca/] Creative Barracks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barracksbythegrand [https://www.instagram.com/barracksbythegrand] Lacie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lacievdub [https://www.instagram.com/lacievdub] Grand River Conservation Authority: https://www.grandriver.ca [https://www.grandriver.ca]  Chapters 00:00 - Intro 05:13 - Woodbeard Meets Lacie 08:36 - What Don't You Do?! 09:15 - Dunnville, Ontario and the Grand River 13:08 - The First Thing You Made 21:17 - The Journey Back to Dunnville 37:25 - Creative Barracks 44:06 - Resiliency 01:04:49 - Proudest Achievement 01:09:29 - Dunnville Street Art 01:15:22 - Make the Things You Want to Exist Come to Life 01:22:46 - How People can Support Lacie and Creative Barracks 01:27:11 - Outro 01:29:02 - End Credits Keywords art, creativity, community, resilience, education, personal growth, cultural significance, childhood, artistic development, public art, community, art, creativity, neurodiversity, self-expression, technology, education, public art, personal growth, local artists Sound Bites * "I can just make art." * "I live a very beautiful life." * "You just got to start." Join me on the show! I’m hoping to release episodes weekly so I would love to meet you! If you’re a maker out there and would like to chat with a socially awkward woodworker, fill out the Application Form at woodbeard.ca/podcast [http://woodbeard.ca/podcast], send me a DM on instagram (@iamwoodbeard) or email me at podcast@woodbeard.ca [podcast@woodbeard.ca].  Wanna support Woodbeard?   Buy me a coffee! buymeacoffee.com/woodbeard [http://buymeacoffee.com/woodbeard] Credits Audio Engineering, production, music, awkwardness by Woodbeard Recorded using Riverside Copyright 2025 Woodbeard

Ep.6 : Alyssa Lancia and the Darling Donuts

Welcome to another episode of Woodbeard Meets Makers! This week I get the good fortune of meeting Alyssa Lancia, the owner of Darling Donuts. We have a good chat about her journey from trying out a donut machine to starting her own successful donut business!  Along the way she’s also creating communities for motivating others to go after what they want in life. Of course, we also talked about pizza…that seems to be a common theme on most of these episodes. It’s important to support local businesses and I highly recommend Darling Donuts for your next event, gift, or just a Tuesday!!    Links you should check out Official Website: https://darlingdonuts.ca/ [https://darlingdonuts.ca/] Darling Donuts Menu: https://darlingdonuts.ca/menu [https://darlingdonuts.ca/menu] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darling.donuts.hamilton/ [https://www.instagram.com/darling.donuts.hamilton/] Werk Nights: https://www.instagram.com/werknightshamont/ [https://www.instagram.com/werknightshamont/]  Chapters 00:00 - Intro 01:10 - Meet Alyssa 06:41 - What do you make? 07:10 - The Journey to here 17:21 - Not artistic? Your work begs to differ 26:17 - Impressive Impulsivity 34:24 - Helpful people when starting out 37:21 - Werk Nights 40:01 - Centre for Entrepreneurship 42:54 - Literally making this up half the time 47:57 - (Home)made Hamilton 50:11 - Proudest Achievement 52:38- The Future of Darling Donuts 54:24 - How to place your order 56:32 - Outro Keywords business, entrepreneurship, donuts, community, baking, dietary restrictions, edible printing, work-life balance, social media, mentorship, Hamilton, Ontario, makers, Woodbeard Join me on the show! I’m hoping to release episodes weekly so I would love to meet you! If you’re a maker out there and would like to chat with a socially awkward woodworker, send me a DM on instagram (@iamwoodbeard) or email me at podcast@woodbeard.ca [podcast@woodbeard.ca].  Wanna support Woodbeard?   Buy me a coffee! buymeacoffee.com/woodbeard [http://buymeacoffee.com/woodbeard] Credits Audio Engineering, production, music, awkwardness by Woodbeard Recorded using Riverside Copyright 2025 Woodbeard

Ep.5 : Julie Fazooli and Her Truly Rad Community

Summary If you’re from Hamilton, Ontario, or the surrounding area or even much wider, chances are you know today’s guest, you’ve likely even been to an event she’s running or promoting or providing the soundtrack to or there as a supporter. I’m talking about the one and only Julie Fazooli! Julie is a powerhouse of a human and I had the pleasure of meeting her and getting to chat about life and art and music and tacos! A freelance multi-dimensional creative with roots in Hamilton, Julie’s artistic vision spans across so many disciplines (legit, I struggle to find an artistic discipline she hasn’t tackled and excelled at).   We not only dive into Julie’s extensive body of work but also chat about the twists and turns of her personal and professional journey. Plus, we even take a dive into the political and social influences that shape both her art and her worldview.  Lastly, but not leastly (did I just make up a word?!), support your local businesses. Regardless of what’s happening out there in the world, your local small business owners deserve your support and your support means a hell of a lot to them. Links! * Julie’s website: http://www.fazooli.com [http://www.fazooli.com/] * Julie’s instagram : https://www.instagram.com/abominableink/ [https://www.instagram.com/abominableink/]  * Punk Rock Flea Market : https://www.instagram.com/punkrockfleamarkethamilton/ [https://www.instagram.com/punkrockfleamarkethamilton/] * Ian Pettigrew’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianpett/ [https://www.instagram.com/ianpett/] * (Home)Made Hamilton Book that Julie and I are in! https://www.gofundme.com/f/home-made-hamilton-book-2 [https://www.gofundme.com/f/home-made-hamilton-book-2]  * Petition to the Prime Minister to revoke Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship : https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-5353 [https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-5353] Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro to the podcast 00:02:49 - Introducing Julie Fazooli! 00:04:50 - Favourite Things 00:09:14 - Talking About Music 00:17:18 - Julie’s Early Life Adventures 00:20:55 - Preserving Oral Traditions 00:24:10 - Cartoons 00:29:28 - Underground Comics 00:32:14 - Navigating the Entertainment Industry 00:43:24 - Punk Rock Flea Market 00:45:15 - The Importance of Supporting Local Businesses 00:49:00 - Voting with Your Dollar 00:50:52 - We Love Hamilton! 00:58:46 - We Need to Cultivate Kindness 01:04:49 - Media Narratives and “Compassion Fatigue” 01:12:51 - The Role of Artists in Society 01:14:45 - Take Care of Yourself 01:18:37 - Building Positive Neural Pathways 01:26:35 - Finding Gratitude in Tough Times 01:33:45 - Cultivating Childlike Wonder 01:35:07 - The Impact of the Pandemic on Lifestyle 01:36:37 - We Love Green Spaces! 01:39:28 - (Home)Made Hamilton Book by Ian Pettigrew 01:44:44 - Celebrating Local Creatives 01:46:42 - Ways to Support Julie 01:52:51 - Outtro Sound Bites * "Tacos, hands down." * "The Big Lebowski is the perfect movie." * "I love all music." * "I want to collect family stories." * "I wanted to be a cartoonist." * "I was too young and impatient." * "Tank Girl spoke to me 100%." * "Hollywood sucks the life out of ideas." * "It was just so magical." * "It was a fun time to be alive." * "Hamilton is special that way." * "We just got to be kind to each other." * "It's all about reframing that stuff." * "Count your gratitudes." * "Keep supporting local small business." Wanna support Woodbeard?  Buy me a coffee! buymeacoffee.com/woodbeard [http://buymeacoffee.com/woodbeard] Join me on the show! I’m hoping to release episodes weekly so I would love to meet you! If you’re a maker out there and would like to chat with a socially awkward woodworker, send me a DM on instagram (@iamwoodbeard) or email me at podcast@woodbeard.ca [podcast@woodbeard.ca].  Credits Audio Engineering, production, music, awkwardness by Woodbeard Recorded using Riverside [https://riverside.fm/] Copyright 2025 Woodbeard woodbeard.ca [https://woodbeard.ca] Keywords Julie Fazooli, creativity, music, storytelling, tacos, cultural background, art, punk rock, travel, entertainment industry, MuchMusic, local businesses, voting with your dollar, Hamilton, creative community, kindness, media narratives, mental health, artists, positivity, anxiety, neural pathways, gratitude, childlike wonder, pandemic impact, green spaces, personal stories, community events

Ep.4 : Adam Robert Martin and The Piano Burning

Summary Hey we’re back! Welcome to season 2 of Woodbeard Meets Makers! Season 2 gets off on the right foot by chatting with Adam Robert Martin.   A woodcarver, artist, woodsman, and all-round great person from Northern Ontario, Adam discusses his journey as an artist, the inspiration he draws from nature, and the challenges of balancing personal creativity with audience expectations. Also good music and pizza toppings!! This one has it all!! Links to things! Effigy Wood : https://www.instagram.com/effigywood/ [https://www.instagram.com/effigywood/] Robert Bateman paintings: https://robertbateman.ca [https://robertbateman.ca/] Bill Mason films: https://www.nfb.ca/directors/bill-mason/ [https://www.nfb.ca/directors/bill-mason/] Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:20 - Woodbeard meets Adam 00:10:08 - What do you make? 00:19:13 - Shop Talk 00:23:13 - Talking about The Hammer 00:28:26 - Inspiration 00:31:58 - Mjölnir! 00:32:41 - Pumpkin face with a runny nose 00:37:43 - Thinking about the audience 00:40:00 - The process 00:45:33 - Stereotypical woodworking Questions 01:03:26 - Insider info (thanks Crystal) 01:05:10 - The Piano Burning 01:08:04 - Wrapping up 01:19:13 - Outtro Join me on the show! I’m hoping to release episodes weekly so I would love to meet you! If you’re a maker out there and would like to chat with a socially awkward woodworker, send me a DM on instagram (@iamwoodbeard [http://instagram.com/iamwoodbeard/]) or email me at podcast@woodbeard.ca [podcast@woodbeard.ca].  Keywords music, art, pizza, woodworking, creativity, inspiration, nature, safety, tools, craftsmanship, personal journey, Hamilton, Ontario, Lake Superior, green olives, injuries, piano burning, pumpkin carving, pumpkinfest, Mjölnir, meeting people, new friends Credits Audio Engineering, production, editing, music, awkwardness by Woodbeard Recorded using Riverside Copyright ©2025 Woodbeard

Ep.3 : Laura Heaney and the Importance of Intentionality

Episode 3! Who’d have thought we’d make it this far?!  I may have been off for a while since the top rated Episode 2, but I had to wait for a good one, and boy do I have a good one today!  I’m chatting with multifaceted visual artist Laura Heaney about her work, her process, her amazing infomercial, and all the highs and lows that go along with making things.  Where to see Laura’s Art (trust me, you’re gonna wanna see this!!): Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lkheaney [https://www.instagram.com/lkheaney] Website - https://lauraheaney.com/ [https://lauraheaney.com/] Sand and Pearl - https://www.instagram.com/sandandpearlpec/ [https://www.instagram.com/sandandpearlpec/] Black Cloud Bodega - https://www.instagram.com/blackcloudbodega [https://www.instagram.com/blackcloudbodega] Hamilton Art Circuit (October 4, 2024) - https://www.instagram.com/artcircuithamilton/ [https://www.instagram.com/artcircuithamilton/] (Home)Made Hamilton: This book features artisans in Hamilton, Ontario making stuff, and also the great people simply doing amazing stuff in the community. Laura, my wife Breeyn [https://www.instagram.com/breeynmccarney] and I are included in this one and we’d love your support! Be sure to go check out Ian Pettigrew’s book (Home)Made Hamilton and preorder one for yourself! : https://gofund.me/ba2966db [https://gofund.me/ba2966db] Other things mentioned in this episode: Drinks with Mom Podcast - https://drinkswithmom.com/ [https://drinkswithmom.com/] Dog is Blue - https://dogisblue.com/ [https://dogisblue.com/] Info about Woodbeard For more info on this podcast or if you'd like to apply to be a guest, head over to https://woodbeard.ca/podcast [https://woodbeard.ca/podcast] . To purchase some of our work, check out ⁠https://woodbeard.ca/⁠ [https://woodbeard.ca/]  Send in a voice message and I’ll respond in a future episode! : ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/woodbeardmeetsmakers/message⁠ [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/woodbeardmeetsmakers/message] Produced, executive produced, recorded, engineered by Woodbeard. Music, cover art, nervous tics and voice cracks by Woodbeard. ©2024 Woodbeard. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 02:05 - Getting to know Laura 07:40 - What do you make? 16:37 - The Berenstein Bears Mandela Effect 22:17 - “What do you actually want to do?” 31:48 - Paralyzed by your possibilities 35:27 - Laura’s collections so far 42:13 - Something to say 54:43 - Laura is a musician too! 56:34 - Phone battery dying 01:09:00 - (Home)Made Hamilton 01:12:58 - LH Designs Infomercial 01:17:20 - Laura’s Advice 01:19:26 - Proudest Achievement 01:30:44 - Where to see Laura’s work Keywords:  visual artist, art school, genre, intentionality, art practice, happiness, fulfillment, intentional, mindful, creative work, art, artistic pursuits, break, reflection, direction, ideas, significance, society, artists, meaningful, impactful, artist networking, social media, applying for opportunities, rejection, musician, multi-instrumentalist, Dog is Blue, art show, Homemade Hamilton, art, infomercial, achievements, networking, art shows, goals, inks, paints, sustainability