Interview with Ann Bradley, July 13, 2011

Interview Summary

Ann Bradley talks about the history of Letcher County Extension Office and her involvement with the office since she graduated from college. She talks about how homemaker clubs work to improve the quality of life in their local communities through their volunteer work and mentoring. She talks about the origins of the Pine Mountain Craft Co-op. She talks about how artisans create crafts to supplement income and to support the local economy. Bradley talks about the relative values of goods purchased from discount retail stores versus hand-crafted products. She discusses the sources for materials for producing crafts. She talks about her work with the Kentucky Appalachian Craft Council, which began as a way for artists to network with one another. Bradley discusses the varying quality of crafters, comparing those in Letcher County to those in the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program. She talks about how all Kentucky crafters benefit from the marketing of Kentucky-made crafts.

Interview Keyword

Homemaker clubs Letcher County Extension Office Extension agents Extension Homemakers Pine Mountain Craft Co-op Craft co-ops Craft cooperatives Quality Value Convenience (QVC)

Interview LC Subject

Appalachian Region Bradley, Ann Bradley, Ann--Interviews Handicraft--Appalachian Region Handicraft--Kentucky Arts and crafts. Letcher County (Ky.) Agricultural extension work--Kentucky Agricultural extension workers Women agricultural extension workers Home economics extension work Artisans Kentucky--Economic conditions Artists--Economic conditions. Artists--Social conditions. Artists. Handicraft. Tourism--Kentucky

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.