The Craft Luminary Project represents the expansion of a project by the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen's (KGAC) oral history committee. The KGAC interviews became the basis for KCHEA's efforts and interviews are continually being added to the over 40 that were initially conducted. 

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In FY 2010, work on the Craft Luminary Project included development of guidelines, an application form, and the establishment of a committee that reviews oral history recommendations for the board. In follow up to a 2009 Oral History Commission Grant, transcriptions of the interviews were completed and edited and are now maintained at the Kentucky History Center. You can view the indexed interviews along with their transcripts at Pass the Word, a discovery tool for oral history collections throughout the state of Kentucky. Over 100 archives participate by contributing their collections information. 

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KCHEA added four video histories in FY 2010 which were conducted with several Eastern Kentucky folk artists: Minnie Adkins, Tim Lewis, Ronald Cooper and Calvin Cooper. Assistance for the interviews was provided by the Kentucky Folk Art Center, Morehead, Kentucky. 

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In 2011 KCHEA received a $3,000 matching grant from LexArts to support video oral histories of Kentucky instrument makers. The project focused on 17 individuals who have been influential in the crafting of stringed instruments and who are a special part of Kentucky’s heritage. During the personal on-site studio interviews, luthiers discussed how they learned the trade and explained the artistry of building a string instrument. In addition to the makers' individual stories, the use of video also documents the processes of creating and playing the instruments. More Info here. 

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In 2013, KCHEA directly funded and completed interviews with it's own founding board president, Susan Goldstein and board member Nancy Atcher. Additional Kentucky artists interviews were conducted with two Louisville fiber artists, Mary-Stuart Reichard and Anne Barnes Bird. Also, the outgoing director of David Applachian Crafts, Ruth Ann Iwanski; woodworker, Terry Ratliff of Martin; and Ed Brinkman, an original Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen member involved with the Guild Train project were interviewed. In 2013, another Kentucky Oral History Commission grant funded the transcription and indexing of 17 interivews previously conducted with 17 luthiers. 

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As part of a 2016 LexArts Program grant, Interviews have been conducted with Leona Waddell, as basketmaker from Cecilia; Basket Collector, Dr. James Middleton; Quilter Rebekka Seigel of Owenton; Tim Hall, a duck carver from Ravenna, and Basketmaker, Jennifer Zurick of Berea. Additional interviews conducted since have brought the total number of people interviewed to over 90. In 2016 and 2021, KCHEA received additional grants from the Kentucky Oral History Commission to complete transcriptions and indexing for the balance of the Craft Luminary interviews conducted to date. 

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Craft Luminary Oral Histories Listing (PDF)