Josh Manning and Ozzy Freidline at their pottery studioSights & Sounds
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Josh Manning & Aslan “Ozzy” Freidline 

Josh Manning is apprenticing Aslan “Ozzy” Freidline in how to source, harvest, process, and fire wild clay similar to that used by the first colonial potters.

Hayrunisa Yenilmes, seated, and Amar Kilich, left, of Alexandria are apprenticing Ajinur Setiwaldi, right, and Subhinur Elemin of Arlington in Uyghur music traditions. The musicians gathered at the monthly bazaar held at the Uyghur Cultural Center in Fairfax to have a lesson on 2/1/25. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Amir Kilich, Hayrunisa Yenilmes, Ajinur Setiwaldi & Subhinur Elemin

In this year’s Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, mentor artists Kheyrunnisa and Amir are passing on the rhythms, melodies, and meaning of Uyghur folk music to apprentices Subhinur and Ajinur, building a bridge between generations and homelands.

Alice Gerrard, left, an icon of the old time and bluegrass genres, and her apprentice Sophie Moeckel gathered at GerrardÕs Durham, North Carolina home to practice on Sunday, 2/16/25. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Alice Gerrard & Sophie Moeckel

This past year, through our Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, Sophie has learned directly from Alice — not just melodies and lyrics, but how to listen, how to breathe a story into a song, and how to carry a musical lineage with care and respect.

From left, Jenna Taylor, Ellen Elmes and Renee Wienecke. Muralist Ellen ElmesÕ murals mark the landscapes in mountain towns across Virginia and greater Appalachia, including on the iconic Jettie Baker Center in Clintwood. Her apprentices, Renee Wienecke of Cedar Bluff and Jenna Taylor of Clintwood met at the Jettie Baker Center to organize the mural panels on 2/15/25. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Ellen Elmes, Renée Wienecke & Jenna Taylor

If you’ve driven through the network of small coalfield communities in far Southwest Virginia, chances are you’ve seen a mural painted by Ellen Elmes.

John Alexander and Erin Simons hold brooms they have madeSights & Sounds
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John Alexander & Erin Simons

Through our 2024–2025 Folklife Apprenticeship Program, John Alexander has spent the last year teaching Erin Simons the craft of broom making.

Leila Nelson of Anointed Apparel in Staunton and her apprentice and pageant queen April Hopson of Waynesboro pose for a portrait in NelsonÕs home studio in Staunton on 10/8/24. Hopson sewed the top she is wearing. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Lelia Nelson & April Hobson

What do prayer shawls and pageant gowns have in common? You’ll find both in the home workshop of Lelia Nelson, owner of Anointed Apparel and Accessories in Staunton, Virginia.

Acclaimed chef and food historian Leni Sorensen, left, is apprenticing Elizabeth Beamon in the footways of Central Virginia. Photos made at SorensenÕs Brownsville farm on 8/15/24. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Leni Sorensen & Elizabeth Beamon

Acclaimed chef and food historian Leni Sorensen is apprenticing Elizabeth Beamon in the foodways of Central Virginia.

Corey Harris, right, is apprenticing Lamont Jack Pearley in exploring the roots of African American music in and around Central Virginia during this cohort of apprenticeships. Harris and Pearley posed for a portrait at Evergreen Baptist Church in Profitt, Virginia on 2/10/24. Profitt was a Black enclave settled after the end of the Civil War. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Corey Harris & Lamont Jack Pearley

Through our 2023–2024 Folklife Apprenticeship Program, self-taught guitarist Lamont Jack Pearley has spent the last year apprenticing the fundamentals of Piedmont-style blues with Corey Harris of Charlottesville.

Danny Knicely is Willie Marschner the tradition of old time fiddling and improvisation.Sights & Sounds
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Danny Knicely & Willie Marschner 

Multi-instrumentalist Danny Knicely of Taylorstown is apprenticing Willie Marschner in the tradition of old time fiddling and improvisation.

Sights & Sounds
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Kily Vializ y Maurice “Tito” Sanabria (Español)

Después de descubrir la música de Kily Vializ, Tito Sanabria de Richmond decidió acercarse al artista para ver si estaría dispuesto a enseñarle más sobre la plena Mayagüezana.

Kily Vializ and Maurice “Tito” Sanabria hold their drumsSights & Sounds
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Kily Vializ & Maurice “Tito” Sanabria

After discovering Kily Vializ’s music, Tito Sanabria of Richmond decided to reach out to the artist to see if he would be open to teaching him more about plena Mayagüezana (Mayagüez-style plena).

Gourd banjo maker Dr. Dena Jennings, right, is teaching Samaria Marley the craft of building gourd instruments. Photos made at DenaÕs farm in Nasons, Virginia on 4/17/24. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Dena Jennings & Samaria Marley 

Dena Jennings and her apprentice Samaria Marley have much more in common than their interest in building gourd banjos.

Storyteller Fred Motley has always had a clear vision of his life, he wanted to be a Griot, or community storyteller. He is apprenticing Karen Williamson of nearby Caswell County, North Carolina in the craft. The pair were photographed at the Danville Museum of Fine Art and History on 5/13/24. Pat Jarrett/Virginia HumanitiesSights & Sounds
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Fred Motley & Karen Williamson

This 2023–2024 Folklife Apprenticeship duo shares a love for collecting stories from people in their community and preserving them for posterity. 

Sights & Sounds

Nelly Zapata & Paloma Zapata

The Beauty of Bolivian Dance A line of dancers wearing gold and red move in step, the tassels and beads of their costumes shaking. Black shields on their chests are …