Alum Profile: Ellery Kempe-Chalmers
A recent graduate of our 9-month apprenticeship program, Ellery Kempe-Chalmers, reached out in response to our last newsletter with some photos of her time at the ‘Shop. As she says, “They sort of paint a picture of learning new skills, living during a pandemic, making it through an election, playing with friends, playing with tools, steaming planks, and enjoying the ocean.” She also shared some reflections on her apprenticeship.
I was an apprentice in 2020-2021 during the Fall/Winter/Summer sessions. Originally starting as a 12-Week apprentice, I was invited to stay for 6 more months, taking advantage of the ‘Shop's scholarship opportunity for women and keeping the connections I'd made with the community alive. Looking back, I feel ashamed to admit it took me almost a week just to chisel my skiff's stem, which is made out of white oak. I'd like to think I could do it in a day now.
I applied to the ‘Shop out of a desire to get more comfortable with woodworking tools and machinery, as well as to learn how to sail and get more comfortable on the water. All of these things came to fruition which I'm so thankful for. The ‘Shop has left me with a stronger sense of trust in myself, a stronger connection to my community, and a renewed relationship to the water, all of which continue to inform my daily experiences here in Maine, my home. Despite the availability of opportunities to get on the water and wooden boats in this area, it is not a given. The ‘Shop opened up a door to the ocean I hadn't fully been able to step through in the past, and I'm excited for what new experiences and lessons the water still has to teach me.