In February of 2014 Radio Chipstone contributor Gianofer (JON nah fer) Fields spent the day with a legend and a true horseman, Richard (sah VAT ski).
(sah VAT ski), a harness maker, lived just outside of Waterloo, Wis. He called his home Poverty Acres. At the entrance of his shop, visitors were greeted by a large sign that said Sit Long Talk Much. The shop smelled of fine leather, oils, and machinery.
(sah VAT ski) grew up on a farm and spent most of his life working with huge draft horses called Belgians. He also built fancy wagons for the Circus World Museum in Baraboo and drove teams of draft horses in their parades. He says an ad in a local farm trade paper got him off the farm and into harness-making – a retirement “hobby” he began at 58.
Tom Duffy, always spoke highly of (sah VAT ski) and was the catalyst for the conversation you’re about to hear.
Mr. (sah VAT ski) passed away not quite a week ago. In this archival edition of Radio Chipstone, Fields shares a conversation with someone who only comes along once in a lifetime.
About The Host:
Gianofer (JON nah fer) Fields is an Art Historian and Material Culture contributor and curates the Radio Chipstone series. She is also the host of Refrangible, available on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes or wherever else you get your podcasts. The project is hosted by the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and funded by the Chipstone Foundation; a decorative arts foundation whose mission is preserving and interpreting their collection, as well as stimulating research and education in the decorative arts.
