Mariah Roberson started out as a student in The Rhapsody Project in 2017. After joining us in our first pilgrimmage to The Pt. Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, she connected with guitar dynamo and luthier Steve James. In 2021 and 2022, worked with Steve in his shop in downtown Seattle:

In 2023, Steve passed away suddenly, leaving Mariah and Angelo without a mentor. Through the networks of both Steve and The Rhapsody Project, Mariah was connected with master luthier Todd Cambio, owner of Fraulini Guitar Co in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mariah observes Steve James' first luthiery workshop taught thru TRP at Ethiopian Community Center in South Seattle

In 2023, Mariah applied for and was awarded a Heritage Arts Apprenticeship grant to continue the study of her craft under luthier and musician Devin Champlin, owner of Champlin's Guitars in Bellingham, WA. She is now wrapping up that apprenticeship, and poised to take the next step in her study of luthierie: the construction of her first guitar from scratch!

Mariah works with Steve James at his workshop at Inscape.

Both Todd and Devin were also friends of Steve James, and Mariah is excited to build her first guitar under Todd's capable guidance. With the support of The Rhapsody Project, she is prepared to head out to do so later this year!

Your gift will help Mariah pay the following expenses:

Round Trip Flights from Seattle - Madison, WI: $986

Food Stipend for duration of trip: $490

Tools & Materials: $550*

Contingency Budget: $250

Rhapsody Administrative & Fundraising Support: $224

Total Budget: $2,500

If you have any questions about this project, feel free to reach out to Mariah: mariah@therhapsodyproject.org

Or Joe Seamons: joe@therhapsodyproject.org

______________________

*When Angelo built his first guitar, these were some of the things he needed to purchase - Mariah will probably require a lot of the equivalent materials: