Amy PoehlerandNick Offermanare joining forces to host the summer’s most crafty competition show,Making It,and when you hear the shows that have inspired it, you’ll understand why we’re so excited about it.
“Making Itis what I like to call a gentle competition series where we bring makers/creators/crafters/artists who work in wood, felt, paper and other materials all over the U.S. and compete to see who gets the title of Master Maker,” Poehler, 46, told PEOPLE exclusively. “In the vein ofGreat British Bake OffandProject Runwayit’s all about celebrating the process of making things and how exciting and fulfilling it can be to make something with your hands.”
And when it comes to the miniParks and Recreationreunion?
“I knew Nick was one of the most creative makers I know,” Poehler said. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it without him. Everyone atParks, we’re always trying to find ways to work together and see each other because unfortunately the only times we get to see each other is when we’re working together. It’s a sneaky way.”
Meet the eight contestants competing for the crown:
Joanna Gick, 37
Gick has a wide variety of clientele from all over the country, but the project she is most proud of is her recent home renovation that has allowed her to showcase many one-of-a-kind pieces that she has created with her family.
Khiem Nguyen, 28
A craftsman from Austin, Texas, Nguyen is the owner of A&K Woodworking & Design and specializes in furniture and wood crafts.
NBC
Jemma Olson, 60
Olson, a grandmother of sixteen, comes from a generation of crafter that made things out of necessity first as opposed to beauty. Growing up in a small town in Idaho, the Texan learned to sew, weave, and farm from her family and neighbors at a young age.
Jeffery Rudell, 54
Because his father worked in a paper mill when Rudell was growing up, his background of working with cardboard, foil and tissue molded him into the creative paper props craftsman he is today. He creates for clients such as Tiffany & Company, Unilever, New York Botanical Gardens, and a wide range of print and online publications. He currently lives in New York with his husband and an enormous grey cat named Smokey.
Amber Kemp-Gerstel, 37
After leaving her career as a clinical psychologist, Kemp-Gerstel is a full-time lifestyle blogger from Miami, Florida. Though she grew up in a single-parent home which focused on the importance of higher education and traditional career path, Kemp-Gerstel followed her passion of crafting with the support of her husband and son.
Billy Kheel, 43
An artist and visiting art teacher in Los Angeles, Kheel’s focus of appliqué and felt is unique from other mediums in the competition and sets his work apart.
Nicole Sweeney, 31
With a background in dance and professional education in architecture, Sweeney has experience in reusing paper coffee filters to welding steel, but has found her true passion in working with wood.
Robert Mahar, 47
Making Itpremieres July 31 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.
source: people.com
