"Finding Home" is now available on Amazon.
About
Our mission:
“Nurture creativity and strengthen multicultural and intergenerational bonds, contributing to the healing of our communities.“
Read: Using creativity to reunite generations and cultures to rebuild our nation.
Meet Amanda
Amanda Leigh
Owner / Creative Director
FOLK STUDIO 451
Amanda Leigh (formerly Amanda Burris) is a multimedia developer, photographer, filmmaker, writer and lifelong creative explorer whose work moves between technology, storytelling and physical media.
Our Studio
FOLK STUDIO 451 is an independent creative studio based in Carmel, Indiana, led by multimedia artist and creative director Amanda Leigh.
Built on more than three decades of experience in digital and interactive media, FOLK is now expanding into photography, filmmaking, animation, sound, writing and experimental forms of storytelling.
The studio is both a working creative practice and a place of exploration—bringing traditional craft, emerging technology and human experience together through stories, images and objects.
At the heart of the work is a simple idea: creativity helps us explore who we are, understand one another and remain curious throughout our lives.
Three Core Initiatives:
- Create and explore. Use photography, film, animation, writing, sound, interactive media and emerging technologies to tell meaningful stories and experiment with new forms of creative expression.
- Connect people through story. Explore culture, history, imagination and lived experience in ways that encourage curiosity and strengthen connections across generations and communities.
- Share the creative journey. Open the studio process through articles, experiments, behind-the-scenes work and finished projects—encouraging others to continue learning, making and discovering throughout their lives.
Our Approach:
On Storytelling in Social Media
✨ Every post is a story. Every story is a bridge. We weave history, culture, and creativity into threads that connect hearts across generations.
One of the most exciting developments in today’s creative landscape is the resurgence of storytelling as the foundation of social media. Audiences are seeking more than quick promotions; they want experiences, narratives, and cultural connections that feel authentic. Platforms now reward creators who share stories that spark emotion, preserve traditions, and bridge generations. At FOLK Studio 451, this has always been our natural language. Whether we are breathing life into 19th-century history, celebrating the world’s cultures through music, dance, and folklore, or weaving allegories for modern life, storytelling is at the heart of what we do. Social media has simply caught up to the way we’ve always engaged with our audience—treating it as a stage for meaningful narratives rather than a billboard for announcements.
On AI as a Creative Tool
⚡ Imagination, amplified. We partner with AI to deepen our storytelling—where technology serves tradition, and creativity knows no bounds.
A major shift reshaping our industry is the evolving relationship between artists and AI. While some view it with hesitation, fearing it may overshadow human expression, others are discovering its true potential as a creative partner. At FOLK Studio 451, we’ve embraced AI as a tool to amplify—not replace—our vision. From narration and translation to visual design and stop motion planning, AI allows us to explore new forms of storytelling while staying rooted in human creativity and cultural preservation. This balance represents the future of creative work: innovation guided by timeless instincts. By blending AI with our cross-cultural storytelling, we show that technology and tradition can coexist, deepening the stories we share rather than diluting them.
Our Work:
Pioneers of Orleans County, NY
Our Pioneer projects preserve and reimagine the stories, skills, and wisdom of early settlers in Orleans County, New York.
- Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York revives Arad Thomas’s 1871 classic with updated language and audiobook narration, making local history more accessible while highlighting timeless themes of resilience and community.
- Pioneer Handbook: Mastering Frontier Life in Orleans County, New York expands on these stories by offering a practical guide to pioneer skills—covering everything from agriculture and medicine to trade and survival. It’s both a historical reference and an inspiring manual for modern readers interested in self-sufficiency.
- Pioneer Cookbook: Wilderness Recipes of Orleans County complements the Handbook, bringing to life the foods and flavors of the frontier. With recipes adapted for today’s kitchens, it connects audiences not only to the pioneers’ ingenuity but also to the tastes and traditions that sustained them.
Together, these works form a multi-dimensional storytelling project—bridging history, daily life, and culinary heritage to reconnect modern audiences with a defining moment in American history.
View on Amazon
Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York (volume 1 of 3)
Pioneer History of Orleans County brings 19th-century stories of resilience, settlement, and survival into the present day. Originally published in 1871 by Arad Thomas, this work has been lovingly edited and adapted by FOLK Studio 451 for modern audiences, making it more accessible as both audiobook and print. Beyond preserving local history, the project highlights universal themes of human endurance, ingenuity, and community—reminding us that the pioneer spirit still resonates today.
View on Amazon
Pioneer Handbook: Mastering Frontier Life in Orleans County, New York (volume 2 of 3)
Pioneer Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the skills, practices, and wisdom that sustained early settlers on the New York frontier. Drawing from firsthand accounts, Native traditions, and historical sources, it covers everything from farming and medicine to navigation and trade. More than just a manual, it’s a bridge between past and present—offering timeless lessons in resilience and resourcefulness for modern readers interested in self-sufficient living.
View on Amazon
Pioneer Cookbook: Wilderness Recipes of Orleans County (volume 3 of 3)
Pioneer Cookbook celebrates the foodways of the frontier, reviving authentic recipes that nourished early communities in Orleans County. With carefully adapted instructions for today’s kitchens, it allows readers to experience the flavors and ingenuity of pioneer life while learning how simple ingredients sustained families through hardship and abundance. Equal parts culinary history and practical cookbook, it invites audiences to taste the pioneer spirit in every dish.
View on Amazon
The Jon West Chronicles
The Jon West Chronicles is an ongoing series that blends memoir, storytelling, and reflection on modern life. Through these narratives, Jon West explores personal experiences, cultural intersections, and the deeper meaning of finding one’s place in the world. The series acts as both a personal record and a universal conversation—offering readers and listeners a chance to see themselves reflected in the struggles and triumphs of another’s journey.
View on FOLK.STUDIO
Finding Home
Finding Home is a deeply personal and moving exploration of identity, belonging, and the search for place. Through the lens of storytelling, it weaves together themes of family, memory, and resilience, inviting audiences to reflect on their own definitions of “home.” Both intimate and universal, this project underscores FOLK Studio 451’s commitment to creating works that connect across generations and cultures—turning individual stories into shared human experiences.
View on Amazon