We Are Makers Podcast

Broom making might not be a craft you hear about every day, but today, we’re introducing you to Jamie Dun, a passionate maker who’s one of few who is bringing this timeless skill back to life in the UK. Originally from Montana, Jamie moved to the UK and found herself struggling to find a high-quality, handmade broom for her 180-year-old house. Not wanting to settle for another plastic broom, she started to teach herself the craft and has now started her own business selling them here in the UK with the aim to teach others!  WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Jamie Dun Insta: @bristol.broomworks Website: https://bristolbroomworks.com _______________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

A podcast in the forest, in Wales (UK) - no problem! 🌳 In this episode, we joined Lee John Philips and his life partner, Diana Brook, in the beautiful setting of Stiwdio Sylen—a soon to be woodland studio in the wilds of Carmarthenshire, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Through our conversation Lee, an illustrator turned spoon carver, discusses one of his significant projects—an illustrated inventory of items from his late grandfather’s toolshed, expected to document over the estimated 100,000 items (so far he’s illustrated over 8,500) tune in to find out the story! Together, Lee and Diana live creatively in their van and are crafting a space to teach and inspire 🙌🏻 We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makersWebsite: @www.wearemakers.shop Lee John Philips & Diana BrookInsta: @leejohnphillips & @dianarbrook Website: https://www.leejohnphillips.co.uk / http://dianarbrook.com Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Criostal na Rinne is a hand cut crystal studio workshop situated in Ireland's Ancient East in the picturesque Irish-speaking area of An Rinn, the Waterford Gaeltacht. Eamonn Terry, a master craftsman glass cutter of over 50 years experience, started his career with Waterford Crystal before establishing Criostal na Rinne in 1987, producing Irish crystal of incredible quality and beauty. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Eamonn Terry (Criostal na Rinne) Insta: @criostalnarinne Website: https://criostal.com _________________________________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Our travels in Ireland continued where we travelled to rural West Cork to meet Paul O’Brien who we featured in our printed magazine back in March 2021. It was really interesting to chat more in-depth about his business and how things have been since Covid and how it's shaped his empire,Paul is a furniture designer and maker based in rural West Cork, Ireland. Originally from Dublin, with a fine arts background and fine furniture training in London, he returned to Ireland to work at a renowned furniture studio. After honing his skills alongside skilled international craftspeople, he chose to establish his own workshop, driven by a desire to work with his hands, create beautiful objects, and be his own boss. His approach combines traditional craftsmanship with modern design, aiming to produce world-class, functional, and aesthetically pleasing furniture. Paul focuses on using solid timber and a mix of hand skills and machinery, ensuring every piece embodies a fine balance of various design elements. His philosophy stresses that crafted objects should add value to daily rituals, enhancing them with thoughtful design and integrity.WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from around the world.We Are MakersInsta: @weare_makersWebsite: @www.wearemakers.shopPaul O’BrienInsta: @modet_furnitureWebsite: https://modet.ie___________________________________________________________________________Recorded on: NomonoInsta: @nomonosoundWebsite: https://nomono.co/WAM

Our travels continued in Ireland where we travelled to see a maker who we've featured previously - Sam Gleeson, a Bladesmith from County Clare, Ireland We believe it’s essential to document the evolution of these artisans, offering insights into their journeys and progress. A story that particularly caught our attention and wanted to hear more about was Sam Gleeson’s endeavour to establish a craft school in Ireland, a project he hinted at back in Edition One in 2020. With a scarcity of craft schools available, and nothing else like it in Ireland, it’s crucial to support individuals like Sam who are dedicated to preserving traditional skills and providing the next generation with opportunities to explore craft as a viable career path. We caught up with Sam to learn about the developments in both his professional and personal life since 2020. It’s clear he’s been incredibly active, balancing family commitments with ambitious business goals - we hope you enjoy our conversation! WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Sam Gleeson Insta: @thisiswhatwedoo Website: https://www.thisiswhatido.ie

Our first stop on our recent trip was with Kurtis Scott - a luthier based in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Pict Guitars was founded with a vision to create sustainably made, handcrafted instruments that are both visually and audibly stunning. The journey of Pict Guitars began in January 2019 when Kurtis enrolled at the prestigious Lagan Lutherie School under Master Luthier Sam Irwin. Concurrently, a role was secured at a renowned guitar brand in Northern Ireland. With passion and dedication, Kurtis swiftly progressed through various roles within the company while crafting his own first handcrafted guitar. Over the years, his own ideas about guitar making crystallized. As a passionate musician, Kurtis recognised the desire for guitars that were not just to be kept in their cases, but beautiful instruments that beckoned to be played. With a profound connection to nature, the commitment to sustainability became a core principle, leading to the exploration of incredible tonewoods. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Pict Guitars Insta: @pictguitars Website: https://www.pictguitars.com ___________________________________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Our last podcast in Australia was with the lovely Alison Jackson and Dan Lorrimer. We featured their story in Ed.3 of the We Are Makers Magazine. We were so delighted to finally meet in person in Braidwood where they live and work. Alison Jackson and Dan Lorrimer are metalsmiths, partners in both life and business. Known for their shared love of working with their hands, they often describe their roles as "Dan does big metals, and Alison does small metals," though their world of making is much more intertwined than that. Alison's background is in traditional silversmithing and jewellery, while Dan is trained in contemporary sculpture, tool-making, and machining. Together, they run Ferro Forma, a metalsmithing workshop specializing in handcrafted, small-batch edition objects for both individuals and homes. The name "Ferro Forma" reflects their craft, with "Ferro" meaning ferrous or iron, and "Forma" representing form. This name captures the essence of their work, as everything they create or shape begins with iron. Whether it's the tools they use or the materials they employ, iron serves as the foundation that makes their craft possible. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Ferro Forma (Alison Jackson and Dan Lorrimer) Insta: @ferroforma.studio Website: https://ferroforma.com.au

On our Australia trip we took a bus to Braidwood to visit Lea Durie, who we featured in Ed.9 of our We Are Makers Magazine. It's always great to connect with someone who you've spoke to so much online and over email to then meet in person. We are so thankful for these experiences and connections we get to have through our mission. From Lea's early experiments with clay in fifth grade to her current life as a full-time ceramicist in Braidwood, Southern New South Wales, her journey is one of continuous discovery and dedication. Initially trained as a landscape architect, her love for pottery was rekindled through a night class during a lonely stint in Melbourne. This reawakening led her back to clay after various life detours, including a significant career shift and raising a family. Her professional turning point came with a visual arts degree focused on ceramics and a transformative mentorship that guided her into taking her craft from a passionate hobby to a serious business. We hope you enjoy this incredible chat we had with Lea in her home studio! WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Mud Dept (Lea Durie) Insta: @mud.dept Website: https://muddept.com

On our Australian journey, we visited Doug and Danika in Albury, NSW, whose story graced the cover of our seventh edition of We Are Makers. Meeting them and their family was a highlight of our trip. Danika and Doug met while studying design at the College of Fine Arts in Sydney in 2005. Their passion for letterpress began in the UK, where they started collecting wood type blocks from charming markets. Back in Australia in 2011, they won a fierce eBay auction for a 1920s Chandler & Price letterpress named 'Wendy', previously housed in a soon-to-be-demolished hospital. With little experience but plenty of enthusiasm, they learned the art of letterpress from Des, a former printer and mentor who taught at a printing museum in Sydney. Des, who once taught letterpress through a rigorous five-year apprenticeship, generously shared his weekends to help them master the craft. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop D&D Letterpress Insta: @ddletterpress Website: @https://ddletterpress.com.au

On our trip to Australia, we took a flight to Adelaide to meet Heath who was featured in our 2nd Edition of We Are Makers. We were so excited to finally meet and to hear how business has been since March 2021. Timberwolf Design was initiated part-time by its founder Heath Polkinghorne in a modest garden shed (3m x 2m) back in 2015. Recognizing the need for more space to grow, Heath constructed a larger shed (10m x 5m) in 2017 to transition into furniture making full-time. Within two years, the his business had expanded beyond the confines of the home workshop, prompting a move to a 400m2 warehouse in Henley Beach in 2019. The journey from a backyard shed to a full-scale workshop with employees has been immensely challenging yet rewarding. Despite the difficulties, the experience of working independently and running a business remains unparalleled, though it comes with its set of challenges. In our conversation we talk about these challenges and the how his business has grown since we last spoke in 2021. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Timberwolf Design Insta: @timberwolf_design Website: www.timberwolfdesignsa.com

Our Australia trip continued through Geelong and Ashmore, stumbling across Ashmore Arts. We have 3 cracking podcasts to bring you from here. The third of those is Eli Beke who is the maker behind 'Wedge & Edge" Join us on this episode as we find out the journey of Eli Beke, a self-taught craftsman whose style is influenced by Swedish and Japanese carved household objects. Beke combines wood carving, modern metal fabrication, and timber joinery techniques to create objects that are not only beautiful but also functional. Drawing on his background as an electrical engineer, Beke brings a practical perspective to his craft, enhancing the functionality and aesthetics of each piece. His extensive travels by bicycle across Asia in his 20s have also left a profound impact on his work, enriching his designs with a blend of cultural influences and a deep appreciation for craftsmanship WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: www.wearemakers.shop Eli Beke Insta: @wedge_edge Website: www.wedgeandedge.com/about ____________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Our Australia trip continued through Geelong and Ashmore, stumbling across Ashmore Arts. We have 3 cracking podcasts to bring you from here. The second of those is Chela Edmunds who is the maker behind 'Takeawei' - hand crafted ceramic lighting, tableware and art objects for home. Chela studied textile design in Melbourne in the early 2000s and after graduation set her sights on working in New York. After much determination and many job interviews, she landed a Manhattan job and designed for big names like Vera Wang and DKNY for five years. After meeting a potter in Brooklyn, she fell in love with ceramics and soon after moved back to Melbourne and started Takeawei. Here we share her journey with you! WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: www.wearemakers.shop Chela Edmunds Insta: @takeawei Website: https://takeawei.com ____________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

we bring you the 4th of our 10 or so Australia podcasts. We sat down with Jess and Krys (and Quincey) of Wootten. Cord Wainers, Bootmakers, and leather craftspeople this tight nt family unit re kindled Jess's Father trade and have built it into the premier boot maker in Australia. Supplying around 400 pairs of boots a year from their small shop with a small tight night team including them and just a couple more they have undertook a huge task for all the right reasons. Check out their story! Enjoy! WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop Wootten Insta: @wootten Website: https://wootten.com.au ___________________________________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Our Australia trip continued through Geelong and Ashmore. Stumbling across Ashmore Arts. We have 3 cracking podcasts to bring you from here. The first of those David Graham artistic blacksmith. This was an unexpected find, but when you see a big workshop in the distance with a 500 weight power hammer and a 60s/70s bush body sat outside you know someone interesting is inside that shop. Kate and I couldn't not go investigate. Here is our conversation with David who carved out an hour in his busy schedule to talk us through his work as a blacksmith and how a roadside stop following his nose when he was a young man put him on this journey. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop David Graham Insta: @David_garaham_sculptor Website: https://www.simplyforged.com.au ___________________________________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Bryan Cush is a repeat offender here at We Are Makers. First featured in Edition One of our print magazine. Then the first of our instagram lives when we were piloting the idea for a podcast. So when Kate and I found out he had, just weeks prior to our visit, moved to the city of Ballarat we knew we had to visit. Bryan has never stayed in one spot to long, until settling in Australia to finish his studies in architecture. Growing frustrated at sinking his time and energy into projects that would never see the light of day or be cut back due to budgets Brian sought new direction for his skills and took on the challenge to of opening the sawdust bureau his own design and make furniture brand. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop Bryan Cush Insta: @sawdustbureau Website: https://www.sawdustbureau.com ___________________________________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

The first of our Australian tour podcasts, and get this, this one wasn't event planned. Steph was the amazing potter that made the plates for our table at the great takeaway, an event put on by the creative city of Ballarat. From here we got talking and we Kate and I had the pleasure of sharing a table with her at the Mayoral dinner a few nights after we initially met. From there we agreed we would do a podcast before we set off from Ballarat and onto our Australian adventures. So here it is, a lot of fun, a lot of insight into the world of this amazing potter and founder of the Ballarat clay collective. A true community champion. Steph Wallace. Both Kate and I loved the energy Steph brought to this podcast, and bring to everyday life. She is a hoot to be around and as passionate about her craft as she is about enjoying it. Steph shares some insights into how she markets her work and how she has built a life of joy through her craft. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop Steph Wallace Insta: @steph.wallace.ar Website: https: https://www.stephwallaceart.com ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Recorded on: Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM Youtube: @NomonoSound

WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. In this episode we sat down with Mark and Tom of the paper foundation and discussed how Marks family lineage in paper maker on a commercial scale pushed him to set up the paper foundation to bring things back to the historic method of paper making in a sustainable, carefully thought out fashion where product quality takes prescient. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop The paper foundation Insta: @paper.foundation Website: https: www.paper.foundations Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM Youtube: @NomonoSound

Our 80th Episode saw us take a drive down to Yorkshire to meet young Rosie, A 2nd generation stone carver of equal talent and ambition. Rosie works alongside her dad carving fireplaces and signage for high spec residential properties. With this in mind and as Rosie progresses through her career as an independent stone carver she looks to build on her skills and continue to move towards large scale sculptural pieces alongside keeping her family business alive for another generation. Rosie's story will resinate with many I am sure, It is a story of unrecognised talent and untapped potential... until she embraced her craft. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop Rosie Winterton Insta: @yorkshire_rosie Website: www.thestonefireplacecompany.com Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM Youtube: @NomonoSound

Join us on this week's episode of the We Are Makers podcast where Kate and Jack meet with Adrian Wood, an artist blacksmith known for his exceptional craftsmanship and educational workshops. With a distinguished career and a passion for sharing his knowledge, Adrian not only creates stunning metal works but also offers inspiring weekend courses. In our latest episode, he shares insights from his time as a mentor on BBC's "Make It at Market" and recounts the memorable experiences of his career. Tune in to discover Adrian's journey and the artistry behind his incredible creations in the world of blacksmithing.We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop Adrian Wood Insta: @Adrian.wood.311 Website: https: http://www.awartistblacksmiths.co.uk Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM

Join us on this week’s episode of the We Are Makers podcast as Kate and Jack sit down with Greg Field, the passionate founder of Field Leathers. After honing his skills at a premier leather jacket company, Greg ventured out to establish his own brand. In our 78th episode, Greg shares the highs and lows of navigating a small business, discussing the challenges he has faced and the strides he's making toward crafting a remarkable business. Tune in to hear Greg’s inspiring story of resilience and dedication in the world of artisan leather jackets. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: https://wearemakers.shop Field Leathers Insta: @fieldleathers Website: https: https://fieldleathers.com Nomono Insta: @nomonosound Website: https://nomono.co/WAM