The Capital of Craft (Sarah James)

In this episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival talks to ceramic artist, Justine Allison. 

Based in her studio, deep in the countryside of West Wales, Justine hand builds with porcelain and they discuss the relationship between material, process and concept. Justine explores porcelain's fine and durable qualities juxtaposed with it's fragile and unpredictable nature. 

They discuss the positive outcomes of lockdown and what Justine will be doing for the Digital Craft Festival in November. 

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival 

@justineallisonceramics

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with shepherdess and maker Katie Allen from Loopy Ewes.

We discuss how Katie developed her passion for growing her own vegetables and rearing her own animals into becoming a farmer.  This lead to diversifying into rearing rare breed sheep and using their wool for her label, Loopy Ewes.

We also talk about regenerative farming and how she implements the "cycle of nutrients", which is a crucial element of good land management.

Katie Allen is a member of Find a Maker.

@craftfestival

@loopyewes

@find.amaker

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to one half of Reptile, Carlo Briscoe.

Based in the Preseli hills of Pembrokeshire, Sarah and Carlo talk about Reptile's career in making huge tile murals & ceramics and bringing creativity and individuality into a competitive and commercial market.

Reptile is a tile making and ceramics company run by Carol Briscoe and Ed Dunn.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@reptile_tiles

This weeks podcast is with the  brilliant, Lauren Aston. We met at her home and chatted about how she started out her chunky knit empire, with Craft Festival playing an important role in her starting her business. IAlways good to hear!

You can follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craftfestival/

You can watch our films on https://www.youtube.com/@craftfestival1035/featured

You follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theoriginalcraftfestival

You can follow Lauren Aston on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laurenastondesigns/

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to sculptor, artist and clay-mation specialist Jim Parkyn.

They chat about his early years in animation and plasticine modelling to joining Aardman and running the Aardman Academy. They talk about developing his own live Community Claytime during Lockdown on Instagram and how it's opened new possibilities and opportunities.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@jimparkyn

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with woodcarver and Find a Maker member, William Barsley. 

William is a second career woodcarver, intensively trained at the highly acclaimed Historic Woodcarving and Gilding course at the City and Guilds of London Art School.

In 2013, William took a leap of faith and left his 9-5 office job working for the United Nations in Rome to travel the globe in search of inspiration from master woodcarvers, documenting his journey along the way. Returning to London to train and then re-locating to Dartington in Devon to set up his woodcarving practise.

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

@williambarsley

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to Director and Curator of Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Louise Jones-Williams. 

They discuss how Llantarnam Grange makes its curatorial choices, why education in craft is so important and how the Grange has adapted during Covid. Recorded before the 2nd Lockdown.

Louise and the Grange are long term supporters of Craft Festival and are also joining Digital Craft Festival next week. Louise has hosted a Show & Tell film which will be released over the Festival weekend. Louise is also hosting a Craft Conversation with jeweller, Anne Morgan on Saturday November 28th.

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre is based in Cwmbran, South Wales. 

@digitalcraftfestival  November 27-29

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@llantarnam_grange

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Season 2 of The Capital of Craft

Craft Festival Director, Sarah James talks to printmaker and textile artist, Ben Partridge, AKA The Owlery about his life and varied career.

Specialising in screen print and surface pattern, The Owlery was founded by printmaker and textile artist Benjamin Partridge in late 2013.

Ben proudly works from his studio in Yorkshire ArtSpace in Sheffield, home to over 160 artists and makers. 

@craftfestival 

@theowlery

www.craftfestival.co.uk

The Capital of Craft Season 5, Wales Special

To celebrate the first Craft Festival Wales at Cardigan Castle, I had a lovely conversation with textile artist and surface pattern designer, Sophie Snow. Born and bred near Cardigan, West Wales, Sophie lives in St Dogmaels and makes contemporary quilts. 

I loved hearing about her creative family and how she is passing down her passion for making to her own children.

You can meet Sophie at Craft Festival Wales from September 6-8th 2024. 

Sophie will also be speaking at The Capital of Craft LIVE at Craft Festival about her practise. 

Join us in Cardigan.

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Sophie Snow 

The Capital of Craft with Keith Brymer-Jones and Marj Hogarth.

To celebrate the end of our good friend, Keith Brymer-Jones', storming national tour, we are releasing a podcast to end Season 3 of The Capital of Craft.

Recorded live earlier this year at Craft Festival Cheltenham at the Town Hall,  Keith is in conversation with his partner Marj Hogarth, talking in great depth, with humour and poignancy about his life, growing up in London to Welsh parents. Becoming (as well as a dancer and singer) an accomplished and prolific potter, before being "discovered" by Love Productions and asked to be a judge on The Great Potter Throwdown. The series has gained a hugely loyal following, almost entirely due to the warm and emotional interactions between Brymer-Jones and the contestants. The show is now the 2nd most popular show on Channel 4 after Bake Off! 

Marj and Keith have just completed a successful, 22 date national theatre tour, where they brought Keith's book, Boy in a China Shop, to life. 

Huge Congrats Keith and Marj.

Sound quality reflects a live environment. 

Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker meets with lecturer, designer and maker Keeley Traae. We met at her home in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, UK.

Keeley has had a varied and illustrious career in design having worked for ceramic industry giants Wedgewood and Royal Doulton. She set up her own making practise, Keeley Traae Design in 2020. She has extensive experience in ceramic design, design management and evaluating market trends. In her own practise, she is now known for her dististictive use of colour and shape,  specialising in 3D Printing techniques. 

Keeley is also a senior lecturer on the Staffordshire University 3D Designer Maker BA (Hons) course and Product, Furniture, Ceramics BA (Hons). The course is a mixed material course and so she has the opportunity to work with students not only with their ceramic designs and making processes but also with many other materials and objects. Working alongside the amazing course leader Timothy Forrester and other design and industry experts, she thoroughly enjoys sharing her knowledge, skills, and over 25 years of experience with the next generation of creatives. 

@keeleytraae_3d

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with Dartmoor based woodsman, charcoal maker and stave basket maker, John  Williamson. 

The Devon stave basket is an agricultural basket made in a range of sizes corresponding to different weights of usually apples, potatoes and animal feeds. It is a practical, beautiful object. 

John has lived and worked the woodlands of the Teign Valley, near Bovey Tracey all his life. First being introduced to the magic of woodlands as a child, when he was taken along by his father and uncle, on their logging contracts in the valley. 

@craftfestival

@johnwilliamsondartmoor

@thecapitalofcraft

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with ceramic artist, Paul Wearing. 

We discuss his two year long project, Material Matters, an Arts Council of Wales funded project that originated from an invitation from Ruthin Craft Centre to deliver a solo exhibition in 2020. We also discuss his meticulous material experimentation and how important field research is for his practise. 

Brought up in Swansea, Paul has been based in Cardiff since graduating from Cardiff Metropolitan University. He is also a leading member of Fireworks Clay Studios based in the City Centre. 

His solo exhibition, Flux & Poise is currently touring and can be visited at Find a Maker member, Mission Gallery, Swansea until March 12, 2022. 

His work is stocked in leading galleries around the UK and he exhibits regularly at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey. 

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

@paulwearingceramics

Tanja's makes beautifully constructed and abstract jewellery. Born and trained in Germany, Tanja moved to Sheffield to complete her MA Studies and has lived in the UK ever since.

You can meet Tanja at Craft Festival Cheltenham, March 11-13. 

@craftfestival

@tanjaufer 

In the final episode of Season 2 of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James of Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with weaver and educator, James Donald from Pick One. 

They speak from his workshop in Coburg House in Leith, Edinburgh.

James talks about his journey into textiles and his early life in Brechin in Angus, which as well as having access to countryside and freedom, it also established his love of music and dancing at the iconic nightclub, Flicks. 

James is joining us at Craft Festival Cheltenham from March 11-13th at Cheltenham Town Hall. 

@pickoneweave

@craftfestival

In our Christmas Special of The Capital of Craft podcast, Dr Kate Strasdin talks to Craft Festival Director, Sarah James about her life in making. 

They talk about her early years in West Wales and how it has shaped the way she runs her business. Relentless advocate for makers, the Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey has grown into a multi-brand powerhouse of support for craft. They also talk about new venture @find.amaker In no particular order and not all currently...Podcaster, presenter, curator, gallery owner, writer, business coach, commentator, retailer, charity Trustee, maker, event producer, accidental trouble maker and compulsive doer. 

@craftfestival 

@find.amaker 

@katestrasdin

www.craftfestival.co.uk

The Capital of Craft LIVE from Cheltenham Town Hall: Bonus Podcast

As a bonus podcast, listen to Sarah James MBE talk to Dr Kate Strasdin about her critically and commercially successful latest non-fiction book, The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes. 

The book is investagative journalism meets fashion and social history and is a brilliant read. Sarah and Kate talks about the fascinating story of how she found the diary and the lengths she went to to piece together the life and times of Mrs Anne Sykes. 

Dr Kate Strasdin is a senior lecturer at Falmouth University, where she teaches contextual studies for Fashion Design, Fashion Photography, Fashion Marketing and Performance Sportswear Design.

Sounds quality reflects a live setting. 

@katestrasdin 

@craftfestival 

@thecapitalofcraft

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to blacksmith Alex Pole. 

Sarah met Alex before the 2nd Lockdown. They talk about how Alex Pole Ironwork has flourished during the pandemic and how his love of craft was nurtured from an early age. 

They chat about his latest project, the book, Forge Kitchen which fuses Alex's love of food and fire. 

A great chat that delves deep into why people make and how it can save your life.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival 

@alexpoleironwork

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Welcome to Season 3 of The Capital of Craft.

Earlier in the year at Craft Festival Cheltenham, Sarah James of Craft Festival and Find a Maker interviewed potter and Pottery Throwdown Judge, Keith Brymer Jones in front of a live audience. 

We talk about his autobriography "Boy in a China Shop", his Welsh roots and the journey from Highgate to becoming a treasured TV Potter. 

We'll be opening the doors of Craft Festival Cheltenham on Saturday November 26-27th.

Next March, Keith will be joining us again at Craft Festival at Cheltenham Town Hall. 

@keithbrymerjones

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

The Capital of Craft

Sarah James of Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with visual artist, potter, curator and lecturer, Peter Bodenham from St Dogmaels Pottery. 

Peter trained in Ceramics and 3D in the mid 1980s at Camberwell School of Art. In the mid 1990s he completed an MA in Fine Art at Cardiff Metropolitan. Peter lives near Cardigan and runs St.Dogmaels Pottery in West Wales. He is an experienced educator having worked with a number of UK Universities. Informing and framing his ceramic practice are a range of sources including the processes of walking the coast, swimming along its shore, gathering objects, materials and studying its intertidal ecology and geology. Images, motifs and gestural marks brushed or drawn into the surface of both his functional pots and the sculptural vessels can be seen as direct traces of his phenomenological experience.

@st.dogmaels_pottery

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

Season 5 of The Capital of Craft, Wales Special.

To celebrate Craft Festival Wales at Cardigan Castle, I was delighted to meet and chat with Belinda Knott of Pothies. We had a lovely conversation about her practise and how her love of sea swimming prompted the invention of the Cosymajig. 

You can meet Belinda at Craft Festival Wales from September 6-8th. 

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Belinda Knott

Recorded Live at Craft Festival Cheltenham March 2023

The Capital of Craft Podcast with Sue Pryke

Sue Pryke is an award winning homeware designer and ceramicist with over three decades of experience.

Sue talks with me, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker infront of a live audience at Craft Festival Cheltenham at the Town Hall in March 2023. Sound qaulity reflects a live setting. 

We talk about Sue’s work and her new book, Design and Create Contemporary Tableware, which is co-authored by Linda Bloomfield.

She has a wealth of experience lecturing, delivering design in both consultancy, production and in-house roles, to international and High Street retailers and restaurants including IKEA and Marks & Spencer and The Newt. She was awarded the Homes & Gardens Ceramic & Glass Designer Award in 2014 and was a judge on Season 3 of The Great Pottery Throwdown. In recent years, Sue has concentrated on studio production of her own ranges, selling these directly at trade and public specialist craft events.

You can meet Sue Pryke at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey from June 9-11, 2023. 

You can follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craftfestival/

You can watch our films on You Tube

You follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theoriginalcraftfestival

You can follow Sue Pryke on Instagram @suepryke

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to Dr. Kate Strasdin, Fashion Historian and Lecturer in Fashion History and Theory at Falmouth University and Visiting Lecturer at DeTao Masters Academy in Shanghai, China.

Also a curator, writer and fashion commentator, Sarah and Kate discuss the importance of fashion, how it tells so many stories and how heritage crafts shape the fashion industry. 

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@katestrasdin

Welcome to Season 2 of The Capital of Craft

Craft Festival Director, Sarah James talks to award winning weaver, educator and curator Laura Thomas about her life in making. 

Laura Thomas is an established woven textile artist, designer and maker specialising in producing unconventional textiles for contemporary spaces. Based in South Wales, her work can be found in important public collections including the V&A. 

Laura will be demonstrating weving at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey, June 17-19, 2022. 

@craftfestival 

@laurathomastextiles

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Welcome to Season 5 of The Capital of Craft: Wales Special.

To celebrate the first Craft Festival Wales at Cardigan Castle, it was a real pleasure to interview Rosa Harradine for The Capital of Craft podcast. 

Rosa is based in Carmarthen and makes brooms and brushes. We talk about her creative life and how she began making brooms. It's a lovely story and I hope you enjoy listening. 

You can meet Rosa and 80 more makers at Craft Festival Wales from September 6-8, 2024 at Cardigan Castle. Rosa is also one of our demonstrators and you can also find her work in the Craft Festival Town Trail, which runds from August 30 to September 20th. 

Craft Festival Wales is funded by Arts Council of Wales, Ceredigion County Council and QEST. 

www.craftfestival.co.uk/wales

Rosa Harradine

Season 5 of The Capital of Craft, Wales Special.

To celebrate Craft Festival Wales at Cardigan Castle, I had a great conversation with Jem Roberts AKA On the Wing. 

Writer, poet and artist, we chat about the creative juggling act needed to persue a passion for words. 

Jem is our poet in residence at Craft Festival of Wales and she will be working along side Nick Hand of The Letterpress Collective to produce daily posters responding to the Festival at Cardigan Castle. 

You can meet Jem at Craft Festival Wales from September 6-8th, 2024.

www.craftfestival.co.uk

On The Wing

The Capital of Craft 20th Anniversary of Craft Festival Season

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Craft Festival Bovey Tracey in June, here is the 4th season of The Capital of Craft hosted by me, Sarah James MBE. I am the director of Craft Festival and Find a Maker. 

Alex Finberg was the recipient of Craft Festival's Making It Award 2023 and debuted at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey that year. 

In our podcast we find out more about his career. Trained in psychology, his entry into woodworking came about from working on therapeutic projects. I loved learning more about Alex's life and his passion for the outdoors.

He talks with me from his Devon home.

https://alexfinberg.co.uk/

https://www.craftfestival.co.uk/

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with willow grower, basket maker and Find a Maker member, Justine Burgess from West Wales Willows. 

Justine is based amongst the mountains near Brechfa in deeply rural Carmarthenshire, West Wales. 

She grows a variety of willows that she weaves into baskets and teaches workshops at various times of the year. She also sells willow cuttings to grow your own willow.

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

@westwaleswillows

Season 3 of The Capital of Craft

Sarah James of Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with maker, gallery owner and teacher, Jennifer Collier. 

We talk about her practise and how she moved from textiles to paper and how her gallery, Unit Twelve, founded with her partner Iain Perry, has moulded her making life. 

Paper pioneer, Jennifer Collier, creates exquisite sculptures from vintage recycled materials in conjunction with stitch; a contemporary twist on traditional textiles. The papers serve as both the inspiration and the media for the work, with the narrative suggesting the forms. Through this marriage of unlikely materials old papers are transformed into something truly unique, delicate and complex.

Most recently Jennifer has been collecting rarely used, heritage stitches and discovering how to translate the art of lost stitches onto paper, as these techniques are an important part of our creative heritage and she wants to continue to invest time in them to keep them in the present, offering them onto future generations. Jennifer is giving new life to things that would otherwise go unused, unloved or be thrown away.

Jennifer completed a BA (hons) in Textiles (Print, Knit and Weave) in 1999 at Manchester Metropolitan University, is internationally exhibited, and has had her work featured in over 60 magazines and over 15 books to date.

@paperjennifer @unittwelve

@craftfestival @find.amaker

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to jeweller, Bronwen Gwillim

Known for her use of foraged and post-industrial waste plastic, Sarah met Bronwen before the 2nd Lockdown. They talk about her approach to materials and making, how her beautiful  surroundings in Pembrokeshire have shaped her practice and how a second career can be successful and life changing.

Bronwen will also be joining us for @digitalcraftfestival from November 27-29.  

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival 

@bronwengwillim

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah chats with multi award wining jeweller and gallery owner, Anne Morgan.

Born in Keynsham, brought up in Somerset and Warwickshire Anne has always had a passion for jewellery. After gaining a BA (Hons) in Designed Metalwork and Jewellery at Buckinghamshire College, High Wycombe she moved to Cardiff to continue developing her signature style.

She has established herself as a leading jeweller and 6 years ago opened her gallery, Anne Morgan Jewellery in the coastal town of Penarth in South Wales. 

@craftfestival @morganjewellery

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this episode, Sarah James from Craft Festival talks to letterpress printer and designer, Nick Hand from The Letterpress Collective. They are speaking from Nick's home in Bristol. 

Sarah and Nick discuss the history of letterpress printing and how it is positioned on the Red List of Endangered Crafts published by the Heritage Craft Association. 

They also talk about his Journeyman adventures across the British Isles and how that shaped the creation of The Letterpress Collective. 

@craftfestival 

@thecapitalofcraft

@theletterpresscollective

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In our first episode, Sarah James from Craft Festival talks to wooden surfboard maker James Otter from his Otter Surfboard workshop on the coast of Cornwall.

They discuss his journey to becoming a maker, his love of trees and how making has led him to a career of teaching, taking him in unexpected directions.

They also talk about James' new book, Do/Make, The Power of your Two Hands published by The Do Book Company.

Welcome to The Capital of Craft, where we talk with makers, thinkers and tinkerers about what it means to be a maker and how it can change your life. I’m your host, Sarah James from Craft Festival, craft addict, maker and event producer. Please join me as we delve deep into the stories and lives of makers of all kinds, every Thursday.

@craftfestival 

@thecapitalofcraft

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival talks to printmaker, designer and illustrator Tom Frost from his home in rural Carmarthenshire.

They discuss Tom's varied career, the different ways that he works and what's he's been doing over the last 6 months and the positive outcomes of lockdown

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival 

@theboyfrost

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Our latest podcast features the brilliant basketmaker, Hilary Burns MBE.

Hilary is one of the UK's most respected makers. Recipient of Heritage Crafts Maker of the Year in 2018, she was also awarded MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021, in recognition of her dedication to her craft. 

She talks with me, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker from her Devon home. We talk about her earliest memories of making and what keeps her exploring the possibilities of creativity.

Hilary has been curating one of our most loved features at Craft Festival, Out of the Woods, for a number of years. You can meet Hilary at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey from June 9-11, 2023. 

You can follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craftfestival/

You can watch our films on https://www.youtube.com/@craftfestival1035/featured

You follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theoriginalcraftfestival

You can follow Hilary Burns on Instagram Hilary Burns (@hilaryburnsbasketmaker) | Instagram

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to potter, Arwyn Jones. 

Based in Modbury in Devon, Sarah and Arwyn talk about how he was introduced to clay, his career in cricket and how the repetitive nature of throwing pots keeps him sane. 

Arwyn is a member of the Devon Guild and a regular exhibitor at Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with clothes designer and maker Sigrid Verschraeghen from her home in Silverton, Devon. 

Born in Belgium, Sigrid won the coveted Best Stand award at this year’s Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey. She trained as a fashion designer, working with various fashion houses, never feeling at home with the values of mainstream production. A move to the UK followed and the process of creating her slow-fashion label began. Starting with bridalwear, which developed into the meticulously constructed garments that she now makes, which transcend fashion. 

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

@sigrid_verschraeghen

The Capital of Craft 20th Anniversary of Craft Festival Season

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Craft Festival Bovey Tracey in June, here is the 4th season of The Capital of Craft hosted by me, Sarah James MBE. I am the director of Craft Festival and Find a Maker. 

In this podcast I chat with the inspirational and influential founder of the Craftivist Collective, Sarah Corbett. Sarah is joining us at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey in the Out of the Woods tent on June 8th where she will be in conversation with Daniel Carpenter, Executive Director of Heritage Crafts. 

Born in Everton, Liverpool, Sarah P Corbett is an award-winning activist, Ashoka Fellow, author and founder of the global Craftivist Collective.

She has dedicated over a decade to the Craftivist Collective, honing her unique ‘Gentle Protest’ methodology, combining neuroscience, positive psychology, campaign strategy and beautiful handicrafts.

We talk about upbringing in Liverpool and how her parents shaped her approach to activism and why it's important to use your voice for change.  

Her latest book, Craftivist Collective Handbook is is out now. 

Craft Festival Bovey Tracey, Mill Marsh Park, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9FF

www.craftfestival.co.uk 

This week on The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker chat's with award-winning ceramic duo RAMP.
⁠
Based in Silverton, Devon, Make South West members and regulars at Craft Festival, they talk about their career in making. R.A.M.P, which stands for Roop & Al Make Pots, is a creative partnership between Alice Hartford and Rupert Johnstone. Roop specialises in the throwing of pots and Al’s focus is on the decoration. ⁠

@craftfestival 

@rampceramics

Welcome to The Capital of Craft, where we talk with makers and thinkers about what it means to be a maker and how it can change your life.

In this episode, Sarah James from Craft Festival talks to textile artist and teacher, Suzi Park.

Based in the West Wales town of Cardigan, Suzi set up Make it in Wales, a workshop, retail and cafe space teaching craft workshops of all kinds.

We discuss her journey to becoming a maker, her career in commercial knitwear and how she became a teacher and advocate for craft education.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival

@makeitinwales

www.craftfestival.co.uk

The Capital of Craft 20th Anniversary of Craft Festival Season

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Craft Festival Bovey Tracey in June, here is the 4th season of The Capital of Craft hosted by me, Sarah James MBE. I am the director of Craft Festival and Find a Maker. 

Margo Selby is one of the UK's most celebrated and successful textile artists. Back in 2008, Margo was awarded Best New Business. 

Since then she has built an impressive portfolio of creative work and working collaboratively with leading high street brands. 

Her latest work, the spectacular moon landing; her first site-specific installation, created in collaboration with composer Helen Caddick, was debuted at Collect at Somerset House in March 2024. 

Margo will be joining us at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey on June 8th. She will be running a workshop at Make Southwest in the Morning. In the afternoon, she will be giving a talk about her work in the Out of the Woods tent at Craft Festival. The talk is free and cannot be booked in advance. 

Margo talks with me from her studio in Whitstable.

https://www.margoselby.com/

https://www.craftfestival.co.uk/

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with silversmith, Brett Payne from his home in Sheffield. 

Brett is one of the UK's most eminent makers, specialising in hot forging and raising silver for over 25 years. 

Brett is a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, a Freeman of The Cutlers’ Company of Hallamshire, a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths, a past Chairman of the Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council and a Director of British Silver Week.

Brett regularly exhibits at Craft Festival Cheltenham and Bovey Tracey. 

www.craftfestival.co.uk

@brettpaynesilversmith

@craftfestival

This week on The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker chat's with Dr Nicola Thomas from University of Exeter. 

Nicola Thomas is Professor in Historical and Cultural Geography at the Department of Geography, University of Exeter. Her research interrogates the ways in which geographical perspectives can help make sense of ‘craft’. This includes the relationships between places, materials and makers; the role of craft communities; the connections between craft and justice movements, and the embodied, material and social entanglements within craft.

⁠
Nicola sits as a Trustee and Director of two arts organisations, Kaleider and Double Elephant Printworkshop, enabling her to take her research back into the sector. Her own passion for engaged research has led her to develop a strong co-design methodology within her research practice, working in partnership with organisations like the Make South West, Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen and the Crafts Council.

@craftfestival

@njt_craftgeographies

In this episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival talks to knitwear designer maker and alpaca farmer, Sian O'Doherty.

Based on Ash Farm in Pembrokeshire, Sian discusses how she works with wool, how she developed her use of alpaca wool and how she has expanded the herd.

Sarah and Sian also discuss how important good food is to good mental health and what's she's been doing over the last 6 months. 

Sian will be joining 150 makers at The Digital Craft Festival from November 27-29. 

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival 

@sianodoherty

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Season 3 of The Capital of Craft

Sarah James of Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with maker and shop owner, Becky Prior. 

They speak from her shop, Prior in Cabots Circus in Bristol. Becky's journey as a maker is interwoven with stories of overcoming great personal setbacks and is truly inspirational, told with great humanity and humour. 

@priorshopbristol

@priormade

@craftfestival @find.amaker

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to illustrator, printmaker and live artist, Lucie Sheridan AKA Rubbish Portraits.

This podcast contains huge amounts of laughing.

Based in Centrepace Studios in Bristol, Lucie shares her journey from illustrator to her genius concept, Rubbish Portraits.  

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@digitalcraftfestival 

@rubbishportraits

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to leatherworker, Katy Warriner from Warriner Leatherworks.

Devon based leatherworker, Katy is an emerging maker living on the edge of Dartmoor. We discuss her traditional training, her move from Festival management to maker and her ethical approach to working in leather. 

Recorded before the 2nd Lockdown.

Katy is also joining us at Digital Craft Festival this weekend (Nov 27-29 2020) Hosted by the Devon Guild, Katy will be giving a demonstration of her leatherwork on Saturday November 28th at 11am, Live on Zoom.  Go to www.digitalcraftfestival.co.uk for details.

@digitalcraftfestival  November 27-29

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@warrinerleatherworks

www.craftfestival.co.uk