Artists' Tales

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In this episode, we meet Libro Levi Bridgeman - a non-binary writer, editor, and lecturer based in London, whose work explores gender identity, queer desire, and creative resistance. Trained at E.15 Drama School and holding a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing, Libro teaches across institutions including Birkbeck, Guildhall Drama School, and Imperial College London.

Their internationally acclaimed verbatim theatre piece The Butch Monologues has toured globally. Libro’s recent screen work includes Private View (2022), a documentary on queer identity and friendship, and the forthcoming TV project Parker Parker.

As co-founder of Hotpencil Press and a passionate educator — including work in UK prisons — Libro champions inclusive storytelling and contemporary queer narratives.

Episode recorded on 6 August 2025

Websites: librolevi.com | hotpencilpress.co.uk | incisionpress.com
Instagram: @librolevibridgeman | @hotpencilpress

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet Sukhy Hullait - a multi award-winning storytelling photographer based in London, whose work captures the emotional texture of everyday life. Rooted in British social documentary, Sukhy’s images explore themes of home, identity, and inequality, often spotlighting marginalised voices and overlooked stories.

Sukhy’s thoughtful, immersive approach has earned him the Sony World Photography Award, two Portrait of Britain wins, and recognition in the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize.

As an educator, Sukhy leads workshops across the UK, empowering others to find their visual voice through street portraiture and documentary photography.

Episode recorded on 12 August 2025

Discover more: sukhyhullait.com
Instagram: @sukhyhullait

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet Ailish Henderson, a textile artist, writer, and educator based in Tyne and Wear, whose emotionally resonant work blends stitched portrait collages, narrative textiles, and mixed media. Beginning with playful sketchbook drawings inspired by photographs and personal memorabilia, Ailish builds layered compositions using fragments of clothing, tickets, and ephemera.

Her practice, often described as “narrative art”, explores emotional repair, family history, and mental wellbeing. Through her workshops, Ailish invites others to explore personal storytelling through stitch, offering a gentle, intuitive path to creative healing.

Episode recorded on 30 July 2025

Website: ailishhenderson.com
Instagram: @ailish_h_

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet Jane Thakoordin -a Birmingham-based participatory artist of British and Guyanese heritage whose textile practice weaves together mental health, social justice, and co-production. Using repurposed materials and collaborative making, Jane creates powerful works that challenge systems and celebrate resilience.

Founder of Birmingham Artivistas and member of the MIXED RAGE Collective, Jane’s projects - including the Grenfell Memorial Quilt, Sewing Solidarity, and Library of the Brain - blend craft with political commentary and emotional depth. With a background in visual arts and social work, she bridges creativity and care through trauma-informed, intergenerational practice.

Tune in to explore how textiles become tools for activism, healing, and community connection.

Episode recorded on 18 July 2025

Website: www.janethakoordin.com
Instagram: @janethakoordin_ | @mixedrage

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet Holly Searle - the creative force behind The Subversive Stitcher, whose textile-based practice turns embroidery into protest. Born in Central London and shaped by the “make do and mend” generation, Holly rediscovered her artistic voice after a striking encounter with a Victorian sampler at the Wellcome Collection.

Her acclaimed Subverted Vintage Tea Towel Series, launched during the pandemic, boldly reimagines domestic textiles with commentary on women’s rights, mental health, and social justice. Through slow craft and radical messaging, Holly stitches a lineage of feminist resistance.

From community-led Subverted Stitching Workshops to private commissions, Holly’s work invites reflection, connection, and activism — one thread at a time.

Episode recorded on 10 July 2025

Explore more: thesubversivestitcher.com
Instagram: @the_subversive_stitcher | @dameprudeewench | @iamwomanproject22

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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This episode shines a light on Barons Court Project, a West London charity offering holistic support to people facing homelessness or mental health challenges. Director Michael Angus shares how the centre provides showers, meals, emotional care, and life skills programmes — all rooted in dignity and hope.

We also hear from Guan, an artist whose journey from homelessness to creative expression led to Rainbow Tree, now a bestselling greetings card. His story embodies the spirit of Barons Court Project and their HomeLess Made social enterprise, which empowers artists through meaningful work.

With over 200 residents supported each year and a vibrant calendar of workshops, peer groups, and community outings, Barons Court Project is a beacon of compassion and creativity. Their ethos: “loving people who may not love themselves.”

Episode recorded on 23 July 2025

Learn more: baronscourtproject.org
Shop artist-made gifts: homelessmade.co.uk

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet Amanda Cotton - a contemporary sculptor and 3D designer based at Trinity Buoy Wharf, East London. Working across ceramics, composites, and mould-making, Amanda’s practice explores identity, body image, and emotional resonance through unconventional materials and meticulous technique.

She’s the creator of Inexorable, the UK’s first non-binary sculpture, commissioned by Audible UK and now touring as an educational piece. Her portfolio includes Body of Work, a reflection on the human life cycle, and the intimate We 100 Project, which inspired her journey into wellness practice.

At Art Craft Studios, Amanda teaches ceramics and hosts Ceramic Socials, opening up creative spaces for all. Tune in to discover how she fuses technical mastery with emotional depth - and how her studio fosters both artistry and community.

Episode recorded on 28 August 2025

Explore more: amandacotton.co.uk

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet James Cook - a London-based artist transforming the humble typewriter into a tool of extraordinary expression. Trained in architecture at UCL’s Bartlett School and raised in Essex, James left behind blueprints to pioneer a new form of drawing: intricate portraits, skylines, and architectural scenes composed entirely from typed characters.

With a collection of over 100 typewriters, James uses punctuation as texture and the Olympia SG3 for precision layering. Often spotted typing outdoors at landmarks like Tower Bridge, James blends analogue technique with modern storytelling. Discover how nostalgia, architecture, and innovation collide in this one-of-a-kind artistic journey.

Episode recorded on 18 August 2025

Explore more: jamescookartworkshop.com
Instagram: @jamescookartwork

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we speak with digital media artist and photographer Geoff Titley, whose thought-provoking work explores speculative landscapes and the shifting interplay between nature and technology. Blending digital photography, moving image, and 3D printing, Geoff imagines “other nature” — a futuristic vision of the natural world transformed through digital mediation.

Through object scanning, manipulation, and screen-based media, his layered artworks blur the line between organic and artificial, inviting us to question what is real, imagined, or digitally constructed. The conversation also touches on exploring the role of artificial intelligence in shaping artistic practice.

This episode offers a reflective journey into ambiguity, perception, and the future of environmental art.

Recorded on 13 August 2025, 

Discover more: geofftitley.com
Instagram: @geofftitley

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast

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In this episode, we meet Canadian textile artist, actor, and writer Kirk Dunn, whose extraordinary knitted works weave together themes of faith, social justice, and human connection. Best known for Stitched Glass - a 15-year knitted triptych inspired by stained-glass windows - Kirk uses yarn as a metaphor for healing across divides.

His one-man show The Knitting Pilgrim blends storytelling, projected imagery, and textile art to explore the shared tensions and hopes within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Through his podcast The Knitting Pilgrim Talks and hands-on workshops in colour work and spiritual improvisation, Kirk invites dialogue, empathy, and participation.

This conversation touches on xenophobia, interfaith understanding, and the power of craft to build bridges. Stitched Glass premiered at the Aga Khan Museum, and his Patchwork Pride Project was showcased at Canada House in London during Pride Month 2025.

Recorded on 8 August 2025

Discover more:
Website: kirkdunn.com
Instagram: @kirkdunnknits
YouTube: The Knitting Pilgrim

Podcast details:
Podcast email: [email protected]
Website: www.artiststales.net
Instagram: @artists_tales_podcast
Threads: @artists_tales_podcast