Making Meaning

In this final conversation of the series, Ruth is talking to museum consultant Emma King. Ruth & Emma were at University studying for a Masters Degree in Museum Studies. In this episode they talk about making meaning in museums, about what museums are for, about ideas and their value and about how to spark and nuture them. Find out more at ruthsinger.com/podcast We are raising money for the next series of Making Meaning. Please contribute if you can here

This week Ruth is talking to Paula Briggs, a ceramic artist focussing on narrative in craft. This conversation grew from a previous interview for Paula's Masters Degree in ceramics where she asked Ruth about research-based work, making a living from non-commercial making and communicating the stories behind the work. In this podcast they talk about all of this and more including the importance of making skills in industry and the absorbing and powerful nature of research in making. Podcast Series Two Crowdfunder is now open, please contribute if you can: ruthsinger.com/podcast

In this episode Ruth talks to textile artist Ekta Kaul about her soulful stitch work, about belonging and place making about about the richness of textile making to improve our lives. Ekta is a London-based artist who grew up in India. In this conversation she shares how her map-making stitch practice has helped grounding her in a new country. They share their stories of finding their place in the textile world over the last dozen or more years and talk about how powerful it is to stitch and create alongside communities, be they our own membership groups or with diverse community groups and workshops. Find out more at ruthsinger.com/podcast Ekta's website Ruth's Maker Membership Support the podcast using Paypal

Melody Vaughan, coach and mentor to makers started her working life in the museum sector, just like Ruth did. In this conversation, they discuss how museum training has impacted their work with and as makers. They talk about the importance of understanding how things are made, how makers have so much knowledge that museums could be tapping into better and how objects have long lives that we often don't think about. Both Ruth and Melody support other makers through mentoring and courses and they talk about what they want to uncover from their clients is the stories behind the making, the why. There are links to Melody's work and some of the things they talked about at ruthsinger.com/podcast

This conversation between textile artists Ruth Singer & Cas Holmes is full of fascinating insights into the thoughtful making processes they share. Cas and Ruth talk about migration and cultural heritage, about responding to old but meaningful cloth and other objects and about the loss of talking to other people, sparking ideas and sharing textile making in communal spaces through the pandemic. Cas talks movingly about the impact of little conversations, asides and responses and how all that feeds into her work which she creates with delicacy and thoughtfulness. She talks about the losses we have all felt through the pandemic and how it has created more understanding of those who have been displaced and constrained by incredibly difficult circumstances. Find out more at ruthsinger.com/podcast

Kathryn is an artist maker specialising in miniature works celebrating nature. Kathryn's approach is research-based and multi-faceted - from a Herbarium of Stories made from leaves and sunlight, to wildflower shoes sculpted in sugar, she creates intricate artworks that weave together tales of nature, place and people. She is currently Artist in Residence at Langdyke Countryside Trust in Cambridgeshire, England. In this conversation we talk about following your inspiration, exploring and sharing stories, working with museums and enjoying the infinite pleasures of both creativity and the natural world. Find out more at ruthsinger.com/podcast

In this episode Ruth talks to artist Richard McVetis about his meticulous embroidery work and the complexities and joys of being an artist. Richard makes work for exhibitions and commissions and shares his unique style of stitch and the meditative process behind it through workshops. In the 10 years or so since I first came across Richard's work, he's exhibited widely including the Crafts Council's Collect Open in 2017, and he's got a solo exhibition coming up in 2022. In this conversation we talk about research and our methods for gathering ideas, what inspires us and how place and family heritage are so important. Richard talks about never not being an artist which rings so true for me, and about being curious and always exploring ideas. Find out more at ruthsinger.com/podcast

Artists Ruth Singer and Caren Garfen in conversation about the meanings behind their work. Both Ruth and Caren work in textiles and have a strong association with working with objects and they talk about using textiles to tell personal and challenging stories. Caren has created work about eating disorders previously and she talks at length in this episode about her work sharing historic and contemporary stories of anti-Semitism. They also share their experiences of slow creative processes, taking time to develop and share their ideas and how connecting with and engaging with other artists is so important to understanding their own work. Find out more at ruthsinger.com/podcast

Ruth talks to fine artist Gillian McFarland. Ruth & Gillian have collaborated for a number of years on art-science and other conceptual projects. In this episode, Gillian talks about the meanings and thought processes behind her work and why she chooses to collaborate with other artists. For more information visit: ruthsinger.com

Artist Ruth Singer introduces her new podcast Making Meaning. She explains how she loves talking to other artists and creative people about what they do and why and how important it is to her to connect and converse during these isolated times. Ruth also shares some information about who she is going to talk to through this series and about how this podcast is conversations not formal interviews. She then introduces the first guest for the next episode. Ruth also talks about the mentoring programmes she offers and other ways to keep in touch. For more information visit: ruthsinger.com