On the Irregular with Java Bere

In this episode I chat to creative coach Kathryn Ho, or as she describes herself on Instagram 'Psychological witch and self-doubt coach’.

This felt like a deeply thoughtful and delicate conversation. Kathryn’s meditative pace and considered answers to my questions led us to the big questions, the big feelings, the essence of it all, in many ways.

We talked about her awareness of the arbitrariness of life from a  very young age, her experience of art school, existential pain. Questioning the concept of ‘fulfilling your potential’, the idea of needing to assign yourself a label as a creative and her gentle approach to coaching.

Welcome to my conversation with Kathryn Ho, a creative coach for the mind and the soul.

You can find Kathryn online at kathrynho.com and on instagram @kathryn_ho_ and you can subscribe to Kathryn’s newsletters by heading to kathrynho.substack.com

Thank you to Heidi-Lee Gregory for sponsoring this episode. You can find Heidi online at heidileegregory.co.uk and on instagram @heidilee.gregory

Thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please remember to review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us.

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This conversation comes with a trigger warning regarding baby loss.

Eight Years ago, Jon and I lost our daughter Alma at six months in the womb through a late stage termination due to medical reasons. We discuss the pregnancy, the procedure, her birth and her funeral.

At certain points we express a humour which could be uncomfortable for some listeners. This was, and still is, one of our ways of processing the grief, and as always, we try to be as honest as possible in sharing our experience, in the hope that it may help others feel less alone.

For this episode, we shared out story while making lunch at home in our kitchen. There are tears and there is sadness, but there is also laughter and love and a conversation about how much she brought into our life and the creative transformation we both experienced through the grief of losing her.

Baby loss awareness week, now in its 20th year, is a wonderful opportunity to bring us together as a community and give anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and feel that they are not alone. 

You can find out more at babyloss-awareness.org

Arc antenatal are a UK charity offering support for those dealing with antenatal results and choices.

If you or someone close to you has been through the experience of ending a wanted pregnancy after a pre-natal diagnosis, Arc are there to provide non directive information and support before, during and after antenatal screening.

You can find them online arc-uk.org and on instagram @arcantenatal

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In this episode I chat to Interior Designer, Diversity Consultant, Instagram Influencer and Location House Host, Natasha Landers.

I first came across Natasha when I spotted her magnificent yellow kitchen floor on Instagram, and instantly fell hook, line and sinker for her sense of style both in her home and her dress sense.

I’m not the only one who noticed.

So did 14K other followers on instagram, Harpers Bazaar magazine, Stylist magazine, Reclaim mag and the Modern House.

Born in Hackney, Natasha ended up at uni in Wales studying a degree she still cannot understand the purpose of. We talked about how she finally came to accept that interior design is her calling, how dancing in her kitchen got her through lockdown, imposter syndrome, the loneliness of being a freelance creative and how the incredible yellow floor came about.

Welcome to my chat with the interior design and style queen, Natasha Landers.

You can find Natasha on Instagram @untillemonsaresweet and do keep an eye out for her upcoming website.

Thank you to Saba Lashay for sponsoring this episode. You can find Saba's work online at sabalashay.com , on etsy and on Instagram @saba.lashay

Thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please remember to review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

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In this episode I chat to Adventurer, Author, TV Presenter, Public Speaker and Podcaster, Alice Morrison.

Many moons ago, Alice and I met at a 1920’s themed birthday party in the South of France. At the time we were both decked out in feather boas and flowing dresses, but oh how times have changed. 

Alice currently lives in The Atlas Mountains of Morocco, where you will at one point witness the sound of the wind clattering through her window shutters.

Alice starts her story in Edinburgh where she was born, her time living in Uganda as a child, studying Arabic and Turkish at university, her time teaching in Cairo, a move to London where she worked for the BBC 24 hour news channel, a subsequent move to the north of England and what led her to running marathons through the desert and trekking with camels.

We talk about writing her first book in her 50’s, the gratitude she feels towards her parents for guiding her in her choices, the value of going ahead and trying things, even if you think you may not be naturally skilled at them, and … her narrow miss with a giant boulder.

Welcome to my chat with the wildly inspiring and absolutely no nonsense, Alice Morrison.

You can find Alice online at alicemorrison.co.uk and on instagram @aliceoutthere1 

You can also listen to Alice’s podcast Alice in Wanderland and watch her BBC 2 series, From Morocco to Timbuktu. Alice’s books are available online and from all good bookshops.

And thank you to Lily Greenwood for sponsoring this episode. You can find Lily Greenwood online her, on etsy and on instagram @lilygreenwoodpainting

Thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please remember to review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

Jingle and final edit: Jon Tipler

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In this episode I talk to actor, writer and singer Sandra Cole.

Once upon a time, many years ago, I had the honour of being Sandra’s acting agent.

I adored Sandra and always knew there was more I’d like to talk to her about than audition times and self tapes.

So, finally I got my chance.

Sandra graced me with her gentle, winding thoughts on grief, the fear we often have of our own power, how her recent health has impacted her attitude to life, her experience as a Black woman in white Briton, the whim hoff method and the strength we can find in loving and being open.

We start in Camberwell, London 1962, as one of seven sisters, then pass through biochemistry, following her path into acting, becoming a mother at 28 and then find ourselves in Lancashire, talking about why Sandra writes and how ‘being’ comes before ‘doing’.

Welcome to my conversation with the deeply moving and deeply funny, Sandra Cole.

You can find Sandra’s books ‘Things White People Have Said to Me’ on Amazon and you can find Sandra on instagram @sandracoleuk

Sandra is represented by Jane Hollowood Associates. 

Thank you to Doodlelove designs for sponsoring this episode. You can also find Doodlove on Etsy , Not on the High Street and on Instagram.

Thank You for listening to On the Irrregular, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

Jingle and final edit: Jon Tipler

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In this episode I chat to Annie Ridout: journalist, author, poet and founder of the business community for women The Robora

When I listened back to this conversation, recorded in July, I realised that Annie is such a natural coach that I had accidentally ended up talking more about myself than I usually would.

Thankfully I managed to shut up long enough for Annie to find the space to talk to me about her varied career, starting from a very young age washing cars, passing through nightclubs in her early twenties and internships at newspapers to where she is now.

We also talked about the idea of all art as connection, her book Shy, where she explores the value in being the quiet person in the room and what it was like to go viral with her poetry,

Welcome to my very chatty chat with the endlessly lovely and fast thinking Annie Ridout.

Warning, this episode contains swearing.

You can find Annie online here and at therobora.com 

And on intagram with the following accounts: @therobora @annieridout @annieridoutpoetry 

Annie’s books Shy and The Freelance Mum are available in all good bookshops.

Thank you to Fly Me to the Bloom for sponsoring this episode. You can also find Fly Me to the Bloom on instagram @flymetothebloom

Thank you for listening to On the Irrregular, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

Support the show

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In this episode I chat to artist, designer, maker and soon to be qualified yoga teacher, my friend Lynne Morris.

Throughout this conversation, amongst many things, you will witness Lynne’s ADHD in live, gorgeous, technicolour action, and you will also witness my giddy inability to stop cackling every thirty seconds.

We grasshopper all over the place, covering: Lynne’s long lost career dreams of being an olympic athlete, her time creating Burlesque costumes in Melbourne, how she nearly became a tailor on Savile row, how easy it is to devalue our creativity when it is infused in every area of our life, drawing people on public transport, the vast difference between privilege and lack of privilege when embarking on a career in the arts and… so. Much. more.

Welcome to my conversation with the truly spectacular and marvellously self analytical Lynne Morris.

Warning, this episode contains swearing.

You can find Lynn’s work on instagram @lynnemorrismakes 

And thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

Sponsor:
This episode of On the Irregular is sponsored by Graphic Designer, GIF maker and host of the Building Your Brand podcast, Liz Mosley.

Liz specialises in branding for small businesses, and has created the podcast Building Your Brand to help small businesses create a brand that they love and feel confident promoting.

Through her decade of branding and design experience and with the help of her guests, Liz shares tips around branding and marketing to take the fear out of selling and to help you in building your brand. 

Building Your Brand is one of my favourite business podcasts around, and listening to Liz talk about her experience of podcasting is what gave me the final push to start ‘On the Irregular’. Her chats with guests are informal, warm yet highly informative and valuable for any small business owner.

Released every Wednesday, you can find Building Your Brand wherever you find your podcasts, and if you enjoy, remember to subscribe and leave a review, as this truly does help. 

You can also head to lizmosley.net to find out more or get in touch, and on social media @lizmmosley

Thank you for listening!

Jingle and final production: Jon Tipler

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In this episode, I talk to the singer songwriter, Josephine Oniyama.

Born and bred in Manchester, Jo grew up listening to her mum’s record collection, never knowing a time when music and writing weren’t her focus.

Starting gigging in her teens, her career took off very quickly, leading her to touring and working with huge names in the industry and eventually recording the widely applauded album ‘Portrait’.

We talk about what it was like to start her career at such a young age, the support she received from teachers and family, the fickle nature of the music industry, why she chose to step away from performing for a few years and where she’s going from here.

Plus, Josephine will be performing at the live event of ‘On the Irregular’ at HOME, Manchester in September.

Welcome to this special bonus episode, with the immense talent, utterly lovely Josephine Oniyama.

Josephine’s new single ‘Tears Will Never be Mine’  from her upcoming album ‘Kindred’ was released on June 3rd through Sound of Solar Records.

You can find Josephine on Instagram @josephineoniyama and on twitter @thisisjosephine. 

Shownotes:

New Single: 'Tears Will Never Be Mine'

Josephine on Bandcamp

Josephine on Soundcloud

Lady Smith Black Mambazo

Guy Garvey

PostProduction and Jingle: Jon Tipler

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This week I chat to Deborah Eydmann Beau, writer, model, life long creative.

In this inspiring and at points, tear inducing chat, Deborah tells me about coming into her own  at 55, her childhood in Yorkshire and how this formed her, a lifelong passion for drama, her life in France with her three children, successful careers in translation and blogging the three years she spent walking to find herself again, the cabin in the woods where she lived off grid for a year, her current life by the sea, the transformative power of stopping dying her hair in her 40’s, and what her future holds.

Welcome to episode 12 and the rather exceptional, Deborah Eydeman.

You can find Debora on instagram @plumesandfeathers and on the account she shares with her partner @tonyandbabs

Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

Shownotes:

Kick can and conkers blog

London Grammar

Lorde

The Foraged Home

Table Magazine

Handmade Charlotte

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This week I am chatting to baker, artist and empress of cushion embroidery Sharon Nagadya.

Born in Uganda, Sharon moved to the UK age 11. After initially pursuing a career as a nurse/hairdresser, Sharon couldn’t ignore the fact that her passion was in the creative fields. 

We talk about family and cultural expectations, what she now considers to be the markers of success, her time caring for her fabulous mother in her early twenties, reclaiming the word ‘Immigrant’, how she wants to be perceived, her pivot from the world of retail to baking at the cosiest of bakeries Longbois Bakehouse in South Manchester. Sharon also manages to compare herself to Beyonce at least twice with complete justification. 

May I introduce to you episode 11 of On the Irregular and the wondrous artist Sharon Nagadya.

A gentle warning, this episode contains expletives.

You can find Sharon on instagram @snagadya and at via the bakery website @longboisbakes. 

Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us!

Support the show

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.