The C Word (M4A Feed)

By The C WordSociety & Culture Business Science Careers

The C Word (M4A Feed) episodes

June 11, 2025 S16E07: Finding Clients
Jenny, Solange and Liz share their thoughts on finding clients, while some of our listeners in private practice reveal what really works for them. Also tune in for a book review from Phedra!
00:53 Let’s get into it!
05:05 Bragging about yourself can be hard
06:28 Listener contributions
08:07 Business cards, fairs and open studios
18:36 Should we tell people where we are?
21:27 Listener contributions
23:03 Social media
33:25 Websites and price transparency
42:59 Old-fashioned advertising
47:05 Listener contributions
54:51 Review: Ancient Glass in the J. Paul Getty Museum
Show Notes:
– Ancient Glass in the J. Paul Getty Museum: https://shop.getty.edu/products/ancient-glass-in-the-j-paul-getty-museum-978-1606069196 and https://www.getty.edu/publications/ancient-glass/
Previous business and freelancing episodes:
– S16E06 Early Career Freelancing: https://thecword.show/2025/05/29/s16e06-early-career-freelancing/
– S13E05 Being in Business: https://thecword.show/2023/05/17/s13e05-being-in-business/
– S11E04 Building a Business: https://thecword.show/2022/05/04/s11e04-building-a-business/
– S02E03 Freelancing: https://thecword.show/2017/09/22/s02e03-freelancing/
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Liz Hébert, Solange Masher, and Jenny Mathiasson.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
1 hr 4 min
May 29, 2025 S16E06: Early Career Freelancing
Liz is joined by Isabella Rossi and Sophie McAloone for another emerging professional special – this time about being in private practice! Or freelance. Or whatever you’d like to call it! (We talk that one out too.) Can you go at it alone as an ECP? Spoilers: yes!
00:36 BevArt chat with Jenny and Solange
08:28 New kids on the block
11:26 The appeal of going solo
17:28 The delicate balance of working with clients
23:08 Learning from each other
29:39 Getting started
41:49 Changes seen and hoped for
Show Notes:
– BevArt: https://www.bev.art/
– BevArt’s new Pro sensor: https://www.bev.art/blog/bev-art-launches-pro-sensor-industry-leading-discreet-climate-monitor
– Follow Sophie: https://www.instagram.com/thenorthernconservator/
– Fine Art Restoration Co: https://fineart-restoration.co.uk/
– Follow Isabella: https://www.instagram.com/rossiconservation/
– Rossi Conservation: https://rossiconservation.com/
– Icon Private Practice Group: https://www.icon.org.uk/groups-and-networks/private-practice.html
– Icon PPG on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558105327720
– Icon PPG on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iconprivatepracticegroup/
– Icon PPG on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13023584/
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Liz Hébert, Sophie McAloone, and Isabella Rossi.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
47 min
May 14, 2025 S16E05: Bioplastics
Jenny and Solange are joined by conservation scientist Panagiotis Morfis as we talk bioplastics: what are they, where do they crop up, and how can we look after them? Also tune in for a review of ‘Experimental Design and Scientific Data Analysis’ from Jenny.
01:03 Feeling out of our depth is okay
05:00 What ARE bioplastics?
07:25 Information and identification
14:09 Bringing in the science
17:06 3D printing
25:28 Survey time!
29:46 3D printers in every home
31:07 The place of 3D printers in conservation
38:51 A return to making
48:44 Review: Experimental Design and Scientific Data Analysis
Show Notes:
– S02E05 Modern Materials (our old plastics episode!): https://thecword.show/2017/10/18/s02e05-modern-materials/
– Research overview from Panos: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18vNefVxMUH2urWH62RSkoMkJ6LrfSxVo/view?usp=sharing
– FTIR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier-transform_infrared_spectroscopy
– Raman spectroscopy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raman_spectroscopy
– Liquid chromatography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-performance_liquid_chromatography
– Panos’ survey: https://forms.office.com/r/XJv81gneMW
– Experimental Design and Scientific Data Analysis: https://www.routledge.com/Experimental-Design-and-Scientific-Data-Analysis/Skipper-Skipper/p/book/9781032501635
Recommended Reading from Panos:
– ‘Sustainability at Christmas: Considering single use items, traditional plastics and bioplastics’: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/design-innovation/sustainability-at-christmas
– MoDiP projects: https://www.modip.ac.uk/projects
– A curator’s guide to plastics: https://www.modip.ac.uk/projects/curators-guide-plastics
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Solange Masher and Panagiotis (Panos) Morfis.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
54 min
May 01, 2025 S16E04: Heritage Trust Network Youth Forum Takeover
In this takeover special folks from the Heritage Trust Network Youth Forum get real about being emerging and early career professionals in heritage: sharing thoughts on resilience, broad skill sets, and whether or not we’re over the whole ‘digital’ thing. Are we maybe done with instant gratification? Also tune in for a book review from Liz!
00:13 BevArt update!
01:45 Introducing our takeover crew
02:55 Meet Grace, Becca, Emily, and Kate
13:46 How do you get experience?
20:01 Discovering a hidden community
26:38 Let’s talk digitisation in heritage
42:02 Our own collections
44:35 Review: Gesina ter Borch
Show Notes:
– BevArt: https://www.bev.art/
– Heritage Trust Network Youth Forum: https://heritagetrustnetwork.org.uk/heritage-trust-network-youth-forum/
– Gesina ter Borch by Adam Eaker: https://shop.getty.edu/products/gesina-ter-borch-978-1606069462
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by the people at the Heritage Trust Network Youth Forum in collaboration with The C Word team.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
52 min
April 16, 2025 S16E03: Local Little Museums
Join us as we all share the love for the smaller museums out there by visiting somewhere local (to each of us) or ditty (if we were on holiday). Come along to five wonderful little museums!
01:03 Solange visits Derwent Pencil Museum
09:52 Phedra goes to the Museum of Greek Refugees
24:33 Liz visits the Our Lord in the Attic Museum
34:17 Kloe goes to Shibden Hall
44:00 Jenny visits the Dylan Thomas Boathouse
Show Notes:
– Derwent Pencil Museum: https://www.derwentart.com/en-gb/c/about/company/derwent-pencil-museum
– The Museum of Greek Refugees: https://www.visitkavala.gr/en/sightseeing/museum-greek-refugees/
– Our Lord in the Attic Museum: https://opsolder.nl/en/museum-our-lord-in-the-attic/
– Shibden Hall: https://museums.calderdale.gov.uk/visit/shibden-hall
– Dylan Thomas Boathouse: https://cofgar.wales/venues/dylan-thomas-boathouse/
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
54 min
April 02, 2025 S16E02: Choosing a Specialism
Jenny, Liz and Solange tackle the age old question: how do you choose a conservation specialism? How did we find ours and what should you consider? Also tune in for a review of the new edition of ‘Culture is Bad for You’ from Jenny!
00:31 Kloe and Phedra are on maternity leave
01:24 How Solange found books
05:57 Do we begin with the craft?
08:55 Solange accidentally introduces someone to conservation
13:09 Let’s teach kids repair skills!
15:28 How Liz found paintings
19:25 Jenny’s refusal to stick to any one thing
25:45 Don’t be afraid to reach out!
27:49 Have any listeners switched specialisms?
33:04 But objects is a specialism!
34:40 How to narrow the possibilities
43:19 Skill shortages and ‘safe bets’
46:17 Review: Culture is Bad for You (new edition)
Show Notes:
– Culture is Bad for You – Inequality in the Cultural and Creative Industries: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177810/
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Solange Masher, Liz Hébert, and Jenny Mathiasson.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
52 min
March 20, 2025 S16E01: Heritage Skills
Liz and Solange are joined by Mary Lewis, head of craft sustainability at Heritage Crafts. Where does conservation and craft overlap? Let’s talk it out! Also tune in for a book review from Jenny.
00:24 Sponsorship news, hooray!
01:57 Meet Mary
05:53 Kindling crafts and their benefits
07:44 Intangible cultural heritage and the fetishisation of objects
11:45 Endangered crafts
17:19 Being human and using your hands
24:40 Overlap between making and repairing or maintaining
30:32 Woes of making a living
35:42 Shortages in conservation and crafts
42:58 What’s the next big craft trend?
48:44 Review: Conservation of Plaster Casts
Show Notes:
– BevArt: https://www.bev.art/
– Heritage Crafts: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/
– A little about Mary: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/staff/mary-lewis/
– Ratification of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/united-kingdom-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-ratifies-2003-convention-safeguarding-intangible
– The Red List of Endangered Crafts: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/skills/redlist/
– List of Living National Treasures of Japan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Living_National_Treasures_of_Japan_(crafts)
– Stone carving podcast mentioned by Solange: https://sites.libsyn.com/442152
– Conservation of Plaster Casts: https://archetype.co.uk/our-titles/conservation-of-plaster-casts/?id=436
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Solange Masher, Liz Hébert, and Mary Lewis.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2025.
54 min
December 21, 2024 S15E08: Christmas Special
Ho ho ho! In this festive special the team assembles to play a game of ‘Would you rather?’ and make some predictions for the year ahead – plus an exciting announcement from Phedra and Kloe!
00:05:13 A game of ‘Would you rather?’
00:31:07 Predictions for 2025
00:38:04 The announcement!
00:41:01 Songs on YouTube
00:41:34 Thank you, listeners!
Show Notes:
– S09E08 Dyes in Conservation: https://thecword.show/2021/06/30/s09e08-dyes-in-conservation/
– S06E03 The One with the Arduino: https://thecword.show/2019/10/16/s06e03-the-one-with-the-arduino/
– Xray My Advent (Mastodon advent calendar): https://glammr.us/tags/XrayMyAdvent
– Christmas playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrpSmIb8Dh32tU-6vLnvhEGVwauPGC3Ug
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, Phedra Komodromou, Solange Masher, and Liz Hébert.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2024.
44 min
December 11, 2024 S15E07: Apprenticeships
We consider a few different takes on apprenticeships: Liz has been an apprentice, Jenny has hosted one, and Kloe is keen. Kloe also talks to Jane Henderson about the potential pitfalls, and Solange interviews stone carvers Nina Bilbey and Charlotte Howarth about how apprenticeships work in their industry. Don’t forget to tune in for a Dear Jane about choosing a specialism at the end!
00:02:11 Recent keynote on the topic
00:08:38 Liz’ experience of apprenticeships
00:15:30 How do you get to host an apprentice? (Jenny gets this a little wrong)
00:20:28 Jenny’s experience of hosting a Level 3 apprenticeship
00:34:05 Some alternative approaches
00:37:48 Will employers accept apprentices?
00:45:46 Passing on knowledge
00:47:20 Correction about length of Icon apprenticeships
00:48:25 Interview with Jane Henderson
01:07:24 Interview with Charlotte and Nina
01:20:06 Dear Jane
Show Notes:
– S15E01 Icon24 Special + Summer Updates: https://thecword.show/2024/09/18/s15e01-icon24-special-summer-updates/
– Diversity Discussion Panel Bonus Episode: https://thecword.show/2019/03/01/bonus-episode-diversity-discussion-panel/
– Marsh conservation award winners 2024: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/marsh-conservation-awards-winners-announced-at-icon24.html
– Art CPR: https://www.artcpr.com/
– National minimum wage (including apprentices): https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
– Apprenticeship levels in the UK explained: https://www.gov.uk/become-apprentice
– Georgie Dennis Conservation: https://www.georgiedennisconservation.com/
– S15E05 Accreditation Part 2: https://thecword.show/2024/11/13/s15e05-accreditation-part-2-the-international-take/
– SRAL: https://sral.nl/en
– Icon apprenticeships: https://www.icon.org.uk/careers/conservation-apprenticeships.html
– Museums Association AMA: https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/ama/
– Charlotte Howarth: https://www.making-marks.com/
– Nina Bilbey: https://ninabilbey.com/
– The Lettering Arts Trust: https://www.letteringartstrust.org.uk/
– Listen to Charlotte and Nina’s podcast: https://sites.libsyn.com/442152
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Liz Hébert.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2024.
1 hr 24 min
November 27, 2024 S15E06: National Trust Takeover
In this takeover special the conservators at the National Trust take us behind the scenes: telling us their stories, sharing their hopes for the future, and smashing myths about NT properties!
00:00:12 Have you heard of BevArt?
00:02:12 Sarah and Siobhan introduce the National Trust
00:08:18 Urban gems
00:10:14 Managing collections in houses
00:17:04 Changing approaches to preservation
00:22:30 Anita and Rebecca go for a walk
00:27:34 Saying hello to Sarah and the book conservation volunteers
00:32:41 Clare and Claire in the textile studio
00:39:01 Internships and learning
00:43:54 Looking to the future of the studio
00:45:55 Sarah visits Emma at the Knole studio
00:52:37 Sharing the space
01:00:45 Sharing the knowledge
01:04:40 Routes into the profession
01:07:54 Going into the Royal Oak studio
01:11:15 Saying hi to Anna and the artworks
01:19:04 Bonus content: stags at sunset!
Show Notes:
– BevArt: https://www.bev.art/
– BevArt’s buy-back scheme: https://www.bev.art/blog/bev-art-launches-sensor-buy-back-program
– The National Trust: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
– Batemans: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/batemans
– Hughenden Manor: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/hughenden
– The Textile Conservation Studio: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/the-textile-conservation-studio
– The Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/the-royal-oak-foundation-conservation-studio
Support us on Patreon!
Hosted by the conservators at the National Trust in collaboration with The C Word team.
Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.
A Wooden Dice production, 2024.
1 hr 21 min