We Need to Make Things

Letting go of perfectionism, and embracing creative constraints, has allowed artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon to make great art and great pizza!   

In this episode she shares her tips for navigating influence and developing your artistic voice, surviving the skills gap (otherwise known as the shark tank) and breaking free of the ‘starving artist’ mindset.

Thanks for listening! New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest.

Diving in the open ocean has taught photographer, writer and expedition leader Henley Spiers as much about himself as it has about the marine life he captures with his camera.

In this episode he shares tips for marketing work on Instagram, lessons the ocean can teach us about life on land, advice on taking criticism, and the dangers of becoming too creatively comfortable.

A solo exhibition of Henley’s work is on display at Stadtmuseum Schleswig, Germany, until 14 September 2025.

Thanks for listening!

New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest.

We live in a digital age, but some things – like creative intuition and a love for print – can’t be automated.

Janine Vangool recently introduced a ban on AI in UPPERCASE. In this episode she explains why, as well as her tips on how to get things done, how to train yourself to notice ideas and why creative mess is all part of the magic.    

This is the final episode of Season One of We Need to Make Things. I’ve got some amazing guests lined up for Series Two, which will begin in a few weeks.

Please subscribe or follow to stay up to date. Thanks for listening!

From wearing a spacesuit to inviting strangers into photo booths, Simon Murphy knows how to work on long-term projects without losing momentum or a sense of playfulness.

In this episode he shares his chapter approach to projects, his creative morning routines, his advice on unlearning and his feelings on AI.

Simon’s wonderful first book Govanhill was published in 2023.

Thanks for listening! New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest.

Many brilliant artists are terrible at business, but using some of the skills he learnt in hospitality management, Bastiaan Woudt was never going to be one of them.

Effective marketing, foolproof systems and a passion for photography have enabled him to create an enviable career that balances work, life and personal projects such as DJing, travelling and supporting NGOs.

In this episode, Bastiaan chats about structure and rhythm, turning passion into profit, using your second brain and the benefits of AI, among many other things!

Thanks for listening! New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest

When he was thrown out of the church for being a heretic, Sean Tucker discovered the importance of adopting a creative outlet to work through his frustrations.

Sean is now a successful photographer, filmmaker, speaker, and the author of The Meaning in the Making, a brilliant book that shares his philosophy for living a creative life.

Through his experiences, Sean has learnt the importance of knowing who you are and how you’re wired, the perils of being a perfectionist, and how to pull order out of chaos.

This episode is full of Sean's wisdom including:

How to overcome ‘brutal’ perfectionism

Why we shouldn’t let fear stop us sharing our work

Dealing with (and benefitting from) criticism

Why we can’t wait for inspiration to strike

Thanks for listening! New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest.

Using our hands to make things is the new luxury. It connects us to our ancestors, the earth and ourselves, and it improves our wellbeing and brain development.

In 2012, Melanie Falick found herself sitting in a bathroom, looking at her hands and crying. Technology and business were robbing her of a good life, and something had to change.

This realisation led her to travel the world, meeting with potters, weavers, painters, artists and more to discover the role making by hand can play in making a good life.

Melanie’s adventures led to a beautiful book, Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live.

In this episode Melanie shares what she has learnt about the importance of making by hand, how to give yourself time (and permission) to create and redefining what success means, among many other things!    

Thanks for listening! New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest.

When Mary Jo Hoffman committed to posting a picture a day online, the process became so addictive (and beneficial) that the chain remained unbroken for more than a decade.

During the process, Mary Jo learnt that wild constraints lead to wild creativity, process is more important than product, and reconnecting with nature has value beyond measure.   

Mary Jo’s beautiful book STILL: The Art of Noticing is out now.

Thanks for listening! New episodes of We Need to Make Things will be posted every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe or hit follow to hear the latest.

Welcome to We Need To Make Things, a fortnightly podcast that will help you to kickstart your creative practice, stay inspired, and find the confidence to share your work with people who really need to see or hear it.