In this episode, we are returning to our “Mind of a Maker” mini series with furniture maker and sculptor Ellie Richards, the idea behind the “Mind of a Maker” series, which is a new element inside the regular why make podcast is to talk to artists about the genesis and creation of a specific work, or body of work, in a sense, peeling back the onion yet one more layer to further expose that messy thing that is the creative process.

This story starts with an idea that was brewing for years before Ellie began making the piece we talk about in this episode, and that idea was a fascination with the fantasy coffin practice that exists in Ghana. Fantasy coffins, as the word implies, are fantastical, large, hollow, sculptural forms built almost entirely with hand tools that can be just about anything from a jet plane to a tomato… basically trying to capture a person's passions as they pass on and they are, quite simply, then buried in it, a practice far different from our western views on death and burial. She was encouraged to pursue her exploration of fantasy coffins by the artist Eric Adjetey Anang, a descendant of the original Ghanaian coffin makers. Eventually Ellie started to consider how to use these skills to create an object of her own design, and in this edition of Mind of a Maker, Ellie walks us through the process from inspiration to the final construction of her piece titled Basket Casket.

To see Ellie at work on the Basket Casket… Check out our short film on the video page of why-make.com, or find it on Youtube. Here are links to Eric Adjetey Anang and the

Music for this episode was generously provided by Jim Roberts, the guest on why make episode 64. It comes from his recordings, Waka, Waka and Two Traditions. Additional music comes from The Ghana Project 2013,that recorded several traditional funeral songs performed by Ghanaian artists in Ghana. It’s used in this episode under a Creative Commons license. You can find more of their recordings on YouTube by searching the username “the Ghana Project 2013.” Finally, music in our episode also came from the Internet Archive,

In this episode of why make I talk with sculptor, furniture maker and educator Jack Larimore about how his background in landscape architecture. What led him down the path to discovering a love of design and eventually making furniture. Furthermore how a lack of a formal education In the arts really allowed him to explore sculptural ideas with few preconceived notions. Then we get into a deep dive about in his most recent exhibition called Bonding that was held at Rowan University in the spring of 2024. A video of Jack working on the exhibition can be seen Here

On this episode of Why Make we have Jim Roberts a percussionist, producer, artist and educator who resides in Chapel Hill NC. Jim plays the drum set, djembe, congas, and has many recordings under his belt. He has just finished a 17 year teaching stint at Elon University where he taught percussion and directed the Elon World Percussion Ensemble.

Jims journey in percussion dated to his earliest years playing in band  class to marching band to drum and bugle core to African music traditional fiddle music and so much more. Please join us for a percussive journey with Jim Roberts

In this episode I talk about my first impressions of the Emma International collaboration, which took place on July 31 to August 8, 2024 in Big River Saskatchewan. If you need a little more background on Emma take a listen to What is Emma? Episode 59 of the podcast

When I returned from Why Makes great adventure to Emma earlier this month, I knew I needed to sit down and collect my thoughts about my experience before they started to drifted away. This short episode is a collection of my thoughts about having attended my first artist collaboration. I promise you there will be much more to come.

In Episode 62 of the Why Make Podcast we introduce the 1st in our Mind of a Maker series, a new part of the Why Make Podcast, with our guest Steve Fishman. Steve is a North Carolina printmaker and a painter in many mediums, as well as being skilled with pen and ink and the mighty pencil. He is also a teacher and someone who really knows how to think about the process of making art.

So journey back with me, Erik Wolken a little bit… to May of 2023. I'm thinking about how to put some new elements in the podcast and come up with the idea of trying to follow the thought process of an artist creating a specific piece of art. The name that came to me for that was Mind of a Maker, which I stole directly from the Anthony Bourdain PBS series Mind of a Chef

I was also thinking of this as a hybrid project, both a podcast and a short film, because of course after making one film I have mastered the medium. So the first thing I need is a guest/guinea pig to try out the idea, someone who will not mind if I waste their time and flail around. And that would be my good friend Steve Fishman, a willing victim, whom I've spent endless hours talking with about art and art making.

Steve had recently completed work on an exhibition of moon inspired paintings that were part of a much larger ongoing series. And as Steve and I are both fond of saying, "Bob's your uncle." I now had a willing subject and the perfect topic for my experiment.

So sit back and listen as Steve regales you with tales of painting the moon 🌙 🎨🌝

Episode 61 of Why Make? is the conclusion of our conversation with Carrboro, NC musician Jonathan Byrd, who, along with being an award winning song writer is also a story teller, a poet, a photographer,  a painter, a teacher and now a student in Physics at North Carolina State University.

Enjoy Part Two of our wide open discussion on a host of topics from song writing to physics with Jonathan Byrd.

Find out more about Jonathan, his music and much much more at www.jonathanbyrd.com

On Episode 60 of Why Make? our guest is Jonathan Byrd a Carrboro, NC musician, who, along with being award winning song writer, is also a story teller extraordinaire, a poet, a photographer, a painter, a teacher and now a student in Physics.

Erik has known Jonathan for a long time and has watched his career blossom over the years. After discovering that Jonathan had taken a hiatus from touring to go to school for physics it became evident that it was high time to get him on the podcast to find out more.

Enjoy Part One of a wide open discussion on a host of topics, from song writing to physics, with Jonathan Byrd.

Find out more about Jonathan, his music and much much more at www.jonathanbyrd.com

I first heard about Emma Lake as it was formerly known,  many years ago as this gathering of makers in the far reaches of northern Saskatchewan,Canada. I am not sure how I heard about it or in what context but I always remember it being presented as this other worldly event described with superlatives that somehow could not match reality. Furthermore I am not sure I really even understood what it was. At best it seemed like summer camp for woodworkers to just play and make anything they wanted in the company of like minded individuals.I also knew it was by invitation only and it was an invitation that I would love to receive someday.Fast forward to 2019 when we started the Why Make podcast one of our earliest conversations, episode 3, was with Melissa Engler and Graeme Priddle who went on to wax poetic about Emma to the extent that Graeme had created an Emma spin off event in his native home of New Zealand. And the mystique only grew as we talked  with other Emma participants over the years including Kim Winkle, Karen Ernst, Andy Buck and Adam Manley. And that invitation finally came for the Emma 2024 gathering in August and Why Make is thrilled attend and document this event . But first we humbly ask for your assistance in helping us attend as we provide conversation on What is Emma with board member Brian Gladwell

As mentioned in the podcast here is a link to excellent book of images and essays from the

Imagine Peace Now exhibition

https://imaginepeacenow.org/supportus/product/i-m-a-g-i-n-e-peace-now-publication/