In Episode 34 of Why Make we talk with artist, woodworker and educator Katie Hudnall, currently living in Madison Wisconsin she is an assistant professor of art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Katie began in the arts as someone who loved to draw and was able to morph her drawing language into a unique woodworking style, despite her admitted lack of finer woodworking skills. Hudnall relies mostly on recycled, used and found materials, slotted screws and various other fasteners to create fantastic and other worldly work. Many of her pieces remind one of “Rube Goldberg” machine-like kinetic sculptures visiting from another era.After taking a class with woodworking luminary, Jere Osgood, Katie soon became fond of quoting his answer to her inquiry on whether an idea would work or not… Jere simply replied to her 

“it might be a disaster, we should try it!”

Our conversation with Katie may be a disaster, but an intriguing and bizarrely shaped one for sure. So here we go… 

Find out more about Katie and her work at www.katiehudnall.com

In Episode 33 of Why Make? we talk with furniture maker, sculptor, and educator, Andy Buck. Andy is currently a full professor in the School for American Crafts in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has also taught at the Oregon College of Art & Craft, and given workshops at Anderson Ranch, Haystack, Penland and Peters Valley.

Andy’s work has always seemed to embody fun and whimsical forms but we step behind the whimsy to talk about the serious ideas he is exploring in his work and the unique design vocabulary he has developed.

Robb has been an admirer of Andy’s work for a long time and his fun play on tools and toilet bowl plungers inspired his early work, including an ongoing flyswatter series! So grab a brush and a can of milk paint and join us as we see what makes Andy Buck tick.

Check out more of Andy’s work on his website www.andybuck.com and read his artist feature on the Arbortech site.

A quick program note… this conversation was recorded in late November 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was in full swing. As you listen now and possibly in the very near future it continues to be a focal point of all of our lives and a prominent part of many of our conversations.

Episode 32 of Why Make? is a Bonus Make! as we continue our conversation with Adam Manley and talk about his 2018 solo exhibition, Ordinary Rendition.

On Episode 31 of Why Make? we are joined by Adam Manley a San Diego, California based maker and educator. We talk with Adam about everything under the hot California sun including his large-scale sculpture and installations, his furniture and functional objects, and teaching San Diego State University as an assistant professor in their Furniture design and woodworking program.

Episode 30 of Why Make? is a Bonus Make! We discuss with Michael Puryear the evolution and creation of his Dan chair, his interpretation of a classic African low chair, which is now a part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.

On Episode 29 of Why Make? we talk with Michael Puryear a consummate New York based furniture maker with an elegant understated aesthetic.

Please join us on one makers journey as we find out what inspires and motivates Michael Puryear.

On Episode 28 of the Why Make? podcast we talk with artist Maggie Sasso, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin based maker producing maritime influenced installation work.

Maggie’s conceptual bodies of work examines material culture in relation to our collective past using comedy and levity to navigate through the harsh realities of modern life. Although Maggie has a background in contemporary craft, including woodworking and metal smithing, most of her current work is in fiber… resulting from an a-ha moment she had after raising a hand sewn signal flag over her then home in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Journey with us as we talk with Maggie about childhood plays performed for an audience of trees, studying with her father, maker and educator Paul Sasso, and even her husband, Ben Jones, crash testing speedboats into logs.

So pull on your life preserver pants as we meditate on the horizon line and sail through the vast creative ocean of Maggie Sasso!

Find out more about Maggie and her work… www.maggiesasso.com

In Episode 27 of Why Make? we talk with filmmaker John Nakashima and discuss his new documentary George Nakashima, Woodworker about his uncle, George Nakashima

John unfolds about the making of his new documentary, his life long relationship with his uncle George and the 20 year journey he has taken in making this stunning film.

So grab a hand plane or a chisel, pop in your earbuds and get to work on that air dried slab of walnut you just acquired… and hold on for a Why Make? history lesson!

Enjoy.

Discover more about John Nakashima and his documentary here https://nakashimadocumentary.com

Learn about the George Nakashima Peace Foundation here https://nakashimafoundation.org

See George’s work here https://nakashimawoodworkers.com

In Episode 26, our 2021 Season Introduction, we take a look back at the dumpster fire that was 2020 and the multitude of ways we were able stay healthy, talking and connected. We look back at about some of the wonderful conversations we had last year and also give a preview of the upcoming episodes planned for 2021. We also dig into a couple of the Why Make? side projects on the drawing board! Hang on as we take a bumpy ride back through the last year and swerve confidently into the Why Make? future.

Episode 25 of Why Make? is a Bonus Make! as we talk with Greenville, SC artist Daniel Marinelli about creating the new landmark sign at Penland School of Craft.

With butterflies in his stomach about creating his largest commission to date, Marinelli goes into detail about the design and fabrication of this incredible sign and the thrill of a job well done!

Don’t adjust the kerning on this episodes layout, Daniel has already done it for you… so just sit back, listen and enjoy the latest Bonus Make!

Find out more about Daniel and his work at okgoods.co and danielmarinelli.com

And discover Penland School of Crafts too!